About The Song
“Kiss You All Over” was crafted by songwriters Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn, brought to life by the American band Exile. Released on August 28, 1978, it served as the lead single from their third album, Mixed Emotions, under Warner Bros. Records. The track climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for four weeks starting September 30, 1978, and was ranked No. 5 on Billboard’s year-end chart, marking Exile’s sole major pop hit.
Originally formed in 1963 in Richmond, Kentucky as The Exiles, the band recorded this track in Los Angeles with Mike Chapman at the helm as producer. The recording featured lead vocals by Jimmy Stokley and J.P. Pennington, with Chapman adding a distinctive keyboard line. The song blends soft rock, disco, and R&B, drawing comparisons to Hot Chocolate’s “You Sexy Thing” due to its guitar riff.
The album version spans 4:56, while the single was trimmed to 3:28 for radio play. Mixed Emotions, released in October 1978, peaked at No. 42 on the Billboard 200. Chapman drew inspiration from Barry White’s “It’s Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me,” a influence he shared on the American Top 40 broadcast of May 26, 1979, tailoring lyrics like “When I get home, babe, gonna light your fire” to suit American audiences.
Exile’s journey to this hit was marked by years of struggle. After forming, they played local Kentucky clubs and released their self-titled debut LP in 1973 on Wooden Nickel, featuring covers like Todd Rundgren’s “Devil’s Bite” with regional airplay but no national hits. A 1975 demo tape caught Chapman’s eye, leading to a deal with ATCO for “Try It On,” which reached No. 97 on the US Top 100 in March 1977.
By 1978, the lineup included Marlon Hargis on keyboards, Sonny LeMaire on bass, and Steve Goetzman on drums. Follow-up singles “You Thrill Me” (No. 40) and “How Could This Go Wrong” (No. 88) failed to match the song’s success. Jimmy Stokley, the band’s charismatic frontman known for his glam rock stage presence, left in 1979 due to tensions with Chapman and health issues, passing away from hepatitis in 1985 at age 41.
The song has since appeared in films like Happy Gilmore (1996) and Employee of the Month (2006). It was covered by No Mercy, whose 1997 remix hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, and by Trace Adkins featuring Exile in 2013. Exile later transitioned to country music in the 1980s, achieving over ten No. 1 country hits.
Video
Lyric
When I get home, babe, gonna light your fire
All day I’ve been thinkin’ about you, babe
You’re my one desireGonna wrap my arms around you
Hold you close to me
Oh, babe, I wanna taste your lips
I wanna be your fantasy, yeahDon’t know what I’d do without you, babe
Don’t know where I’d be
You’re not just another lover
No, you’re everything to meEvery time I’m with you, baby
I can’t believe it’s true
When you’re layin’ in my arms
And you do the things you doYou can see it in my eyes
I can feel it in your touch
You don’t have to say a thing
Just let me show how much, I love youI need you, yeah
I wanna kiss you all over
And over again
I wanna kiss you all over
Till the night closes inTill the night closes in
Stay with me, lay with me, holding me, loving me, baby
Here with me, near with me, feeling you close to me, babySo show me, show me everything you do
‘Cause baby, no one does it quite like youI love you, I need you, yeah
I wanna kiss you all over
And over again
I wanna kiss you all over
Till the night closes inTill the night closes in