How Does It POLL To Be Back: "Voices" by Hall & Oates

oops, duh, "Italian Girls" is on H20! Geography theme got the best of me - I clearly meant to say "Gotta Lotta Nerve."

The only terrible songs are "Africa" and the Righteous Bros cover; the only essential songs might be a more difficult point, since the snotty "Big Kids" and frosty "Gotta Lotta Love" are triumphs, and in my mind better than "Kiss on My List" (the only huge H&O hit besides "Private Eyes" I don't care for); but "You Make My Dreams" didn't need the JGL movie for its electric piano hook to get its groove on.

gotta lotta nerve

side 1 is solid

oh yeah whoops -- "How Does It Feel To Be Back" is Oates' best song, period.

Holly smokes -- are "Africa" and "Diddy Doo Wop" the greatest unsung gems of the century, or what !?! I'm gonna start a paper route!

Thought I read recently where Oates said "You Make My Dreams" has become their big publishing winner because of its placement in films, tv.
Alfred's right in his posts about "How Does" being the best Oates song, and what are the worst and best songs on here, although we disagree about "Kiss On My List" which still sounds pretty good to my ears. And how about "Diddy Doo Wop" and its sly hooks?
But had to vote for "You Make My Dreams" which has indeed taken over as H&O's most popular song at this moment.

My loyalty is fundamentally to "You Make My Dreams," one of the most explosively joyous singles I can recall by any act; it's no surprise it's had a second life some thirty years later. It (with some help from ILM) is absolutely what got me into this band, six or so years ago. But I'm also really really fond of "Diddy Doo Wop." It just paints such a nice picture of Daryl Hall going through his daily life and being followed around by an inescapable doo-wop hook which might or might not be driving him insane. I hear the voices, voices!! I get it stuck in my head basically any time I hear anybody singing anything in or near a subway stop. And oh-oh-ohh the Duke is singing...

I hope "Big Kids" gets at least a vote.

Wasn't familiar with the album until this poll. "Hard to Be in Love With You" is the surprise for me so far.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

haha -- wonder if we'd gotten these results in 2004.

Not a bad spread for a poll like this! Thanks, everyone.

damn i missed it ;_;

Every time you go away, you miss a poll on Hall and Oates.

Reaching for the handle
I'm slicing through the air...
Oh, the doo wop voices everywhere
...and oh oh oh, the Duke is singing!

Curious what Veg would have voted btw!

Wasn't familiar with the album until this poll. "Hard to Be in Love With You" is the surprise for me so far.

― Naive Teen Idol, Monday, April 1, 2013 8:02 AM (eight years ago) bookmarkflaglink

^^^This. Absolutely one of the all-time new wave/power pop classics.

I still think Side 1 is the bomb, but Side 2 is amazing as well. Even the "You Make My Dreams" is played to death everywhere, hearing it in the context of the album - just undeniable every time.

Never realized that Hall wrote "Everytime You Go Away"!

This might be the best $3 I've ever spent on a record.

the = though

"Big Kids"!

their version of "Everytime You Go Away" is so much better than Paul Young's, which just makes me wish I was listening to "Don't Come Around Here No More."

i recently realized, in the process of upgrading my copy, that this is one of those Fate For Breakfast albums where there are pretty similar variant covers for no discernible reason:

https://img.discogs.com/Zum5uDsmi25tWPA_DjWCa-KtC6M=/fit-in/600x597/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4666263-1585220913-3227.jpeg.jpg

https://img.discogs.com/WfgwFBrOA-2QBiI9K4zF-h--K5I=/fit-in/600x598/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-587064-1376434654-9747.jpeg.jpg

both have the same, Oates-centric back cover:

https://img.discogs.com/fqctyXd7YM16J5Lw7lHMDOImV2c=/fit-in/600x598/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-4666263-1585220913-6065.jpeg.jpg

then there's the international version:

https://img.discogs.com/elHU1BcMHyabLgijb_hxUylNkQw=/fit-in/600x593/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-7192242-1435803490-8534.jpeg.jpg

(the top one, with the goonier face on Hall, also has embossed lettering and "voice" waves)

I own a pair of pants the color of Oates'.

that's a good color! i have a jumpsuit in a pretty similar shade that i'm still breaking in.

The top one doesn't even look like Hall.

In the middle one (the one I own) Hall looks like he's thinking about a solo career.

My copy has the international cover, which beats out some stiff competition to take the crown as awkwardest H&O album cover.

all weird covers for sure. daryl’s outfit there is pretty sweet, tho.

Re: other awkward covers, I was thinking of https://img.discogs.com/ptM8_5qlqqufwz9OV3IaRGtxDdA=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-7464741-1442009038-9888.jpeg.jpg https://img.discogs.com/0pukWYx3c45kWyDHhNU1cJOtnsQ=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-676961-1304476560.jpeg.jpg https://img.discogs.com/KBZ7sTHZ2YoXTpqH-sGkYhitZ6Q=/fit-in/300x300/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(40)/discogs-images/R-760553-1313708241.jpeg.jpg

Also, I had no idea "You Make My Dreams" is their biggest song (550 million streams). I would have guessed Maneater (which has 286M) or maybe Private Eyes (56M).
But I'm clearly Out of Touch (72M).

You Make My Dreams makes sense to me, because it's a staple in doctor's offices, CVSs and other soft rock venues. Probably countless movies. I was surprised I Can't Go For That wasn't higher.

YMMD has had a couple of movie/TV show moments over the last idk 15 years --- pretty sure it gets some discussion in the threads about such things.

defend the indefensible: Hall and Oates

also all those covers are solid to great imho. big bam boom in particular. really nails the thick production maximalism somehow.

yep

"United State" deserved more love in this poll.... Exactly what a deep "rock" cut from this band at this moment should be.