Mix CD: Daryl Hall & John Oates

I was at my desk this morning doing the same thing I’ve done so many times recently: Working on Excel tables and Power BI dashboards with my Air Pods and a playlist on shuffle. I think I’ve found my groove with data analysis. I can nerd out on stats. It’s busy work, but satisfying. This is all beside the point. During my work a song popped up that I’ve heard no less than 500 times in my life. It’s long been a favorite, but today it was just hitting different. That song was “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” by Philadelphia rock & soul legends Daryl Hall & John Oates. My relationship with Hall & Oates is a complicated one. They were a constant in our house when I was a tiny tot…they were probably a constant in everyone’s house in the early-80s. By the time I was old enough to develop my own taste in music they had lost all relevance in popular music and I mostly forgot about them.

Sometime in my early adulthood I started hearing them again and they gave me that strange feeling I get when I hear music from my early childhood. Sometimes that music brings back warm feelings. Sometimes it just creeps me out. Impossible to explain, and there doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to it. In the case of Daryl Hall & John Oates, it made me feel good. Brought back great memories of piling in the old station wagon with the whole family singing “Out of Touch” together when WIXX played it. For years it felt like there was a touch of irony or humor to any Hall & Oates reference. I think it’s fair to say they are considered cheesy by many – likely having something to do with Oates’ mustache, their videos that aged horribly, or questionable album cover choices. In my case, that irony has vanished over the years and it’s become nothing but love and respect.

From 1995 to 2009 my friends and I played at the same Gus Macker basketball tournament in Wausau, Wisconsin, every summer. One of our frequent stops over the years was an establishment called Mountain Lanes, conveniently located across the street from our hotel. Friday night was karaoke night at Mountain Lanes, which meant the crew would fuel up at P the Plaza Hotel, then cross the street to treat the Mountain Lanes patrons to our vocal stylings. My go-to karaoke track: “Maneater” by Hall & Oates. It takes a hell of a vocalist to even attempt to fill the shoes of the great Daryl Hall and I am not. It didn’t stop me from trying.

So, today when “I Can’t Go For That” was blessing my earholes and my soul I snapped a screenshot and posted it on social media with the caption:

For my money it gets no better than this track right here #oates

It was put there purely as a bat signal to summon the Gus Macker crew. Just letting them know that the spirits of both Hall & Oates still strive within me. Later in the day my dear friend Christie commented and ended it with: “I’m smelling a blog post comparing their entire catalog.” Christie you beautiful genius, that’s a brilliant idea. Challenge accepted! However, I’m far from an expert in all things H&O. I don’t stray too far from the hits. Instead of a breakdown of the albums, I’ll drop a Hall & Oates Mix CD.

If you’re not familiar with my so-called mix CDs I’ll explain: It’s too easy to make a playlist now. It would take me five minutes…shit, two minutes…to take a bunch of Hall & Oates tracks, drop them on a playlist, and walk away. Where’s the challenge or soul in that? Making a mix is an art form. Even in the days of cassettes you could record over them. When you made a mix CD you had a tangible object with a maximum of 80 minutes. If you got the playlist wrong, you better break out your wallet and get your sloppy mix CD making ass to Best Buy to buy another spindle of CDRs. By the way, don’t try to tell me you used CDRWs. Yeah, they were rewritable, but everyone knows the sound quality was shit. It had to be a CDR, which meant there was no margin for error.

Anyway, the point is, you get 80 minutes. Anything more negates the challenge. If I was to burn a Daryl Hall & John Oates mix CD in 2025, this is how it would go:

“Maneater” taken from H2O (1982)
There could only be one lead track on this CD. The bass line alone is legendary. The opening line is an all-time great: “She’ll only come out at night. The lean and hungry type. Nothing is new. I’ve seen her here before.” Bonus points anytime a songwriter can work the word “hungry” or “hunger” into a song. Shout out to Duran Duran, Eddie Money, and – to a much lesser extent – Eric Carmen. I was at least 40 years old when I found out that the lyrics to the song are not about a woman, but about New York City. Sort of ruined it, to be honest. I spent my entire life imagining what the vixen that Daryl Hall was warning me about actually looked like. I kind of always pictured Morgan Fairchild. Did I mention Daryl Hall is absolutely one of the best male vocalists ever? Dude was silky smooth.

