Customer Reviews

3 Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Unbelievably, this album is out of print. In spite of the fact that "Dreamtime" was a Top Five hit, it went gold and was well-received by the critics, you should go ahead and pick up the imported version unless you search online for the domestic release.

This album, co-produced with Dave Stewart has the best rocking guitars and basslines you'll hear on CD. Very strong musical production. Daryl's songwriting and vocals are unapproachable throughout. Best songs are "Dreamtime", "Next Step", "Let It Out", "Right As Rain" (with a Joni Mitchell back-up), "Someone Like You" (w/guitar solo). There is a version of "Someone Like You" with a sax solo which is available as a 12" vinyl single (search the used record stores or Amazon. Try also Gemm.Com).

You can't miss with this bit of perfection but try to find a domestic copy first and save some dollars...

Now where's John Oates?

When this album came out, I was a 15 year old trapped in a bad home in a small town in western Oklahoma. The songs and sounds on this album reminded me that there was a larger world out there. It was my own private sanctuary. I would pop my cassette into my Walkman and step out of my life for a few dozen minutes.

For the next couple of years, this music provided something of a soundtrack to my life; memories of friends and girlfriends, hanging out with my buds all come rushing back when I listen to it now.

Is the music here dated? Yes. It sounds like the mid-80s rock/pop that it is, but is that so wrong? Is it throw-away? No.

I'm surprised by all the reviews. I tought the 3 hits song on this album were "Dreamtime" (02.08.86 Top 5), "Foolish Pride" (18.10.86 top 33) and "Someone Like you" (24.01.87 Top 57) on US billboard. Not to mention "I Wasen't Born Yesterday" that really rocks! Of course all other songs are great but a top hit is based on the billboard ratings... I would else say that all the songs on the albums are top hits! :) If your a fan of Hall and Oates because of their special sound. "Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine" is worth the price! Do not miss "Do it for Love" the most recent Hall and Oates album which is their best album since "Big Bam Boom". Enjoy.

Throughout the 'eighties D refined his & J's production style through genre-defining masterstrokes like Big Bam Boom through the so-cold digital soul monster of Ooh Yeah till backtracking into the retro brick wall of Change of Season, leaving D to play r'n'b catch-up with Soul Alone. This Dave Stewart/T-Bone co-production comes somewhere inbetween. I think it has the warmth of Private Eyes with the tech no-how of B.B.B. & Ooh Yeah, and, let's face it, Daryl's voice is never better than this - the experience of their fifteen years touring powering out before the work rate finally took it's toll on his range. His vocal arrangements, too, are top drawer, particularly on "I wasn't Born Yesterday". One to treasure from D. then. I've just ordered "Can't Stop Dreaming" and can't wait to see how he's evolved since Soul Alone.

To be honest, I thought I was not going to like this CD because I didn't like Sacred Songs. To my surprise and delight, Three Hearts is very good. I loved Hall's voice when he was with Oates and Sacred Songs just didn't do it for me, but this one did. The songs are well written, arranged and performed. I don't think you could go wrong with this one if you like Hall's work.

Hmm, so this only available as an import for [price]? Well, I hope they will release it domestically again, as the price is a little steep, although this is a dynamic album. This was Daryl's second solo record, oustide the duo of Hall and Oates. He proves, like on his first album, that he can do just fine going it alone (not to quote "Go Solo"). "Dreamtime" should have been every bit as big a hit for Daryl as anything he did with Oates. Unfortunately, the times were changing for music in the year or so after Big Bam Boom. Three Hearts should have gone on to be just as big as Big Bam Boom. MTV was starting to be more cutting edge, and bands like U2 and REM were beginning to dominate, for better or worse. This record just came out at the wrong time, really. But as much abuse as it takes, I'm still hearing Someone Like You and Foolish Pride in the grocery store just about as much as Sara Smile and Maneater. Except, of course, it's remade with thick layers of strings and tinny saxophones doing the melody in place of Daryl's wonderful voice. "For You" is a good song. The best song on the album is "Only A Vision." It's good that it was not chosen as a single, it never would have gotten any attention, but wow, what a great tune. I don't think there are any bad songs on this album. I seem to recall only one clunker on the (orignial LP) second side. But every H&O album always had one or two clunkers. You know, "Going Thru the Motions." This album, had it done better on the charts, would have been the beginning of a decent solo career for Daryl. He could easily have produced a few more good solo albums before Soul Alone finally came out and broke the dry spell. I wish that more people could have been impressed enough by this album to keep Daryl pumped for a few more years. I get the feeling that he felt slightly bruised after this album didn't do as well. Soul Alone, though in a much different style than Three Hearts, is also worth checking out, hopefully for less than [price]!! It features the brilliant ballad "Wildfire," which should have gone on to outsell whatever was getting played on the radio by Mariah Carey at the time!!

