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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Doo-Wop and Huey

I love Huey Lewis and the News. There I've said it. Is there anything better than Huey jumping around the stage, playing the harmonica and singing "The Heart of Rock and Roll" while the Tower of Power Horns blasts out the tune behind him and you dance along with the music? I don't think so.



But, wait, I've never been to a Huey Lewis and the News concert where, apparently, they always sing an a Capella song or two in the doo-wop style. Probably to take a little breather after all that frenetic energy gets him huffin' and puffin'.

Anyway, this is one of my favorite songs.



Weren't the eighties great! And the sixties, too!

14 comments:

California Girl said...

Okay, here's the one I like the best:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd2bc0xxDR0

California Girl said...

Try this one instead. They go right into the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLcpWAc9GpY

Tattered and Lost said...

Ohhh yeah. I only wish they'd be singing the National Anthem tomorrow at the Giant's game. My day would be complete, even if I will have a sunburn to end all sunburns.

We are on the same page.

VaNeSsA said...

I totally second this post! Huey Lewis is awesome. I have always thought so, and hey, I'm 31! I have to admit that my favorite is "Hip to be Square." I think it was even on Seseme Street, with this red, well, square dancing around singing about being a square. Pretty sweet. (Yep - I just checked out YouTube, and here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe3Hh8nvn4k

Sandy aka Doris the Great said...

And I love them too! He was so absolutely gorgeous!

Susan said...

CaliGirl, I love that second one. The sound is much better. He just sounds like he's having a good time, doesn't he? As someone said in the YT comments section, he sounds like he has a smile in his voice.

Susan said...

Tattered, I almost added the video of them singing the National Anthem at the Giants season opener. It's awesome!

Use lots of sunscreen!

Susan said...

Vanessa, hey, Huey is a talent for all ages! I got hooked on him when my pre-teen son listened to his cassette tape all the time.

Cute Sesame Street video!

Susan said...

Sandy, I know! That smile, that chin cleft, that hair! Cute!

Ruth said...

Wow, that doowop is cool!

He is so hot, isn't he? I like how he doesn't exactly look like a rocker, but he is.

We missed half of the '80s by living in Istanbul, haha. There are bands I've never heard of. But we did know Huey Lewis, because in the early '90s we used to have big open air music festivals in East Lansing, and HL & the News came in maybe '91 or '92. It was an awesome concert. I don't remember if he did an a capella number.

Susan said...

Woohoo! Ruthie's hot for Huey! :D I think it just might be the puppy-dog eyes. Wow, I was just reading Huey's bio on Wiki and he's a math genius! Scored 800 on the SAT! His background is pretty interesting if you want to look.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huey_Lewis

What!? There was no 80's decade in Istanbul!

PeacefulWmn9 said...

Yessum, they were great indeed. I feel fortunate to have been a teen in the 60s, but I feel just as fortunate today :)

Karen

Dutchbaby said...

I saw this link in the "You might also like:" section and just had to click on Huey.
The first time I saw Huey Lewis in concert was back in the mid-80's at the Kabuki Theater in San Francisco. It was a small venue and I believe you had to know someone in order to get a ticket. My girlfriend and I went because our colleague knew the owner of the theater. I don't remember what I wore, but I do remember that my girlfriend wore a tiny light-blue leather mini-skirt with a fluffy multi-colored mohair top with a boat neckline that always drifted off one shoulder. When we stood in line to get in, people were asking each other what they had to do to get in. Most won radio contests by singing three lines of any Huey Lewis song or some other prove-you-are-a-fan feat. When the girl next to us asked what we did to get a ticket, my girlfriend piped up: "I slept with Huey". The girl looked my girlfriend up and down and I could tell she thought it was plausible. Then she came to her senses and asked why we were standing in line. Point taken.
The usher decided that the blue mini-skirt belonged up front, right in the mosh pit. During the show we got to meet one of the camera men who invited us to the crew party after the concert. It was a fantastic party where we met many creative people. We each got a concert sweatshirt with "CREW" written on the back. I wore it until it was threadbare.
A year or two later I bought my first house in Mill Valley, where Huey lived. I used to see him around town. I never got so jaded where it didn’t matter whether I saw him or not. I was always aflutter in his presence.
A couple of years ago, one of my book club sisters and her husband were celebrating a big anniversary. They invited a small group of friends to see Huey Lewis at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga. He and his band sounded better than ever and we know for certain that the heart of rock and roll is still beatin’.

Thanks for taking me down memory lane. I feel like I've written an entire blog post here. Sorry about monopolizing the space here.

Susan said...

Dutchbaby, sounds like you came full circle! What a great story! He just seems like he would be such a nice guy. I've never heard anything negative about him in the press. You can monopolize my space anytime you feel like it, my friend! :)