The HDH Sound Vs. Bily Ocean

[nathanj06]

Two of the greatest Billy Ocean singles from his early days were, "Love Really Hurts Without You" and "Red Light Spells Danger". They clearly were Motown influenced. Does any one know of a connection for the inspiration there? Sorry, I misspelled *Billy.

[danman869]

Those are two songs that DO capture the flavor of the Motown Sound. I don't know how popular they were here in the US, but I will say that I would've welcomed them more than the much more popular [[but ultimately crappy, IMO) attempts at capturing that flavor of the Motown Sound. [[Yes, I'm looking at YOU--among others--Phil Collins...)

[marv2]

Those are two songs that DO capture the flavor of the Motown Sound. I don't know how popular they were here in the US, but I will say that I would've welcomed them more than the much more popular [[but ultimately crappy, IMO) attempts at capturing that flavor of the Motown Sound. [[Yes, I'm looking at YOU--among others--Phil Collins...)

Although I am familiar with Billy Ocean's "Love Really Hurts Without You" because I use to hear it on Canadian radio when it was new, those songs are not real familiar to most Americans.

[marv2]

Great song here. It was first time I had heard Billy Ocean in 1976. He was the Supremes opening act at Mary Wilson's farewell show in London in 1977.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbmOEEWLtqE

[Boogiedown]

Billy wrote this song many years earlier and admits it patterns The Four Tops SUGAR PIE HONEY BUNCH. [[wiki) It was a medium hit in the US reaching #22 on Billboard's Hot 100. [[#16 Cashbox)

Interestingly , it placed not at all on the soul chart , the attention there going instead to this quickly produced American knock off that reached #65 R&B :


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDrpUisH04Q

[nathanj06]

I never heard of that Alex Brown version but Billy Ocean is still far more superior. Interesting stats on both songs:

Love Really Hurts Without You, #22 U.S. [[as mentioned), did not chart R&B, and #2 U.K.
Red Light Spells Danger, did not chart in U.S. but also reached #2 U.K.

Even though his 80s records were hugely successful, I still play these two songs regularly. I didn't discover "Red Light" until the early 2000s. I thought, how did I miss that one??? I did buy "Love Hurts" as soon as I heard it. Both fantastic records from one of the best voices in the business. :D

Thanks for your input guys.

[TomatoTom123]

I have always loved "Love Really Hurts Without You"!! Once saw it described as the best Motown song that never was a Motown song. :D "Red Light" I like too. :)

[marv2]

I have always loved "Love Really Hurts Without You"!! Once saw it described as the best Motown song that never was a Motown song. :D "Red Light" I like too. :)

I would say that about Maxine Nightingale's "Right Back Where We Started From" that was released in the same period as Billy Ocean's record.