Written by Daryl Hall

“I think that Along The Red Ledge was the best of the two albums I produced for Hall & Oates. It was more unique musically. I have great memories of Daryl and John and I really liked them both. Daryl was really an amazing musician, one funny thing is that he was trying to get me to think more ‘rock’ while I was pushing him to think more ‘funk.’ Then I went on to produce a rock icon like Alice Cooper and also The Tubes and he went on to release a string of soul/funk influenced albums. I guess we influenced each other more than we thought.”

 These are recollections from David Foster about his work with Hall & Oates. It’s also the perfect way to start the weekly review about “The Last Time.”

Included on Along The Red Ledge, “The Last Time” was written and sung by Daryl Hall. “The Last Time” was a catchy pop/rock song that had a strong flavor of the legendary Phil Spector’s (1939-2021) “Wall of Sound” that was huge in the sixties. The instrumental arrangement, lush orchestra, female backing vocals and big production really sounded like an homage to Spector’s artistry. The great George Harrison (1943-2001) appears on this number. Harrison played a delicious slide guitar solo that enhances the sixties feel to the max. Hall’s vocals were simply flawless and the overall track was a little-known masterpiece of Hall & Oates’ long and illustrious career.

As Foster said, Along The Red Ledge was a truly unique album with an eclectic mix of styles and great songs. Look in the archives for other goodies from the album including the gorgeous “August Day,” the Philly soul of “I Don’t Wanna Lose You” and the rocking hit single, “It’s A Laugh.”

Listen

• Lead, Backing Vocals & Keyboards: Daryl Hall
• Backing Vocals & Guitar: John Oates
• Keyboards: David Foster & David Kent
• Guitar: Caleb Quaye
• Slide Guitar Solo: George Harrison
• Bass: Kenny Passarelli
• Drums: Roger Pope

• Arranged by Daryl Hall, David Foster & John Oates
• Produced by David Foster

Lyrics

There was something about the way you left tonight
That really tore my heart
I remember the look in your eyes, it really ripped me apart
Oh the look
One last time
It can’t be the last time
I gave so much to make you mine
How can it be
It?s the second time around I’ve had this vision
And I don’t like it, no
When it all happened before, I knew I?d never come back
All the way
Oh the look one last time
It can’t be the last time
I took so much but I gave you mine
How can it be

“Do What You Want, Be What You Are” was a song by the legendary pop/soul duo Daryl Hall and John Oates and originally included on their 1976 album Bigger Than Both Of Us. A beautiful ballad, Do What You Want, Be What You Are went on to be the title of Hall & Oates’ 2009 box set release for Sony Legacy. The four disc set presented all the duo’s big hits, selected album tracks plus previously unreleased demo recordings and live performances.

Both Hall and Oates were quite involved in the realization of this project. They mined their golden songbook and resurfaced many lesser-known gems. Do What You Want, Be What You Are sold over 10,000 copies and reached #89 on Billboard’s Top 200 and #17 on the R&B charts. Although these were very good numbers,Do What You Want, Be What You Are eventually became the third best seller of 2009 behind two releases by The Beatles. Total ear candy from start to finish, Do What You Want, Be What You Areincluded some great tracks produced by none other than David Foster including “Wait For Me,” “It’s A Laugh” and “Time’s Up (Alone Tonight).” When the box set was released, Hall declared to the Huffington Post that “…the bulk of the selection are things that we thought were significant to explain us in a way that we’ve never really been explained before.” These words can be perfectly applied to “Have I Been Away Too Long,” a soulful ballad originally recorded for Along The Red Ledge, included on Do What You Want, Be What You Are and the Song of the Week.

Written in 1978 by Daryl Hall and produced by David Foster, “Have I Been Away Too Long” is a masterful number that showcases Hall’s amazing vocal skills while presenting the duo’s unique rock ‘n’ soul style under Foster’s catchy and refined production. The song’s intimate and delicate intro emerges into a soulful jam dominated by a rousing duel between Hall’s multi-faceted voice and Caleb Quaye’s superior guitar with Foster’s exquisite keyboard playing in the background. Here, Hall’s vocal performance is truly impressive and he proves his notorious range by soaring high on the falsetto. “Have I Been Away Too Long” is one of those precious diamonds that defines the term “blue-eyed soul.”

Timeless stuff!

