Read My Lips was the debut album of The Tubes’ lead singer and main songwriter, Fee Waybill. Released in 1984, Read My Lips was produced by David Foster and sounded like a textbook for the most refined AOR (Adult Oriented Rock). Foster brought his usual dream team to work on the record including famed engineer Humberto Gatica and hot session aces including Jerry Marotta, John Robinson and the late Jeff Porcaro (1954 to 1992) on drums, Larry Klein on bass with Steve Lukather and Michael Landau playing guitars.

Lukather, the legendary Toto axe-man, played a big role on Read My Lips by co-writing the bulk of the album with Waybill and Foster. Already responsible for The Tubes’ one-two chart punch of “Talk To Ya Later” and “She’s A Beauty,” the trio of writers came up with a series of solid rock numbers that were channeled through the Hitman’s trademark high-tech atmospheres and showcased various funk and pop influences. These pages were already graced by goodies from Read My Lips including “Caribbean Sunsets,” “Who Loves You Baby” and “Nobody’s Perfect.” This week, the spotlight goes on the album’s power ballad, “I Don’t Even Know Your Name (Passion Play).”

Another Foster, Waybill and Lukather co-write, “I Don’t Even Know Your Name (Passion Play)” was a killer rock ballad in a catchy style not too far from Lukather’s own legendary band Toto or the contemporary hits of Bryan Adams or Foreigner. Foster’s stamp was all over the radio-friendly arrangement; from the keyboard-driven intro to the powerful climax of the bridge with guitars and strings supporting Waybill’s heartfelt vocal performance. The veteran singer probably doesn’t have as distinctive a voice as other rock stars, but his passion and strength make up for it. Overall, the results were first class. Listening to these kinds of songs makes it easy to understand the chart potential of Read My Lips. All its musical qualities and radio-friendly appeal were killed by Capitol Records’ inexplicable decision to give the album zero support at a time when Foster ruled the North American charts. The Hitman was by the sides of Chicago, Kenny Rogers, Chaka Khan and Olivia Newton-John when many of their songs that he produced became certified hits.

Listen

Lead Vocals: Fee Waybill

Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Steve Lukather & Michael Landau
Drums: Jerry Marotta
Bass: Larry Klein
Percussion Overdubs: Humberto Gatica

Synthesizer Strings Arranged by Jeremy Lubbock
Produced & Arranged by David Foster

Lyrics

No Lyrics

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.