"I Won't Be Home Tonight" by Tony Carey

Song#:  1389
Date:  03/26/1983
Debut:  89
Peak:  79
Weeks:  7
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  As a teenager, Carey formed a band called Blessings that secured a contract with ABC Dunhill. While attempting (and eventually failing) to record a debut album, Ritchie Blackmore was down the hall holding auditions for his band Rainbow. Carey got asked to come down for an audition and was invited to be in the band on keyboards. With Blessings a non-starter, Carey took the gig. He recorded one album with the group and did a couple of tours before quitting to go solo. He relocated to Germany and recorded his first LP "In the Absence of the Cat." It got little notice, but his second album "I Won't Be Home Tonight" made a few waves with this title-track single. It would be a #8 hit at rock radio while floating around the bottom of the pop chart for a few weeks.

ReduxReview:  With its driving groove and memorable guitar lick, I can understand why this did well on rock radio. I was hooked right away. The chorus lacks a little bit of zest and is totally overshadowed by the guitar line, but it's a solid rocker that is better than the measly #79 pop showing.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  While in Germany, Carey had nightly access to a recording studio. The excess studio time allowed him to branch out into different styles and he recorded a lot of instrumentals and other experimental tunes. Many of the instrumentals were released on five indie albums in the early 80s. Other songs he had were too different to be included on his formal solo albums, so he created an alternate moniker, Planet P Project, and secured a deal to release those songs as well. A few weeks after this song was issued, Carey would hit the pop chart with the Planet P song "Why Me" (#64).

_________________________________________________________________________________