Songwriters Bobby Caldwell and Paul Gordon presented “The Next Time I Fall” to Chicago envisioning Cetera singing it, and were disappointed to learn he was leaving the group. However, Cetera did hear their demo and decided to record it for his second solo album (first after leaving Chicago).

Cetera decided it should be a duet and wanted a relatively unknown female singer to accompany him. His record label suggested Amy Grant, who was known as a “Christian music superstar” at the time but was looking to crossover into mainstream pop. Cetera agreed because he liked “what she stands for”.

“The Next Time I Fall” became Cetera’s second number one hit in a row (after “Glory Of Love”) on the Billboard Hot 100 in late 1986. It was Grant’s first of two US chart-toppers – with “Baby Baby” becoming her second one five years later.

The song was also nominated for a Grammy for “Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals”.

Seven years after this song hit #1, while married to Gary Chapman, Amy Grant experienced her own “next time I fall in love, it will be with you” moment with country singer Vince Gill. After meeting Gill on a Christmas special in 1993, she reportedly told Chapman “I don’t love you anymore. You’re the biggest mistake I’ve ever made … I’ve given my heart to another man”, divorced him, then married Gill. Now that’s irony!!