Wikipedia

Words Get in the Way

"Words Get in the Way" is a song written by Gloria Estefan and released as the third single from her band, Miami Sound Machine, on their second English language album, and ninth overall, Primitive Love. The song is a ballad and became the highest-charting song from the album in the United States.

"Words Get in the Way"
Single by Miami Sound Machine
from the album Primitive Love
B-side"Movies"
ReleasedJune 1986
Recorded1985
GenrePop
Length3:30
LabelEpic
SongwriterGloria Estefan
ProducerEmilio Estefan Jr.
Miami Sound Machine singles chronology
"Bad Boy"
(1986)		 "Words Get in the Way"
(1986)		 "Falling in Love (Uh-Oh)"
(1986)

Song history

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As a ballad, "Words Get in the Way" marked a change in sound from the band's earlier singles and foreshadowed Estefan's later success.

The song was their first to crack the Top 5 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #5, and became their first number-one hit on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart in 1986.[1] They didn't achieve the same success internationally, but still managed to reach the Top 20 in other countries. The single was certified Gold by the ARIA for its sales of 35,000 copies.[2]

The band re-recorded the song in Spanish under the title "No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar" ("I Won't Fall in Love Again"), although not a direct translation. The Spanish version entered the "Hot Latin Songs" in the Top 20, becoming the band's first entrance on the chart. This version was available on international pressings of the album and on its inclusion on Estefan's Spanish compilation Exitos de Gloria Estefan.

A live version with a different arrangement was included as a B-side to the single, "Always Tomorrow," and as a bonus track on international editions of Into the Light. It was taken from Estefan's Homecoming Concert in Miami from her 1988 Let it Loose Tour, released on VHS.

The song was featured in 1986 episodes of the daytime soap operas All My Children and Another World.

Formats and track listings

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U.S. and Canada 7" vinyl single (34 06120) [June 1986]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
U.S. promo 7" vinyl single (34 06120) [June 1986]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
U.S. 7" vinyl single (Discos CBS International) [DBS 10120]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar" (Words Get in the Way – Spanish version)Gloria M. Estefan3:23
Europe 7" vinyl single (EPC 650079 7) [October 1986]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
Europe 12" vinyl single (EPC 650079 6) [October 1986]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
3."Body to Body"
  • Suzi Carr
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
3:56
Australia 7" vinyl single (ES 1169)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
New Zealand 7" vinyl single (ES 1158)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
South Africa 7" vinyl single (EN 5958)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
Zimbabwe 7" vinyl single (EN 5958)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
Philippines 7" vinyl single (ES-20089)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Orange Express"
  • S. Watanabe
  • Wesley B. Wright
3:42
Japan 7" vinyl single (07•5P-421) [July 21, 1986]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Movies"
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
2:57
U.S. cassette single (Hall of Fame Series) [15T 69122] {1989}
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Betcha Say That" (single remix)
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
3:40
U.S. 7" vinyl single (Hall of Fame Series) [15 69122] {1989}
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Betcha Say That" (single remix)
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
3:40
U.S. 7" vinyl single (Epic Collectables) [15 69122] {1991}
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Words Get in the Way"Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Betcha Say That" (single remix)
  • Lawrence Dermer
  • Joe Galdo
  • Rafael Vigil
3:40
Ecuador 7" vinyl single (133-0115)
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar" (Words Get in the Way – Spanish version)Gloria M. Estefan3:23
2."Conga"Enrique E. Garcia4:11

Official versions

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Original versions

  1. Album version — (3:23)
  2. Spanish version ("No Me Vuelvo a Enamorar") — (3:23)
  3. Live version (from the Homecoming Concert in Miami 1988) — (5:02)

Release history

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Region Date
U.S. June 1986
Europe October 1986
Japan July 21, 1986

Chart performance

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Weekly charts

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Chart (1986) Peak
position[2]
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 22
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[4]30
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[5]8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6]26
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[7]4
US Billboard Hot 100[8]5
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[9]1
US Hot Latin Songs (Billboard)[10]17
US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart[11] 9
US Radio & Records Adult Contemporary Top 30 1

Year-end charts

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Chart (1986) Peak
position[2]
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[12]70
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)[13] 47
US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart[14] 66
Brazil 14
New Zealand[15] 40

References

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  1. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 87.
  2. 1 2 3 "Words Get In The Way (Single - 1986)". 27 October 2009. Archived from the original on 27 October 2009.
  3. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). Sydney: Australian Chart Book. p. 199. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and 26 June 1988.
  4. ↑ "Miami Sound Machine – Words Get in the Way" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Image 0731". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Miami Sound Machine – Words Get in the Way" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Miami Sound Machine – Words Get in the Way". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Miami Sound Machine Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Miami Sound Machine Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Miami Sound Machine Chart History (Hot Latin Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Gloria Estefan Chart history on the R&R airplay chart". February 26, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Image 0760". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
  13. ↑ Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 27, 1986). "1986 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 98, no. 52. p. Y-21. {{cite magazine}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
  14. ↑ "Radio & Records Contemporary Hit Radio 1986 Year-End Chart". www.popradiotop20.com. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
  15. ↑ "The Official New Zealand Music Chart". THE OFFICIAL NZ MUSIC CHART. Archived from the original on 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
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