A pop-funk fusion that finally brought a revered songwriter her own Top 40 spotlight.
There are certain songs that, even years later, still carry the unmistakable, shimmering glow of a nostalgic summer, and for many who came of age in the early 1980s, Karla Bonoff’s biggest solo hit, “Personally,” is one of them. While Bonoff was already a legend among her peers—a formidable songwriter whose emotionally resonant compositions like “Someone to Lay Down Beside Me” and “Lose Again” were famously recorded by Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt—it was this track, surprisingly not written by her, that finally secured her place on the pop charts as a performer in her own right.
Released in April 1982 as the lead single from her third album, “Wild Heart of the Young,” “Personally” was a delightful departure from Bonoff‘s signature intimate, soft-rock ballads. It possessed a bright, infectious, pop-funk fusion groove, driven by a tight rhythm section that included luminaries like bassist Bob Glaub and drummer Russ Kunkel, and features the layered background vocals of Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmit of The Eagles, a testament to her deep roots in the Southern California music scene. The song’s production, helmed by Kenny Edwards (a longtime musical partner and member of the band Bryndle), gave it a fresh, slightly more upbeat sound that perfectly caught the early-80s musical current.
The song’s commercial performance was a clear indicator of its widespread appeal. “Personally” peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1982, becoming her sole Top 40 hit. Furthermore, it soared to No. 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, demonstrating how seamlessly its heartfelt message resonated with an audience looking for both sophistication and substance in their pop music.
The Song’s Journey and Enduring Meaning
The fascinating story behind the track adds a layer of unexpected charm. The song was actually penned by American songwriter Paul Kelly (not the Australian artist of the same name) back in 1973. It was first recorded and released by R&B singer Jackie Moore in 1978, which charted modestly on the Soul Singles chart. Karla Bonoff discovered the tune through Glenn Frey of the Eagles, who was, for a time, slated to produce her album. Frey was known as a collector of “obscure R&B tunes,” and he played the Jackie Moore version for Bonoff, having originally considered it for Bonnie Raitt. As Bonoff recounted, once she heard the catchy, slightly coy lyrics and melody, she decided to record it herself.
The heart of “Personally” lies in its sly, playful, yet heartfelt yearning. It’s a beautifully simple sentiment wrapped in a sophisticated package. The song’s protagonist is waiting—perhaps patiently, perhaps with a touch of hopeful exasperation—for a romantic interest who seems oblivious to the feelings held for them. The recurring lyric, “But tell me, personally / Do you ever think of me?” is a universal, almost whispered question that many have longed to ask someone they admire. It captures that delicate moment when admiration crosses into hope for something deeper, when all the subtle signals have failed, and all that’s left is the courage to ask a direct, vulnerable question.
For older listeners, the track is a powerful time capsule. It’s the soundtrack to a time when popular music began to blend the earnest emotionalism of the late ’70s singer-songwriter movement with the slick, accessible production of the new decade. Karla Bonoff’s interpretation is less R&B grit and more West Coast soft rock grace, turning the track into a “sly tour de force of sexual tease,” as Rolling Stone once described it. It speaks to the boomer generation’s changing view of love and relationships—a blend of hopeful idealism tempered by hard-won experience. It is a moment of clear, unambiguous pop pleasure from an artist often defined by more melancholic and deeply personal work, making its success all the sweeter. It reminds us that sometimes, the most successful songs are the ones that simply and beautifully ask the question we are all too afraid to voice: “Do you feel this too?”