How Do You Talk to an Angel

"How Do You Talk to an Angel"
"How Do You Talk to an Angel"
Single by The Heights
from the album The Heights (Music from the Television Show)
B-side	"Walkin' Nerve"
Released	September 5, 1992
Genre	Pop
Length	3:48
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Barry Coffing; Steve Tyrell; Stephanie Tyrell;
Producer(s)	Steve Tyrell

"How Do You Talk to an Angel" is a song written by Steve Tyrell, Barry Coffing, and Stephanie Tyrell. It was the theme for the American TV series The Heights. The ballad^[1] was released as a single with Jamie Walters as the lead singer, and it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 on November 14, 1992, but the series was canceled exactly one week after the song fell from its number-one position.^[2] Vocalists on the single included Shawn David Thompson, Cheryl Pollak, and Charlotte Ross, as well as Zachary Throne from the Las Vegas rock band Sin City Sinners.

In 1993, the song was nominated for an Emmy Award for "Outstanding Individual Achievement in Music and Lyrics".^[3] The Emmy went to the song "Sorry I Asked" by Kander and Ebb from Liza Minnelli Live from Radio City Music Hall. No follow-up singles under The Heights name were ever commercially released. Promo CDs were issued to radio for a follow-up "I'm Still On Your Side", but there was no commercial issue for this track as a single.

Walters, the lead singer on the single and the lead actor on the show, later had a number-16 Hot 100 hit with his single "Hold On" in 1994.^[4] It was his only subsequent chart appearance.

Personnel

Jamie Walters: lead vocals
Steve Tyrell: producer, arranger
Bob Mann: arranger, acoustic/electric guitar (inc. solo)
Michael Landau: electric guitars
Mike Finnigan: piano
John "JR" Robinson: drums
Leland Sklar: bass
Brandon Fields: saxophone
Barry Coffing, Guy Moon: keyboards
Alex Desert, Charlotte Ross, Cheryl Pollak, Jamie Walters, Ken Garito, Shawn Thompson, Zachary Throne: background vocals

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "How Do You Talk to an Angel"
Chart (1992–1993)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[5]	3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[6]	12
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[7]	2
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[8]	12
Germany (GfK)^[9]	47
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)^[10]	22
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)^[11]	16
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[12]	60
US Billboard Hot 100^[13]	1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[14]	8
US Top 40/Mainstream (Billboard)^[15]	1
US Top 40/Rhythm-Crossover (Billboard)^[16]	13

Year-end charts

1992 year-end chart performance for "How Do You Talk to an Angel"
Chart (1992)	Position
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[17]	93
US Billboard Hot 100^[18]	59

1993 year-end chart performance for "How Do You Talk to an Angel"
Chart (1993)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[19]	24
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[20]	84
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[21]	86
US Billboard Hot 100^[22]	80
US Cash Box Top 100^[23]	34

Decade-end charts

Decade-end chart performance for "How Do You Talk to an Angel
Chart (1990–1999)	Position
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)^[24]	77

Certifications

Certifications and sales for "How Do You Talk to an Angel"
Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[19]	Gold	35,000^{^}
United States (RIAA)^[25]	Gold	500,000^{^}
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release dates and formats for "How Do You Talk to an Angel"
Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	September 21, 1992	—	Capitol	^[25]
Japan	December 24, 1992	Mini-CD	Capitol	^[26]
Australia	January 18, 1993	CD cassette	Capitol EMI	^[27]

References

^ ^a ^b Breihan, Tom (January 26, 2022). "The Number Ones: The Heights' "How Do You Talk To An Angel". Stereogum. Retrieved November 28, 2024. 'How Do You Talk To An Angel' almost plays like a parody of circa-1992 pop balladry.
^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book Of Number 1 Hits (5 ed.). Billboard Books. p. 812. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.
^ "Nominees/Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
^ Hold On – Jamie Walters | Billboard.com
^ "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
^ "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1876." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1873." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (28. Jan.–4. Feb.)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 28, 1993. p. 29. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ "Tipparade-lijst van week 3, 1993". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 12, 2023.
^ "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. November 14, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
^ "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. December 5, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
^ "Pop Airplay". Billboard. October 31, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
^ "Rhythmic Airplay". Billboard. December 5, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
^ "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1992". Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
^ ^a ^b "1993 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^ "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.
^ "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ "Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVII, no. 19. December 31, 1993. p. 14. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
^ Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
^ ^a ^b "American single certifications – The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
^ "ハイツ | 天使を求めて" [Heights | In Search of Angels] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 27, 2025.
^ "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 18/01/93: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 154. January 17, 1993. p. 20.

[Breihan_2022-1] Breihan, Tom (January 26, 2022). "The Number Ones: The Heights' "How Do You Talk To An Angel". Stereogum. Retrieved November 28, 2024. 'How Do You Talk To An Angel' almost plays like a parody of circa-1992 pop balladry.

[2] Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book Of Number 1 Hits (5 ed.). Billboard Books. p. 812. ISBN 0-8230-7677-6.

[3] "Nominees/Winners". Television Academy. Retrieved March 5, 2019.

[4] Hold On – Jamie Walters | Billboard.com

[sc_Australia_The_Heights-5] "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel". ARIA Top 50 Singles.

[sc_Flanders_The_Heights-6] "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_-7] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1876." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[sc_Canadaadultcontemporary_-8] "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 1873." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[sc_Germany_The_Heights-9] "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 31, 2020.

[10] "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (28. Jan.–4. Feb.)". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). January 28, 1993. p. 29. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[11] "Tipparade-lijst van week 3, 1993". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved March 12, 2023.

[sc_Dutch100_The_Heights-12] "The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.

[13] "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. November 14, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.

[14] "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. December 5, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.

[15] "Pop Airplay". Billboard. October 31, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.

[16] "Rhythmic Airplay". Billboard. December 5, 1992. Retrieved September 27, 2025.

[17] "The RPM Top 100 Adult Contemporary tracks of 1992". RPM. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.

[18] "Billboard Top 100 – 1992". Archived from the original on July 8, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2010.

[ausye-19] "1993 ARIA Singles Chart". ARIA. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[20] "The RPM Top 100 Hit Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.

[21] "The RPM Top 100 A\C Tracks of 1993". RPM. Retrieved October 10, 2020 – via Library and Archives Canada.

[22] "Billboard Top 100 – 1993". Billboardtop100of.com. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[23] "Awards: Top 50 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVII, no. 19. December 31, 1993. p. 14. Retrieved June 4, 2025.

[24] Lwin, Nanda. "Top 100 singles of the 1990s". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved March 26, 2022.

[riaa-25] "American single certifications – The Heights – How Do You Talk to an Angel". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 10, 2020.

[26] "ハイツ | 天使を求めて" [Heights | In Search of Angels] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 27, 2025.

[27] "New Release Summary – Product Available from : 18/01/93: Singles". The ARIA Report. No. 154. January 17, 1993. p. 20.

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"How Do You Talk to an Angel"

Single by The Heights
from the album The Heights (Music from the Television Show)
B-side	"Walkin' Nerve"
Released	September 5, 1992
Genre	Pop^[1]
Length	3:48
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	Barry Coffing Steve Tyrell Stephanie Tyrell
Producer(s)	Steve Tyrell