Hard to Hold

Hard to Hold is the eighth studio album by Rick Springfield released on 23 July 1984, by RCA Records as the soundtrack to the film of the same name. The album includes the U.S. Top 5 hit "Love Somebody", Top 40 hits "Don't Walk Away" and "Bop 'Til You Drop", plus minor hit "Taxi Dancing" (a duet with Randy Crawford). In addition to Springfield appearing on the soundtrack, there are three tracks from other artists; "When The Lights Go Down" by Graham Parker, "Heart Of A Woman" by Nona Hendryx, and a live version of "I Go Swimming" by Peter Gabriel. The album was later remastered by Steve Hoffman for the Razor and Tie reissue label.

For the film by the same name, see Hard to Hold (film).

Hard to Hold
Soundtrack album by
Rick Springfield
Released23 July 1984
GenreRock, power pop[1]
Length35:29
LabelRCA
ProducerRick Springfield, Bill Drescher, Graham Parker, Harvey Goldberg, Tom Scott, Peter Gabriel, Peter Walsh
Rick Springfield chronology
Living in Oz
(1983)		 Hard to Hold
(1984)		 Beautiful Feelings
(1984)
Singles from Hard to Hold
  1. "Love Somebody"
    Released: February 1984
  2. "Don't Walk Away"
    Released: May 1984
  3. "Bop 'Til You Drop"
    Released: August 1984
  4. "Taxi Dancing"
    Released: August 1984

Reception

From contemporary reviews, Ken Tucker of The Philadelphia Inquirer gave the album three out of five star rating, noting that "Love Somebody" was Springfrield's "best pop-rocker since "Jessie's Girl" and the filler songs on the album include good songs by Graham Parker and Peter Gabriel.[2] Tucker concluded that the album was "one of the few soundtrack albums that doesn't cheat its listeners."[2]

Cash Box said that the second single "Don't Walk Away" has "a more heavy metal tinge...than on 'Love Somebody' and Springfield’s hard rock sensibilities come into full flower with a high-energy sound that gives this tune a forceful momentum."[3]

Cash Box called the third single "Bob 'Til You Drop" "an urban mover for the ’80s."[4]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."Love Somebody"Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield3:30
2."Don't Walk Away"Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield4:00
3."Bop 'Til You Drop"Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield4:16
4."Taxi Dancing" (duet with Randy Crawford)Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield3:30
5."S.F.O." (Instrumental)Rick Springfield, Tim PierceRick Springfield2:21
6."Stand Up"Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield3:06
7."When the Lights Go Down"Graham ParkerGraham Parker3:21
8."Great Lost Art of Conversation"Rick SpringfieldRick Springfield3:07
9."Heart of a Woman"Tom Scott, Candy PartonNona Hendryx3:42
10."I Go Swimming" (Live)Peter GabrielPeter Gabriel4:36
Total length:35:29

Personnel
  • Producers: Rick Springfield & Bill Drescher
  • Engineer: Bill Drescher
  • Second Engineers: Eddie Delena, Rick Polakow
  • Executive Producer: D. Constantine Conte
  • Mastered by Greg Fulginiti at Artisan Sound Recorders, Hollywood
  • CD Mastered by Steve Hoffman
  • Recorded by [Pre-production Assistance]: Jeff Silverman
  • Brett Tuggle, Richard Page, Rick Springfield, Jerry Marotta [PG], Tom Kelly - backing vocals
  • Mike Seifrit, Reggie McBride, Tony Levin [PG] - bass
  • Peter Gabriel [PG] - vocals
  • Mike Baird - drums
  • Jeff Silverman, Rick Springfield, David Rhoades [PG], Tim Pierce - guitar
  • Alan Pasqua, John Philip Shenale, Mitchell Froom, Larry Fast [PG], Rick Springfield - keyboards
  • Michael Fisher - acoustic percussion
  • Reek Havoc, Rick Springfield - electronic percussion
  • Joel Peskin - saxophone, electric woodwind

[PG] Peter Gabriel track (I Go Swimming)

Charts
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 87
Canada (Canadian Albums Chart) 29
US Top 200 Albums (Billboard) 16

Certifications
Certifications for Hard to Hold
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[6] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[7] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hard to Hold - AllMusic review". AllMusic. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
  2. Tucker, Ken (30 March 1984). "Albums". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 26. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 19 May 1984. p. 12. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  4. "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. 25 August 1984. p. 8. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 283. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Canadian album certifications – Rick Springfield – Hard to Hold". Music Canada. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  7. "American album certifications – Rick Springfield – Hard to Hold". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
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