"No Tell Lover" is a song written by Lee Loughnane, Danny Seraphine, and Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Hot Streets (1978), with Cetera and Donnie Dacus singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 5 on the adult contemporary chart.
Cash Box called it a "classy pop single" that tells "a sultry tale of masked love." Record World said it "has the feel of a classic Chicago ballad." In 2019, Billboard said about the song, "While the lyrical content — an ode to extramarital affairs — hasn’t particularly benefitted from the passing years, “No Tell Lover” is still a beautifully penned number from Chicago’s transition into soft-rock nobility."
After "No Tell Lover", Chicago failed to chart a single in the U.S. top 50 for nearly four years, finally breaking their slump with the 1982 No. 1 hit, "Hard to Say I'm Sorry".
Personnel Peter Cetera - lead and backing vocals, bass Donnie Dacus - lead and backing vocals, electric guitars Robert Lamm - Fender Rhodes electric piano, backing vocals Danny Seraphine - drums Laudir de Oliveira - percussion James Pankow - trombone Lee Loughnane - trumpet, backing vocals Walt Parazaider - tenor saxophone Blue Weaver - ARP String Ensemble synthesizer
Chart performance
Weekly charts Chart (1978–79) PeakpositionCanada RPM Top Singles10Canada RPM Adult Contemporary20 New Zealand22 U.S. Billboard Hot 100Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - 14U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary5U.S. Radio & Records9U.S. Cash Box Top 10014
Year-end charts Chart (1979)RankCanadaBac-lac.gc.ca87
References