Bad English

Songwriter: Jesse Harms Ricky Phillips John Waite

Producer: Ron Nevison

The first time that I saw you
You were dancin' on the beach
Poetry in motion
But you seemed so out of reach
And the waves
Were breakin' 'round you
In the California sunset

I made a wish to know you
And touch your golden hair
You turned around and looked at me
And paradise was there
Baby I remember the way you took my hand
Yesterday

Time stood still
As we walked into the night together
The memory is locked in our hearts forever
It seems just like yesterday
Time stood still

We found a little seaside bar
High above the rocks
You were drinking white wine
And I was doing shots
I wondered if you'd stay the night
You just took my hand and led the way

Time stood still
As we made love through the night together
The memory is locked in our hearts forever
Time stood still
Time stood still
The memory is locked in our hearts forever
Oh yeah

I thought that I'd seen love before
But what you showed me
Well that's something more
Love found two strangers walking on the shore
We threw our watches in the sea
I looked at you you looked at me
And time stood still

We made a fire on the beach that night
And watched the seagulls circle in the morning light
Maybe there are some things
We're not meant to understand Anyway

Time stood still
But love goes on forever
The memory is burned in our hearts forever
Oh yes

Time stood still
The moment's gone forever
But I will love you till
Time stands still in our hearts forever
Oh yeah

Time stood still
Time stood still
Time stands still in our hearts forever
Seems just like yesterday
Time stood still
Time stands still
Time stood still
Oh yeah
Time stood still
Forever...

Bad English was a short-lived hard rock supergroup best known for their chart-topping rock ballad “When I See You Smile”. The band came up with their name while shooting pool between studio takes. The term means ‘putting the wrong spin on a cue ball’.

After releasing four successful albums on his own, ex-Babys frontman John Waite felt the urge to front a band again. When his manager suggested teaming up with a previous bandmate, he reconnected with ex-Babys Jonathan Cain (while Cain’s band Journey was on hiatus) backstage at a Heart concert. Cain had already been in touch with another ex-Babys member Ricky Phillips about ‘doing a band with the rock attitude of The Babys again’. The three began writing songs together.

Neil Schon (also of the then-inactive band Journey) occasionally stopped by the studio and offered to play guitar to help the band out. However, he ended up officially joining the project and recruiting Wild Dogs drummer Deen Castronovo. After accumulating seven songs, a conference call between the band, producer Ritchie Zito and their A&R man led to adding songs written by outside songwriters like Martin Page, Mark Spiro and Dianne Warren – the latter contributing the ballad “When I See You Smile” (a song previously offered to Alias frontman Freddie Curci).

more tracks from the album

Backlash

From the album

Backlash (1991)

Bad English popular songs

Time Stood StillBad English

Bad English

Backlash