“Say It Isn’t So” taken from Rock ‘N Soul Part 1 (1983)
I really have nothing to add to any conversation about this song other than to emphasize that it’s just so fucking good. I dig everything about it. “Say It Isn’t So” was the obligatory new song included on their greatest hits compilation Rock ‘N Soul Part 1 and there’s no drop-off in quality. This song belongs right there with the best in H&O’s catalog. Insert obligatory joke about the absence of Rock ‘N Soul Part 2 here.

“Out of Touch” taken from Big Bam Boom (1984)
I love this track, but it’s bittersweet to me now. This song has long felt to me like the beginning of the end of Hall & Oates’ unprecedented run of success, but a recent Questlove Supreme podcast actually confirmed it. Daryl Hall spoke about his dislike of music videos and he mentioned a specific moment when he and John Oates were standing inside of a giant bass drum looking at each other thinking, “I hate this music video shit. I didn’t sign up for this” That video: “Out of Touch”

“Family Man” taken from H2O (1982)
Just your run of the mill pop song about an average dude resisting temptation and rejecting the advances of a pushy prostitute. What I never understood was why Hall frequently repeats the lyrics, “My bark is much worse than my bite.” Is that something you’d want to tell someone who is potentially dangerous? Then he says, “If you push me too far I just might.” Might what? Hurt her? Take her up on her offer because he’s tempted? I’m confused. I need Hall and/or Oates to weigh in.

“Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Heart?” taken from Beauty on a Back Street (1977)
I don’t know too many Hall & Oates deep cuts, but here’s one for you. This track is buried on an album that’s mostly forgotten from what I can tell. There aren’t any “hits” on this one, but damn I dig this track. It’s got a nice old soul 6/8 sound to it. Nothing groundbreaking, but just a rock solid love track written by Daryl Hall and his partner at the time, Sara Allen, who inspired a song that will show up later on this list.

“Your Imagination” taken from Private Eyes (1981)
Sincere question: What genre were Hall & Oates? Like, when you listen to “Your Imagination” what does it feel like? This song is borderline new wave, right? Or is it just simply pop and I should stop thinking about it? Oates brings the soul every time he sings backup, but this is not a soul song. I know…the lesson here is that I don’t need to label things like this and I should just enjoy it and stop thinking so much. I feel better when I can put a label on a song. These are the kind of things that keep me awake at night.

“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” taken from Voices (1980)
I’ll just say it: I like this version far better than the Righteous Brothers original. Hate all you want. You’re not changing my mind. I grew up on this one. To me, this was the original. When I heard the Righteous Brothers version I was like, “What kind of old timey bullshit is this?” John Oates gets an opportunity to sing lead on this one and crushes it. The back-and-forth in the third verse and the way their voices blend on the chorus are arguably peak Hall & Oates. They sound phenomenal together. I’ll give the Righteous Brothers this though: that’s a dope name.

“She’s Gone” taken from Abandoned Luncheonette (1973)
Speaking of peak Hall & Oates…I don’t wanna say they peaked in ’73, but an argument could easily be made for this as their best song. I love how the song is so mellow for the first verse, then at about 1:45 Daryl Hall is like, “I got this,” and belts the chorus, leaving anyone else who might attempt to sing this song – including Oates – in his glorious wake. If this song was the general public’s introduction to Daryl Hall & John Oates I hope the reaction when they heard it was, “Whoa! Who the fuck is this guy?!??!” That’s the only appropriate response to Hall’s vocals on this track. Oates is no slouch either, but Hall sings this song like she really is gone and if he doesn’t sing for his life she’s never coming back. I can’t write about “She’s Gone” without mentioning the video. Click the link above at your own risk. Is this the first music video? It looks like they rented a local high school auditorium for a couple hours and had strict budget of $5 for costumes and props. I honestly wish I’d never seen it because it taints my opinion of the song.

