Hi Infidelity

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Hi Infidelity
REO Speedwagon Hi Infidelity CD cover.JPG
Studio album by
REO Speedwagon
ReleasedNovember 21, 1980 (1980-11-21)
RecordedJune–October 1980
StudioCrystal Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California)
Genre
Length34:55
Label Epic
Producer
REO Speedwagon chronology
Nine Lives
(1979)		Hi Infidelity
(1980)		 Good Trouble
(1982)
Singles from Hi Infidelity
  1. "Keep On Loving You"
    Released: November 1980
  2. "Take It on the Run"
    Released: March 1981 [2]
  3. "Don't Let Him Go"
    Released: June 1981 [3]
  4. "In Your Letter"
    Released: July 1981 [4]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [5]
Robert Christgau B− [6]

Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon, released on November 21, 1980, by Epic Records. The album became a big hit in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200 , spending 15 weeks at number one (only 27 albums, and only 7 rock acts, have spent at least 15 weeks at number 1). It went on to become the biggest-selling album of 1981, eventually being certified 10 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Contents

Of the four singles released, "Take It on the Run" went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the band got their first of two number one hits with "Keep On Loving You".

Background

The album title is a play on the term "in high fidelity," which used to appear on album covers. The album art is an illustration of this pun where an act of sexual infidelity is apparently occurring while the man is putting a record LP to play on the hi-fi stereo.

Songs

Six songs from the album charted on the Billboard charts, including "Keep On Loving You" which was the band's first Number 1 hit, and "Take It on the Run", which reached No. 5 on the charts. The song "Tough Guys" uses an audio clip from the Our Gang short film Hearts Are Thumps (1937). [7]

"Tough Guys" was one of two songs from the album that charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart despite not being released as singles. Music critic Robert Christgau called "Tough Guys" his favorite song from the album but suggested that the line "They think they're full of fire/She thinks they're full of shit" would prevent the song from reaching the pop Top 40. [6]

Record World described "I Wish You Were There" as having a "novel gospel touch." [8]

Reissues

On October 25, 2004, the band recorded the songs of this album live from beginning to end for an XM Radio "Then Again Live" special.

On July 19, 2011, Sony Music re-released Hi Infidelity with bonus demo tracks for the album's 30th anniversary. [9] Demo tracks were recorded Live at Crystal Studios, Hollywood, June through August 1980.

Track listing

Original release

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Don't Let Him Go" Kevin Cronin 3:47
2."Keep On Loving You"Cronin3:23
3."Follow My Heart" Tom Kelly, Gary Richrath 3:50
4."In Your Letter"Richrath3:20
5."Take It on the Run"Richrath [lower-alpha 1] 4:01
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tough Guys"Cronin3:51
2."Out of Season"Cronin, Kelly3:07
3."Shakin' It Loose"Richrath [lower-alpha 1] 2:27
4."Someone Tonight" Bruce Hall 2:41
5."I Wish You Were There"Cronin4:27

30th Anniversary edition (2011)

Disc 2: The Crystal Demos
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Someone Tonight"Hall2:49
2."Tough Guys"Cronin3:35
3."In Your Letter"Richrath4:08
4."Follow My Heart"Kelly, Richrath3:57
5."Take It on the Run"Richrath4:01
6."Don't Let Him Go"Cronin4:20
7."Keep On Loving You"Cronin3:30
8."Shakin' It Loose" (Instrumental)Richrath2:32
9."I Wish You Were There"Cronin4:58
Total length:33:54

Personnel

REO Speedwagon

Additional musicians

Technical personnel

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Hi Infidelity
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [23] 5× Platinum500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [24] Silver60,000^
United States (RIAA) [25] Diamond10,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for Hi Infidelity
RegionDateLabelFormatCatalog #
United StatesNovember 21, 1980 Epic Stereo vinyl FE 36844
United StatesNovember 21, 1980Epic Records Cassette FET 36844
United States1980Epic 8-track E36844
United KingdomApril 10, 1981 [26] Epic Records vinyl EPC84700
United States1985Epic CD EK 36884
United States2000Epic/Legacy CD (Remaster)EK 61614
United States2011Epic/LegacyCD (30th anniversary 2 discs)88697695792
Japan2011 Sony Music CD (DSD-Remaster)EICP 1223

Notes

  1. 1 2 Although the song is officially credited solely to Richrath, the album's liner notes also list Kevin Cronin as providing "lyrical assistance".

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"Don't Let Him Go" is a song written by Kevin Cronin. It was originally released as the opening song for REO Speedwagon's #1 album Hi Infidelity. It was also released as a single, reaching #24 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Don't Let Him Go" has appeared on several REO Speedwagon greatest hits albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In Your Letter</span> 1981 single by REO Speedwagon

"In Your Letter" is a song written by Gary Richrath that was first released on REO Speedwagon's 1980 album Hi Infidelity. It was released as the fourth single from the album and just made the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at #20. It also reached #26 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. It also had some chart success in Canada, reaching #34.

References

  1. ↑ Trenz, Brandon (1998). "REO Speedwagon". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 935–936.
  2. ↑ "REO speedwagon singles".
  3. ↑ "Great Rock Discography". p. 685.
  4. ↑ "REO speedwagon singles".
  5. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. REO Speedwagon: Hi Infidelity at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  6. 1 2 Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  7. ↑ Henke, James (March 19, 1981). "REO Speedwagon's Big Breakout". Rolling Stone . Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 13, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  9. ↑ "REO Speedwagon's 30-Year Anniversary of Multi-Platinum #1 Breakthrough Hit Hi Infidelity". Sony Corporation of America . Tom Cording. Archived from the original on July 9, 2015. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  10. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 250. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  11. ↑ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0375". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Charts.nz – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  17. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  18. ↑ "REO Speedwagon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Music Canada.
  24. ↑ "British album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infedility". British Phonographic Industry.
  25. ↑ "American album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Recording Industry Association of America.
  26. ↑ "BPI".
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