Double Vision (Foreigner song)

Last updated
"Double Vision"
Foreigner - Double Vision b-w Lonely Children (1978).JPG
Single by Foreigner
from the album Double Vision
B-side "Lonely Children"
Released8 September 1978 (US) [1]
July 1979 (UK) [2]
Recorded1978
Genre Hard rock
Length3:29 (single)
3:40 (album)
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Lou Gramm, Mick Jones
Producer(s) Ian McDonald, Keith Olsen, Mick Jones
Foreigner singles chronology
"Hot Blooded"
(1978)		"Double Vision"
(1978)		"Blue Morning, Blue Day"
(1979)
Music video
"Double Vision" on YouTube

"Double Vision" is a single by Foreigner from their second album of the same name. The song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in 1978, behind "MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer. [3] It became a gold record. The song was also a top 10 hit in Canada.

Contents

The song has been a staple of the band's setlist since its release. Over recent years, Lou Gramm and Foreigner (now fronted by Kelly Hansen) have both used the song as their show opener.

Background and writing

In an interview, vocalist Lou Gramm explained the origin behind the song: "'Double Vision' was a song that was written in about late 1977 just before the Double Vision album came out. ...A lot of people think it's about being intoxicated or being high. When we were recording that song before we had the title, the New York Rangers hockey team was playing the Philadelphia Flyers and one of the big Flyers guys bumped into the Rangers' all-star goalie [ John Davidson ] and knocked him down and they had to take him out of the game because he was experiencing double vision." [4] [5] [6] Gramm similarly stated: [7]

I was a season ticket holder for the New York Rangers and they were playing the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals. While we were recording, I had an eight-inch TV taped inside my vocal booth with the volume turned all the way down. While I was singing and recording, I’d keep my eye on the screen. Then, whenever we stopped, I’d turn the volume up a little bit. On one occasion, the play had stopped when Dave Schultz from the Flyers skated in front of John Davidson, the Ranger’s goalie, gave him an elbow and knocked him out cold. The trainers helped Davidson off the ice and the Rangers wound up putting in the second-string goalie. Every so often, the announcers would come on and say they were waiting for word on the condition of Davidson. Finally, the announcer said, “The trainers said they don’t think Davidson will be back tonight. He doesn’t have a concussion, but he is experiencing… double vision." That’s when I said — “That’s it!”

According to the New York Rangers website, the incident actually took place in April 1978 during a hockey game between the Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres. The game announcers repeatedly used the phrase "double vision" which then inspired Foreigner to use it as the song's title. [8] The single is certified RIAA gold, selling one million copies, prior to the reduction of gold certification standards that occurred in the late 1980s.

Rolling Stone critic Ken Tucker suggested that the title phrase seems to suggest that "all the pent-up frustration and rage felt by the narrator [due to his romantic agony] has found its pernicious outlet in a sort of ocular apoplexy." [9]

Reception

Billboard felt that "Double Vision" was a stronger single than the previous release "Hot Blooded" due to its "driving but less monotonous hard rock rhythm" and "more infectious melody." [10] Cash Box said it has "slashing guitars and a mean, ticking beat" that gives way "to an appealing, lighter chorus which is underlined by gently swirling keyboard work" and also praised the vocal performance. [11] Record World said that "The guitar work is formidable and Lou Gramm's vocals are always rock perfect." [12]

Tucker criticized the song's "self-pity" and said that "Gramm's histrionic head tones threaten to capsize his sinuses as he moans about the suffering he must bear at the hands of wretched women." [9] The Daily News Journal critic Gary Balser regarded "Double Vision" as the best song on the album, stating that it is "an example of Foreigner's individual sound with a keyboard interlude and a constant bass and guitar drive." [13] San Pedro News-Pilot critic Joseph Bensoua said it has "just the right hooks, phrasing and simple lyrics needed for controlled rock 'n' roll. [14] St. Joseph News-Press critic Conrad Bibens described "Double Vision" as "competent but a little too bombastic." [15] Tucker described the melody as "melodramatic," said of Gramm's vocal performance that his "histrionic head tones threaten to capsize his sinuses as he moans about the suffering he must bear at the hands of wretched women" and found lyrics such as "No disguise/For that double vision...My double vision is the best of me" to be "incomprehensible." [9]

Music critic Maury Dean stated that it "sparks double-whammy of...Jones's steamy guitar salvos and Lou Gramm's White Soul volcanic vocalics." [16] Detroit Free Press critic Kim McAuliffe described the melody as being "one of those ditties, like a television commercial jingle, that imprints itself on your brain whether you want it to or not." [17] Billboard reviewer Gary Graff rated "Double Vision" to be Foreigner's 10th greatest song. [6] Classic Rock History critic Brian Kachejian rated it as Foreigner's 5th best song, particularly praising the opening guitar riff. [18]

Chart history

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreigner (band)</span> British-American rock band

Foreigner is a British-American rock band formed in New York City in 1976 by guitarist Mick Jones, vocalist Lou Gramm, drummer Dennis Elliott, keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Ed Gagliardi and multi-instrumentalist, and original King Crimson member, Ian McDonald. Foreigner is one of the world's bestselling bands of all time, with worldwide sales of more than 80 million records, including 37.5 million in the US.

