We're listening to Hall and Oates' "Abandoned Luncheonette" this afternoon and the temptation is strong to post the Usual Suspect from this album...
The most well-known track from the album is "She's Gone," one of the act's best-loved songs; Daryl Hall, according to some reports, has called it the best song he and John Oates wrote together. Both performers were undergoing romantic problems at the time the song was written; a 1985 article in Rolling Stone said the song was about Hall's divorce from wife Bryna Lublin.
While "She's Gone" did not become a hit when first released as a single, the song gained momentum from two later covers, one by Lou Rawls, and one by Tavares. After the latter cover topped the Billboard R&B chart in 1974, the original was re-released and became a Top 10 pop hit in 1976, reaching #7, while the album reached #33. This song was included in Hall & Oates's 1983 greatest hits compilation, "Rock and Soul," as well as in numerous other compilations.
But we won't. Let's do this, instead...
I didn't grow to love her giggles on the phone at that time (mainly coz neither one of us HAD a phone), but I sure as hell "knew her better then." About which... If you read the above quote from The Wiki carefully you'll note "She's Gone" became a big-ass hit in 1976, which prompted me to purchase "Abandoned Luncheonette" and kicked off a long running love affair, in a couple o' ways. The first and most obvious is my love of Hall & Oates' music, the second is the fact that The Second Mrs. Pennington and I were in the middle of the beginning of our courtship and 23-year love affair in 1976. "Abandoned Luncheonette" got a LOT of airplay in our house during that year and on down thru the following years, for the memories that's in it. That said... it's pretty hard to listen to "She's Gone" these days. Still. After all these years. For obvious reasons.Were you ever so in loveYou couldn't wait to get to sleep and dreamAbout the one you wish was there beside youIn the past few days I've grownTo love your giggles on the phoneAnd how we hug so nicely
Music is very hard. It brings back vivid memories of a life I used to have. Don't much listen anymore.
ReplyDeleteDon't know what to say. You guys have done gone and made me sad now.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be those favorite songs you shared with someone That's what made the song "special" to begin with
That may be my most favorite song you have ever posted. I need to go to Amazon now - be back later.
ReplyDeleteFor someone like me, who was never a fan of H&O - I do love this song. Really. It's a beauty.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, music does this to people. It lifts us up, tears us down and yet, like the best friend you ever had and unlike the ones who caused you pain - music will always be there for you.
Curtis: Understand. There are still some songs that hurt pretty bad for me, too. But like Kris said below, music is always there for me; I can't give it up.
ReplyDeletess: Don't be sad, it just is what it is.
Lou: The entire album is this good, too.
Kris: What ya said about the music.