"Discipline of Love (Why Did You Do It)" by Robert Palmer

Song#:  2532
Date:  11/16/1985
Debut:  93
Peak:  82
Weeks:  5
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Palmer was somewhat successful in the late 70s scoring two Top 20 hit including 1979's "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" (#14). His further follow-ups failed to ignite much interest and his career seemed to be fading. Then he got the invite to join The Power Station and Palmer's career and MTV presence got a major boost thanks to hits like "Some Like It Hot" (#6). He then decided to parlay his success with Power Station back into a solo career. Although he left the band, two members (Tony Thompson and Andy Taylor) and their producer Bernard Edwards helped Palmer record his eighth album, Riptide. This track was selected to be the first single, but it failed to make an impression of any kind. It stalled at #63 at Rock while not even making it out of the basement of the Pop chart. It was definitely not what Palmer was looking for following The Power Station, but luckily things would turn around for him in a big way with the LP's second single.

ReduxReview:  It confounds me why this was issued not only as the first single, but a single at all. Maybe the thought was that it sounded more like the rock of Power Station and it was a good transfer song to Palmer's solo career. It certainly wasn't because it was a hooky track with lots of Pop potential. The slick production was great, but the song was just one long jam that wasn't very memorable. It's a solid album track, but it should not have been a single. This song tanking could have killed the album, but Palmer got lucky break with a far, far, far better second single helped along by a classic video.

ReduxRating:  4/10

Trivia:  This song was written by David Batteau and Don Freeman. Batteau has written songs for many artists including Bonnie Raitt, Seals & Crofts, Art Garfunkel, Donna Summer, Trisha Yearwood, and Michael Sembello (the #34 "Automatic Man"). Along the way he attempted to also make a name for himself as a recording artist. His first attempt was with his brother, Robin, in a duo simply known as Batteau. Their 1973 self-titled album didn't get anywhere, but the LP's first single, "Tell Her She's Lovely," would be recorded the same year by the band El Chicano. Their single version made it to #40 on the Pop chart. Batteau then went solo for a 1976 album titled "Happy in Hollywood." Again, nothing came from it. Then around the time Palmer was picking up this song, Batteau formed the trio Nomo and recorded the album The Great Unknown. Their first single, "Red Lipstick" got some video airplay, but the song failed to reach any chart.

_________________________________________________________________________________