<i>Foreigner</i> (Foreigner album) 1977 studio album by Foreigner

Foreigner is the debut studio album by British-American rock band Foreigner, released on 8 March 1977. It spun off three hit singles, "Feels Like the First Time", "Cold as Ice" and "Long, Long Way from Home". It also features album tracks such as "Headknocker" and "Starrider", the latter of which features a rare lead vocal from lead guitarist and co-founder Mick Jones.

<i>Double Vision</i> (Foreigner album) 1978 studio album by Foreigner

Double Vision is the second studio album by the British-American rock band Foreigner, released on 20 June 1978 by Atlantic Records. Recorded between December 1977 and March 1978, it was Foreigner's only album co-produced by Keith Olsen and the last recording with bass guitarist Ed Gagliardi who would be later replaced by Rick Wills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Gramm</span> American singer and musician

Louis Andrew Grammatico, known professionally as Lou Gramm, is an American singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Foreigner from 1977 to 1990 and again from 1992 to 2003, during which time the band had numerous successful albums and singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feelin' Satisfied</span> 1979 single by Boston

"Feelin' Satisfied" is a song by American rock band Boston, released on their 1978 studio album Don't Look Back. The song was written by Tom Scholz and released as a single in 1979. The single peaked at #46 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It reached #84 in Canada. It was the band's last release for 7 years, until Third Stage in 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juke Box Hero</span> 1981 single by Foreigner

"Juke Box Hero" is a song by British-American rock band Foreigner written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones from their 1981 album 4. It first entered the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in July 1981 and eventually reached #3 on that chart. Released as the album's third single in early 1982, it subsequently went to #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waiting for a Girl Like You</span> 1981 single by Foreigner

"Waiting for a Girl Like You" is a 1981 power ballad by the British-American rock band Foreigner released as the second single from the album 4 (1981) and was co-written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones. The opening motif was written by Ian McDonald and the distinctive synthesizer theme was performed by the then-little-known Thomas Dolby.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urgent (song)</span> 1981 single by Foreigner

"Urgent" is a song by the British-American rock band Foreigner, and the first single from their album 4 in 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot Blooded</span> 1978 single by Foreigner

"Hot Blooded" is a song by the British-American rock band Foreigner, from their second studio album Double Vision. It was released as a single in June 1978 and reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that September. The single was also certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. It is also the theme song to the truTV scripted series Tacoma FD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cold as Ice (Foreigner song)</span> 1977 single by Foreigner

"Cold as Ice" is a 1977 song written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones that was first released by British-American rock band Foreigner from their eponymous debut album. It became one of the best-known songs of the band in the US, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was initially the B-side of some versions of the "Feels Like the First Time" 45 rpm single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feels Like the First Time</span> 1977 single by Foreigner

"Feels Like the First Time" is the debut single by British-American rock band Foreigner. It was written by Mick Jones and released in 1977 from the band's eponymous debut album. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midnight Blue (Lou Gramm song)</span> 1987 single by Lou Gramm

"Midnight Blue" is a song by American rock singer-songwriter Lou Gramm, issued as a 7" single in the United States in January 1987 by Atlantic Records. It was the lead-off single from Gramm's debut album, Ready or Not, released in February 1987. An extended remix of the song was available as a 12" single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say You Will (Foreigner song)</span> 1987 single by Foreigner

"Say You Will" is a song by British-American rock band Foreigner. It was the first single released from the album Inside Information (1987), and was co-written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dirty White Boy (song)</span> 1979 single by Foreigner

"Dirty White Boy" is a song recorded by British-American rock band Foreigner, written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and produced by Roy Thomas Baker, Jones, and Ian McDonald. It was the first single taken from the band's third studio album, Head Games (1979). The B-side, "Rev on the Red Line" has also proven to be very popular among fans, but was never released as an A-side. Lou Gramm's trademark scream at the end of the song is missing from this abbreviated version of "Dirty White Boy". The song spent nine weeks in the Top 40.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Morning, Blue Day</span> 1978 song by Foreigner

