Tag Archives: Hall & Oates

Let’s Take A Moment Day 534

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

blog Sept 2021

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Forty years ago on September 1, 1981 Daryl Hall and John Oates released their tenth album, Private Eyes. The title track was the first single and today’s song was the second, released two months later. It hit the #1 spot in the country for one week on January 30, 1982 and it is one of my all time favorites by this incredible duo.

“Easy, ready, willing, overtime
Where does it stop
Where do you dare me
To draw the line“.

hall__oates_1981

Hall_&_Oates circa 2010

Top: Daryl Hall (L) and John Oates (R) circa 1981. Bottom: The duo circa 2010. (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Hall & Oates: “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” (1981, written by Sara Allen, Daryl Hall and John Oates).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

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Let’s Take A Moment Day 495

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Tom Petty music quote

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Today’s song hit the #1 position for one week on July 27, 1985. It was written by Daryl Hall who recorded it with John Oates for their 1980 album, Voices. But it was singer Paul Young who took it to the top of the charts five years later, showing us all that another blue eyed soul singer could interpret one of Hall’s songs nearly as well as he did.

“If we can solve any problem
Why do we lose so many tears
So you go again
When the leading man appears“.

Paul

Hall_Oates_Voices

Top: Paul Young circa 1985. Bottom: Hall & Oates 1985 album, Voices. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Paul Young: “Every Time You Go Away” (1985, written by Daryl Hall).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 469

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

June 2021 blog

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are still facing a serious situation but a new year gives us hope for the new days, seasons, opportunities & moments ahead. Still, music is something that will never change for me. It is my refuge, the most comforting part of my life & the one thing I consistently count on. So until a more normal semblance of life returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day. And if this helps anyone else, even better.

I have been lucky enough to see Ringo Starr twice in my life. The last time was at Jones Beach (Wantagh, NY) about a decade ago. One of the musicians in his “All Starr Band” that night was Todd Rundgren, who was born June 22, 1948 in Pennsylvania.

He started out playing in bands when he was 17 but his real success came as a solo artist & producer in the 1970’s. His hits include “Hello, It’s Me” (Day 388), “I Saw The Light” & today’s song. He has also made a name for himself as a producer of albums such as We’re An American Band by Grand Funk Railroad, War Babies by Hall & Oates and Bat Out Of Hell by Meat Loaf,

Rundgren will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s Class Of 2021 later this year. Several artists have covered today’s track, but his original version still resonates with me.

“It’s a strange sad affair
Sometimes seems like we just don’t care
Don’t waste time feeling hurt
We’ve been through hell together“.

SONY DSC

Todd Rundgren on stage in Ringo Starr’s “All Starr Band” at Jones Beach in Wantagh, NY on June 22, 2012.  (Credit:  Me.) 

Todd Rundgren: “Can We Still Be Friends” (1978, written by Todd Rundgren).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 209

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Jane Austen Music Quote

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Another rock & roll birthday is on the books today, this one belonging to Daryl Hall who turns 74 today. He & John Oates were signed to Atlantic Records by the esteemed founder of the label, Ahmet Ertegun, in 1972. They went on to become the number one selling musical duo of all time. And huge MTV stars in their day as well.

According to the bio on their website, the duo had six #1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart between the mid 1970’s to the mid 1980’s including “Rich Girl” (also #1 on the R&B chart), “Kiss on My List,” “Private Eyes,” “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” (also #1 R&B), “Maneater” and today’s track which was #1 for two weeks in December 1984. All those songs came from their six consecutive multi-platinum albums which also included five top 10 singles: “Sara Smile,” “One on One,” “You Make My Dreams,” “Say It Isn’t So” and “Method of Modern Love”. Hall also wrote “Every Time You Go Away” which was a #1 song in 1985 for singer Paul Young.

I was at one of his shows at the Pier in NYC when Hall made a surprise appearance and sang the song with him. I have seen Hall & Oates in concert twice and both times they did phenomenal covers of great R&B songs like Sly & The Family Stone’s “Hot Fun In The Summertime”, Billy Paul’s “Me & Mrs. Jones” & The Stylistics’ “You Are Everything”. Hall is a master of blue eyed soul, one of the best this country ever produced.

