Maneater (Hall & Oates song)

Last updated
"Maneater"
Hall & Oates Maneater.jpeg
Single by Hall & Oates
from the album H2O
B-side "Delayed Reaction"
ReleasedOctober 12, 1982
RecordedDecember 1981
Studio Electric Lady, New York City
Genre
Length4:31
3:28 (DJ 7")
6:00 (extended club mix)
Label RCA
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Daryl Hall
  • John Oates
Hall & Oates singles chronology
"Your Imagination"
(1982)		"Maneater"
(1982)		"One on One"
(1983)
Music video
"Maneater" on YouTube

"Maneater" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates, featured on their eleventh studio album, H2O (1982). It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on December 18, 1982. [3] It remained in the top spot for four weeks, longer than any of the duo's five other number-one hits, including "Kiss on My List", which remained in the top spot for three weeks.

Contents

Background and writing

In an interview with American Songwriter in 2009, [4] Daryl Hall recalled,

John had written a prototype of "Maneater"; he was banging it around with Edgar Winter. It was like a reggae song. I said, "Well, the chords are interesting, but I think we should change the groove." I changed it to that Motown kind of groove. So we did that, and I played it for Sara Allen and sang it for her…[Sings] "Oh here she comes / Watch out boy she'll chew you up / Oh here she comes / She's a maneater… and a…" I forget what the last line was. She said, "drop that shit at the end and go, 'She's a maneater,' and stop! And I said, 'No, you're crazy, that's messed up.'" Then I thought about it, and I realized she was right. And it made all the difference in the song.

Hall also opined, [5] "We try and take chances. Our new single 'Maneater' isn't something that sounds like anything else on the radio. The idea is to make things better."

John Oates has explained that while it is natural to assume the lyrics are about a woman, the song actually was originally written "about NYC in the '80s. It's about greed, avarice, and spoiled riches. But we have it in the setting of a girl because it's more relatable. It's something that people can understand. That's what we do all of the time", after describing how they took a similar approach with the earlier song "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)". [6] [7]

Billboard called it a "moody midtempo piece which has the percolating bass line of a mid-60's Supremes record and the atmospheric sweep of a Giorgio Moroder film score." [8] Cash Box said that the opening bassline resembles that of the Supremes' song "You Can't Hurry Love." [9]

The song is performed in a ballad version by actor Andrew Barth Feldman in the 2023 film No Hard Feelings , and appears on its soundtrack. [10]

Music video

The Hall & Oates music video opens with a woman (Aleksandra Duncan) walking down a red staircase, and the band playing in a dimly lit studio with shafts of light projecting down on them. The band members step in and out of the light for their lip sync. A young woman in a short party dress is shown in fade-in and fade-out shots, along with a black jaguar, hence the song line "The woman is wild, a she-cat tamed by the purr of a Jaguar." (In the lyrics' context, the Jaguar in question is the car manufacturer.) [11]

Personnel

In November 2008, Hall & Oates initiated legal action against their music publisher Warner/Chappell Music. An unidentified singer-songwriter was alleged to have used "Maneater" in a 2006 recording, infringing copyright, and by failing to sue for copyright infringement, Warner Chappell Music was alleged to have breached their contract with Hall and Oates. [12]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for "Maneater"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [40] Platinum100,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [41] Gold45,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [42] Platinum600,000‡
United States (RIAA) [43] Gold1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hall & Oates</span> American pop rock duo

Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall was generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily played the electric guitar and provided backing vocals. The two wrote most of the songs they performed, either separately or in collaboration. They achieved their greatest fame from the mid-1970s to the late 1980s with a fusion of rock and roll, soul music, and rhythm and blues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daryl Hall</span> American musician and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates (born 1946)

Daryl Franklin Hohl, known professionally as Daryl Hall, is an American rock, R&B, and soul singer and musician. He is best known as the co-founder and principal lead vocalist of Hall & Oates, with guitarist and songwriter John Oates. Outside of his work in Hall & Oates, he has also released five solo albums, including the 1980 progressive rock collaboration with guitarist Robert Fripp titled Sacred Songs and the 1986 album Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, which provided his best selling single, "Dreamtime", that peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. He has also collaborated on numerous works by other artists, such as Fripp's 1979 release Exposure, and Dusty Springfield's 1995 album A Very Fine Love, which produced a UK Top 40 hit with "Wherever Would I Be". Since late 2007, he has hosted the streaming television series Live from Daryl's House, in which he performs alongside other artists, doing a mix of songs from each's catalog. The show has been rebroadcast on a number of cable and satellite channels as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Physical (Olivia Newton-John song)</span> 1981 single by Olivia Newton-John

"Physical" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for her 1981 eleventh studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on 28 September 1981. The song was produced by John Farrar and written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, who had originally intended to offer it to Rod Stewart. The song had also been offered to Tina Turner by her manager Roger Davies, but when Turner declined, Davies gave the song to Newton-John, another of his clients.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adult Education (song)</span> 1984 single by Hall & Oates