"Blue Morning, Blue Day" is a song written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones that was first released as the third single on Foreigner's second album, Double Vision, reaching #15 on the Hot 100, the band's sixth top 40 single in two years, and #45 in the U.K. The song was backed with the Mick Jones song "I Have Waited So Long". "Blue Morning, Blue Day" is also available as downloadable content for the Rock Band series and was released on clear blue vinyl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long, Long Way from Home</span> 1977 single by Foreigner

"Long, Long Way from Home" is a song written by Mick Jones, Lou Gramm & Ian McDonald that was initially released on Foreigner's debut album. It was the third single taken from the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women (Foreigner song)</span> 1980 single by Foreigner

"Women" is the fourth single taken from the third album, Head Games by the band, Foreigner. It was written by Mick Jones, and released in February 1980. The song's B-side, "The Modern Day" is also sung by its writer, Jones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Head Games (song)</span> 1979 single by Foreigner

"Head Games" is the title-cut and second single taken from the band Foreigner's third release. It was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and released primarily in the U.S. in November 1979 while at the same time, "Love On The Telephone" was being released elsewhere. The song's b-side, "Do What You Like" uses multi-layered harmony vocals along the lines of their earlier single, "Cold as Ice."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luanne</span> 1982 single by Foreigner

"Luanne" was the fifth and final single taken from the album 4 by the band Foreigner, and the second to feature a B-side that was not available on one of their albums, a controversial live version of their hit, "Hot Blooded". The song was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones and reached number 75 in the U.S. charts, but was a live staple for years to come. The live version of "Hot Blooded" was later placed on the international release of their retrospective, Records, but in subsequent re-releases has been dropped in favour of the original album version due to a couple of choice words spoken in ad lib during the song's performance by its singer, Lou Gramm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">That Was Yesterday (Foreigner song)</span> 1985 single by Foreigner

"That Was Yesterday" is the second single taken from the album Agent Provocateur by the band Foreigner. This song was available in four versions, as a remixed single, an extended remix, an orchestral version, and the original mix. The song was written by Lou Gramm and Mick Jones, and the B-side "Two Different Worlds" is also of note for being the first solo-written Lou Gramm song to appear on a single.

References

  1. ↑ "Foreigner singles".
  2. ↑ The Great Rock Discography. 1995. p. 301. ISBN   9780862415419.
  3. 1 2 "Foreigner Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-06-08.
  4. ↑ Parker, Melissa (May 14, 2009). "Foreigner vocalist Lou Gramm sets the record straight". Our Prattville.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. ↑ Giles, Jeff (June 20, 2013). "How Foreigner Maintained Their Early Momentum on 'Double Vision'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  6. 1 2 Graff, Gary (October 11, 2017). "Foreigner's 10 Best Songs: Critic's Picks". Billboard. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  7. ↑ Woods, James (July 16, 2018). "Interview: Lou Gramm discusses Foreigner reunion at Sturgis to celebrate 40th anniversary of 'Double Vision'". AXS. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  8. ↑ "‘JD’ Inspires a Rock Song" NY NHL Rangers website
  9. 1 2 3 Tucker, Ken (September 7, 1978). "Double Vision". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
  10. ↑ "Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard Magazine. September 23, 1978. p. 94. Retrieved 2020-06-12.
  11. ↑ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. September 23, 1978. p. 22. Retrieved 2022-01-01.
  12. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. September 23, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  13. ↑ Balser, Gary (October 22, 1978). "Foreigner's second album a success". The Daily News Journal. p. 54. Retrieved 2020-06-26– via newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ Bensoua, Joseph (August 4, 1978). "Thin Lizzy is on top at last". San Pedro News-Pilot. p. E9. Retrieved 2020-06-26– via newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ Bibens, Conrad (July 8, 1978). "Foreigner's second not quite as good". St. Joseph News-Press. p. 12. Retrieved 2020-06-26– via newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Dean, Maury (2003). Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush. Algora. p. 350. ISBN   0875862071.
  17. ↑ McAuliffe, Kim (August 26, 1979). "Recording big-buck rock in Foreigner territory". Detroit Free Press. p. 5C. Retrieved 2022-06-18– via newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ Kachejian, Brian (6 August 2022). "Top 10 Foreigner Songs". Classic Rock History. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  19. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–March 1989" . Retrieved 5 September 2018.
  20. ↑ Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN   0-89820-089-X
  21. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, November 18, 1978". Archived from the original on May 17, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Top 200 Singles of '78 – Volume 30, No. 14, December 30 1978". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 30, 1978". Archived from the original on September 29, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2018.
  24. ↑ Top 100 Hits of 1979/Top 100 Songs of 1979 MusicOutfitters.com
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.