After years of waiting, one of the top-selling duos in the history of music is finally going into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Of course, they are Daryl Hall and John Oates. The two created a unique and influential blend of rock and roll and soul, perfecting blue-eyed soul.
Hall and Oates started performing together in the early 1970s and did record a few albums, but it wasn’t until 1973 that they finally hit it big. Their second album, Abandoned Luncheonette, contained the hit “She’s Gone.” But it began to look like they might be one-hit wonders. They didn’t notch another big hit until 1976, when “Sara Smile” finally began hit the charts. That was quickly followed with “Rich Girl,” but then came yet another dry spell for them.
In 1980, though, they changed the face of music, beginning an incredible streak of hit after hit. Voices reinvigorated their career, while Private Eyes and H2O kept the streak going. While later albums didn’t contain the same powerful hits released during this creative streak, they continued to notch minor hits and are still performing together.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Hall said that he was surprised and happy to be inducted. “I've always been sort of on the other side of the fence with the old guard and the powers-that-be,” he told the magazine. “So it was a bit of a surprise to me. This turn of events and the way things are changing is very pleasant. I think it's the right thing and I think it validates something that needs to have a reason to be serious.”
Without further ado, here’s a sampling of some of their best work.
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10. “Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts” - This track is buried on one of their least known albums, Beauty on a Back Street. It was that 1977 album’s only single, but didn’t really make an impact. Still, I think it’s a nice example of their ability to throwback to the 1950s without a problem.
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9. “Method of Modern Love” - This is the hit on Big Bam Boom, on which the two pretty much fully embrace the 80s sound. Check out the video for this one, in which Hall is wearing a mullet. Oh, the ‘80s. What would they have been like without these guys?
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8. “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” - Hall & Oates updated the Righteous Brothers classic on Voices and was one of their rare hit covers. Their other hit cover was “Family Man,” which was first recorded by Mike Oldfield. Sure, Hall & Oates didn’t really add much to “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling,” but their version proves that they could have fit comfortably in the 1960s or earlier.
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7. “You’ll Never Learn” - This is a hidden gem on Bigger Than Both of Us. While it was only a B-side, it is a personal favorite.
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6. “You Make My Dreams” - Can you listen to this song without seeing Joseph Gordon-Levitt dancing in (500) Days of Summer? It’s one of their biggest and most well-known songs for good reason.
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5. “Sara Smile” - Although “Sara Smile” isn’t on the radio very often any longer, it was the introduction to the duo back in 1976, when it became a hit. It was actually released in 1975 on the Daryl Hall & John Oates album.
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4. “Maneater” - “She’ll only come out at night, the mean and hungry type...” Easily the coolest song the guys have done. This was another hit on H2o, which also included “Family Man” and “One on One.”
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3. “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” - The Private Eyes album, which also has the title track on it, is pretty much prime Hall & Oates. If you want to listen to an album that epitomizes their work, that’s it.
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2. “Rich Girl” - This was their first big single, and became an even bigger hit later. It appears on Bigger Than Both of Us. It’s such a great song and hard to get out of your head.
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1. “Kiss on My List” - Another Voices track, this is my favorite Hall & Oates song. The harmonies is what seals the deal for me.
image: Wikimedia Commons