It's a laugh (1979) - Hall & Oates

[EvilKarateClown]

It's a Laugh is a good album cut, but it lacks the increasingly-desperate, laugh-so-I-don't-cry emotion of this performance. The music and Hall's voice start off even-keeled, as the narrator plays it cool. By the end of the song, Hall's shouting vocals with G.E. Smith's crying guitar sounds like a nervous breakdown. Totally awesome. I only wish the record was this good, a problem with almost all of H&O's 70s music. They should have just recorded the albums live.

[310tkrlove]

何故か日本ではあまり人気のない曲ですが、アルバム参加ミュージ­シャンも含めてベストテイクと、個人的には思うのですがねぇ～～­♪

[jik4446462]

The Agora Ballroom in Cleveland.

[chthonic19]

That's easy, dude - H&O coined a very apt term themselves, back in the day: "rock & soul."

And not to make this a weird racial thing, but since you pointed out that you're white: I'm black and yeah, "I Can't Go For That" is one of the best, classic R&B songs of the 80s. That shit is archetypal.

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Okay, "rock & soul." I'm fine with that. But I'm also fine with "blue-eyed soul" because I know it was meant to be descriptive, not insulting. For Daryl to get his knickers in a twist over it and call it "racist" ... well, I just think he's overreacting.

BTW, there's a famous black opera singer named Kathleen Battle. She's world renowned. When I say, "black opera singer," it's to convey that a black opera singer is unusual, not that she's somehow inauthentic. See what I mean? :-)

[SunnyDays951]

The boys at their Best.

[msdemos]

"You remember me...........I used to be your boyfriend"

Don't know why, exactly, but one of my favorite Hall & Oates lines of all time.....

[SunnyDays951]

Man O man, sheet fire......so damm good.

[thia912002]

I just got through seeing them for my birthday in Seattle.

[vg4life]

Sometimes when life isn't going your way and it seems like everything is going to shit, you just have to laugh. This is the song I play when I feel like that. One of h&os best.

[spd13062]

I have all H&O's albums on the original vinyl, Along the Red Ledge and X-Static are two favorites. This is such a great song, you don't get lyrics like this these days from anyone. "Because the odd thing is, I really thought...that we were special"......

[janakayz]

@zzyyxxoWhy do you say you don't like "Darryl" (actually isn't it one r?) because of his ego? Do you know him personally so you can judge? I met him (NO I am NOT a GROUPIE) years ago a couple of times and he was a very nice genuine intelligent person. I met John too briefly equally nice I'm sure they wouldn't emember me but I was struck by their LACK of star CRAP. Or ego trip. Just sayin.

[janakayz]

GREAT and underappreciated album. Just saw them and Daryl said something like, "We're going to do an old one you may not be familiar with " so My 14 year old son is WAY diggin it and mouthing the lyrics and I turn to the really cool lady to my right and say "Obviously he remembers this from the late 70's" and we both laughed.

[SuperUnknownMC]

Saw them last nite......Jones Beach, Long Island, NY 6/11/11...outstanding.

[TheB4t5]

@Ken2544 Sugar coated pop? What they had before was, in essence, pop rock. Or just plain old rock and roll. The thing is both are pretty simple on the compositional level...a couple of chords here and there in each song. I don't see how it's degenerate. It went from simple to simple. Regardless it sounds great.

[Ken5244]

@TheB4t5

"A couple of chords here and there in each song"? No offense, but you're not a musician, are you?

I explained, in a post above, what I meant by "sugar coated pop." There was a dramatic shift in direction and sound after the X-Static album. If you can't hear the new emphasis on kitschy lyrics, ersatz synth patches & drum machines (gag), & the soulless production, I don't know what to tell you. "Say It Isn't So" is arguably redeemed by Daryl's great vocal, but otherwise ... blah IMHO.

[mtoasty100]

@Ken5244 I don't think the quality of the songs changed at all after X-Static. I think what you're hearing is H&O's finally taking their records' production into their own hands.

