‘Right Here Waiting’ by Richard Marx: Story, lyrics meaning, movie facts and more

8 January 2025, 15:21

‘Right Here Waiting’ is one of Richard Marx’s most beloved tracks.

The global hit was released on Marx's 1989 album Repeat Offender.

Popular ever since its release, you may recently have recognised the love song when it was featured in Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

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But what is the emotional real-life story behind the song’s lyrics? When was ‘Right Here Waiting’ written, and how was the song’s music video filmed?

Read on to discover all there is to know about this Richard Marx classic…

Right Here Waiting

When was ‘Right Here Waiting’ written?

‘Right Here Waiting’, which Richard wrote in 15 minutes, was released in June 1989.

It was the second single from Richard Marx’s sophomore album Repeat Offender, however, the American singer-songwriter originally had “no intention” of recording it himself.

“[It was] the fastest song I ever wrote,” he told Decades TV in 2018.

But the track also “felt too personal” to be something he recorded himself, so Richard offered ‘Right Here Waiting’ to Barbra Streisand, who had requested he write her a song earlier that year.

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After sending the ‘Evergreen’ singer a cassette recording: “She called me and she said: ‘Richard, this song, this melody is so beautiful. I love the music.

"But I’m going to need you to rewrite the lyrics, because I’m not going to be ‘right here waiting’ for anybody!’”

Richard thanks Streisand to this day for turning down the song, as it allowed him time to be convinced that he should record the emotional track himself.

‘Right Here Waiting’ meaning: What is the song about?

‘Right Here Waiting’ is a love song about a partner missing their other half during a long-distance relationship.

The song’s chorus channels all this longing into a loving declaration: “Whatever it takes / Or how my heart breaks / I will be right here waiting for you.”

Richard wrote the song based on personal experience. In 1988, he was separated from his then-partner (and later wife) Cynthia Rhodes when she was in South Africa filming for a movie.

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Lyrics such as: “Oceans apart, day after day / And I slowly go insane / I hear your voice on the line / But it doesn’t stop the pain,” describe Richard’s very real longing for Rhodes, and explain why he once considered the song too personal to record himself.

How did ‘Right Here Waiting’ perform in the charts?

‘Right Here Waiting’ topped the charts in countries including the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.

It also made it to number two on the UK charts, and won Richard a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Richard’s love song has also remained popular in the 21st century. On Valentine’s Day 2013, Spotify UK revealed that the song was its most popular love song based on streaming figures from ‘love song’ playlists, beating other hits such as Foreigner’s ‘I Want To Know What Love Is’ and Elton John’s ‘Your Song’.

‘Right Here Waiting’ music video: the tour film which never was

Richard Marx - Right Here Waiting (Official Music Video)

Richard Marx’s ‘Right Here Waiting’ music video (directed by Jim Yukich) looks like a straightforward on-the-road tour vid, but the truth is it’s just as staged as other more elaborate music videos from the time.

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While performing his Repeat Offender global tour, Richard and his team had no time to film footage for a music video, so all of the shots of the Chicago-born star ‘on-tour’ were actually filmed on a tour bus travelling the streets of LA.

The scenes of Richard performing a soundcheck were also recorded separately from his tour.

Who has covered ‘Right Here Waiting’?

Right Here Waiting

‘Right Here Waiting’ has been covered many times over the years due to its enduring popularity.

Notable covers include Bonnie Tyler and the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra’s in 2002, and Monica and 112’s recording on her 1998 album The Boy Is Mine.

What movie is ‘Right Here Waiting’ in?

Tim Burton is the most recent movie-maker who’s decided to use ‘Right Here Waiting’ in a film.

The song appears in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel to his 1988 film Beetlejuice.

In the second film, ‘Right Here Waiting’ appears in-universe when Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice gets out a guitar to strum the song to try and appeal to Winona Ryder’s now grown-up Lydia Deetz.

Richard has spoken happily about his song’s inclusion in the film, telling the Chicago Sun-Times: “When I saw it was Michael singing it, I just started laughing so hard…

“I love that people have been reposting that scene from the movie and are talking about it,” he added.

What are the lyrics to ‘Right Here Waiting’?

Oceans apart, day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

If I see you next to never
Then how can we say forever?

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

Oh, can't you see it, baby?
You've got me going crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance

Oh, can't you see it, baby?
You've got me going crazy

Wherever you go
Whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes
Or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you
Waiting for you