Daryl Hall begun a paralell solo career to Hall & Oates with his album Sacred Songs and this turned out to be the follow up album. As soon as he began making music away from John Oates he seemed determined to make his music far removed from the sound that the two of them did as a duo. Co-produced by Dave Stewart (the same man who helmed Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Southern Accents during the same time) this album forged ahead with a sound that was very much in tune with pop music production of the mid 1980's but also with a sound that encompassed not only his blue eyed soul sound but elements of contemporary synth funk and psychedelia along the way. It tries to do a lot and I suppose a lot of people might consider it a pretentious disaster. Yet when you really get down to it,even with the heavy production it's a wonderful album with a lot of excitment and musical value.

The leadoff song and hit single "Dreamtime" doesn't sound like either Hall nor his producer exactly. With the scalling orchestral string swirls,heavily revered leslie amped vocal bridges and the heavily crafted melodic structure sounds more like one of Jeff Lynn's elaborate productions with ELO. Even still only two other songs on the album actually fit into the rock catagory at all:the more soulful "Next Step" and the heavier rocking and rolling "Let It Out". Otherwise than that the music on this album ranged from tough grooving electro funk style tunes such as "Only A Vision" and "Right As Rain" to Jam/Lewis inspired smooth groovers such as "Someone Like You" and the closing "What's Gonna Happen To Us" which has a worldly theme someone connected to Hall's participation in We Are The World: U.S.A For Africa. The two songs that sound the most like his work with Oates is the catchy "I Wasn't Born Yesterday" (which wouldn't have been at all out of place on their Big Bam Boom and the shuffling "For You" which has a similar flavor.

So this is an album of many ideas and lyrics that range from romantic musings to different sorts of internal monlogues on what seem like dream visions and social concerns. Much like with Philly contempory Todd Rundgren Hall is one of those people who seems to always have a lot on his mind musically and has a tendency to throw a lot into each one of his own songs. This is a quality that was tempered by John Oates to a degree,someone who seemed to prefer a sound that was more sussinct and to the point. And it's a good thing Hall's solo career in the 80's went on a different tract because it kept him in the spotlight during hard times and granted him the ability to adapt and change his sound if needed,considering it didn't always have the huge commercial success he'd had while with Oates. So in that sense this stands as another example of how a minor success in music can sometimes be better for ones creative muse than too huge a triumph.

Daryl Hall, tried to do someting different with this album, and basically succeeded. It isn't close to anything he has done with John Oates , but a few songs are home runs expecally Dreamtime and I Wasn't Born Yesterday. His voice is always great, and the album on the whole is interesting, but not his best.

Dreamtime
Only a Vision
I Wasn't Born Yesterday
Someone Like You
Next Step
For You
Foolish Pride
Right as Rain
Let it Out
What's Gonna Happen to Us
Lyrics are on inside sleeve.

By the time 1986 would come around, Daryl Hall would have reached the apex of his career. This apex was largely achieved from his success as part of the duo, Daryl Hall and John Oates - which was now being proclaimed as "the most successful Rock and Roll duo in history. In 1984, Hall and Oates would release their most successful album "Big Bam Boom". They would then follow that up with a live album "Live at the Apollo" that would piggyback on their historic performance at Live Aid with Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. Following these works, the duo would need to recharge. As part of this recharge, Daryl Hall would go ahead and put together a solo album. This solo album "Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine" would be released in 1986. Although this was a solo album, the sound still followed the formula that Hall would follow as part of Hall and Oates. That formula would be a mix of Rock and Soul.

