Entertainment For Lively Minds
War Babies - Darryl Hall and John Oates
Posted by Vincent on 30 January 2012 - 2:49pm.
I was relistening to this the other day; Hall and Oates teamed up with the early version of Todd Rundgren's Utopia (the guys involved with Todd, Initiation, etc.) and made a truely fabulous psychedelic-progressive-soul classic which sometimes gets up there with side two of "A Wizard, A True Star" for me. "Abandoned Luncheonette" and even the silver album still do it for me, and I don't dislike their hit singles (everyone deserves a few to pay the rent), but it's "War babies" that does it for me.
not the album version, and without Utopia, but still pretty good all the same:
- More from Vincent.
- Login or register to post comments
-
Don't know if you've seen
Don't know if you've seen this:
http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/
but there is some good stuff there...
Some very good stuff indeed
Try this (they get around to the music after a couple of minutes)
(Had I Known You Better Then - Daryl Hall and John Oates)
Beauty on A Back Street
My favourite Hall & Oates album, again blue eyed soul (Why do lover's, break each other hearts) and psychedelic styling (Winged Bull).
Was there anyone else doing music like this at the time?
War Babies
has some of their finest songs and I agree, is up there with Abandoned Luncheonette and the Silver album. I'm a bit of a H&O nerd, all the way back to Whole Oats, and I've seen them on every tour over here. This is my favourite track from War Babies, lifted by Todd's backing vocals at the end. It's at the pop-end of the scale, considering some of the rest of the album, but is such a joyous sound. They can do very little wrong for me.
Can I join the love in?
always been a fan of their blue-eyed soul stuff, but just to be different here's one off the silver album that is catchy as swine flu:
Always have the "hard work..." earworm running through my head for a day after hearing it.
Actually - although it isn't as good as their early stuff - I still think their later poppy stuff ain't that bad either.
And of course, their work in the inner cities
Oh yeah baby
I'm no fan of soul, blue eyed or otherwise, but I'd agree War Babies is a fine album as is Abandoned Luncheonette. Both had great producers...
I might even play one of these in a minute.
coincidentally
bargepole picked up their greatest hits album, rock n soul part 1, in tesco last week - a snip at two quid!!
Oh now this is good
I love the Hall & Oates hits and the album Bargepole mentions is simply wonderful. Now though I feel the need to investigate further, the OP track is playing as I type and is pushing all the right buttons. Should I just go chronological or is there a must have album. I love it here for moments like this, thank you all, lot's of great new listening to come I feel and I can go for that.
Do what you want, be what you are
is a career spanning box set and it is on spotify. I've loved their stuff for nearly 40 years, so I find it hard to pick any one or two. Although they had an iffy spell in the late 70s, so don't rush to ' x-static' or 'Along the red ledge'. Have fun.
Live from Todd's house in Hawaii
The reason I bought the LP in the first place!
Beanie G & the Rose Tatoo
Question about John Oates
I've often wondered exactly what John Oates's role was, given that yer man Daryl sings lead on just about all their songs I've heard; and given that Oates isn't a featured instrumentalist as far as I know. Did they write together? Produce?
I see Oates is doing a solo show in London later this year. I'm genuinely curious to know what that'll be like. Anyone here likely to go?
See...
...the clip I posted above.
And if you want to know how important Oates was, ask yourself how many hits Hall has had on his own.