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From the Vault...
07/18/1999
#638 |
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info
Rick Springfield
"Tao"
© RCA Records
Year of Release: 1985
Rating:
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track listing
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Dance The World Away
Celebrate Youth
State Of The Heart
Written In Rock
The Power Of Love(The Tao Of Love)
Walking On The Edge
Walk Like A Man
The Tao Of Heaven
Stranger In The House
My Father's Chair
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Rick Springfield
"Tao"
The songs from Rick Springfield's 1985 release, Tao, may not ring
memory bells as his breakthrough albums Working Class Dog and/or
Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, but Tao is an album where fans
of Springfield may notice a more cutting edge on some songs, where the rest
of the songs' styles are the usual Springfield/mid-1980s rock.
"Dance The World Away" has the definite 1980s Springfield rock, as
it is a bit harder than his well-known songs like "Jessie's Girl" and
"Don't Talk To Strangers". Likewise "Celebrate Youth" is
another rocker, having a somewhat Duran Duran beat.
"State Of The Heart" and "Written In Rock" have the common
1980s sound, and it's a familiar sound if you're a fan of Rick Springfield's
music. If not, these songs can be compared to such 1980s acts acts as John
Waite, Sammy Hagar and/or Night Ranger. "The Power Of Love (The Tao Of
Love)" slows down the pace just a bit (musicwise), and is a common
mid-1980s rock ballad.
"Walking On The Edge" starts out eerie, with its Satan-talking vocals,
then kicks into an upbeat Duran Duran beat, as in their hit, "Girls On Film,"
with its drumbeat and synthesizers. "Walk Like A Man" is another
common 80s/Springfield song, as in other previous hits of his, "I've Done
Everything For You" or Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone." The beginning and ending
guitar licks are similar to The Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me."
"The Tao Of Heaven", like "The Power Of Love (The Tao Of Love)"
is another slow-paced song, clocking in at under two minutes. "Stranger In
The House" is a medium-rock song, having a somewhat Duran Duran sound, yet
it's also a common mid-1980s rocker. The album ends with the touching
piano-driven ballad, "My Father's Chair", a dedication to Springfield's
father, who had passed away. (For those who saw the VH-1 Behind The
Music episode on Rick Springfield's biography, he was very close to his
father.) This song's style is easily compared to the ballads of Elton John,
like The Lion King's "Can You Feel The Love Tonight."
Tao is a well-done recorded album. There aren't any real familar
songs here, but it does rock a bit harder than the well-known songs Rick
Springfield had recorded earlier in 1981-1982. The musical styles are
compared to the likes of Duran Duran, John Waite (whether it be solo, or with
the groups The Babys and/or Bad English), Night Ranger, and Sammy Hagar (who
wrote "I've Done Everything For You.")
Be aware of one thing: There are 10 songs listed on this album. The CD
features 11 tracks. Track 3 is a very short 31-second instrumental, having a
special effects voice repeating, "Who's There?" It seems that this is NOT an
ending to "Celebrate Youth", or a beginning to "State Of The
Heart". (Is this a bonus track? If it is, we'll call it Who's There)
Therefore, here are the appropriate track numbers for the 10 listed songs on
the album:
| 1 | dance the world away |
| 2 | celebrate youth |
| 3 |
who's there |
| 4 | state of the heart |
| 5 | written in rock |
| 6 | the power of love (the tao of love) |
| 7 | walking on the edge |
| 8 | walk like a man |
| 9 | the tao of heaven |
| 10 | stranger in the house |
| 11 | my father's chair |
For those who enjoy the music of the mid-1980s, and/or fans of Rick
Springfield, Tao is a good choice.
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intellectual property of
RCA Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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