DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - RICH GIRL

Estrena: gener de 1977

Llistes: EUA: #1 (2 setmanes)

"Rich Girl" és una cançó de Daryl Hall & John Oates que va debutar al Billboard Top 40 el 5 de febrer de 1977, al número 38. Es va convertir en el seu primer gran èxit, assolint el número u al Billboard Hot 100 el 26 de març de 1977, sent el primer de sis singles que aconseguirien arribar a la primera posició. La cançó apareixia originalment al seu àlbum de 1976 “Bigger Than Both of Us”.

"Rich Girl" parla d'una persona malcriada que pot dependre de la riquesa dels seus pares per anar per la vida sense conseqüències. Encara que es va rumorejar que la cançó era sobre l'heredera Patty Hearst, en realitat va estar inspirada per una persona real: Victor Walker, un ex-novio de la xicota de Daryl Hall, Sara Allen. El pare de Walker era ric, i Hall va notar com Walker podia escapar-se amb comportaments erràtics gràcies a la seva xarxa de seguretat financera. Com que Hall era qui cantava, va canviar "rich guy" a "rich girl" per a la lletra. Segons Hall, Walker sap que la cançó és sobre ell.

Daryl Hall es va quedar xocat quan el conegut assassí en sèrie David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz va afirmar que la cançó "Rich Girl" el va inspirar a cometre assassinats, però és poc probable que fos aquesta la cançó que realment influís a Berkowitz, ja que va ser llançada després que ell hagués començat la seva onada d'assassinats. Berkowitz va citar diverses influències, incloent el gos del seu veí, per les seves accions. Hall i Oates es van sentir profundament alterats per aquesta associació, i en van fer referència a la seva cançó de 1980 “Diddy Doo Wop (I Hear the Voices)” amb la frase: "Charlie liked The Beatles, Sam he liked Rich Girl" (A Charlie li agradaven els Beatles, a Sam li agrada Rich Girl), referint-se a Charles Mason i la seva relació amb “Helter Skelter” dels Beatles per cometre l’assassinat de Sharon Tate. 

"Rich Girl" és una de les quatre cançons incloses a la línia directa Callin' Oates, un servei llançat el 2011 que permet als fans accedir instantàniament a les cançons de Hall & Oates. Per escoltar “Rich Girl”, els qui truquen poden marcar el 719-26-OATES i prémer el 1.

DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - RICH GIRL

Released: January 1977

Charts: US: #1 (2 weeks)

"Rich Girl" is a song by Daryl Hall & John Oates that debuted on the Billboard Top 40 on February 5, 1977, at number 38. It became their first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 on March 26, 1977, marking the first of six number-one singles for the duo. The song originally appeared on their 1976 album “Bigger Than Both of Us”.

"Rich Girl" is about a spoiled individual who can depend on their parents' wealth to navigate life without consequences. Although it was rumored to be about the heiress Patty Hearst, the song was actually inspired by a real person—Victor Walker, an ex-boyfriend of Daryl Hall's girlfriend, Sara Allen. Walker's father was wealthy, and Hall noticed how Walker could get away with erratic behavior due to his financial safety net. Since Hall was the one singing, he changed "rich guy" to "rich girl" for the song's lyrics. Walker, according to Hall, knows the song is about him.

Daryl Hall was shocked when the notorious serial killer David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz claimed he was inspired to murder by the song "Rich Girl", but it's unlikely that the song actually influenced Berkowitz, as it was released after he had already begun his killing spree. Berkowitz cited various influences, including his neighbor's dog, for his actions. Hall and Oates were deeply disturbed by the association, and they referenced it in their 1980 song "Diddy Doo Wop (I Hear the Voices)" with the lyrics: "Charlie liked The Beatles, Sam he liked Rich Girl", referring to Charles Mason and his relationship with "Helter Skelter" of the Beatles to commit the murder of Sharon Tate.

"Rich Girl" is one of four songs featured on the Callin' Oates hotline, a service launched in 2011 that allows fans to access Hall & Oates songs instantly. To listen to "Rich Girl," callers can dial 719-26-OATES and press 1.