Rock and Soul International: Daryl Hall and John Oates | Daryl Hall and John Oates Page |
From their first hit in 1974 through their heyday in the '80s, Daryl Hall and John Oates' smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them enormous commercial success -- including six number one singles and six platinum albums -- yet little critical success. Hall & Oates' music was remarkably well-constructed and produced; at their best, their songs were filled with strong hooks and melodies that adhered to soul traditions without being a slave to them by incorporating elements of new wave and hard rock.
Daryl Hall began performing professionally while he was a student at Temple University. In 1966, he recorded a single with Kenny Gamble and the Romeos; the group featured Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell, who would all become the architects of Philly soul. During this time, Hall frequently appeared on sessions for Gamble and Huff. In 1967, Hall met John Oates, a fellow Temple University student. Oates was leading his own soul band at the time. The two students realized they had similar tastes and began performing together in an array of R&B and doo wop groups. By 1968, the duo had parted ways, as Oates transferred schools and Hall formed the soft-rock band Gulliver; the group released one album on Elektra in the late '60s before disbanding.
After Gulliver's breakup, Hall concentrated on session work again, appearing as a backup vocalist for the Stylistics, the Delfonics, and the Intruders, among others. Oates returned to Philadelphia in 1969, and he and Hall began writing folk-oriented songs and performing together. Eventually they came to the attention of Tommy Mottola, who quickly became their manager, securing the duo a contract with Atlantic Records. On their first records -- Whole Oates (1972), Abandoned Luncheonette (1973), War Babies (1974) -- the duo were establishing their sound, working with producers like Arif Mardin and Todd Rundgren and removing much of their folk influences. At the beginning of 1974, the duo relocated from Philadelphia to New York. During this period, they only managed one hit -- the number 60 "She's Gone" in the spring of 1974.
After they moved to RCA in 1975, the duo landed on its successful mixture of soul, pop and rock, scoring a Top Ten single with "Sara Smile." The success of "Sara Smile" prompted the re-release of "She's Gone," which rocketed into the Top Ten as well. Released in the summer of 1976, Bigger than the Both of Us was only moderately successful upon its release. The record took off in early 1977, when "Rich Girl" became the duo's first number one single.
Although they had several minor hits between 1977 and 1980, the albums Hall & Oates released at the end of the decade were not as successful as their mid-'70s records. Nevertheless, they were more adventurous, incorporating more rock elements into their blue-eyed soul. The combination would finally pay off in late 1980, when the duo released the self-produced Voices, the album that marked the beginning of Hall & Oates' greatest commercial and artistic success. The first single from Voices, a cover of the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," reached number 12, yet it was the second single, "Kiss on My List" that confirmed their commercial potential by becoming the duo's second number one single; its follow-up, "You Make My Dreams" hit number five. They quickly released Private Eyes in the summer of 1981; the record featured two number one hits, "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," as well as the Top Ten hit "Did It in a Minute." "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" also spent a week at the top of the R&B charts -- a rare accomplishment for a White act. H20 followed in 1982 and it proved more successful than their two previous albums, selling over two million copies and launching their biggest hit single, "Maneater," as well as the Top Ten hits "One on One" and "Family Man." The following year, the duo released a greatest-hits compilation, Rock 'N Soul, Part 1, that featured two new Top Ten hits -- the number two "Say It Isn't So" and "Adult Education."
In April of 1984, the Recording Industry Association of America announced that Hall & Oates had surpassed the Everly Brothers as the most successful duo in rock history, earning a total of 19 gold and platinum awards. Released in October of 1984, Big Bam Boom expanded their number of gold and platinum awards, selling over two million copies and launching four Top 40 singles, including the number one "Out of Touch." Following their contract-fulfilling gold album Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick, Hall & Oates went on hiatus. After the lukewarm reception for Daryl Hall's 1986 solo album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, the duo regrouped to release 1988's Ooh Yeah!, their first record for Arista. The first single, "Everything Your Heart Desires," went to number three and helped propel the album to platinum status.