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/have_i_been_away_too_long.mp3|titles=Have I Been Away Too Long|artists=Daryl Hall]

Lead, Backing Vocals & Keyboards: Daryl Hall
Backing Vocals & Guitar: John Oates
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Caleb Quaye
Bass: Kenny Passarelli
Drums: Roger Pope

Lyrics

There’s a chance that I don’t know you
Maybe I won’t like you
It’s a long
It’s such a long
Lady it’s been a long time
We were lovers in a different story
Can you duplicate it
Can we make
Can we make up
Can we make up the same time girl
Or have I been away too long
Have I been away
I’m afraid to say that I’ve been away from you too long
You got a message that I’d be in town
I wish I hadn’t sent it
I’m a play
I am playing
Playing with disaster
You’re so close I almost feel you breathing
Making me twitchy, yeah
I want
I I wanna
I want to be wrong girl
Or have I been away too long
Have I been away
I’m afraid to say that I’ve been away from you too long

Daryl Hall & John Oates are among the most successful duos in the history of popular music. Their sophisticated mix of pop/rock and soul dominated the charts in the eighties. During their chart-topping years, Hall & Oates scored 28 Top 40 hits including six number ones. Their songbook includes gems like “Kiss On My List,” “Private Eyes,” “Sara Smile” and “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do).” The superior level of their songwriting was enhanced by Hall’s trademark tenor voice and the craft of the arrangements and production. David Foster, at an early stage of his career, worked with Hall & Oates on two albums, “Along The Red Ledge” and “X-Static.” Both records showcase the developing talents of the duo as they were setting the musical foundations of their future, successful style. There are many good songs on those records, but probably the most important is the great ballad, “Wait For Me.” Written by Hall, “Wait For Me” was a trendsetter for Hall & Oates’ future hits and a major hit itself, reaching the Top 20 on Billboard’s Hot 100.

“Wait For Me” is a creamy, up-tempo ballad with a memorable guitar intro and an irresistible refrain. Foster’s production is pristine and his acoustic piano finely supports Hall’s superb singing. “Wait For Me” can be found on “The Ultimate Hall + Oates” along with all the duo’s most loved hits. Released in 2004, “The Ultimate Hall + Oates” is a double cd compilation that takes a wonderful trip through some of the best pop music ever recorded.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/wait_for_me.mp3|titles=Wait for me|artists=Daryl Hall & John Oates]

Lead & Backing Vocals: Daryl Hall & John Oates
Keyboards & Synths: David Foster & Daryl Hall
Guitars: John Oates, G.E. Smith & Jay Graydon
Bass: John Siegler, Neil Jason & Kenny Passarelli
Drums: Jerry Marotta & Yogi Horton
Percussion: Jimmy Maelen
Synths programming: Larry Fast, Steve Porcaro & George Bitzer
Produced by David Foster

Lyrics

Midnight hour almost over
Time is running out for the magic pair
I know you gave the best that you have
But one more chance
couldnt be all that hard to bear.

Wait for me please
Wait for me
Alright, I guess
thats more than I should ask
Wait for me please
Wait for me
Although I know the light is fading fast.

You could go either way
Is it easier to stay
I wonder what youll do
when your chance rolls around
But you gotta know how much I want to keep you
When Im away Im afraid it will all fall down.

Love is what it does and ours is doing nothing
But all the time we spent
It must be good for something
Please forgive all the disturbance Im creating
But you gotta lot to learn if you think that Im not
waiting for you

“Along The Red Ledge” was released in 1978 and it was Foster’s first collaboration with pop/R&B duo Hall & Oates, a match that will last for another album (“X-Static”) and will have some nice hit singles like “It’s A Laugh” and “Wait For Me”. “August Day” arrives at the end of the record and it is such a welcome surprise. It’s a magical song that can really touch the listener deep inside. Hall’s vocals sound melancholy like the moving harmonica solo while Foster’s effective carpet of keyboards underlines the tune.

This was one of Foster’s first big productions and it sounds fresh and interesting today after 24 years from its original release. Many big names appear on it like George Harrison, Robert Fripp and Todd Rundgren. While this album sounds like a mix of pop and r&b with some hard rock moments, “X-Static” sounds a bit more disco/pop, but they are both interesting examples of Foster’s developing production style of that era.

Lead Vocals:
Daryl Hall
Keyboards and Synths:
David Foster & Daryl Hall
Harmonica:
Les Thompson
Arrangements by
David Foster, Daryl Hall & John Oates
Produced by
David Foster

Lyrics

I saw the sun, though it didn’t shine
Gave up no shadows, gave out no way to know the time
No wind to blow the silver leaves
The drone of clever talk just stopped
The air hangs out, hesitates to carry a thought
Away from me
And the sky colored heavy gray
August Day

Stir the dust and carve a rhyme
Barefoot blues watch and wait till suppertime
Will a smile break through
Distant thunder and the slow dance
Static lightning sky daring me to take a chance
And say that I love you
And the sky colored heavy gray
August Day