“One on One” taken from H2O (1982)
I could go on forever about how this song is one of the great vibe-setting songs I’ve ever heard. How Daryl Hall – once again – just crushes this song vocally. How Oates – once again – provides the perfect background vocals. It’s a flawless slow jam. None of that matters. Who was the coked up ad-man behind this NBA promo? Yes, the song is called “One on One”, but it couldn’t have less to do with basketball. Nothing about this song fits with the “NBA it’s FANtastic” campaign. Yet there it is. Prominently featured alongside some of the most exciting NBA highlights of the early-1980s. Hey, I still remember it 40 years later. Mission accomplished, I guess.

“You Make My Dreams (Come True)” taken from Voices (1980)
If you Google the phrase “catchy song” this should be the first result. From the second that keyboard kicks in you know you’re in for a happy ride. I have nothing to back this up and it’s almost certainly not true, but this song had to be rattling around somewhere in Pharrell Williams’ subconscious when he wrote “Happy”, right? “You Make My Dreams” is one of the great earworms in the history of pop music. Side note: Until this very moment I thought the song was just called “You Make My Dreams”. I was not aware that (Come True) was a subtitle. Huh.

“Private Eyes” taken from Private Eyes (1981)
I knew Hall & Oates were hitmaking machines in the early-80s, but this is ridiculous. They had a five year run of pop hits I’d put up against damn near anybody’s. Every year had multiple hits. Here’s “Private Eyes”, which would be the most recognizable hit in most artists’ catalogs, and it’s just chilling here in the middle of this mix CD. I can’t hear this song without thinking of Saturday Night’ Live’s VH1 Behind the Music sketch from the late-90’s featuring Oates. Chris Kattan was dressed like Oates making jokes about clapping on “Private Eyes”. Not funny. You wish you were John Oates. Get the fuck out of here.

“Crime Pays” taken from H2O (1982)
Not one of their hits, but I dig this one. “Crime Pays” has a “Somebody’s Watching Me” if it was performed by Devo vibe to me. Eerie synth and a goofy bass line. It was the early-80s. Just ride the wave. This track shouldn’t work for me, but it does. Daryl Hall can sing over pretty much anything and make it sound good.

“Kiss on My List” taken from Voices (1980)
This song dropped when I was four years old. I remember hearing it frequently when I was a kid. I know it’s still one of my mom’s favorites. I didn’t understand it at all. I would hear it and think, “Why is this guy kissing a list?” In my young brain, Daryl Hall was literally kissing a piece of paper with a list on it. It wasn’t until years later that I realized it was his girlfriend actually kissing the piece of paper. Right? No? Damn it. This song has to be top five Hall & Oates, right? I love how it starts with a nice little melody in the verse, changes up in the bridge with John Oates’ voice seamlessly blending with the instruments, then finally reaching a joyous apex in the chorus, only to start the whole process over again in verse 2. I know, I know…most songs do that. I just dig how this song has three very distinct vibes and when combined and repeated they make me feel great. My only complaint about this song is inspired by the recent HBO Yacht Rock documentary. There’s a long stretch of the doc exploring the Doobie Brothers’ classic “What a Fool Believes” and its effect on popular music in the years that followed. “Kiss on My List” was included in that montage. I never made that connection before but I can’t unhear the similarities now. Don’t get me wrong, I like “What a Fool Believes”. I don’t like that suddenly “Kiss on My List” seems like such a direct ripoff.

“Home for Christmas” taken from Home for Christmas (2006)
I know it’s a Christmas song, but you’ve gotta give me this one. If you know me you know I love holiday music. I can’t talk Hall & Oates without mentioning their underrated 2006 album Home for Christmas which was, by the way, their final full-length studio album recorded together. The whole album is a lovely soundtrack for the holidays, but none of the songs more than this original written by Daryl Hall about how he finds his way home every year for Christmas. It tugs at the heartstrings, but it means a little more to me because in many ways Daryl Hall’s voice takes me back to childhood. The song might’ve been released when I was 30, but there’s something about that man singing those lyrics that makes me feel like a kid. Corny, I know.

