"Family Man" by Daryl Hall & John Oates

Top 10 Alert!

Song#:  1435
Date:  04/30/1983
Debut:  43
Peak:  6
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Pop, New Wave



Pop Bits:  Hall & Oates' album "Private Eyes" yielded three Top 10 hits and their follow-up album, "H20," matched that feat when this third single found it's way to #6 (#36 AC/#81 R&B). It followed their fifth #1, "Maneater," and the ballad "One on One" (#7). The album would be a double-platinum success that would reach #3.

ReduxReview:  This was another highlight from "H20." It was one of my favorites off the album. I loved the new wave sound and arrangement. It was something a bit more aggressive from the duo and it worked well for them. Their base was always in blue-eyed soul, but hearing tunes like this made me wish they would have branched out and done more straight-ahead rock.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Although Hall & Oates wrote the vast majority of songs that appeared on their albums, they would occasionally toss in a cover a tune. For "H20," they wrote/co-wrote all of the songs except for this single. British artist Mike Oldfield co-wrote this tune with five other people. He recorded it for his 1982 album "Five Miles Out." The song was issued as a single and it reached #45 in the UK. It was sung by one of Oldfield's collaborators Maggie Reilly. It was at a point in Oldfield's career where he began to dabble in more mainstream music. Many folks may remember Oldfield's most famous composition, the 1973 instrumental "Tubular Bells." A theme from that work ended up being used in the film "The Exorcist" and its popularity led to a highly edited single getting released in the US (without Oldfield's knowledge or approval). The single reached #7 in 1974. The "Tubular Bells" album would go on become Oldfield's biggest worldwide success selling millions and reaching #3 US/#1 UK.

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