When it comes to great music, you can’t have any all time lists without at least a few Hall and Oates songs. Hall and Oates’ popularity was at its peak during the 1980s, and this decade brought with it a number of their most well-known songs. The duo has been described as “the definitive sound of … thinly veiled autobiographical late-’70s and early ’80s pop/rock” .
The Best 80s Hall and Oates Songs
Hall and Oates are no doubt one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s. Their songwriting mostly reflects the themes popularized in music during this period: love, relationships, sex and dancing. Here are ten of their best known hits from the 80s:
1. “Maneater” (1982)
This song went to number one on both the pop and AC charts and stayed there for four weeks, becoming their most successful single of all time. The song talks about a girl who is too demanding and only wants to take advantage of someone.
2. “One on One” (1981)
This song was the title track from their seventh studio album and reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It describes a casual, sexual relationship between friends with no strings attached.
3. “Family Man” (1982)
The lyrics describe a wealthy man living in New York City as he watches other people’s lives pass by him, as they sit stuck in traffic below his apartment, while he is sitting comfortably at home with his family beside him. The song spent 16 weeks on the US Top 40 chart and peaked at number 9 during its run there.
4. “Rich Girl” (1977)
Though not from the 1980s, we just had to toss this in as an honorable mention as the song is so great and was really the first song that put them on people’s radar. It is also probably one of their most recognizable hits, so we had to include it in this list.
This was the duo’s first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song is about a young woman who is rich and spoiled, and her boyfriend who wants to take advantage of her money.
5. “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” (1981)
This song spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it the duo’s most successful single ever. It is a funk song about someone who doesn’t want to be tied down or committed to anything.
6. “Private Eyes” (1981)
This song also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for two weeks. It is about a man who is being watched and followed by someone he doesn’t trust.
7. “Kiss on My List” (1981)
This song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks and reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. The lyrics are about two people who are in love but can’t be together.
8. “You Make My Dreams” (1980)
This song was number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number two on the UK Singles Chart. It is a love song about a couple who are always dreaming of being together.
9. “Out of Touch” (1984)
This song spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It talks about a man who thinks he knows what is going on in his generation but realizes he is out of touch with the trends.
10. “Method of Modern Love” (1984)
The song spent six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 30 there. It describes a couple who are struggling to balance their relationship within the context of the modern world they live in.
So those are our top Hall and Oates songs from the 1980s. Did your pick make the list? Regardless we recommend you add at least a few of these to your daily playlist.