H&O were always trying out new sounds - look at the vast sonic differences between, say, Abandoned Luncheonette, War Babies, and the Silver Album. They lost their magic somewhere in the 90s, but it definitely continued long after X-static.

[Ken5244]

@mtoasty100

Well, for me, I noticed a dumbing-down of the lyrics after '79. The lyrics in their biggest hits like "I Can't Go for That," "Maneater," "Private Eyes," and "Kiss on .... " were utter drivel. And let's not forget "Leave me alone, I'm a family man, and my bark is much worse than my bite." Ugh.

Re taking the production into their own hands, yep, and the results were awful (drum machines, godawful synth patches, etc.). They went from being a R&B/rock hybrid to a synth-pop band.

[mtoasty100]

@Ken5244 Well, first of all, "Family Man" was a cover. But dude, you're seriously saying that, after X-Static, the lyrics were somehow dumbed down? From what? "It's you and me forever, Sara Smile, won't you smile a while for me, Sarah?" "He's back together again, yeah everybody's glad that he's together again, just like the old days, old days, yeah he could sing, he could sing, he could sing?" "Number one, number one, you are number one with me, oh yeah, oh yeah?" hahaha

[Ken5244]

@mtoasty100

Well, the lyrics in "Sara Smile" or "Back Together Again," per your examples, may not be literary genius material, but they're far better than the drivel from the saccharine 80s hits I mentioned before.

Far worse IMHO, and more obvious, was going from a rock/R&B band to a synth pop band. If you can't hear the sterile drum machines, ersatz synth patches, bass lines that sound like they're from a keyboard rather than an actual bass, etc., I don't know what to tell you.

[mtoasty100]

@Ken5244 Who listens to Hall and Oates for the lyrics? And if you compare earlier to later lyrics, there's really no difference at all in terms of quality. I'm guessing you're an older guy who is somehow offended by the new wave sounds appropriated by Hall and Oates for a couple of their albums. That's cool, I guess, but the reality is that the evolved, 80s version of H & O is what influenced most modern pop musicians. For instance, type in "Chromeo No Can Do" here on Youtube.

[Ken5244]

@mtoasty100

Plenty of people listened to the whole package -- lyrics and music. I see plenty of difference in "quality" of earlier lyrics vs. later. The fact that you don't ... well, what can I say? I wonder how much pre-1980 H&O you've actually heard.

Re "older," I'm in my 40s. Hardly "old," per se, but I was listening to them when they switched to a synth pop band, and the transformation was obvious. You weren't born yet and thus don't have an accurate frame of reference.

[mtoasty100]

@Ken5244 Of course I know what "new wave" means, silly - the problem is that you apparently don't know the meaning of the verb "appropriate." To point out that they appropriated "new wave" conventions is completely different from calling Hall & Oates "new wave." And I know lots of early Hall & Oates. My dad was a big fan and has all their stuff. I basically grew up on them. I love a lot of their pre-80s work (the above song being an example). But superior to their 80s prime? Nah.

[Ken5244]

@mtoasty100

Fair enough. I misinterpreted your point. My mistake.

In any case, which "new wave sounds" did they "appropriate," and around which album (time-wise) did they appear?

Re your previous comment about their 80s material influencing more pop musicians, no doubt. But that has no connection to musical sophistication or quality. In fact, in general terms vis-a-vis pop music, popularity is usually in inverse proportion to quality. Musically uneducated people love vacuous drivel.

[mtoasty100]

@Ken5244 The influence of punk and then new wave can be heard on Along the Red Ledge and continues up through Private Eyes. Hmm, I'd include H2O as well - Joe Jackson's influence, for example, can be heard in Hall's songwriting there.

Yet another H&O influence just popped in my head: the bass line from Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" was lifted from "I Can't Go For That." Etc., etc.

The awesome 70s stuff serves as a chart of H&O's progress in their craft, which came to fruition with Voices.

