How Can We Be Lovers

Going from friends to lovers is a common theme in pop music, but this song portrays the opposite situation: the couple have a passion for each other, but can't get along as friends. The song asks a lot of questions (How can we start over when the fighting never ends?, How can we make love if we can't make amends?) but doesn't have any answers. Seems it's easier for friends to become lovers than for lovers to become friends.

Michael Bolton wrote this song with Diane Warren, who had a lot to do with his success in the late '80s and early '90s. She also worked on his hits "When I'm Back On My Feet Again" and "Time, Love and Tenderness." By this time, Warren had several big hits to her credit (including "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne and "When I See You Smile" by Bad English), but "How Can We Be Lovers?" was the first hit she co-wrote with the performer, and indication that she holds Bolton in high esteem as a songwriter.

This was a big hit from Bolton's Soul Provider album, which elevated him to a new level thank in large part to the #1 hit "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You." The album ended up selling an impressive 6 million copies in America, and his next one, Time, Love & Tenderness was even bigger, with 8 million.