Since 2007 I have been watching & loving Hall’s free web show, “Live From Daryl’s House”, where he & his fellow famous musician friends (and several new artists) perform some of their favorite songs together. The program originally aired from Hall’s home studio in Millerton, NY but a few years ago he opened “Daryl’s House Restaurant & Live Music Club” in nearby Pawling which is the new broadcast spot for the show. He converted the place himself because one of his other passions is restoring historic homes as seen on another show of his-“Daryl’s Restoration Over-Hall”-on the DIY network. If I find out he owns a pug or a bulldog I just may have to declare him to be the perfect man. Except for The Boss, of course. 🙂

“Reaching out for something to hold
Looking for a love where the climate is cold
Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Living in the middle between the two extremes“.

Hall and Oates 1984

Hall_&_Oates circa 2010

Top: Daryl Hall (L) & John Oates (R) circa 1984. Bottom: The duo circa 2010. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Hall & Oates: “Out Of Touch” (1984, written by Daryl Hall & John Oates).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 138

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Charlie Brown No Music No Life

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

I WANT MY MTV!!!

It was 39 years ago today that this channel premiered and music was never the same again.  A station dedicated to letting the world see the music (and the people behind it) as well as hear it was revolutionary.  The rotation began with maybe 10 videos but that did not prevent me from watching it non-stop for hours at a time.  Music videos changed the game for fans and the industry alike.  But unlike streaming that has caused artists to lose control of their own copyrighted material in addition to their earnings, MTV was a money mother lode for anyone willing to climb on board the novel concept.

At first it was newer artists that appeared frequently on the channel, but eventually everyone jumped on the bandwagon.  Some ran with the concept-Hall & Oates, Huey Lewis & The News, Billy Squier, Michael Jackson-to name a few.  Soon even my heroes were embracing the genre.  Remember a pre-“Friends” Courtney Cox’s fancy footwork with Bruce Springsteen in the “Dancing In The Dark” video?  Or watching Eric Clapton’s beautiful hands play fiery solos on his Strat while singing “Pretending” in the pouring rain?  Or an elegantly dressed Marvin Gaye extolling the benefits of “Sexual Healing”?  Videos from other 1970’s artists followed including Elton John, Rod Stewart, Steve Winwood and a host of others who welcomed and embraced the new MTV audience.

Vintage clips of great musical moments were featured like the Beatles first appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, performances from the 1967 Monterrey Pop Festival and the 1969 Woodstock concerts as well as the live broadcast of 1985’s “Live Aid” show from both America & the U.K.  Suddenly our living rooms were front row seats to the best music had to offer.  And thanks to directors from the TV & movie industries getting in on the trend (“Dressed To Kill” director Brian De Palma was the man behind Springsteen’s first clip), by the end of the decade and into the 1990’s videos became an art form.  The “Unplugged” series introduced us to the more intimate side of live performances.  Other music stations including VH1, BET and FUSE followed, but none compared to the original and its level of cool.

If there is one song that defined the early years of the MTV phenomenon, it is today’s.  While the references to homosexuals are outdated & considered offensive in this era of acceptance, and the once ground breaking channel is merely a reality show based venue in these days of YouTube and Instagram stories, this song still has the power to instantly transport those of us who were there at the beginning to the excitement of the new medium.  And to the poor choice some people made to wear sweatbands in their videos.

“Now that ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
You play the guitar on the MTV
That ain’t workin’ that’s the way you do it
Money for nothing and your chicks for free“.

The MTV moon man logo circa 1981 (R) and John Illsley (bass guitarist)  and Mark Knopfler (lead guitarist) of Dire Straits circa 1985.  (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Dire Straits:  “Money For Nothing” (1985, written by Mark Knopfler and Sting a/k/a Gordon Sumner).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 105

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

Kerouac

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Blue eyed soul is a weakness of mine, but given my love for all things Motown that is certainly not surprising.  There are several singers who do it exceedingly well and today’s song showcases one of the best.  Daryl Hall & John Oates have had a phenomenal run as one of the most successful duos in music history, and part of that success is due to Hall’s soulful voice.  There are so many of their songs that showcase his incredible gift, but my favorite is the song that first introduced them to audiences back in 1975.

