“Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” with its amazing horns and Jason Scheff’s very young and sweet-sounding tenor vocals, is one of my favorite songs off 1986’s Chicago 18.
Even though I first heard this song in the early 2000s, the music takes me back to the ’80s where things were different and simpler. Unfortunately, I was 5 years old when this song was released and the subject matter doesn’t relate to me, or my memories. Instead, “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us Now” follows the story of a person who’s looking for love and attention in all the wrong places, and another who is trying to satisfy a need or a desire for someone else.
The track is well written, detailed and very descriptive. Still, to be completely honest, it took me a while to understand what the lyrics really meant. It took some analysis, and a conversation with another fan, and that could be an issue: For fans like myself, “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us Now” might require repeated listens to get the true meaning.
I probably thought it was a love song but after studying the lyrics, you can tell it’s anything but: Scheff and co-writer Buzz Feiten frame everything through the experiences of a prostitute. Waiting “at the dark end of the street,” she can offer nothing more than false hope. Nervous about the experience, some might have fallen for her, but she couldn’t be that person in return. She can only give them what they need at that point in time.
I think I’d been paying more attention to the music all along. I’ve always liked the drum sounds on “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us Now.” Producer David Foster added synth bass but Scheff also played the actual bass, according to his brother, and it’s very strong. I love the background vocals, especially when they become light and whispery. You cannot forget about the horns, either. Chicago once again displays a great ability to include horns in a pop song and make them sound like they belong.
In the end, I believe this is Jason Scheff’s best song on Chicago 18. “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Us Now” suits his voice, he takes an amazing turn on the bass and does a pretty good job on the songwriting. He did well on all of the other songs, but this one fits Scheff like a glove. “Nothin’s Gonna Stop Up Now” goes in his musical portfolio of greatness.
