DUSTY SPRINGFIELD & DARYL HALL - WHEREVER WOULD I BE
Released: May 1995
Charts: UK: #44
"Wherever Would I Be" is a song originally released by American rock band Cheap Trick in 1990 as the second single from their album “Busted”. The track was written by renowned songwriter Diane Warren and produced by Richie Zito. In 1995, British pop singer Dusty Springfield teamed up with American rock/soul artist Daryl Hall to record a duet version. This duet was included in Springfield's album “A Very Fine Love” and was released as a single, reaching #44 on the UK charts, where it remained for three weeks. It was one of the last singles and music video released by Springfield before her passing.
“A Very Fine Love” is Dusty Springfield's fourteenth studio album (thirteenth to be released). It was recorded in 1994 with producer Tom Shapiro and came out on June 20, 1995, in the US, followed by a UK release six days later. Initially, the album was set to be called “Dusty in Nashville”, as a nod to the 25th anniversary of her iconic album “Dusty in Memphis”. However, the record label decided against this title to avoid giving the impression that it was a country album.
In January 1994, while recording “A Very Fine Love”, Dusty Springfield frequently experienced laryngitis and other undiagnosed health issues. After returning to England, she consulted a specialist and was diagnosed with breast cancer. When she began radiotherapy, her manager, Vicki Wickham, persuaded Columbia Records to delay the album's release until Springfield was healthy enough to promote it. Springfield's cancer went into remission, allowing the album to be released in June 1995. Sadly, her cancer returned in late 1996, and she passed away in 1999. “A Very Fine Love” is Springfield's final studio album released during her lifetime.
The 1995 duet version of "Wherever Would I Be" by Dusty Springfield and Daryl Hall was released in Europe as a CD single. The main European version included two tracks: the duet and Springfield's 1990 hit "Reputation." An European Maxi CD featured four tracks, and the UK Maxi CD offered four different tracks. The artwork for the singles featured zoomed-in shots of Springfield from the album “A Very Fine Love”.
ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS WITH DARYL HALL - THE ONLY FLAME IN TOWN
Released: July 1984
Charts: US: #56 UK: #71
"The Only Flame in Town" is a song by Elvis Costello, recorded with his band the Attractions, and featured on his 1984 album “Goodbye Cruel World”. Initially written as a torch song, producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley reworked it into a more pop-oriented style. The final version includes backing vocals from Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates. While the single only reached number 71 in the UK, it achieved more success in the US, peaking at number 56, partly due to a popular MTV music video featuring a fictional "Win a Date with the Attractions" contest.
"The Only Flame in Town" was originally conceived by Elvis Costello as a slower torch song, intended for soul singer Aaron Neville, but after recording it with the Attractions, Costello felt the initial version was too "labored" and "arcane." Producers Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley reworked the track into a more pop/R&B-influenced style, featuring mechanical percussion by Pete and Bruce Thomas, and a Bach-inspired keyboard part from Steve Nieve. This pop version ultimately became the final release, with an alternate slower version later included as a bonus track on the 2004 “Goodbye Cruel World” reissue.
"The Only Flame in Town" was one of the first recordings by Elvis Costello and the Attractions to feature additional musicians. Gary Barnacle played saxophone And Daryl Hall also contributed backing vocals. Despite these collaborations, the production choices—especially the sax—are remembered by Costello with a bit of irony, as they reflect the pop-oriented approach taken for the song.
Directed by Allan Arkush, the video played on the concept of a fictional "Win a date with The Attractions" contest, where each band member was given a distinct personality. In the video, Costello's romantic rival was Daryl Hall, who also contributed vocals to the track. Costello humorously recalled the experience, noting how a Columbia Records promotion woman pressured the makeup artist to "make him look handsome" while a hungover Hall effortlessly appeared like a movie star.
In a 1984 interview, Elvis Costello reflected on working with Daryl Hall during the recording of the song and video of "The Only Flame in Town." Initially thinking of Hall as more of a "cult" artist, Costello found him to be a "very nice person" and "professional," noting how Hall completed the session quickly and seemed to enjoy the experience. Costello dismissed criticism from "inverted snobs" in the music industry who might be offended by his collaboration with a mainstream pop artist, saying that what mattered most to him was Hall's "great voice," rather than his association with commercial pop music.
