Angel In Your Arms
by Hot

Album: Hot (1977)
Charted: 6
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about a woman who knows her man is cheating on her, and responds by doing some cheating of her own. It was a sentiment that hadn't yet found its way into a hit song, as most infidelity narratives find the singer either suffering in silence or giving the cheater the boot.

    Hot was the trio of Cathy Carson, Gwen Owens and Juanita Curiel. Speaking at the time about this song, they issued this statement: "We feel like we're spokeswomen - we're not women's libbers as such but there are things that need to be said by women to women and for women as well as to and for men and we want to say those things."
  • The song was written by the Alabama songwriters Clayton Ivey, Terry Woodford and Tommy Brasfield. Ivey and Woodford owned Wishbone Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, where this song was recorded. They were also Hot's producers.

    The trio came together after Gwen Owens and Cathy Carson, who had been working as backup singers in Wolfman Jack's show, teamed up with Juanita Curiel, who had been working in a Las Vegas lounge act. "Hot" was Cathy's catchphrase, which is how they chose the name.

    Hot released three albums, all on Big Tree Records. "Angel In Your Arms" was by far their biggest hit, and only entry on the US Top 40.
  • This track was written as a Country song and the demo was recorded in that style. Even thought they were and R&B act, the ladies of Hot loved it when they heard it, and asked to record the song. The song was later covered by several notable Country artists, including Reba McEntire in 1977 and Barbara Mandrell in 1985.

    Millie Jackson and Luther Ingram, who both did a lot of recording in the Muscle Shoals area, each covered the song soon after it was released (both singers have a penchant for songs about cheating). Other artists to cover it include Doris Duke, Lynn Anderson, and The Soul Children.
  • Ben Picone and the Atlanta Strings played on this track. They also played on albums by Linda Clifford, Bohannon, and Lorraine Johnson.

Comments: 4

  • Julie from Home love the 70's
  • Joe from Watauga, TxHOT was on Solid Gold after their hit, "Angel In Your Arms". I have seen NO explanation as to why this was allowed when they'd already had a hit single.
  • Dave from Wheaton, IlWhen WLS made a tape cart of it, they actually recorded it, a step lower than the actual speed of the song.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn May 7th, 1977, Hot performed "Angel In Your Arms" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    Three months earlier on February 13th, 1977 it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #90; and on July 10th it peaked at #6 (for 2 weeks) and spent over a half-year on the Top 100 (27 weeks)...
    It took 15 weeks to reach #13, then it worked its way up the chart one position at a time, next came #12, then #11, #10, #9, #8, #7, finally to two weeks at #6 (then it fell to #16)...
    The trio had two other Top 100 records; "The Right Feeling At The Wrong Time (#65 in 1977) and "You Brought The Woman Out of Me" (#71 in 1978).
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"

Susanna Hoffs - "Eternal Flame"They're Playing My Song

The Prince-penned "Manic Monday" was the first song The Bangles heard coming from a car radio, but "Eternal Flame" is closest to Susanna's heart, perhaps because she sang it in "various states of undress."

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?

Did They Really Sing In That Movie?Fact or Fiction

Bradley Cooper, Michael J. Fox, Rami Malek, Reese Witherspoon, Gwyneth Paltrow and George Clooney: Which actors really sang in their movies?

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Martin Page

Martin PageSongwriter Interviews

With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."

Al Kooper

Al KooperSongwriter Interviews

Kooper produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, played with Dylan and the Stones, and formed BS&T.

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.