Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I was listen to some H&O the other day and wondered what everyone thought of them. There music definitely wasn't deep or introspective, but it's sure as hell fun and technically sound, despite some of sounding dated.

I know they get a lot of radio play still, but do you feel they get the justice they deserve?

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I believe I've personally grown to appreciate them more than I did in the early 80's. I'll go with just about and got what they deserved.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

At what they do, they are very, very good.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

They were always fun, although I prefer Daryl Hall's solo album Sacred Songs.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I say underrated, but only from the point of view from the current generation. I'm their day they were huge right?

On this topic, but a side note, if you haven't checked out the H&O tribute album from The Bird And The Bee everyone here should. Amazing.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I've always loved Hall & Oates. They got the attention they deserved back in the 80s but they still have put out excellent albums and Daryl is still an extremely good live singer.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I've always had a soft spot for them.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Every time I hear someone mention Hall & Oats, I think of this hilarious "performance" they did on Solid Gold many many years ago. For the youngsters out there, this was one of these shows where performers would come on and lip-sync their songs. Not like Brittany Spears, these guys made no effort to hide the syncing (early days of music videos and such, I guess people just didn't care back then). Anyway, they were playing "You Make My Dreams Come True", and when Hall got to the part where he sings "Listen to this:", he pivots around to pretend to play those four chords that follow next on the keyboard but knocks it over instead while the music keeps playing like nothing just happened. Forget Solid Gold, that was Comic Gold!

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I saw them 3 times in one year (around '82) and it was in the same place (I wasn't following them around in a van or a pinto). I certainly thought they were huge during their most popular years, even among people that might have preferred other styles of music. Their hits went from my late elementary school era all the way through most of high school, so that's a pretty long period of success. If another Big Bang Boom styled record had come out, it probably would have been a hit too.

I do kind of miss how tours used to bring bands through cities several times or how many dates bands would/could do. Maybe it was because more people could afford to go or that concerts were more affordable or both. I remember the J. Geils played at Pine Knob for 5 sold out shows. It was typical to do 2 shows or more back then. I actually also saw another 80's star, Bryan Adams, 3 times in a single year and it was just because his tour swung through Detroit 3 times. He played a fall show at the Fox, before the record (Reckless) was huge, then Pine Knob was it was a huge hit record, and then again at JLA when the record just kept on getting even bigger.

That doesn't happen much any longer and, when it does, it's NYC or LA.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I believe that they are the most successful duo in history. And they were quite well respected critically back in the day, as well. So I voted "just right".

I heard John Oates on the radio about a year ago, and he played Maneater the way he wrote it...as reggae! Daryl Hall told him, "Hall & Oates do not do reggae", so he changed it. Sounded quite good, actually.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I think they are underrated in that some of their deeper* cuts like "Friday Let Me Down" and especially "Head Above Water" are unknown outside of fans.

*OK, so the cuts are from famous albums, but still.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Good to know that I'm the lone, dumb schmuck who said they were overrated.

I could never get into them. Is it for the fact that I wasn't apart of that generation? I honestly don't know. I just think their music is the definition of 80s cheese.

However, I do like that Bird and the Bee cover posted above; and I hate Bird and the Bee. :thumbsup:

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

So two wrongs make a right for you. :lol:

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

WTF, I just bought Hall & Oates concert tix today. :) Fuck it, they were pretty inexpensive and they're playing a pleasant local amphitheater. Don't believe me? I'll break you with my bare hands!! :mad:

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Their 70's material is great, their 80's material not so much.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

They are rated just right; they did have songs where Hall's vocals elevated a certain piece beyond cheese, like Adult Education and The Method of Modern Love. Oates' Possession Obsession was pretty good and Out of Touch is just fun.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

They're a great duo and I would go to one of their shows if they came to Tulsa and my 7 year old would want to go with me.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Hmmm, 80's cheese is the best cheese there is tho, what's wrong with that? Would you honestly take todays cheese over the 80's stuff? Its time to get over hating things because they're from the 1980's, it's as pathetic as people who still swear vengeance against disco when it's long since been time that people have come out and admitted to loving "Saturday Night Fever" and Donna Summer.

Anyways, it isn't like they were just an 80's band, some of their best known songs date to the mid-1970's.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Underrated in the '70s, overrated in the '80s.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Yeah, I always thought they were mimicking The Police on that song... The "Oh-Oh Here She Comes" vocal sounds like Sting...

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

The most underated thing about them was an album that came out in '87 or so called "Live at The Apollo, feat. David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks" out of print on cd, but I still have a vinyl copy around. It features them jammin out their hits as well as old Temptation songs like Get Ready, with Eddie and David. Probably should watch for this one on ebay. Never got any attention when it came out. David Ruffin died shortly after.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Love them...

"I Can't Go For That" is my favorite.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Always thought Along the Red Ledge and X-Static were underrated.

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

Voted "just right."

Re: Hall and Oates: Underrated, Overrated, or Just Right
 

I still watch that 'Daryl's House' stuff on Youtube quite a bit. Love seeing him do live stuff with Todd Rundgren and all kinds of other artists.

That was some very good popular music Hall & Oates did, quite a few really cool songs.