"Don't Wait for Heroes" by Dennis DeYoung

Song#:  2149
Date:  12/08/1984
Debut:  86
Peak:  83
Weeks:  4
Genre:  Pop, Rock



Pop Bits:  DeYoung scored his first (and only) Pop Top 10 post-Styx solo hit with "Desert Moon." It was the first single from his debut solo album of the same name. For a follow-up, DeYoung had a track in mind that he wanted out next, but his label (A&M) wanted this more theatrical album opener to be issued. The label got its way, but it might have been the wrong choice. The tune was unable to find an audience and ended up disappearing from the Pop chart quickly. It was unable to chart at Rock. A third single, "Dear Darling (I'll Be There)," was released, but got nowhere. The album would reach #24, but without the support of additional hits, the album stopped short of the gold mark. DeYoung's multi-platinum days with Styx didn't transition over to his solo career.

ReduxReview:  The theatrical side of DeYoung comes out in this song. It sounds like something that would have been heard in The Karate Kid or some other against-the-odds 80s flick. It also wouldn't be out of place in a odd Broadway rock musical. It certainly was not a good choice for a single. It probably would have been better if "Dear Darling" was issued instead. It was a far stronger single choice from an album that had very few good candidates. I wasn't a fan of this song when it came out and it hasn't improved with age.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  Another track on the album titled "Please" was done in a duet with singer Rosemary Butler. Butler first began her music career in a couple of all-female bands including the hard rock outfit Birtha. That band got signed to Dunhill Records and issued two albums in 1972 and 1973. Despite having a good following, it didn't translate into album sales and the group disbanded in 1975. Butler then became an in-demand backup singer and worked with artists like Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, and many others. In 1983, Butler embarked on a solo career and recorded an album for Capitol titled Rose. Unfortunately, it didn't get anywhere, but her session singing was still going strong and DeYoung pegged her for the duet.

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