Air Supply – Making Love Out Of Nothing At All | Beyond The Lyrics | Story of Song

Story of Song

The title “making love” is somehow misleading although it does mean having sex, but what he is talking about is making love when there is nothing between them, creating the delusion of an emotional attachment in the absence of any behavioral foundation.  It is the opposite of romantic and actually negative (in the beginning). “Nothing at all” could mean that there is nothing at all inside him for anyone. He knows how to fake his emotions, like when he says, “I know just how to whisper, and I know just how to cry, I know just where to find the answers and I know just how to lie.” Meaning he knows exactly what to do to make any girl love him by knowing what to say, how to act, or even pretend he loves her, to get any girl to love him. But, something’s wrong, yes he doesn’t really love her, but still he doesn’t know how to leave her, and he doesn’t know how it happens or how she does it, making love when there is nothing at all inside him for her.
It’s a song of redemption. He is bitter and jaded and never has feelings for anyone. Yet somehow he cannot explain, he has feelings for her and she didn’t do anything to make it happen, it just did. He doesn’t understand how he fell in love with her when she did nothing to try to win his affection. The music video starts with Graham Russell and Jodi Russell (his real life wife) saying goodbye just before he goes on tour. He asks her to come with him but she refuses to come because she just doesn’t see a point in having their relationship continue. But during his journey, Graham realizes that he has feelings for her and that he actually loves her.

Release date

This song was released as a new track in 1983.

Songwriter/s

Jim Steinman

Label

Arista (U.S.), Geffen (UK)

Chart Rankings

US – 2

UK – 80

SOUTH AFRICA – 5

The song also held number 5 on the south African singles chart.  It is a power ballad that considered being one of the most romantic songs ever made. The song held number 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. for three weeks.

Artist’s age on release date

The band had been active for 8 years; Russell Hitchcock was 33 years old.

Cover Versions

The most successful cover was by Bonnie Tyler on her album Free Spirit. Other less famous artists covered it as well.