1989 Power Ballad, Written By Diane Warren, Became This Glam Metal Band's Only No. 1 Hit
Diane Warren is one of the most credited songwriters, having developed chart-topping hits for some of the biggest rock bands and artists. In 1989, she wrote a track for the glam metal supergroup Bad English that would go on to be their most successful and only No. 1 hit.
The British band was just starting to make a name for themselves when they released their self-titled debut album in the late '80s. Lucky for them, the album had two successful power ballads that became love anthems, but only one topped the charts at the time. "Price of Love" peaked at No. 5, while their second single, "When I See You Smile," cemented them as a hit rock band with a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.
Lead singer John Waite, keyboard player Jonathan Cain, bass player Ricky Phillips, guitarist Neal Schon, and drummer Deen Castronov signed with Epic Records when A&R man Don Grierson pushed them to record a hit track. He suggested "When I See You Smile" by Warren, and the band agreed, knowing it would be exactly what they needed.
Related: 1988 Hit Ranked Among ‘Greatest Power Ballads' Became a No. 1 Heartbreak Anthem
"When I See You Smile" is a classic love anthem that's often been interpreted as reflecting the deep, unconditional bond a father feels for his daughter. It's not uncommon for the track to be a popular choice for a father-daughter dance at weddings. The hit song can also be interpreted as a heartfelt love someone has for another person during their darkest moment.
According to SongFacts, Warren wrote the track as a tribute to her father, who had always supported her career. She didn't see it as a major success until it was well-received by higher-ups. The track was originally meant to go to the band Sheriff, but they already had another song lined up for release. Instead, "When I See You Smile" went to Bad English.
While "When I See You Smile" became Bad English's biggest hit and a well-respected love anthem, it didn't lead to stardom for the band. The track was their only No. 1 hit before they disbanded in 1991.
"It was fun for a year. And then people reverted to type. I think the Journey guys wanted to be back in Journey and I wanted to be back solo. We had a very valiant attempt at making a second record, but we weren't given enough time to write it. We tried, and we almost made it," said Waite to SongFacts.
Waite's adds that the label pushed them too hard to produce another hit within a month, and the band was "trying their absolute hardest to come up with the goods." He explains they were running on empty, trying to follow the success of a No. 1 double platinum-selling record that ultimately broke up the band.
According to interviews, Waite also disliked the image they had created as a band and went back to being a solo artist. Schon and Castronovo joined the band Hardline before the latter joined Ozzy Osbourne's band. A while later, Schon returned to Cain, with Castronovo rejoining Journey in 1998.
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 7:55 AM.