Hall and Oates

Daryl Hall (L) and John Oates (R) at the 2014 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Brooklyn, NY.  (Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Hall & Oates:  “Sara Smile” ( 1975, written by Daryl Hall & John Oates).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

Let’s Take A Moment Day 44

Posted in Music by

Hi everyone.  Hope you are all well and continue to stay that way during this global health crisis we are facing.  But in addition to protecting your physical wellness, what are you doing to stay mentally healthy today?

music heart

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

I know we are in a serious situation, but I need a break from the gloom, doom and bullying by way of hoarding. Music has always been my refuge and watching those beautiful Italians singing to each other from their balconies reaffirmed my belief that music is the answer. So until the old normal returns, I am going to share a song I listen to that helps me escape the current state of things, if only for a few minutes each day.  And if this helps anyone else, even better.

Time for a mid-week Motown break.  Today’s song is by arguably the greatest group of singers (and dancers) to come out of the Motor City .  The Temptations, during the “Classic Five” era with original members Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and David Ruffin, were enormously successful from January 1964 until June 1968.  At that time, Ruffin was fired from the group due to what was reported to be drug use, unprofessional behavior and ego clashes.  The latter included wanting the group’s name changed to David Ruffin & The Temptations after most of the songs he sang lead on were hits (“My Girl”, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “(I Know) I’m Losing You”, to name a few) and because Motown had just renamed Diana Ross & The Supremes for the same reason.

Ultimately it was Ruffin’s drug use that cut short his singing career despite several chances at reviving it with a solo career in the 1970’s, collaborations with Hall & Oates (including 1985’s “Live At The Apollo”) and The Temptations induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.  But two years later at the age of 50, Ruffin died of an overdose.  He had one of the greatest voices to ever grace a record with a range, intensity and power of someone who had lived a thousand lifetimes.  He and his four other group members made history together, going from “The Hitless Temptations” to the top of the charts, creating some of the best loved records of all time.  There were several other lead singers for the group over the last 50 years, but none could compare to Ruffin.

the temptations
The Temptations circa 1964:  David Ruffin, Otis Williams, Paul Williams, Melvin Franklin & Eddie Kendricks
(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

The Temptations:  “I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)” (1968, written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong and Rodger Penzabene).

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing what I love and how I am coping with you.

Stay well.

25 Days Of Christmas Songs: Day 9

Posted in Christmas, Music by

Hello, Vixens!!!  Welcome back to the countdown.

rustic-christmas-decorations-6-620x930

Courtesy of VintageNewsJunkie.com

This song from 1957 has been featured in many different movies, including one of my favorites “Mean Girls”.  What is not to like about this movie?  It is based on a funny book, the screenplay was written by the hilarious Tina Fey, the equally hilarious Amy Poehler is a scream in it and the mean girls get theirs in the end.  Any female who survived junior high loves that part most of all   🙂

But I, like many others, l-o-v-e the Winter Talent Show scene the most.  From Damian’s performance of “Beautiful” while dealing with haters, to the Mathletes rap to the reaction of Cady’s parents to their daughter’s moves, to Poehler thrusting along with the girls while filming their act to this song…what is not to love?   🙂

mean-girls-gif-jingle-bell-rock-i5

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

The original version is my favorite because of its sing-a-long feel, but there are two others I love, too.  One is an instrumental version by one of my favorite musicians, and the other is by one of the best selling duos of all time.

Bobby Helms:  “Jingle Bell Rock“.

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass:  “Jingle Bell Rock“.

Hall & Oates:  “Jingle Bell Rock“.

I do not own the rights to anything.  I am just sharing some things that I love with you   🙂

What are some of your favorite Christmas songs?

Until next time, fellow Vixens, happy listening!!!