Michael Bolton's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked

15 June 2021, 17:31 | Updated: 16 June 2021, 12:33

By Tom Eames

Michael Bolton is the king of blue-eyed soul, with a voice to die for.

He might not have the long locks he became famous for in the late '80s, but his talent is a still a thing to behold. If you need a playlist to guarantee a perfect date night, you can't go wrong with the Bolton.

Michael Bolton facts: Singer's age, wife, children, real name and more revealed

Here are his best ever songs:

'We're Not Making Love Anymore' (with Patti Labelle)

Michael Bolton & Patti LaBelle *We're Not Making Love Anymore* - D.Warren

What an underrated belter of a duet this is.
Michael wrote this with Diane Warren, and it was first recorded by Barbra Streisand in 1989. Two years later, he tackled it himself with soul legend Patti Labelle, and it was also a hit.
Michael said that the inspiration for the song came from his divorce from his first wife, Maureen McGuire.
'Soul Provider'

Michael Bolton - Soul Provider

This is the title track from Bolton's huge-selling sixth album in 1989.
The song is also what one reviewer at the time said helped Bolton "stoked the romantic fires in bedrooms across America". We can't argue with that.
'Time, Love and Tenderness'

Michael Bolton - Time, Love and Tenderness

Diane Warren wrote this song for Michael's album of the same name in 1991.
The song proved a success, becoming Michael's FIFTH top 10 hit in the summer of '91 in America.
'Jack Sparrow'

Jack Sparrow (feat. Michael Bolton)

OK, this is technically not a 'proper' Bolton song, but it's so good we're including it.
Michael teamed up with comedy troupe The Lonely Island for this hilarious, and amazingly catchy, tune where he goes off script and sings about his love for the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
It's what the internet was made for.
'To Love Somebody'

Michael Bolton - To Love Somebody (Live)

Michael took on this romantic Bee Gees ballad, and it worked wonders.
From his Timeless: The Classics album and co-produced by David Foster, his version reached number 11 in the States.
'When a Man Loves a Woman'

Michael Bolton - When a Man Loves a Woman (Official Music Video)

Percy Sledge had already scored a huge hit with this soul classic back in the '60s, so it was brave for Michael to attempt a cover of such a standard.
However, the gamble worked, as it reached number one in the US and won him a Grammy Award.
'Said I Loved You... But I Lied'

Michael Bolton - Said I Loved You...But I Lied (Official Music Video)

Naughty, Michael.
He teamed up with songwriting supremo Robert 'Mutt' Lange for this track, which gave him yet another top 10 hit in the States in 1993.
'Can I Touch You... There?'

Michael Bolton - Can I Touch You... There? (Video)

Cheeky, Michael.
This track was first included on his Greatest Hits collection in 1995, and it gave him his second biggest UK hit after 'How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?'.
'How Can We Be Lovers?'

Michael Bolton - How Can We Be Lovers

Pure power ballad brilliance.
Written alongside Diane Warren and Desmond Child, this was a top 10 hit in both the UK and US in 1990.
It also contains one of the greatest key changes in music history.
'How Am I Supposed To Live Without You?'

Michael Bolton - How Am I Supposed To Live Without You

Michael's most famous hit, is also his greatest. You don't get many '80s soul power ballads that are better than this.
The song was actually supposed to be recorded by Air Supply, but when Arista President Clive Davis asked for permission to change the lyrics, Michael refused.
Laura Branigan then recorded it first, and it became the first major hit for Michael as a songwriter.
He of course released his own version to even greater success in early 1990.