Missing You

Zoo Freaks, get ready for some righteous vibes as we spin "Missing You" by John Waite from his 1984 album No Brakes here at THE ZOO! This tune’s got a wild backstory. Waite poured his heart into this one, writing it during a rough patch when he was splitting from his wife back in England and navigating new romances in New York City. He’s said the song’s about three women: his soon-to-be ex, a past love from his early NYC days, and a new flame. The killer line, “I ain’t missing you at all,” is pure denial, masking the ache he felt. Waite improvised those iconic lyrics on the spot, belting out the first verse and chorus after hearing a guitar melody just twice. He knew it was a hit, recalling in a Songwriting Magazine interview, “I stood back from the mic, and I thought, ‘F--k it. Number 1.’” And he was right—it topped the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1984.

Here’s a groovy tidbit: the song almost didn’t make it onto No Brakes. Waite’s label thought the album was done, but he insisted it needed a banger. He convinced them to fork over $5,000 to record this last-minute gem, as he shared in that same Songwriting Magazine piece. The video’s a trip too, directed by Kort Falkenberg III, showing Waite wrestling with heartbreak—smashing phones and missing a lover’s knock at his door while lost in his headphones. Oh, and dig this: when Waite’s version hit #1, it knocked Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do with It” off the top spot. Years later, Turner covered “Missing You” for her 1996 album Wildest Dreams, hitting #12 in the UK. Waite, a fan of Turner’s, wasn’t sold on her take, saying in a 2022 People interview, “It’s very hard to get that song right.”

Now, let’s rewind to how John Waite kicked off his journey. Born on July 4, 1952, in Lancaster, England, Waite wasn’t always set on singing. Growing up with long hair and artsy vibes, he faced pushback from teachers who didn’t see him as “student material,” as he recalled in that People interview. He studied at Lancaster Art College, leaning into his creative side, and initially saw himself as a bassist and songwriter, not a frontman. His big break came with The Babys, a British rock band he joined as lead singer and bassist in the mid-’70s. They scored hits like “Isn’t It Time” and “Every Time I Think of You,” both peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 100. After The Babys split in 1980, Waite went solo, dropping his debut album Ignition in 1982 with the single “Change.” Though it didn’t chart big at first, it got MTV love and set the stage for No Brakes’s massive success.

Waite’s career didn’t stop there. He later formed Bad English with ex-Babys and Journey members, landing another #1 hit with “When I See You Smile” in 1989. He’s dropped ten solo albums, toured with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band, and even re-recorded “Missing You” as a duet with Alison Krauss in 2007, hitting #34 on the Hot Country Songs chart. His 2022 documentary, John Waite: The Hard Way, dives deep into his life, showing him get emotional over that Krauss duet. Zoo Crew’s got you covered with the latest on Waite—check him out at his official website, Facebook, Instagram, and X. For the real Zoo Freaks, join the John Waite Fan Club on Facebook or visit fan sites like John Waite Worldwide to keep the vibes alive!