[Ken5244]

@mtoasty100

Given that you cite Along the Red Ledge, and presumably by extension X-Static since it followed AtRL, as albums containing "punk & new wave influences," it couldn't very well be those that I objected to, as you hypothesized, could it? If you recall, I clearly stated that I like both of those records and only began objecting to their new direction with the obvious new synth-pop format of the Voices album. "Kiss on My List" and "You Make My Dreams" typify that (utter drivel).

[Ken5244]

@mtoasty100

Quote: "Yet another H&O influence just popped in my head: the bass line from Michael Jackson's 'Billie Jean' was lifted from 'I Can't Go For That.' Etc., etc."

Sure, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were more. But as I said before, the number of other people "influenced" by drivel doesn't mean anything vis-a-vis musical quality. Britney Spears says she was heavily influenced by Madonna. Drivel propagating more drivel. These people aren't musical sophisticates.

[mtoasty100]

@Ken5244 And I love that you keep saying "ersatz synth patches," haha

[zzyyxxo]

I wish I like Darryl Hall more than I do.... his ego just smashes everything subtle. The band however is exemplary. And John Oates deserves more credit than he gets.

[billysings]

Wow! Is that GE Smith at the end ripping out all those oh so tasty clean licks with all that personality?! Again I say "Wow!"! Outstanding.

[Monkeyhead1986]

@billysings Oh yes.........That's G.E. Smith! He was H&O's lead guitarist from 1979 (replacing Caleb Quaye) to 1985 aside from a short stint as musical director for "Gilda Live" in 1980.

[docmontauk]

Great mid-tempo rock/ballad, great hooks. "Along The Red Ledge" is one of the most underrated records of all time. Throw in Hall's solo record, "Sacred Songs" and he was at his peak. The big hits came a little later bit for three records, including "X-Static" and "Beauty On The Backstreet" they were best faux art-rockers on the planet.

[dccc2112]

A CLOSE FRIEND truned me on to A long the red ledge around the early 80s

he died in a car accident the same year that john lennon was shot and killed

i wil never forget these songs they always bring back memoreis of MARK & JOHN

[catolog96]

I love this song so much

[DjJohnnyM68]

both Xstatic and ALong the Red Ledge i picked up at Tower atlanta for a quarter each when the store was closing down. Sad huh?...that those albums ended up on the ultra bargain bin when they're both great albums.

[SunnyDays951]

Maybe I should feel guilty..........You must be thinlkn' something. Love these lyrics and musicianship.  BRILLIANT . Along The Red ledge is the best album I own.

[MajCinematic]

I LOVE this song SOOOOOOOOO much I only discovered it last year but loved it right away. It is not one of the more known songs but it is JUST as good I think.

[smittykins]

a forgotten classic!

[catgirl6717]

Don't tell me Todd wasn't an influence on him!



[lowerlink]

its fitting,i married my first wife in 1979,7 years and she decided she licked my older sisters lifesyle better,so she took her husband,which was much older than her.he is dead now,plus 2 other hubbys,im lucky to be aljve,she gotta be rich.

[oceangirl68mimi]

This is a song that you would only know if you were a true fan...this song gets not enough credit...one of my favorites.

[jasonwheel]

one of their better ones.

[soko63]

I remember being at the Cleveland Agora for this show. I was in the front row slapping high fives with G.E. Smith. The place was packed. I would love to get a copy of this show. Hall and Oates were and still are an awesome talent. Post some more songs from this show Konekoxox....

[fruticetum]

I remember this song. I bought the album in 1979. I was surprised to find it on here.

[220773]

Yet another E.L.O. sounding H&O song... and I do like this stuff!

[isitrealgood]

why wasn't this a huge hit? This sounds just as good as the songs that were hitting No. 1 just 3-4 years later.

[renejosundvall]

In 1979...I wanted to marry Daryl...SOO BAD!!! I remember WHY........:)

[rsmc55]

This is awesome! Hardly related to anything but pure talent!!! Woooohooo!

