0 ▁hit , ▁reaching ▁# 1 2 ▁on ▁the ▁Billboard ▁Hot ▁ 1 0 0 ▁chart ▁in ▁summer ▁ 1 9 7 8 . ▁It ▁also ▁reached ▁# 1 0 ▁on ▁the ▁C ash ▁Box ▁chart . ▁It ▁proved ▁even ▁more ▁popular ▁with ▁adult ▁contemporary ▁radio ▁stations , ▁sp ending ▁three ▁weeks ▁at ▁# 1 ▁on ▁the ▁E asy ▁List ening ▁chart ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁To ▁date , ▁this ▁is ▁Johnson ' s ▁highest - chart ing ▁single ▁on ▁Pop ▁or ▁Ad ult ▁Contempor ary ▁charts . ▁The ▁song ▁has ▁become ▁a ▁well - known ▁American ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁soft ▁rock ▁single ▁that ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁played ▁on ▁radio ▁stations . ▁ ▁The ▁single ▁received ▁generally ▁fav ou rable ▁reviews ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁its ▁release . ▁C ash box ▁Magazine ▁described ▁Johnson ' s ▁work ▁as ▁" full ▁of ▁touch ing ▁ball ads ▁with ▁all ▁the ▁right ▁production ▁touch es , ▁subt le ▁instrument ation ▁and ▁po ign ant ▁vocals ▁necessary ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁tend ern ess ▁from ▁becoming ▁ins ip id ." ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Johnson ▁was ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying , ▁" I ▁knew ▁it ▁was ▁potentially ▁a ▁successful ▁song ▁but ▁I ▁didn ' t ▁think ▁it ▁would ▁go ▁this ▁far . ▁ ▁It ▁seemed , ▁well , ▁too ▁m ature . ▁ ▁The ▁experience ▁of ▁being ▁married ▁or ▁living ▁with ▁someone ▁is ▁hard ▁to ▁identify ▁with ▁for ▁younger ▁people ." ▁ ▁Cover ▁versions ▁Singapore - born ▁An ita ▁Sar aw ak ▁recorded