Daryl Hall and John Oates were the most commercially successful duo in the history of pop music as officially declared by the Recording Industry Association of America back in 1984. Their blend of pop, rock and soul won the hearts of millions of music lovers worldwide with their amazing string of hit singles and albums. In 2014, Hall & Oates were rightly inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

As faithful David Foster fans already know, the duo collaborated with the Hitman back in the late seventies when Foster was making his first steps into the production field. The results were two very good albums titled Along The Red Ledge and X-Static. Released in 1978, Along The Red Ledge was a bold recording whose eclectic material remains a favorite among their hard-core fan base. X-Static followed in 1979 with an experimental rock/dance attitude that was probably too far ahead for those days. X-Static included songs that blended disco, new wave and rock that were influenced by new acts like The Police. Thankfully, the album also had its share of classic Hall & Oates songs that clearly anticipated the hit-making age of the eighties. Among those songs were the hit ballad “Wait For Me,” the dance number “Running From Paradise” and the delicious pop/rocker and Song of the Week, “All You Want Is Heaven.”

Written by Oates, “All You Want Is Heaven” was a pure ear-candy pop/rocker with memorable verses and refrain. The duo’s classic vocal harmonies were up-front with their flawless blends. Hall & Oates long-time band member G.E. Smith shines on guitar with his rousing solo on the song’s fade-out while being backed by colorful keyboards and synths played by Foster and Hall. “All You Want Is Heaven” would have been a surefire hit if released as a single just a couple years later. Foster’s killer production was definitely on-point with top-notch work behind the console by his engineer, the great Humberto Gatica.

In the archives there are previous reviews of more goodies from X-Static including the aforementioned classic “Wait For Me,” the disco jam “Portable Radio” and the fantastic, but little-known, cd bonus track, “Time’s Up (Alone Tonight)” co-written by Foster and Hall. Check ’em out.

Listen

Lead & Backing Vocals: Daryl Hall & John Oates
Keyboards & Synthesizers: David Foster, Daryl Hall & John Oates
Keyboards: Charles De Chant
Guitar: G.E. Smith & John Oates
Bass: John Siegler
Drums: Jerry Marotta

Produced by David Foster

Lyrics

What’s the point of standing
ten feet tall if you never learn to fall
If you want to win you’ve got to play the game
but if you lose you must accept the pain
so don’t reach for the sky if
All you want is heaven.
Reason makes us human
but love makes us believe we can conquer all
I ask for fire and you give me rain
I ask for nothing and you give the same
and I’d give you the sky but
All you want is heaven.