[PSLover722]

Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 @ 9AM EST -- Only on A&Es Private Sessions, best selling pop duo DARYL HALL and JOHN OATES join us in the studio to perform some of their hottest hits, Maneater, Shes Gone, Sara Smile, Say It Isnt So and Its a Laugh. Set your alarms and DVRs because you dont want to miss this!!!

[Ken5244]

Back in 1979, did anyone ever see John Oates and Freddie Mercury in the same room at the same time?

I'm just sayin' ....  *laugh*

[mkl62]

@Ken5244 What peeves me is that MTV did a whole tribute to Freddie Mercury when he died, but hardly gave any respect to Eric Carr of KISS, who had also passed away the same day. Nothing against Queen, but KISS is my favorite of the two.

[Ken5244]

@mkl62

Well, there are probably two reasons for that:

1. Freddie was well known all over the world; Eric didn't have anywhere near that level of notoriety. And by that time, any illusions that MTV was actually about music had long since been rendered moot. It was RapTV by then. I doubt if many of them even knew who Eric Carr was.

2. Freddie died of AIDS, and the politically-correct people who ran MTV would've done a lengthy tribute to pretty much any famous musician that died of AIDS.

[mkl62]

@Ken5244 Eric had suffered from cancer that was discovered during the Hot in the Shade Tour. After his death, Eric Singer took over and some of their concerts were on the Revenge stage and some on the HITS stage with Leon the Lion Sphinx. I saw both tours and they were awesome, but the crowd was down a bit for Revenge.

[tgear77]

@mkl62 Not trying to start a fight here, but Freddie Mercury was a global celebrity whereas Eric Carr was known to a handful of people as the drummer of Kiss. Most people wouldn't even have known his name. I always thought he was a tremendous musician (much better drummer than Peter Criss), but on the scale of fame, nowhere near Freddie Mercury.

[mkl62]

@tgear77 This is on YouTube. Type in KISS Beth 1979 and you'll see why Peter was kicked out of KISS.

[tgear77]

@mkl62 I know why Criss was kicked out. I have followed Kiss since the 70s and have read a couple of books about them. I still think Eric Carr was a monster drummer, far superior to Criss. But I don't find anything strange about the monster coverage of the death of Freddie Mercury and the footnote mentioning of Eric's death.

[catrod24]

Daryl is incredible!

[123Rockchild]

This is one of my favorites by these two.

[8769374]

I love Daryl Hall and Hall & Oates, but, c'mon: these guys were so coked up during this period and during this video that I can almost taste it. Daryl's swollen eyes, John's gay expressions...okay maybe the second one isn't all coke. But mostly.

[bassmanjoe]

Coked up or not this sounds fantastic!!

Who cares!!!

[renejosundvall]

They are STILL around...

[reg12269]

i like JO also but damnnn he used to b so odd and weird.. kind of like that younger bro who always had to b goofy to be noticed (in his mind). he has settled into himself a bit but all those eye and facial expressions drove me nuts. had he been lead more or more of a co-frontman, there is no hall and oates today or 80m in album sales or whatever. in light and limited doses, john is AWESOME and nicely gives h and o an "edge:!

[CharlesNigro]

I would say there was more energy in Oates' performances, kind of like he thought that he could one day be on equal footing with Daryl. However, as they made the transition from stars to superstars, that was never going to happen. It was then that he seemed to fade more and more into the background. Sometimes I wonder if Oates was in major debt or nearly broke because Daryl seemed to be the one who pushed for a reunion and Oates seems like he's not there sometimes.

[journeyfan1995]

whats the point of daryl holding that gutair?

[MCSin2007]

so he can play it at a later date?

[LWOPP]

A&E Network used to have a "Live By Request" (LBR) series from 1996 to about 2004. I taped a few -- they were great. H&O did LBR in '03, and someone actually called in to request this song. Daryl was surprised but pleased -- said they'd actually been rehearsing that one and that "Red Ledge" was probably his favorite of their LPs. Poor John Oates -- no respect! In the IMDb listing for their appearance he gets 3rd billing behind the hose, Mark McEwen.

