Hard to Hold
Hard to Hold is the seventh studio album by Rick Springfield issued by RCA Records on July 23, 1984 as the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The album includes three U.S. Top 40 hits, "Don't Walk Away", "Bop 'Til You Drop", and the top five hit "Love Somebody", with the duet with Randy Crawford, "Taxi Dancing" also charting. The album was later remastered by Steve Hoffman for the Razor and Tie reissue label. In addition to Springfield appearing on the soundtrack, there are two tracks that were exclusive to the CD, "When The Lights Go Down" by Graham Parker (which eventually ended up on the Parker rarities CD "The Art Van DeLay Collection") and Nona Hendryx's "Heart of a Woman". Peter Gabriel also appears on the CD performing "I Go Swimming" featured on his live album "Plays Live" from 1983.
Hard to Hold | ||||
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Soundtrack album by | ||||
Released | July 23, 1984 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Label | RCA Records | |||
Producer | Rick Springfield, Bill Drescher, Graham Parker, Harvey Goldberg, Tom Scott, Peter Gabriel, Peter Walsh | |||
Rick Springfield chronology | ||||
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Reception
From contemporary reviews, Ken Tucker of The Philadelphia Inquirer gave the album three out of five star rating, noting that "Love Somebody" was Springfrield's "best pop-rocker since "Jesse's Girl" and the filler songs on the album include good songs by Graham Parker and Peter Gabriel.[1] Tucker concluded that the album was "one of the few soundtrack albums that doesn't cheat its listeners."[1]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Artist | Length |
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1. | "Love Somebody" | Rick Springfield | Rick Springfield | 3:30 |
2. | "Don't Walk Away" | Rick Springfield | Rick Springfield | 4:00 |
3. | "Bop 'Til You Drop" | Rick Springfield | Rick Springfield | 4:16 |
4. | "Taxi Dancing" (duet with Randy Crawford) | Rick Springfield | Rick Springfield | 3:30 |
5. | "S.F.O. (Instrumental)" | Rick Springfield, Tim Pierce | Rick Springfield | 2:21 |
6. | "Stand Up" | Rick Springfield | Rick Springfield | 3:06 |
7. | "When the Lights Go Down" | Graham Parker | Graham Parker | 3:21 |
8. | "Great Lost Art of Conversation" | Rick Springfield | Rick Springfield | 3:07 |
9. | "Heart Of A Woman" | Tom Scott, Candy Parton | Nona Hendryx | 3:42 |
10. | "I Go Swimming" | Peter Gabriel | Peter Gabriel | 4:36 |
Total length: | 35:29 |
Charts
Chart (1984) | Peak position |
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Australia (Kent Music Report)[2] | 87 |
Canada (Canadian Albums Chart) | 29 |
United States (Billboard 200) | 16 |
Personnel
- Producers: Rick Springfield & Bill Drescher
- Engineer: Bill Drescher
- Second Engineers: Eddie Delena, Rick Polakow
- Executive Producer: D. Constantine Conte
- Mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan Sound Recorders, Hollywood
- CD Mastered by Steve Hoffman
- Recorded by [Pre-production Assistance]: Jeff Silverman
- Brett Tuggle, Richard Page, Rick Springfield, Tom Kelly - backing vocals
- Mike Seifrit, Reggie McBride - bass
- Mike Baird - drums
- Jeff Silverman, Rick Springfield, Tim Pierce - guitar
- Alan Pasqua, John Philip Shenale, Mitchell Froom, Rick Springfield - keyboards
- Michael Fisher - acoustic percussion
- Reek Havoc, Rick Springfield - electronic percussion
- Joel Peskin - saxophone, electric woodwind
Sources
- Tucker, Ken (March 30, 1984). "Albums". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 26. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
- Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.