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - OUT OF TOUCH
Estrena: 4 d'octubre de 1984
Llistes: EUA: #1 (2 setmanes) Regne Unit: #48
"Out of Touch" és una cançó llançada com a single principal del dotzè àlbum d'estudi “Big Bam Boom” l'octubre de 1984. Va esdevenir l'últim número u de la parella al Billboard Hot 100, mantenint-se al capdamunt durant dues setmanes al desembre de 1984. La cançó també va ser el 14è èxit consecutiu de Hall & Oates al top 40 des de 1980. "Out of Touch" sovint s'enllaçava amb "Dance on Your Knees", la cançó d'obertura de l'àlbum.
John Oates va idear la tornada mentre experimentava amb un sintetitzador, imaginant-la com una cançó per als Stylistics amb un so de Philly. Després de compartir-la a l'estudi, un coproductor va suggerir que hauria de ser un èxit per a Hall & Oates. Oates i Hall van col·laborar per escriure les estrofes. En una entrevista de 1985, Oates va destacar la importància de la frase "We're soul alone and soul really matters to me", explicant que reflecteix un tema central de la seva música: la importància de l'ànima i les arrels, que són essencials per al poder personal i la identitat.
El videoclip, dirigit per Jeff Stein, presenta elements surrealistes com un kit de bateria gegant, adequat per als temes d'aïllament i desconnexió de la cançó. El vídeo mostra Hall & Oates sent arrossegats per la bateria i, més tard, atrapats a dins, una metàfora de l'empresonament emocional expressat a la cançó. John Oates va recordar amb humor l'experiència de ser segellat dins de la bateria durant el rodatge, reflexionant sobre com de surrealista era ser unes estrelles del pop filmant dins d'un bombo a les 3 del matí en un magatzem de Queens. El videoclip també inclou la introducció de "Dance on Your Knees". Utilitza una edició de la versió remix del maxi-single de la cançó, creant una transició fluida entre les dues peces.
L'any 2004, un grup de música dance anomenat Uniting Nations, format per l'escocès Paul Keenen i l'anglès Daz Sampson, va samplejar "Out of Touch" de Hall & Oates per a la seva pròpia cançó del mateix nom. Aquesta versió va tenir un èxit considerable a les llistes del Regne Unit, arribant al número 7, i també va guanyar popularitat a Europa continental. Daz Sampson va representar Gran Bretanya al Festival d'Eurovisió el 2006.
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - OUT OF TOUCH
Released: October 4, 1984
Charts: US: #1 (2 weeks) UK: #48
"Out of Touch" is a song released as the lead single from the twelfth studio album “Big Bam Boom” on October 1984. It became their last number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for two weeks in December 1984. The song also marked the duo's 14th consecutive top 40 hit since 1980. "Out of Touch" frequently segued from "Dance on Your Knees," the opening track of the album.
John Oates came up with the chorus while experimenting with a synthesizer, imagining it as a song for the Stylistics with a Philly sound. After sharing it in the studio, a co-producer suggested it should be a hit for Hall & Oates themselves. Oates and Hall then collaborated to write the verses. In a 1985 interview, Oates highlighted the significance of the line "We're soul alone and soul really matters to me," explaining that it reflects a core theme of their music: the importance of soul and roots, which are essential to personal power and identity.
The music video directed by Jeff Stein, features surreal elements like a gigantic drum kit, fitting the song's themes of isolation and disconnection. The video shows Hall & Oates being rolled over by the massive drum and later trapped inside it, serving as a metaphor for the emotional entrapment expressed in the song. John Oates humorously recalled the experience of being sealed inside the drum during the shoot, reflecting on how surreal it was to be top pop stars filming inside a bass drum at 3 a.m. in a Queens warehouse. The music video also includes the "Dance on Your Knees" intro. The video uses an edit of the 12-inch remix version of the song, creating a seamless transition between the two tracks.
In 2004, a dance act called Uniting Nations, composed of Scotsman Paul Keenen and Englishman Daz Sampson, sampled Hall & Oates' "Out of Touch" for their own song of the same name. This version enjoyed a successful run on the UK charts, peaking at #7 and also gaining popularity in continental Europe. Notably, Daz Sampson represented Great Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2006.
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - KISS ON MY LIST
Estrena: novembre de 1980
Llistes: EUA: #1 (3 setmanes) Regne Unit: #33
"Kiss on My List" és una cançó escrita per Daryl Hall i Janna Allen, i produïda per Hall i John Oates. Llançada com el tercer senzill del seu novè àlbum d'estudi, “Voices”, la cançó es va convertir en el seu segon número u al Billboard Hot 100 dels Estats Units, després de "Rich Girl" el 1977. Va liderar la llista durant tres setmanes.