[pinky1rose]

i have adored them both for years BUT john has been my fav.

[CharlesNigro]

I have to say that Daryl is my favorite, but by the slimmest of margins. People joke that Oates was the highest-paid backup singer in the business, but he is a great songwriter, guitarist, and is a capable singer. There's only one grievance that I have with Oates, it's that he waited so long to release a solo record.

[cinephonik]

GREAT song, but no better than their hits. Daryl's voice is AWESOME and I love the Mandar but the squelchy guitar chorusing owes too much to Bread and the harmonies too much to ELO. They sounded more like themselves both before AND later. But I still LOVE this song. Love it love it love it. H204EVA!!!

[Celefana]

DARYL IS SO BEAUTIFUL

[ArcherofStars73]

Is this available on dvd...even bootleg? Where is this from? Is this a full live show or live promos?

[sharondisco]

One of my favorites from Hall and Oates! Thanks for posting this!

[madamedebamboo]

Thank you for posting.

This is very precious one.

[annabunny08]

They are so talented...I will always be a fan, been one for many years. Also, they are good to look at as well.

[alvastarr1]

Cute, isn't he?

[Lesli2]

DARYL is so dam fine! :)

great song too.

[mkl62]

They performed this on The Midnight Special in November 1978, then went right into Melody for a Memory. To me, Along the Red Ledge and X-Static never got any respect from the radio. You rarely heard or even hear any songs from those albums today. Sad.

[elsenorpollojorge]

I play this tune on the radio...Daryl will always be the king of cool to me mkl62...i play wait for me as well

[byline]

So true, mkl62. "Along the Red Ledge" is what turned me on to their music . . . and this song, in particular. It's too bad that it wasn't till "Voices" that they finally got the public acclaim they deserved. But, sadly, because it rode the wave of MTV videos, their '80s heyday is all the general public remembers of them. There's so much more to their music, and "Along the Red Ledge" is one of the finest examples of that. It has a range and complexity that was missing from their later work.

[mkl62]

Rich Girl had hit #1 a year earlier, but as I said, Red Ledge & X-Static didn't get any respect, IMO. Hopefully, they'll include some of these songs on future tours. I did see them in June 1983 at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, SC. Marshall Crenshaw (Someday, Someway) opened.

[usrt46]

@mkl62 Agree this song IMO is thier best song

[Ken5244]

@mkl62

Those records were too good for Top 40 radio. Even though "Wait for Me" and "It's a Laugh" were moderate Top 40 hits, the albums weren't simplistic enough, overall, for a mass Top 40 audience. Generally speaking (with some exceptions), the smarter & more substantive the music, the more the audience capable of appreciating it decreases.

This was my fave period of their career. Sadly, they then degenerated into sugar-coated pop like "Maneater," "Private Eyes" & "Kiss on My List." :-(

[Monkeyhead1986]

@Ken5244 The "sugar-coated pop" you refer to are some of their best songs........Hey, Eddie Van Halen lifted the synth part from Kiss on My List for Jump, Private Eyes is one of the best power-pop songs ever & Maneater is simply a classic. The songs from 1977-79 were an important part of H&O's development though the only really classic album of the 3 is Along The Red Ledge.

[Ken5244]

@Monkeyhead1986

Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion, right? The songs you mention -- "Private Eyes," "Maneater" and "Kiss on ...." -- are insipid drivel. For a duo so skilled at writing "blue eyed soul" with far more substance than even the artists that influenced them, it was sad to watch then degenerate into contrived Top 40 schlock featuring ersatz drum machines, soulless synth patches & shallow lyrics. Catchy to the masses? Sure.  Substantive music for smart people? Hardly.

[Monkeyhead1986]

@Ken5244 Well, you are about 30 years too late with your complaints............FYI: "Blue-eyed soul" is a racist & ignorant term.

