In May 1986, Robert Palmer scored his first No. 1 song thanks to a song idea that came to him in a dream.
At that point, Palmer had spent roughly 20 years as one of music’s underappreciated journeymen. Early stints singing in bands the Alan Brown Set and Vinegar Joe had yielded only a minor following. Going solo would help Palmer’s star slowly rise.
Between 1975 and 1983, the singer released seven solo LPs, earning small hits with “Every Kinda People” and “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor).” Still, upper-level success - like a chart-topping single or platinum-selling album - continued to elude him.