"Waiting for a Girl Like You" is a 1981 power ballad by the British-American rock band Foreigner. The distinctive synthesizer theme was performed by the then-little-known Thomas Dolby.

It was the second single released from the album 4 (1981) and was co-written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. The opening motif was written by Ian McDonald. It has become one of the band's most successful songs worldwide, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 1 on Billboard's Rock Tracks chart, and number 1 on the Radio & Records (R&R) Top 40/CHR chart.

On both the Billboard and R&R Adult Contemporary chart, the song reached number 5. The song peaked at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart.

In his autobiography, Lou Gramm tells of a beautiful, mysterious woman who appeared in the control room when he was recording his vocal and gave him the inspiration to deliver the stirring take that was better than he has ever sung the song. He writes that this ephemeral beauty vanished, and he has never discerned her identity.

Lyrics

So long

I've been looking too hard, I've waiting too long

Sometimes I don't know what I will find

I only know it's a matter of time

When you love someone

When you love someone

It feels so right, so warm and true

I need to know if you feel it too

Maybe I'm wrong

Won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong?

This heart of mine has been hurt before

This time I wanna be sure

I've been waiting for a girl like you

To come into my life

I've been waiting for a girl like you

A love that will survive

I've been waiting for someone new

To make me feel alive

Yeah, waiting for a girl like you

To come into my life

You're so good

When we make love it's understood

It's more than a touch or a word we say

Only in dreams could it be this way

When you love someone

Yeah, really love someone

Now, I know it's right

From the moment I wake up till deep in the night

There's no where on earth that I'd rather be

Than holding you, tenderly

I've been waiting for a girl like you

To come into my life

I've been waiting for a girl like you

And a love that will survive

I've been waiting for someone new

To make me feel alive

Yeah, waiting for a girl like you

To come into my life

I've been waiting, waiting for you, ooh

Ooh, I've been waiting

I've been waiting, yeah

I've been waiting for a girl like you

I've been waiting

Won't you come into my life?

My life?