[Ken5244]

@Monkeyhead1986

Actually, "blue eyed soul" is how H&O were characterized by the rock press, media, record company, etc., back in the day. Guess they were all racists, huh? *rolls eyes* The only person "ignorant" here is you. Lemme guess -- you're a leftist, right? Always gotta inject imaginary racism into every disagreement.

And what does "you are about 30 years too late with your complaints mean"? Free Clue: There was no YouTube 30 years ago. Go listen to a drum machine.

[Monkeyhead1986]

@Ken5244 Actually I'm a Republican but it's obvious you are the ignorant one........Daryl Hall himself has condemned the term as racist. As for the rock press,media & record companies in the 70's well, there you have perfect examples of self-serving stupidity.

[Ken5244]

@Monkeyhead1986

I apologize for my assumption re your politics. But as a fellow conservative, I trust you know where I was coming from. False allegations of racism are a favorite tool of the left. Regardless, my mistake.

Re supposed racism vis-a-vis "blue eyed soul," I respectfully disagree with Daryl. What in the world is racist about it? It was a compliment -- they're white guys who amalgamated their soul/black influences into their own unique style. I see zero disrespect on their part.

[chthonic19]

@Ken5244 You're so off base with your remarks, it's ridiculous. (One might even say it's a laugh). Look up Daryl Hall's quote on the inherent racism of the term. It has nothing to do with your corny right vs. left politics.

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Uh huh. Why don't you enlighten me then on your definition of "racism"? Or direct me to the Daryl quote you refer to.

Include, in your response, a clear explanation of how the term "blue eyed soul" is racist. Be specific.

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

As Judge Schmails said in Caddyshack, "Well, we're waiting."

Cat got your tongue?

[chthonic19]

@Ken5244 "American music has always been this thing of interplay between African and European influences. That’s the core of American music, the way it goes back and forth on both sides is where the vitality is. Some people do it better than other people, and that confused people every once and a while. People like The Righteous Brothers early on— they were singing real soul music. They didn’t know what label to put on that and put— what I thought—was a racist label. Which implies there’s ..."

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Well, I had to delete the post I did a minute ago since I didn't read both of your posts in their entirety. I wish YouTube would figure out a way to put them in order without separating them.

In any case, I find Daryl's quote bizarre. Clearly he doesn't know what the word "racist" means. It means a belief that one race is inherently superior to another, and/or prejudice/discrimination against a race. So how does "blue eyed soul" supposedly convey that? Where is the racism?

[420Meatwad]

@Ken5244 listen to the interview on here with daryl and howard stern

[Ken5244]

@420Meatwad

I listened to the interview (thanks for the link). Here's what I arrive at.

Daryl is clearly misusing the word "racist." He objects to the term "blue eyed soul" because he perceives it as being demeaning -- as if people are saying his music is somehow less authentic or substantive than 'real' soul music.

Problem is, I don't think that's what people meant. It was simply a way to describe -- NOT DEMEAN -- white guys singing R&B. Their fans mean it in a complimentary way.

[chthonic19]

@Ken5244 Of course people don't mean the term to be demeaning. But people often don't think things through, and that's Daryl's point. Also, what are you talking about when you say "musical sophisticates?" It's pop music, dude. It's only rock and roll. That said, Daryl Hall became a master of it, starting sometime around the Voices album and forward.

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Quote: "Of course people don't mean the term to be demeaning."

Well, there you go. You know it, I know it, the people who use the phrase know it, so why doesn't Daryl know it?

If anything, he should be the one to "think through" his hypersensitive misinterpretation of the term. And calling it "racist" is simply ignorant -- he's using the word incorrectly (per the dictionary definition). Moreover, most of the people that have used the term "blue eyed soul" are white, so ....

[chthonic19]

@Ken5244 The fact that people don't mean the term in a demeaning way doesn't mean that it isn't ultimately demeaning. People do things with best intentions and still hurt others all the time. I think you aren't thinking this through. Hall isn't being "oversensitive," as you say -he's merely pointing out an inherent ignorance in the term. As he points out, "you wouldn't call someone a brown-eyed opera singer."

