DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - SAY IT ISN’T SO

Publicació: octubre de 1983

Llistes: EUA: #2  Regne Unit: #69

"Say It Isn't So" és una cançó escrita per Daryl Hall, llançada l'octubre de 1983 com a part del seu àlbum recopilatori “Rock 'n Soul Part 1”. La cançó va ser remesclada per John "Jellybean" Benitez i va arribar al número 1 a la llista Billboard Hot Dance Club Play. A la llista Billboard Hot 100, va arribar al número 2 on hi va romandre durant quatre setmanes consecutives, sense poder desbancar “Say Say Say” de Paul McCartney i Michael Jackson del primer lloc. Malgrat tenir sis cançons número 1, “Say It Isn't So” és l'única de Hall & Oates que va quedar-se al número 2.

Daryl Hall la va escriure mentre Hall & Oates estaven de gira amb el seu àlbum “H2O” i va ser la primera de dues noves cançons enregistrades per a aquest recopilatori. Les sessions d'enregistrament van tenir lloc al setembre de 1983 a l'estudi Electric Lady Studio A a Nova York, i va ser coproduïda per Hall, John Oates i l'enginyer Bob Clearmountain. L'arranjament, desenvolupat a l'estudi, va comptar amb les contribucions de Tom "T-Bone" Wolk al baix, Charles DeChant al saxofon, G. E. Smith a la guitarra, Mickey Curry a la bateria i Jimmy Bralower a la percussió. Els cors es van inspirar en la versió dels Flamingos de “I Only Have Eyes for You”, i Bralower va ajudar a resoldre un problema estructural.

Per al 1983, Hall & Oates ja havien aconseguit un èxit massiu amb cinc número 1, convertint-se en estrelles de la ràdio i de MTV. No obstant això, aquest èxit també els va portar a sentiments d'aïllament, especialment durant les actuacions davant grans audiències. Daryl Hall va explicar que aquest sentiment de separació va ser la inspiració darrere d'aquesta cançó. Va descriure com ell i John Oates se sentien com a forasters, capturant-ho en la frase "We like to be the strangers at the party, two rebels in a shell" (Ens agrada ser els estranys de la festa, dos rebels en una closca), reflectint la seva percepció de desconnexió amb el món exterior mentre vivien dins de la bombolla de les gires constants i l'èxit.

"Say It Isn't So" va tenir dues versions de videoclips. La primera es va emetre a MTV durant un especial titulat “The Greatest & The Latest”, amb el duet. La segona, més popular, es va filmar a localitzacions de Nova York i va ser un element clau durant els anys d'or de MTV, rebent una rotació constant al canal.

DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - SAY IT ISN’T SO

Released: October 1983

Charts: US: #2    UK: #69 

"Say It Isn't So" is a song written by Daryl Hall and released in October 1983 as part of their compilation album “Rock 'n Soul Part 1”. The song was remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez and topped the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. On the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at #2 for four consecutive weeks, unable to reach the top spot due to Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson's "Say Say Say." Despite having six #1 singles, "Say It Isn't So" is Hall & Oates' only song to peak at #2.

Daryl Hall wrote it while Hall & Oates were on their “H2O” tour and was the first of two new songs recorded for their 1983 compilation. The recording sessions took place in September 1983 at Electric Lady Studio A in New York City, and the song was co-produced by Hall, John Oates, and engineer Bob Clearmountain. The arrangement developed in the studio featured contributions from Tom "T-Bone" Wolk on bass, Charles DeChant on saxophone, G. E. Smith on guitar, Mickey Curry on drums, and Jimmy Bralower on percussion. The backing vocals were inspired by the Flamingos' rendition of "I Only Have Eyes for You," and Bralower helped solve a structural issue with the break in the song.

By 1983, Hall & Oates had achieved massive success with five #1 hits, becoming stars of both radio and MTV. However, this success also led to feelings of alienation, particularly as they performed to large audiences. Daryl Hall explained that this sense of separation was the inspiration behind this song. He described how he and John Oates felt like outsiders, captured in the line, "We like to be the strangers at the party, two rebels in a shell." This reflected their perception of being disconnected from the outside world while living in the "bubble" of constant touring and success.

"Say It Isn't So" had two music video versions. The first version was aired on MTV during a special titled “The Greatest & The Latest”, featuring the duo. The second, more popular version, was filmed on location in New York City and became a staple during MTV's peak years, receiving heavy rotation on the channel.