In total, the duo had 34 singles chart hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, seven RIAA platinum albums, and six RIAA gold albums. Because of that chart success, Billboard Magazine named them the most successful duo of the rock era, surpassing even The Everly Brothers. In 2003, they were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They were also placed #15 on the Billboard Magazine list of the 100 greatest artists of all time and the #1 duo, while VH1 placed the duo as #99 on their list of the 100 greatest artists of all time.
From their first hit in 1974 onwards, Daryl Hall and John Oates' smooth, catchy take on Philly soul brought them commercial success— including six number one singles and six platinum albums as referred to before. Hall & Oates' music was well-constructed and produced; at their best, their songs were filled with strong hooks and melodies that adhered to soul traditions without being a slave to them by incorporating elements of arena rock and new wave.
Daryl Hall, born on October 11, 1946, began performing professionally while he was a student at Temple University. In 1966, he recorded a single with Kenny Gamble and the Romeos; the group featured Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, and Thom Bell, who would all become the architects of Philly soul. During this time, Hall frequently appeared on sessions for Gamble and Huff. In 1967, Hall met John Oates, a fellow Temple University student. Oates was leading his own soul band at the time. The two students realized they had similar tastes and began performing together in an array of R&B and doo wop groups. By 1968, the duo had parted ways, as Oates transferred schools and Hall formed the soft rock band Gulliver; the group released one album on Elektra in the late '60s before disbanding.
After Gulliver's breakup, Hall concentrated on session work again, appearing as a backup vocalist for The Stylistics, The Delfonics, and The Intruders, among others. Oates returned to Philadelphia in 1969, and he and Hall began writing folk-oriented songs and performing together. Eventually they came to the attention of Tommy Mottola, who quickly became their manager, securing the duo a contract with Atlantic Records. On their first records — Whole Oates (1972), Abandoned Luncheonette (1973), War Babies (1974) — the duo were establishing their sound, working with producers like Arif Mardin and Todd Rundgren and removing much of their folk influences. At the beginning of 1974, the duo relocated from Philadelphia to New York. During this period, they only managed one hit — the number 60 "She's Gone" in the spring of 1974.
After they moved to RCA in 1975, the duo landed on its successful mixture of soul, pop, and rock, scoring a Top Ten single with "Sara Smile." The success of "Sara Smile" prompted the re-release of "She's Gone," which rocketed into the Top Ten as well. Released in the summer of 1976, Bigger than the Both of Us was only moderately successful upon its release. The record took off in early 1977, when "Rich Girl" became the duo's first number one single.
Although they had several minor hits between 1977 and 1980, the albums Hall & Oates released at the end of the decade were not as successful as their mid-'70s records. Nevertheless, they were more adventurous, incorporating more rock elements into their blue-eyed soul. The combination would finally pay off in late 1980, when the duo released the self-produced Voices, the album that marked the beginning of Hall & Oates' greatest commercial and artistic success. The first single from Voices, a cover of Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," reached number 12, yet it was the second single, "Kiss on My List" that confirmed their commercial potential by becoming the duo's second number one single; its follow-up, "You Make My Dreams" hit number five. They quickly released Private Eyes in the summer of 1981; the record featured two number one hits, "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)," as well as the Top Ten hit "Did It in a Minute." "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" also spent a week at the top of the R&B charts — a rare accomplishment for a white act. H20 followed in 1982 and it proved more successful than their two previous albums, selling over two million copies and launching their biggest hit single, "Maneater," as well as the Top Ten hits "One on One" and "Family Man." The following year, the duo released a greatest-hits compilation, Rock 'N Soul, Pt. 1, that featured two new Top Ten hits — the number two "Say It Isn't So" and "Adult Education."