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Quote: "The fact that people don't mean the term in a demeaning way doesn't mean that it isn't ultimately demeaning."

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on the situation.

Quote: "People do things with best intentions and still hurt others all the time."

Again, it depends. Let's say you were to innocently compliment your girlfriend or wife by saying, "Wow, you have great legs!" And let's say she got all huffy and said, "You're objectifying me!" Are you at fault?

[chthonic19]

@Ken5244 Of course it depends on the situation! And whether or not these things depend on the situation is completely beside the point. Are you even completely reading what I write? hahahaha

And by the way, lots of stuff that Hall did in the 80s - "I Can't Go For That", etc. - stands with some of the finest soul music of the period, in my opinion.

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Of course I'm reading everything you write. Question: If you were an A&R guy for their record company back in the 70s, and you wanted a term to describe them and their style of melding soul/R&B influences into rock, what non-offensive term would you have used?

In your answer, keep in mind that 99.9% of people would associate the term "soul music" with black artists.

As for "I Can't Go for That" being soul music ... if that's soul music, then I'm Isaac Hayes. ;-) (I'm white.)

[Ken5244]

I also respectfully think Daryl exaggerates a bit by describing himself as a "soul singer." Yes, he grew up heavily influenced by the Philadelphia R&B scene, and Motown, but I don't know anyone that ever thought of H&O as performing "soul music" (a la Curtis Mayfield, or Sly Stone, or The Ohio Players, etc.) H&O were a rock band with R&B influences. And veering off into shallow synth pop ~ 1980 didn't exactly command street cred as 'authentic' soul music. Can't have it both ways, Daryl. ;-)

[Ken5244]

@chthonic19

Re the term "musical sophisticates," I meant that, per my previous post, Britney Spears, Madonna and Michael Jackson are not musically sophisticated people. They're not Rush or Eric Johnson or Mozart or Oscar Peterson -- they're pop entertainers for the unsophisticated masses. They're not sophisticated musicians performing complex music on any level. My point, per my discussion with the other poster, is that simply "influencing" other performers doesn't mean anything by itself.

[chthonic19]

@Ken5244 I wasn't talking about Madonna or Britney, dude - where did that come from? I'm talking about Method Man, De La Soul, Death Cab for Cutie, Of Montreal, The Postal Service, and the list goes on and on.

[SuperUnknownMC]

@Monkeyhead1986 1st used to describe the rightous Bros., according to Daryl, on the A & E show "Private Sessions".

[Monkeyhead1986]

@mkl62 Aside from Bebop/Drop all the songs from the Agora Ballroom show are on a "legal bootleg" CD that pops up on Amazon from time to time under different titles & is from a Denver show from this tour. "It's A Laugh" in a slower-tempo arrangement was part of the set list often in 2003-07. "I Don't Wanna Lose You" was performed on a Live From Daryl's House episode...............If I recall correctly it's the one with Patrick Stump from Fallout Boy. If not, just check the set lists.

[angeleyesxxxooo]

I love Hall & Oates- Daryl is soooo cute!

[jooejam]

Wow this brings back such good memories,Thanks for posting

[hianda]

Thanks so much for this one

[grdnzrnic]

Trumpet: your in the Key of B, your part is with the sax on the intro and then maybe improvise on the refrain

[grdnzrnic]

yeah, thanks,

[earlymtv]

not as good as live by request...

[rodolfouser]

I'd like to know if is Michael Brecker playing on Saxofone.

[RavenBlackhardt]

I believe their sax player is Charlie DeChant

[madonna2404]

That's right!

[BadfingerFan]

Wow! This performance blows me away because it is so close to the original recording.

[drproctor13]

Very true. I have seen these guys 5 times from 1978-2000 and they never disappoint. The greatest duo in pop music history.

[RJW882]

Give it up for Daryl & GE! nice bit at the end... after all these years i know that his style blends the best with Hall & Oates

[franswazzle]

One of my favorite H & O songs...

[Manhatten8]

Another amazing vid. Thanks.