Keep on Loving You

About this song

REO Speedwagon were hesitant to record the song because they were a rock band and it was a ballad. Frontman Kevin Cronin first played it on piano during rehearsals, and guitarist Gary Richrath's Les Paul chords gave it the big sound that made it work. It went to number one in the US in spring 1981, and it was the band's first UK hit, reaching number 7, with top 20 placings in several other countries.

What it's about

The song was written about Cronin's wife's infidelity and his wish to stay in the relationship anyway. Cronin later described it as the most painful song he ever wrote.

Fun facts

• Sampled in 6 other songs, like “file_naming_system-08: 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗠𝗔𝗟𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡. 𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳_𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦: 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧4. by $PIRIT GURLZ”.
• Covered 5 times, including “Keep On Loving You by Jimmie Allen”.
• Written by Kevin Cronin.
• Produced by Kevin Cronin, Gary Richrath, Kevin Beamish and Alan Gratzer.