The song that should have been a radio hit...

Great rhythm, catchy chorus, it had the hook! “Every Time I See Her” is one of those feel-good songs that makes you tap the steering wheel or turn the volume up just a bit higher when it comes on. It’s a pop-rock gem wrapped in shimmering guitar work and Dave Edmunds’ effortlessly cool vocal delivery. So, what was the problem back in 1990?

Well—timing, for one. By the time Closer to the Flame dropped, the musical landscape had shifted. The early '90s were a strange time for traditional rock and roll artists like Edmunds. Hair metal was fading, alternative and grunge were on the rise, and radio playlists were beginning to favor newer, moodier sounds. An upbeat, rootsy pop-rock track—no matter how infectious—suddenly felt out of sync with what was selling.

Then there’s promotion. Capitol Records released Closer to the Flame with minimal fanfare. Edmunds had taken a few years off from studio albums before this one, and there wasn’t a strong marketing push to reintroduce him to a U.S. audience. Even with its clean production and accessible tracks, the album didn’t make a splash on the charts.

And let’s not forget the genre pigeonhole. Edmunds was (and still is) beloved by fans of rockabilly and roots rock, but he never fully broke into the mainstream pop world. Songs like “Every Time I See Her” had commercial potential, but without a major radio hit or MTV visibility, it just didn’t get the momentum it deserved. In short, “Every Time I See Her” was a perfect example of the right song at the wrong time.

In 1990, “Every Time I See Her” was swimming against the current. Charts were dominated by glossy pop like Paula Abdul’s “Opposites Attract” and Madonna’s “Vogue,” while rock was turning heavier with Bad Company’s “Holy Water” or drifting into moodier territory with Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” and Midnight Oil’s “Blue Sky Mine.” Even classic rock veterans—Tom Petty with “Free Fallin’,” George Harrison’s “Cheer Down,” and the Traveling Wilburys—were finding success with a similar rootsy sound, but with more label muscle and high-profile collaborations behind them. Edmunds’ bright, feel-good rocker was radio-ready, but the industry’s spotlight was shifting fast, leaving songs like his in the shadows.