1986 Smooth-Sounding Chart-Topper Hit No. 1 Before Its Collaborators Ever Met in Person
A smooth, unmistakably '80s chart-topper climbed all the way to No. 1 before the people behind it ever met in person, setting the stage for an unforgettable collaboration few could have predicted would become a hit.
Michael McDonald and Patti LaBelletopped the Billboard Hot 100 in June 1986 with the duet "On My Own." The song's unexpected success only added to its legend, proving that great chemistry can happen even when the artists involved had never shared a studio session.
For 23 weeks, the song remained on the charts, becoming a long-lasting favorite among listeners. However, McDonald and LaBelle never collaborated in person on the song, lending a twist to a fascinating story about its creation.
McDonald told PEOPLE Magazine in 2024, "I was telling [Patti] just the other night how it was so funny how we hadn't met. The song was recorded, and it was out on the radio."
Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
"We still hadn't met until we had to do The Tonight Show[months later]. That was the first time we actually met and did the song together."
The singing superstars recorded their parts separately. LaBelle laid down her vocal track first in Philadelphia, and McDonald followed up in Los Angeles. The song was written by Burt Bacharach and Carol Bayer Sager and produced by Bacharach.
McDonald believes that it was for the best that he and the legendary artist didn't face off in the recording studio. "Patti's such a formidable live performer and such an artist at improvisation. And that's pretty much her thing. I don't think she sings any song the same way twice. It's always in that moment that she's creating the melody and the feel of the song. And she's very good at it."
"Ad-libbing is not one of my favorite things because I don't know that I'm that good at it. But I was kind of happy I didn't have to go one-on-one with her in the studio and try to keep up with her at the microphone!"
RELATED: 1981 Dreamy Yacht Rock Classic Became a Fan Favorite its Band Couldn't Stand
McDonald used LaBelle's emotional recording as a basis for his own vocals. He admitted, "I think in the end, it really gave me some ideas on how to sing the song with her at a later date."
MORE: 1978 Timeless Yacht Rock Gem Ranks Among the Decade's Greatest Hits
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 6:07 AM.