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DailyBoom Your Old School Music Authority

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Robert Palmer - 'I Didn't Mean To Turn You On'


"Now I bring you home
You told me goodnight's not enough for you
I'm sorry, baby
I didn't mean to turn you on
No, I didn't mean to turn you on
You read me wrong
I wasn't trying to lead you on
Not like you think
I didn't mean to turn you on"

I think when most people think of Robert Palmer they almost immediately picture his "Addicted to Love" video, with him looking suave as several cloned women pretend to play instruments behind him. It's a visual that, even 30+ years after the release of his Riptide album, is still etched into pop culture's history. It's classic, timeless, and back then everyone absolutely loved Palmer. While I really liked "Addicted to Love", my favorite song off of the album is actually the single that followed it.

"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" hit the charts in early 1986 and I loved it immediately. Instead of girls with slicked-back hair, this video featured women that looked like they were runway-ready and the song itself has always felt a bit tongue-in-cheek, especially with Palmer singing it. It fit his image back then and the extended dance mix can still crush a lot of other 12" tracks out there. 

Ironically, Palmer wasn't the only one to record "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On". Cherrelle did it first and Mariah Carey had a version decades later, but it's Palmer's that is the best known of all.