In April of 1984, the Recording Industry Association of America announced that Hall & Oates had surpassed Everly Brothers as the most successful duo in rock history, earning a total of 19 gold and platinum awards. Released in October of 1984, Big Bam Boom expanded their number of gold and platinum awards, selling over two million copies and launching four Top 40 singles, including the number one "Out of Touch." Following their contract-fulfilling gold album Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin & Eddie Kendrick, Hall & Oates went on hiatus. After the lukewarm reception for Daryl Hall's 1986 solo album, Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine, the duo regrouped to release 1988's Ooh Yeah!, their first record for Arista. The first single, "Everything Your Heart Desires," went to number three and helped propel the album to platinum status.
However, none of the album's other singles broke the Top 20, indicating that the era of chart dominance had ended. Change of Season, released in 1990, confirmed that fact. Although the record went gold, it only featured one Top 40 hit — the number 11 single, "So Close." The duo mounted a comeback in 1997 with Marigold Sky, but it was only partially successful; far better was 2003's Do It for Love and the following year soul covers record Our Kind of Soul.
Ennui on the Mountain
Hall & Oates Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We don't need a Cadillac car
What we need is a mountain in Montana
A thousand acre world for the roadies and the girls
But you need a whole lot of money
Lots of loot, to tell you the troot'
Oh, we know what's good but we love what's bad
And it'd be ennui on the mountain anyway
But it's round and round and round and round we go
I don't know what I need
Everyday we try to get higher
Any way to the dream at the end
AM airplay and a golden concept album
So they pay for what you say
And they hang on every word
You and me are just Ponce de Leon-y
Looking for something we ain't never gonna find
Oh, we know what's good but we love what's bad
And it'd be ennui on the mountain anyway
Oh I don't know if it's high or low
But it's round and round and round and round we go
The song "Ennui on the Mountain" by Hall & Oates showcases the desire for something unattainable, and the struggle to find satisfaction in the present moment. The lyrics suggest that the key to happiness is not in material possessions, but rather in experiences and connections with others. The opening lines establish this theme, as the singer sings, "We don't need a whole lot of money / We don't need a Cadillac car / What we need is a mountain in Montana / A thousand acre world for the roadies and the girls." The mountain represents an escape from the pressures of everyday life, and a place where they can find contentment.
However, the singer soon admits that this is not a realistic goal, as "you need a whole lot of money / Lots of loot, to tell you the troot'." The desire for fame and fortune is an ever-present issue in the music industry, and this song acknowledges this struggle. Despite knowing that material wealth will not bring them true happiness, the duo still chases after it, singing "And it'd be ennui on the mountain anyway."
The bridge of the song furthers this idea of searching for something elusive, as the singer questions, "I don't know what I need / Everyday we try to get higher / Any way to the dream at the end." Ultimately, the song acknowledges that the search for fulfillment will never truly end, as they sing, "But it's round and round and round and round we go." The repetition of this phrase reflects the cyclical nature of their search and the lack of progress they make towards finding true happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
We don't need a whole lot of money
Money is not what we require
We don't need a Cadillac car
A fancy car is not important
What we need is a mountain in Montana
What we desire is a vast open space to explore
A thousand acre world for the roadies and the girls
A place for the people we travel with to enjoy with us
But you need a whole lot of money
However, having a lot of money would make this possible
Lots of loot, to tell you the troot'
A large sum of money would make it possible to fulfill truthfully
Oh, we know what's good but we love what's bad
We are aware of what is right, but we are attracted to what is wrong
And it'd be ennui on the mountain anyway
Even if we had what we wanted, we would be bored
Oh I don't know if it's high or low
I am unsure of what I am looking for
But it's round and round and round and round we go
We keep circling around searching for something unknown
Everyday we try to get higher
We seek to make progress every day
Any way to the dream at the end
We will do anything to achieve our final goal
AM airplay and a golden concept album
We want our music to be played on the radio and for an album that is exceptionally good
So they pay for what you say
People will pay to hear what we have to say
And they hang on every word
Our fans are devoted and attentive to what we say
You and me are just Ponce de Leon-y
We are on a quest for something that may not exist
Looking for something we ain't never gonna find
We are seeking for something that we may never come across
Oh I don't know if it's high or low
I am unsure of what I am looking for
But it's round and round and round and round we go
We keep circling around searching for something unknown
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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