GREATEST HITS FORTNIGHT (FEBRUARY 6-19, 2012)
When we received yet another sub-par performance of our National Anthem at the big football game this past weekend, I thought of this group, which I remember giving fantastic a capella versions of the SSB back in the '80s. (It's probably on YouTube. They still might do this from time to time, but I haven't seen them in a while.) In any case, HL&TN was a West Coast bar band done good who made it playing their updated version of '50s rock, complete with power chords, incredible harmonies, and cheesy lyrics about love and girls. If you're my age, then you know most of the songs here and sing along when they come up on your iPod's shuffle. In the words of Patrick Bateman, "these guys are the best American band of the 1980s on this or any other continent - and it has with it Huey Lewis, a vocalist, musician and writer who just can't be topped." (Huey's song, Hip To Be Square, plays an important role in Patrick's movie.)
Peak on the US Billboard Top 200 chart: #70
Tracks: 21 tracks clock in at about 80 minutes so you definitely get your money's worth, although some people might complain that these are the single edits, not the album tracks. I'd consider myself a casual fan, so I was surprised to be familiar with 18 of the 21 songs prior to purchasing this compilation. I honestly don't remember the band's top 40 career lasting that long. I enjoy most of the songs here, with the exception of Stuck With You, Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do, But It's Alright, and Huey duetting with Gwyneth Paltrow on Cruisin'. Because of her idiotic statements in the past few years, I've lost all respect for Paltrow (she named her kid Apple, for crap's sake), but she's never had any business covering Smokey Freakin' Robinson. Of the songs I hadn't heard before, I've come to like Small World which has a saxophone solo by bossa nova king, Stan Getz. Somehow, that combination actually works.
| Song | Year | Hot 100 | Rock |
| The Heart Of Rock & Roll | 1984 | 6 | 5 |
| I Want A New Drug | 1984 | 6 | 7 |
| The Power Of Love | 1985 | 1 | 1 |
| Jacob's Ladder | 1987 | 1 | 10 |
| Stuck With You | 1986 | 1 | 2 |
| Doing It All For My Baby | 1987 | 6 | - |
| If This Is It | 1984 | 6 | 3 |
| Do You Believe In Love | 1982 | 7 | 12 |
| Heart And Soul | 1983 | 8 | 1 |
| Back In Time | 1985 | - | 3 |
| Perfect World | 1988 | 3 | 5 |
| I Know What I Like | 1987 | 9 | 25 |
| Trouble In Paradise (Live) | 1985 | - | - |
| It's Alright | 1993 | - | - |
| Cruisin' | 2000 | 109 | - |
| Hope You Love Me Like You Say You Do | 1982 | 36 | - |
| Small World | 1988 | 25 | 28 |
| But It's Alright | 1994 | 54 | - |
| Hip To Be Square | 1986 | 3 | 1 |
| Couple Days Off | 1991 | 11 | 3 |
| Workin' For A Livin' | 1982 | 41 | 20 |
Missing Top 40 hits: Walking On A Thin Line (#18, 1984) and It Hit Me Like A Hammer (#21, 1991).
Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I never purchased any of the band's albums back in the '80s, but remember "borrowing" a friend's cassette of Sports for about a year. I'm embarrassed to say it, but I guess I have to admit I was that guy: the guy that was terribly slow in returning things. I like to think I'm not that guy anymore.
I also have a very special memory connected to one of the songs on this disc, but I think I'll keep that one to myself this time.
No comments:
Post a Comment