"Adult Education" is a song by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, released as a single in February 1984. The song was featured on the duo's second compilation album Rock 'n Soul Part 1 and was one of two new tracks that were recorded specifically for the compilation release. The single hit number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kiss on My List</span> 1981 single by Hall & Oates

"Kiss on My List" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates. It was written by Daryl Hall and Janna Allen, and produced by Hall and John Oates. It was the third single release from their ninth studio album, Voices (1980), and became their second US Billboard Hot 100 number-one single. It spent three weeks at the top spot.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out of Touch</span> 1984 single by Daryl Hall & John Oates

"Out of Touch" is a song by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates from their twelfth studio album Big Bam Boom (1984). The song was released as the lead single from Big Bam Boom on Thursday, October 4, 1984, by RCA Records. This song was their last Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, topping the chart for two weeks in December 1984. It also became the duo's fourteenth consecutive top 40 hit since 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)</span> 1981 single by Daryl Hall & John Oates

"I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates. Written by Daryl Hall, John Oates and Sara Allen, the song was released as the second single from their tenth studio album, Private Eyes (1981). The song became the fourth number one hit single of their career on the Billboard Hot 100. It features Charles DeChant on saxophone.

<i>H<sub>2</sub>O</i> (Hall & Oates album) 1982 studio album by Hall & Oates

H2O is the eleventh studio album by American pop rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, released on October 4, 1982, by RCA Records. It peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, making it the duo's highest-charting album, and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) with sales of over two million copies. The album title is a play on the chemical formula for water, where "H" is for Hall and "O" is for Oates. It features three US top-10 singles, including "Maneater", the most successful single of their career, spending four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The album marks the first appearance for longtime bassist and musical director Tom "T-Bone" Wolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rich Girl (Hall & Oates song)</span> 1977 single by Hall & Oates

"Rich Girl" is a song by Daryl Hall & John Oates. It debuted on the Billboard Top 40 on February 5, 1977, at number 38 and on March 26, 1977, it became their first of six number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The single originally appeared on the 1976 album Bigger Than Both of Us. At the end of 1977, Billboard ranked it as the 23rd biggest hit of the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say It Isn't So (Hall & Oates song)</span> 1983 single by Hall & Oates

"Say It Isn't So" is a song performed by American pop rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, and written by Daryl Hall. It was released by RCA Records in October 1983 as the first of two new singles from their compilation album Rock 'n Soul Part 1, released that same year. The song was remixed as a "special extended dance mix" by John "Jellybean" Benitez, which topped Billboard magazine's Hot Dance Club Play chart. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, behind coincidentally "Say Say Say" by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">One on One (song)</span> 1983 single by Daryl Hall & John Oates

"One on One" is a song performed by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates. Written by member Daryl Hall, the song was released as the second single from their eleventh studio album H2O in January 1983. Backed by minimalistic, synthesizer-based production, the song's lyrics incorporate various sports metaphors to describe seduction. Daryl Hall performs lead vocals, while John Oates provides backing harmony vocals. It peaked at number seven on the United States Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of three top ten singles from H2O.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sara Smile</span> 1975 single by Hall & Oates

"Sara Smile" is a song written and recorded by the American musical duo Hall & Oates. It was released as the third single from their album Daryl Hall & John Oates. The song was the group's first top 40 and first top ten hit in the US, reaching number four on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Private Eyes (song)</span> 1981 single by Hall & Oates

"Private Eyes" is a 1981 single by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates and the title track from their album of the same name. The song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for two weeks, from November 7 through November 20, 1981. This single was the band's third of six number one hits, and their second number one hit of the 1980s. It was succeeded in the number one position by Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," which was coincidentally succeeded by another single from Hall & Oates, "I Can't Go for That ".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Family Man (Mike Oldfield song)</span> 1982 single by Mike Oldfield

"Family Man" is a pop rock song written by Mike Oldfield, Tim Cross, Rick Fenn, Mike Frye, Morris Pert, and Maggie Reilly. It became a hit song in 1982 for Mike Oldfield with Maggie Reilly as the vocalist. Hall & Oates achieved success a year later with their cover version. In 2009, Maggie Reilly recorded another version of the song for her solo studio album Looking Back Moving Forward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Method of Modern Love</span> 1984 single by Daryl Hall & John Oates

"Method of Modern Love" is a song by the American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates. It was released as the second single from their 1984 album, Big Bam Boom. The song reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">She's Gone (Hall & Oates song)</span> 1973 single by Hall & Oates

"She's Gone" is a song written and originally performed by the American duo Daryl Hall and John Oates. The soul ballad is included on their 1973 album, Abandoned Luncheonette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Make My Dreams</span> 1981 single by Hall & Oates