“Everytime You Go Away” taken from Voices (1980)
In 1985 British performer Paul Young took this Hall & Oates deep cut and made it a smash hit around the world, hitting #1 in the US. I remember the Paul Young version well. It wasn’t until I was much older listening to the album Voices that I said, “Wait a minute…I’ve heard this.” It should come as a surprise to nobody that – even though Young made it a hit – I prefer the Hall & Oates version. The Paul Young version sounds too 1985. Very 80s. Poppy and polished. Young actually has a cool rasp to his voice, but he’s no Daryl Hall. He also doesn’t have Oates providing the signature background vocals. The jazz organ and acoustic instruments give the Hall & Oates version a much better sound.

“Me and Mrs. Jones (Live)” taken from Our Kind of Soul (2004)
To be honest, I have no idea what album this song comes from. The version I linked is from a special on VH1 in 1997. I think you can hear this in several places, but the version I was able to stream on Apple Music comes from their 2004 cover album Our Kind of Soul. I asked the question about what genre Hall & Oates were, but if there was any doubt what kind of music inspired them, this cover squashes it. Hall & Oates are into Philly soul. They chose to cover this relatively obscure, butter smooth Billy Paul ballad. Be it Hall & Oates or Billy Paul, this song is gorgeous. When the background vocals kick in with “we got a thing going on” it’s perfect soul music. An amazing song, and a fantastic choice by Hall & Oates for a cover.

“Sara Smile” taken from Daryl Hall & John Oates (1975)
In my mind the Hall & Oates ballad podium has “One On One” coming in 3rd place and “She’s Gone” taking second. “Sara Smile” takes the crown. This is as good as soul music gets. Perfection. I have nothing more to add.

“I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)” taken from Private Eyes (1981)
Let’s wrap up this mix CD by taking us back to where we started. Let’s also give credit where it’s due. The real reason I went back to Hall & Oates after abandoning them in my teenage years and twenties: De La Soul. Actually, De La Soul producer Prince Paul to be exact. Prince Paul sampled the bass line and some of the vocals from “I Can’t Go For That” for the De La Soul track “Say No Go” from their album 3 Feet High and Rising. It was De La that I listened to throughout the 90s and 2000s that continued to keep Hall & Oates front of mind for me until one day I thought to myself, “This Hall & Oates song was the shit. Let me look that one up again.” “Say No Go” inspired my rediscovery of Daryl Hall & John Oates as an adult. My favorite story about this song also comes from the Questlove Supreme podcast, but this time it was John Oates. Oates said that the drum beat on “I Can’t Go For That” was the pre-programmed R&B beat on a keyboard that he was messing around with in the studio and they just went with it. Makes me wish I still had my old Casio SK-1. On the rare occasion I actually take my phone off of vibrate and it makes noise, this is my ringtone. That’s how highly I think of this song. If I’m going to be bothered by a telephone call, at least I get some Hall & Oates out of it.

Here’s some amazing bonus content for those of you who are still here this deep into the post. This is Cee Lo Green singing “I Can’t Go For That” with Daryl Hall and a kick ass band on the web series Live From Daryl’s House. One of those things you didn’t know you needed until you hear it. Cee Lo’s unique tone and timbre effortlessly blend with the band. It sounds like he was born to sing this song with this band. Stick around for the second half of the song when the Cee Lo and Daryl improvise over that sick groove. Great music. Ropes me in every time I see it pop up on YouTube.

As always, WordPress and Apple Music don’t play nice, so if you’re an Apple Music subscriber like I am and you want to listen to the playlist, click here.

Despite the accolades and record-setting sales numbers, from where I stand it seems Hall & Oates don’t get the respect they should. Care to take a guess how many Grammys I believe they’re victims of the era in which they were popular. History hasn’t exactly looked back kindly on music from that post-disco and pre-MTV era and that’s when they dominated. Hall & Oates made hits, but they were admittedly ill-equipped for the mid-80s, when your look and ability to tell a story with a music video were as important as the music you were putting out. They just wanted to write music…and they did a damn good job of it. If you’re not nodding your head or tapping your foot to most of the songs on this list you must not have a pulse.

There, Christie. You asked for it, you got it. Bet you didn’t think your harmless Facebook challenge and my bout of insomnia would get you 3,200 words on Hall & Oates a few hours later. What you got for me next?