Huey Lewis & The News occupy a spot in music history as one of the quintessential 80’s power pop bands. They had this folksy charm that was undeniable– from the classic rhythm & blues and doo wop influences, to the gorgeous soft rock chord progressions, to the full band sound. Everything about Huey Lewis was made with a real commercial sheen to it. Some may call it pandering, others mindless pop rock, but to all those people I say go drink a glass of cold water because Huey Lewis & The News are fun as hell to listen to and you need to get out and live a little. The dude has got pipes and his band bops. That should be good enough most days.
It’s hard not to sit down and smile when listening to Fore!— I didn’t grow up in the era when Huey Lewis was on top of the charts, nor did my parents listen to him a bunch around the house, and yet it reminds me of my childhood. Maybe it’s because the music is just inherently uplifting, or perhaps it’s because this whole album feels like it could be a soundtrack to an episode of ABC’s Full House, but it has this childlike quality of excitement blended with themes of growing old that feel just genuinely wholesome. “Simple As That” and “I Never Walk Alone” are excellent examples of this– I said this earlier, but it’s impossible for me not to just smile when I hear those songs and the lyrics.
To close us off, let’s turn to renowned music critic and massive Huey Lewis fan Patrick Bateman for his thoughts on the band’s storied career:
“Do you like Huey Lewis & The News? Their early work was a little too ‘new-wave’ for my taste, but when ‘Sports’ came out in ’83, I think they really came into their own – both commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He’s been compared to Elvis Costello, but I think Huey has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humor. In ’86, Huey released this, ‘Fore’, their most accomplished album. I think their undisputed masterpiece is ‘Hip to Be Square’, a song so catchy most people probably don’t listen to the lyrics – but they should! Because it’s not just about the pleasures of conformity, and the importance of trends, it’s also a personal statement about the band itself!”
– Patrick Bateman, American Psycho
Well said Patrick. Very well said.
Standout Songs: “Stuck With You”, “Hip To Be Square”, “Simple As That”, “I Never Walk Alone”