"Kiss on My List" sovint és malinterpretada com una cançó d'amor romàntica, ja que molta gent pensa que la lletra diu "kiss on my lips", però Daryl Hall la descriu com una "cançó antiamor". La lletra clau, "Your kiss is on my list of the best things in life" (El teu petó és a la meva llista de les millors coses de la vida), no significa que el petó sigui la millor cosa, sinó només un element de la llista del protagonista, minimitzant-ne la importància. Hall va explicar que és tot el contrari d'una cançó d'amor tradicional, desafiant la interpretació típica que parla d'un amor profund i apassionat.
La versatilitat musical de Hall & Oates va contribuir al seu estatus com el duet més venut de tots els temps, i la seva cançó "Kiss on My List" és un exemple de com van captar l'estil dels anys 80 amb teclats i grans cors. En una entrevista, John Oates va destacar que van resistir la idea de ser encasellats en un sol gènere musical. Tot i que no van explorar tots els estils, tant Oates com Daryl Hall tenien gustos musicals diversos. Van començar com a compositors, i les seves àmplies influències els van permetre crear música que transcendia les categories específiques, encara que el seu èxit sovint s'associava amb certs sons.
"Kiss on My List" va ser coescrita per Janna Allen, germana de la núvia de Daryl Hall, Sara Allen. Tot i que Janna no tenia experiència prèvia com a compositora, va coescriure diversos èxits per Hall & Oates, com "Private Eyes" i "Did It in a Minute". Inicialment, la cançó estava destinada a Janna, ja que aspirava a convertir-se en artista en solitari. Janna va morir de leucèmia als 36 anys, el 1993. Daryl Hall va gravar una demo de la cançó per a ella, però a l'equip de Hall & Oates els va agradar tant que van insistir que el duet la llancés ells mateixos. La demo, amb ajustos mínims com la incorporació de cors, es va utilitzar com la versió final. Això explica el so "simple" de la bateria, ja que la pista inclou una caixa de ritmes Roland CR-78 combinada amb bateria en viu.
Daryl Hall va mencionar que Eddie Van Halen li va dir que havia copiat la part de sintetitzador de "Kiss on My List" i l'havia utilitzat en l'èxit de Van Halen, "Jump". Hall no va tenir cap problema amb això, mostrant-se indiferent per la similitud i aparentment afalagat per la inspiració que Van Halen va treure de la seva cançó.
DARYL HALL & JOHN OATES - KISS ON MY LIST
Released: November 1980
Charts: US: #1 (3 weeks) UK: #33
"Kiss on My List" is a song written by Daryl Hall and Janna Allen, and produced by Hall and John Oates. Released as the third single from their ninth studio album “Voices”, the song became their second number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, following "Rich Girl" in 1977. It topped the chart for three weeks.
"Kiss on My List" is often misinterpreted as a romantic love song, with many people thinking the lyric is "kiss on my lips", but Daryl Hall describes it as an "anti-love song." The key lyric, "Your kiss is on my list of the best things in life", doesn't mean the kiss is the best thing, but rather just one item on the guy's list, downplaying its significance. Hall explained that it's the opposite of a traditional love song, challenging the typical interpretation that it's about deep, passionate love.
Hall & Oates' musical versatility contributed to their status as the best-selling duo of all time, and their song "Kiss on My List" is an example of how they captured the '80s sound with keyboards and big choruses. John Oates emphasized in an interview that they resisted being boxed into a single musical genre. While they didn't explore every style, such as jazz fusion, both Oates and Daryl Hall had diverse musical tastes. They started out as songwriters, and their broad influences allowed them to create music that transcended specific categories, even if their success was often associated with certain sounds.
"Kiss on My List" was co-written by Janna Allen, sister of Daryl Hall's longtime girlfriend Sara Allen. Although Janna had no prior songwriting experience, she co-wrote several hits for Hall & Oates, including "Private Eyes" and "Did It in a Minute". Originally, the song was intended for Janna, as she aspired to become a solo artist. Daryl Hall recorded a demo of the song for her, but the Hall & Oates team liked it so much that they insisted the duo release it themselves. The demo, with minimal adjustments like added background vocals, was used as the final version. This explains the "dinky" drum sound, as the track featured a Roland CR-78 drum machine combined with live drumming. Janna passed away from leukemia at the age of 36 in 1993.
Daryl Hall mentioned that Eddie Van Halen told him he had copied the synth part from "Kiss on My List" and used it in Van Halen's hit song "Jump". Hall expressed no issue with this, showing he was unbothered by the similarity and seemingly flattered by the inspiration Van Halen drew from their track.