Many people view "Three Hearts.." as Daryl Hall's first solo effort. This was actually his first effort that would be noticed. Six years prior to the release of "Three Hearts..", Hall released a solo album called "Sacred Songs". However it would be "Three Hearts" that would land Hall a great deal of attention. As mentioned above, Hall uses the "Rock and Soul" formula that worked so successfully as part of Hall and Oates. He also brings in a solid cast to support him on this album. The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart who handles co-producing the album with Tom "T-Bone" Wolk and Daryl Hall himself. Stewart also plays a major songwriting role on six tracks. I think Dave Stewart is one of the most underrated people to have in your studio. Also particpating are Bob Geldof (background vocals on "Only a Vision"), Joni Mithcell (background vocals on "Right as Rain"), and the Fixx's Jamie West-Oram (Guitars). Finally, the master of mix - Bob Clearmountain handles the mixing of all of the songs on the album.

The album kicks off with the strongest song of the collection - "Dreamtime". This song was a Top 5 hit for Daryl Hall. This is one terrific song. This song falls more on the "Rock" side of the fence. This song is loaded with terrific music and terrific lyrics. For starters, Hall employs a String Ensemble for this song. There also are some incredible guitar and drum work in this song. The lyrics are loaded with some great lines such as "Rain comes down movin' you fast away", "Standing there is the man with the movie star eyes" (Hall gives credit to Bob Dylan for this line), "The man with the plan that will see you thru", and "I never saw anyone fall aprt so fast". Hall himself delivers a very passionate performance. This song has basically fallen into 80s oblivion - and that is a shame because it is a great song. The bar is set high with such a great song. While the rest of the album has some moments, the bad news is that most of the rest of the album doesn't live up to this song.

For the most part, the rest of the album doesn't follow the lead that "Dreamtime" sets. In fact, most of the remaining 9 songs fall closer to the R&B and Soul side. One song that falls on the "Rock" side is "Let It Out". I can best describe "Let It Out" as Daryl's version of an Arena Rock song. I wouldn't classify it as a hard rock song, but Hall delivers it in an "Arena Rock" fashion. It's a good, but not great song - and certainly not in the class of "Dreamtime". To some extent, I'd put "What's Gonna Happen to Us" into a quasi-Rock category.

Most of the other songs follow the R&B and Soul side of things. These songs include: "Only a Vision", "I Wasn't Born Yesterday", "Someone Like You", "For You", and"Foolish Pride". To some extent I think "Right as Rain" is a good cross of the "Rock and Soul" connection. The song "Next Step" has almost a funk sound to it. I don't think that comes off well.

As mentioned, there are some moments in the other songs. "I Wasn't Born Yesterday" is co-written by Stewart, Hall, and Hall's long-time girlfriend Sara Allen (i.e. "Sara Smile"). "I Wasn't Born Yesterday" also features some terrific sax tracks as well as some nice vocals. "Foolish Pride" has a primarily an R&B sound, but also has a nice Rock intro. "Foolish Pride" is also a pretty catchy song. The collection's finale is "What's Gonna Happen to Us". This song is an exclusively written Hall song and it is probably one of the few songs in which you will hear Hall make any sort of socio-political statements in his lyrics. The song has such lyrics as "I saw on the TV we're selling Arms to the enemy .... And men in power places are resigning ... Here comes another savior to stir the soliders in the field; But what do the generals think about while the soliders are dying". This song is interesting because in the second verse Hall gets a little more personal by saying "Does your shrink say find out who you are; Before you become a part of me". This might not be one of the most catchy songs on the collection, but it still is a pretty good because of the lyrics.

The lyrics to all of the songs are included. All songwriting, production, and musician credits are listed in the liner notes. While overall, this isn't the strongest music you are going to find, (as mentioned above) there are several cases where the CD really shows it has its moments. This album seems to be a very hard find today. If you can manage to get this CD, I would advise it.