How Can We Be Lovers? - Wikipedia

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• 1 Track listings
• 2 Personnel
• 3 Charts Toggle Charts subsection
  • 3.1 Weekly charts
  • 3.2 Year-end charts
• 4 Certifications
• 5 Release history
• 6 References

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Appearance move to sidebar hide From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from How Can We Be Lovers?) 1990 single by Michael Bolton

"How Can We Be Lovers"
US retail cassette variant of standard artwork; the US CD edition was promo-only
Single by Michael Bolton
from the album Soul Provider
B-side	"That's What Love Is All About"
Released	1990
Length	3:55
Label	Columbia
Songwriters	Michael Bolton Diane Warren Desmond Child
Producer	Desmond Child
Michael Bolton singles chronology
"How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" (1989) "How Can We Be Lovers" (1990) "When I'm Back on My Feet Again" (1990)

"How Can We Be Lovers" is a song written by American singer and songwriter Michael Bolton, Diane Warren, and Desmond Child and performed by Bolton. Released in 1990 by Columbia Records as the third single from Bolton's sixth studio album, Soul Provider (1989), it peaked at numbers three and four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and US Cash Box Top 100, and number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in May 1990. The song also reached number two in Canada, number three in Australia, number nine in Luxembourg, number 10 in Sweden, and number 18 in Ireland.

Track listings

[edit]

• US and Australian 7-inch and cassette single; Japanese mini-CD single[1][2][3]

1. "How Can We Be Lovers" – 3:55
2. "That's What Love Is All About" – 3:56

• UK 7-inch and cassette single[4][5]

1. "How Can We Be Lovers" – 3:55
2. "The Hunger" – 4:18

• UK 12-inch single and CD1[6][7]

1. "How Can We Be Lovers" – 3:55
2. "Fools Game" – 3:50
3. "The Hunger" – 4:18

• UK CD2[8]

1. "How Can We Be Lovers"
2. "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" (live)
3. "The Hunger"
4. "I Almost Believed You"

• European 7-inch and mini-CD single[9][10]

1. "How Can We Be Lovers" – 3:55
2. "Call My Name" – 4:15

• European mini maxi-CD single[11]

1. "How Can We Be Lovers" – 3:55
2. "Call My Name" – 4:15
3. "Fools Game" – 3:50

Personnel

[edit]

• Michael Bolton – lead and background vocals
• Gregg Mangiafico – keyboards
• Bobby Chouinard – drums
• John McCurry – electric and acoustic guitar
• Hugh McDonald – bass guitar
• Eric Rehl – synthesizer
• Myriam Valle, Jon Fiore, Kyf Brewer, Kate McGunnigle, Joe Cerisano, Patty Darcy, Louis Merlino, Bernie Shanahan, Desmond Child – background vocals
• Sir Arthur Payson – engineer, mixing
• Joe Pirrera, Keith Goldstein, Roy Hendrickson, Danny Mormando, Mike Kowiak – assistant engineers
• John Herman – assistant mix engineer
• Steve Savitt – production manager

Charts

[edit]

Weekly charts [edit] Chart (1990-1991) Peakposition Australia (ARIA)[12] 3 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[13] 30 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[14] 2 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[15] 11 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[16] 28 Ireland (IRMA)[17] 18 Luxembourg (Radio Luxembourg)[18] 9 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[19] 8 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[20] 38 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[21] 27 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[22] 10 UK Singles (OCC)[23] 10 US Billboard Hot 100[24] 3 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[25] 3 US Cash Box Top 100[26] 4

Year-end charts [edit] Chart (1990) Position Australia (ARIA)[27] 41 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[28] 41 Sweden (Topplistan)[29] 87 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 52 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[31] 34 US Cash Box Top 100[32] 50

Certifications

[edit]

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27]	Gold	35,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

[edit]

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	1990	7-inch vinyl cassette	Columbia
Australia	April 16, 1990		CBS	[33]
Japan	April 21, 1990	Mini-CD	CBS/Sony	[34]

References

[edit]

1. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (US 7-inch single vinyl disc). Columbia Records. 1990. 38-73318.
2. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (Australian cassette single sleeve). CBS Records. 1990. 655806 4.
3. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (Japanese mini-CD single liner notes). CBS/Sony. 1990. CSDS 8129.
4. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (UK 7-inch single sleeve). CBS Records. 1990. 655918 7.
5. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (UK cassette single sleeve). CBS Records. 1990. 655918 4.
6. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (UK 12-inch single sleeve). CBS Records. 1990. 655918 6.
7. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (UK CD1 liner notes). CBS Records. 1990. 655918 2.
8. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (UK CD2 liner notes). CBS Records. 1990. 655918 5.
9. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (European 7-inch single sleeve). CBS Records. 1990. 655836 7.
10. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (European mini-CD single liner notes). CBS Records. 1990. 655836 1.
11. ^ How Can We Be Lovers (European mini maxi-CD single liner notes). CBS Records. 1990. 655836 3.
12. ^ "Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
13. ^ "Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
14. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Image 9138". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
15. ^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Image 9027". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
16. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. June 9, 1990. Retrieved June 19, 2021.
17. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – How Can We Be Lovers". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
18. ^ Radio Luxembourg Singles. May 20, 1990.
19. ^ "Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers". top40.nl. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
20. ^ "Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
21. ^ "Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
22. ^ "Michael Bolton – How Can We Be Lovers". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
23. ^ "Official Singles Chart on 2/6/1990 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
24. ^ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
25. ^ "Michael Bolton Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
26. ^ Cash Box Chart Entries 1990-1996
27. ^ a b "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1990". ARIA. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
28. ^ "Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1990". RPM. Retrieved July 18, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
29. ^ "Årstopplistan 1990, Singlar" (in Swedish). Grammotex. Archived from the original on February 16, 2001. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
30. ^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1990". Archived from the original on July 6, 2009. Retrieved September 15, 2009.
31. ^ "Year-End Charts: Adult Contemporary Songs 1990". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
32. ^ "Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LIV, no. 22. December 29, 1990. p. 9. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
33. ^ "New Release Summary: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 14. April 15, 1990. p. 18.
34. ^ "マイケル・ボルトン | ラバーズ" [Michael Bolton | Lovers] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 12, 2025.

v t e Michael Bolton
Discography
Studio albums	Michael Bolotin (1975) Everyday of My Life (1976) Michael Bolton (1983) Everybody's Crazy (1985) The Hunger (1987) Soul Provider (1989) Time, Love & Tenderness (1991) The One Thing (1993) All That Matters (1997) Only a Woman Like You (2002) One World One Love (2009) Gems: The Duets Collection / Duette (2011) Ain't No Mountain High Enough: A Tribute to Hitsville U.S.A. (2013) Songs of Cinema (2017)
Cover albums	Timeless: The Classics (1992) This Is the Time: The Christmas Album (1996) My Secret Passion: The Arias (1998) Timeless: The Classics Vol. 2 (1999) Vintage (2003) Bolton Swings Sinatra: The Second Time Around (2006)
Compilation albums	The Artistry of Michael Bolotin (1993) Greatest Hits (1985–1995) (1995) The Essential Michael Bolton (2005) 'Til the End of Forever (2005)
Singles	"(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay" "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" "How Can We Be Lovers" "When I'm Back on My Feet Again" "Love Is a Wonderful Thing" "Time, Love and Tenderness" "When a Man Loves a Woman" "Missing You Now" "To Love Somebody" "Drift Away" "Reach Out I'll Be There" "Said I Loved You... But I Lied" "Lean on Me" "I Found Someone" "Go the Distance" "Nessun dorma!" "Sexual Healing" "Jack Sparrow" "I'm Not Ready"
Related articles	Blackjack

Authority control databases	MusicBrainz work

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=How_Can_We_Be_Lovers&oldid=1337046204" Categories:

• 1989 songs
• 1990 singles
• Columbia Records singles
• Michael Bolton songs
• Songs written by Desmond Child
• Songs written by Diane Warren
• Songs written by Michael Bolton

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