"You Make My Dreams" is a song by American duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, taken from their ninth studio album, Voices (1980). The song reached number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981. The track received 154,000 digital sales between 2008 and 2009 according to Nielsen SoundScan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everything Your Heart Desires</span> 1988 single by Hall & Oates

"Everything Your Heart Desires" is a song by American duo Hall & Oates, released as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album, Ooh Yeah! (1988). The song peaked at number three in the United States. It was their sixteenth and last Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 song. The 45 version was later included on their greatest hits album Playlist: The Very Best of (2008) while the video mix was included on VH1 Behind the Music: The Daryl Hall and John Oates Collection (2002) and on the box set Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates (2009).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">So Close (Hall & Oates song)</span> 1990 single by Hall & Oates

"So Close" is a 1990 song by American pop duo Hall & Oates. It was written by Daryl Hall and George Green, and produced by Danny Kortchmar and Jon Bon Jovi. The song was released as the lead single from the Change of Season album and peaked at number 11 in the United States and number four in Canada. An acoustic version of the song also appears on the album and as a B-side of the single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Did It in a Minute</span> 1982 single by Hall & Oates

"Did It in a Minute" is a song performed by American duo Hall & Oates. Written by Daryl Hall with Sara and Janna Allen, the song was released as the third of four singles from the duo's tenth studio album Private Eyes in March 1982. Daryl Hall performs lead vocals, while John Oates provides backing harmony vocals.

References

  1. ↑ Fenton, Will. "15 Best Hall & Oates Songs of All Time (Greatest Hits)". middermusic. The song features a memorable saxophone solo by Charles DeChant and a catchy synth-pop melody, backed by a funk-influenced rhythm section.
  2. 1 2 3 Molanphy, Chris (July 31, 2021). "What a Fool Believes Edition". Hit Parade | Music History and Music Trivia (Podcast). Slate . Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  3. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  4. ↑ Sharp, Ken (January 23, 2009). "HALL AND OATES: Soul Survivors". American Songwriter . Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  5. ↑ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 372. CN 5585.
  6. ↑ "Hall and Oates' 'I Can't Go For That' isn't about what you think it's about; neither is 'Maneater'". Something Else!. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  7. ↑ Kauffman, Leah (18 March 2014). "John Oates on his new album, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and what 'I Can't Go For That' is really about". Philly.com. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Top Single Picks". Billboard. October 16, 1982. p. 85. Retrieved 2023-02-07.
  9. ↑ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 16, 1982. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-07.
  10. ↑ Maneater (Live) . Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  11. ↑ hallandoatesVEVO (2009-10-03), Daryl Hall & John Oates - Maneater , retrieved 2017-06-07
  12. ↑ "Hall and Oates take legal action". BBC News. November 7, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard . Vol. 94, no. 51. December 25, 1982. p. 79. ISSN   0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  14. ↑ "Daryl Hall %2B John Oates – Maneater" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  15. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6182." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6219." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 21. May 21, 1983. p. 50. ISSN   0006-2510.
  18. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Maneater". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Daryl Hall John Oates" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
  20. ↑ "Daryl Hall %2B John Oates – Maneater" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ↑ "Daryl Hall %2B John Oates – Maneater". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  22. ↑ "Daryl Hall %2B John Oates – Maneater". VG-lista.
  23. ↑ "SA Charts 1965–1989 (As presented on Springbok Radio/Radio Orion) – Acts H". The South African Rock Encyclopedia. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
  24. ↑ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN   84-8048-639-2.
  25. ↑ "Daryl Hall %2B John Oates – Maneater". Singles Top 100.
  26. ↑ "Daryl Hall %2B John Oates – Maneater". Swiss Singles Chart.
  27. ↑ "Daryl Hall and John Oates: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  28. ↑ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  29. ↑ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  31. ↑ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending December 18, 1982". Cash Box . Archived from the original on October 1, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Top 100 Black Contemporary Singles". Cash Box. Vol. XLIV, no. 34. January 22, 1983. p. 21. ISSN   0008-7289.
  35. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Daryl Hall + John Oates – Maneater" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  36. ↑ "Top 100 Singles of 82". RPM. Vol. 37, no. 19. December 25, 1982. p. 17. ISSN   0033-7064 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  37. ↑ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1982 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 25, 1982. Archived from the original on November 23, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  38. ↑ "Talent Almanac 1984 – Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 95, no. 52. December 24, 1983. p. TA-18. ISSN   0006-2510.
  39. ↑ "Top 100 Single-Jahrescharts – 1983" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  40. ↑ "Canadian single certifications – Hall & Oates – Maneater". Music Canada . Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  41. ↑ "Danish single certifications – Daryl Hall & John Oates – Maneater". IFPI Danmark . Retrieved October 1, 2021.
  42. ↑ "British single certifications – Daryl Hall & John Oates – Maneater". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  43. ↑ "American single certifications – Hall & Oates – Maneater". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 23, 2018.
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.