‘Heat of the Moment’ is the first single released by English progressive rock supergroup Asia from their 1982 self-titled debut album. It was written by singer and bass guitarist John Wetton and keyboardist Geoff Downes. The single reached #4 in both the Canadian Singles chart and on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single climbed to the top position on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, achieving six non-consecutive weeks at #1 in the spring and summer of 1982.
‘Heat of the Moment’ was the last song recorded for the album. John Kalodner of Geffen asked the band for a single: Wetton had an idea for the chorus and Downes had an idea that made the verse and they wrote the song in an afternoon. The line "You catch a pearl and ride the dragon's wings" was inspired by Roger Dean's artwork for the album.
Singer John Wetton said, “The lyrics are an abject apology for my dreadful behavior towards a particular woman (the woman I would eventually marry, but divorce 10 years later), the chorus began its life as a 6/8 country song, but when Geoff and I started writing together, we moved the time signatures around, and ‘Heat of the Moment’ emerged. No-one else particularly “got” the song, and it was the last song to be recorded for the album. This was the case with the next two albums (that the last song recorded was to be the first single—I think it’s because Geoff and I are very, very focused by the end of recording) with “Don’t Cry” and “Go”.”
John Wetton started writing this song in 1980 when he was a member of the band Wishbone Ash, which were recording their album Number the Brave at Criteria Studios in Miami. When sessions would end around 6pm, Wetton would stay late in the studio and come up with ideas, many of which made their way onto the first Asia album. "I couldn't waste a studio like that with the best time in it," he said.
Label – Geffen
Songwriters – John Wetton, Geoff Downes
Producer – Mike Stone
SONG LYRICS
[Verse 1]I never meant to be so bad to you
One thing I said that I would never do
A look from you, and I would fall from grace
And that would wipe the smile right from my face
[Verse 2]
Do you remember when we used to dance?
And incidents arose from circumstance
One thing led to another, we were young
And we would scream together songs unsung
[Chorus]
It was the heat of the moment
Telling me what my heart meant
The heat of the moment showed in your eyes
[Verse 3]
And now you find yourself in Eighty Two
The disco hot spots hold no charm for you
You can concern yourself with bigger things
You catch a pearl and ride the dragon's wings
[Chorus]
'Cause it's the heat of the moment
Heat of the moment
The heat of the moment showed in your eyes
[Instrumental Interlude]
[Verse 4]
And when your looks are gone and you're alone
How many nights you sit beside the phone?
What were the things you wanted for yourself?
Teenage ambitions you remember well
[Chorus]
It was the heat of the moment
Telling me what your heart meant
The heat of the moment showed in your eyes
[Outro]
It was the heat of the moment
Heat of the moment
Heat of the moment showed in your eyes
Heat of the moment
Heat of the moment
Heat of the moment
Heat of the moment…