HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS - PERFECT WORLD

Released: June 1988

Charted:  UK: #48   US: #3 

"Perfect World" released as the lead single from the album *Small World* in late June 1988, reached number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 48 on the UK Singles Chart. The song was penned by Alex Call, a former bandmate of Huey Lewis and Sean Hopper from the band Clover. The song is an optimistic reflection on human aspirations and the inherent imperfections of life. It encourages the listener to keep dreaming despite the realization that a perfect world will never exist. 

Alex Call wrote the song in 1985, influenced by his experiences with his band at the time, which resembled Huey Lewis & the News with its setup including horns and singers. Initially playful in its creation with a ska-like feel, Call later found deeper meaning in its lyrics, which he scatted out unconsciously before contemplating their significance. 

Alex Call expressed his admiration for "Perfect World," particularly highlighting the involvement of Tower of Power in playing the horn lines he wrote for the song. He cherished this collaboration with Tower of Power more than the prospect of having a hit single. Call recalled Huey Lewis's initial skepticism about the horn parts but was pleased when most of his arrangements were retained.

The music video for showcases the band performing energetically on a stage set amidst a garbage dump field. Throughout the video, various pieces of garbage are shown flying through the air, occasionally hitting members of the band as they play. Huey Lewis is featured dancing and strolling along a pathway, with scenes of garbage trucks operating behind him. The video concludes with the band posing near more garbage, emphasizing the setting's thematic connection to the song's message about the imperfections of life despite hopeful aspirations.