However, none of the album's other singles broke the Top 20, indicating that the era of chart dominance had ended. Change of Season, released in 1990, confirmed that fact. Although the record went gold, it only featured one Top 40 hit -- the number 11 single, "So Close." -- Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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01. I'm Sorry 02. All Our Love 03. Georgie 04. Fall in Philadelphia 05. Waterwheel 06. Lazyman |
07. Goodnight and Goodmorning 08. They Needed Each Other 09. Southeast City Window 10. Thank You For... 11. Lilly (Are You Happy) |
01. When the Morning Comes 02. Had I Known You Better Then 03. Vegas Turnaround (The Stewardess Song) 04. She's Gone 05. I'm Just a Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like a... |
06. Abandoned Luncheonette 07. Lady Rain 08. Laughing Boy 09. Everytime I Look at You |
01. Can't Stop The Music 02. Is it a Star? 03. Beanie G and the Rose Tattoo 04. You're Much Too Soon 05. 70's Scenario |
06. War Baby, Son of Zorro 07. I'm Watching You (A Mutant Romance) 08. Better Watch Your Back 09. Screaming Thru December 10. Johnny Gore and the 'C' Eaters |
01. Camellia 02. Sara Smile 03. Alone Too Long 04. Out of Me, out of You 05. Nothing at All |
06. Gino (The Manager) 07. (You Know) It Doesn't Matter Anymore 08. Ennui on the Mountain 09. Grounds for Separation 10. Soldering |
01. Back Together Again 02. Rich Girl 03. Crazy Eyes 04. Do What You Want, Be What You Are 05. Kerry |
06. London Luck & Love 07. Room to Breathe 08. You'll Never Learn 09. Falling |
01. Don't Change 02. Why Do Lovers Break Each Other's Heart? 03. You Must Be Good for Something 04. Emptiness 05. Love Hurts |
06. Bigger Than Both of Us 07. Bad Habits and Infections 08. Winged Bull 09. Girl Who Used to Be Me |
01. Deep River Blues 02. Fall in Philadelphia 03. If That's What Makes You Happy 04. Lot of Changes Comin' 05. Back in Love Again 06. Goodnight and Goodmorning 07. In Honor of a Lady |
08. Months Weeks and Days 09. They Need Each other 10. Angelina 11. I'll Be By 12. Per Kiomem 13. Provider 14. Dry in the Sun |
01. Rich Girl 02. Emptyness 03. Do What You Want, Be What You Are 04. I'm Just a Kid (Don't Make Me Feel Like a Man] |
05. Sara Smile 06. Abandoned Luncheonette 07. Room to Breathe |
01. It's a Laugh 02. Melody for a Memory 03. Last Time 04. I Don't Wanna Lose You 05. Have I Been Away Too Long |
06. Alley Katz 07. Don't Blame It on Love 08. Serious Music 09. Pleasure Beach 10. August Day |
01. Woman Comes and Goes 02. Wait for Me 03. Portable Radio 04. All You Want Is Heaven 05. Who Said the World Was Fair |
06. Running from Paradise 07. Number One 08. Bebop Drop 09. Hallofon 10. Intravino |
01. How Does It Feel to Be Back 02. Big Kids 03. United State 04. Hard to Be in Love with You 05. Kiss on My List 06. Gotta Lotta Nerve (Perfect Perfect) |
07. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 08. You Make My Dreams 09. Everytime You Go Away 10. Africa 11. Diddy Doo Wop (I Hear the Voices) |
01. Private Eyes 02. Looking for a Good Sign 03. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) 04. Mano a Mano 05. Did It in a Minute 06. Head Above Water |
07. Tell Me What You Want 08. Friday Let Me Down 09. Unguarded Minute 10. Your Imagination 11. Some Men |
01. Maneater 02. Crime Pays 03. Art of Heartbreak 04. One on One 05. Open All Night 06. Family Man |
07. Italian Girls 08. Guessing Games 09. Delayed Reaction 10. At Tension 11. Go Solo |
01. Say It Isn't So 02. Sara Smile 03. She's Gone 04. Rich Girl 05. Kiss on My List 06. You Make My Dreams |
07. Private Eyes 08. Adult Education 09. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) 10. Maneater 11. One on One 12. Wait for Me |
1. Dance on Your Knees 2. Out of Touch 3. Method of Modern Love 4. Bank on Your Love 5. Some Things Are Better Left Unsaid |
6. Going Thru the Motions 7. Cold Dark and Yesterday 8. All American Girl 9. Possession Obsession |
1. Everytime You Go Away 2. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) 3. One on One 4. Possession Obsession |
5. Adult Education 6. Apollo Medley: Get Ready...My Girl 7. When Something Is Wrong with My Baby |
01. Downtown Life 02. Everything Your Heart Desires 03. I'm in Pieces 04. Missed Opportunity 05. Talking All Night |
06. Rockability 07. Rocket to God 08. Soul Love 09. Realove 10. Keep on Pushin' Love |
01. So Close 02. Starting All over Again 03. Sometimes a Mind Changes 04. Change of Season 05. I Ain't Gonna Take It This Time 06. Everywhere I Look |
07. Give It up (Old Habits) 08. Don't Hold Back Your Love 09. Halfway There 10. Only Love 11. Heavy Rain 12. So Close |
01. Rome Is Bleeding 02. Marigold Sky 03. Sky Is Falling 04. Out of the Blue 05. Want To 06. Love out Loud |
07. Throw the Roses Away 08. I Don't Think So 09. Promise Ain't Enough 10. Time Won't Pass Me By 11. Hold on to Yourself 12. War of Words |