Can't Fight This Feeling

Surrender to REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling," their monumental 1984 power ballad. A defining soft rock and arena rock anthem, this chart-topper perfectly captures the moment love becomes undeniable. Experience one of the most iconic love songs of the 80s.

Emerging in late 1984 from REO Speedwagon's Wheels Are Turnin' album, "Can't Fight This Feeling" quickly became a defining hit single. Penned and sung by Kevin Cronin, this archetypal soft rock power ballad builds beautifully from its piano opening to an epic, soaring chorus. It epitomized the band’s talent for crafting emotionally charged yet commercially successful rock songs.

Despite its soft rock core, "Can't Fight This Feeling" achieved the grand scale of an arena rock ballad, dominating the charts in early 1985. Its universal theme exploring the transition from friendship to love resonated deeply, driving its immense mainstream success. This 1984 release remains an enduring REO Speedwagon classic, perfectly representing their peak popularity and mastery of the era's power ballad form.

SONG MEANING: "Can't Fight This Feeling" narrates the internal journey of realizing that a long-standing friendship has evolved into deep romantic love. The singer acknowledges past denial but can no longer ignore the truth of their feelings ("What started out as friendship, has grown stronger"). It’s a heartfelt confession about finally accepting and embracing an overwhelming love that could no longer be suppressed or denied.