Hi Infidelity

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Hi Infidelity
File:REO Speedwagon Hi Infidelity CD cover.JPG
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 21, 1980 (1980-11-21)
RecordedJune - October 1980
StudioCrystal Studios (Los Angeles, California); Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California).
Genre
Length34:55
LabelEpic
ProducerKevin Beamish, Kevin Cronin, Alan Gratzer, Gary Richrath
REO Speedwagon chronology
Nine Lives
(1979)
Hi Infidelity
(1980)
Good Trouble
(1982)
Singles from Hi Infidelity
  1. "Keep On Loving You"
    Released: November 4, 1980 (US)
  2. "Take It on the Run"
    Released: March 1981 (US) [1]
  3. "Don't Let Him Go"
    Released: May 1981 [2]
  4. "In Your Letter"
    Released: July 1981 (US) [3]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[4]
Robert ChristgauB−[5]

Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon, released on November 21, 1980 by Epic Records. The album became a big hit in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200. It went on to become the biggest-selling album of 1981, eventually being certified 10 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Of the four singles released, "Take It on the Run" went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the band got their first of two number one hits with "Keep On Loving You".

Background

The album title is a play on the term "in high fidelity," which used to appear on album covers. The album art is an illustration of this pun where an act of sexual infidelity is apparently occurring while the man is putting a record LP to play on the hi-fi stereo.

Singles

From the album six songs charted on the Billboard charts, including "Keep On Loving You" which was the band's first Number 1 hit, and "Take It on the Run", which reached No. 5 on the charts. The song "Tough Guys" uses an audio clip from the 1937 Our Gang episode "Hearts Are Thumps".[6]

"Tough Guys" was one of two songs from the album that charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart despite not being released as singles. Music critic Robert Christgau called "Tough Guys" his favorite song from the album but suggested that the line "They think they're full of fire/She thinks they're full of shit" would prevent the song from reaching the pop Top 40.[5]

Reissues

On October 25, 2004, the band recorded the songs of this album live from beginning to end for an XM Radio "Then Again Live" special.

On July 19, 2011, Sony Music re-released Hi Infidelity with bonus demo tracks for the album's 30th anniversary.[7] Demo tracks were recorded Live at Crystal Studios, Hollywood, June through August 1980.

Track listing

Original release

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Don't Let Him Go"Kevin Cronin3:47
2."Keep On Loving You"Cronin3:20
3."Follow My Heart"Tom Kelly, Gary Richrath3:50
4."In Your Letter"Richrath3:18
5."Take It on the Run"Richrath3:59
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tough Guys"Cronin3:51
2."Out of Season"Cronin, Kelly3:07
3."Shakin' It Loose"Richrath2:27
4."Someone Tonight"Bruce Hall2:42
5."I Wish You Were There"Cronin4:27

30th Anniversary edition (2011)

Disc 2: The Crystal Demos
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Someone Tonight"Hall2:49
2."Tough Guys"Cronin3:35
3."In Your Letter"Richrath4:08
4."Follow My Heart"Kelly, Richrath3:57
5."Take It on the Run"Richrath4:01
6."Don't Let Him Go"Cronin4:20
7."Keep On Loving You"Cronin3:30
8."Shakin' It Loose" (Instrumental)Richrath2:32
9."I Wish You Were There"Cronin4:58
Total length:33:54

Personnel

REO Speedwagon

  • Kevin Cronin – lead vocals (1-8, 10), rhythm guitar (1, 6, 7), acoustic guitar (2-5, 9, 10), acoustic piano (2, 10), backing vocals (2, 4, 8, 9, 10)
  • Gary Richrath – lead guitars (1, 6-10), electric guitar (2-5), guitar solo (2-5), electric 12-string guitar (4)
  • Neal Doughty – synthesizers (1, 5, 6, 7, 9), acoustic piano (4, 8) Hammond organ (2, 3, 10)
  • Bruce Hall – bass, lead vocals (9)
  • Alan Gratzer – drums, tambourine (10)

Additional personnel

  • Steve Forman – percussion (2)
  • He-Man Broken Hearts Club Choir – backing vocals (2, 4, 10)
  • Tom Kelly – backing vocals (2, 4, 8, 10)
  • Richard Page – backing vocals (2, 4, 10)
  • N Yolletta - backing vocals (4)

Production

  • Kevin Beamish – producer, engineer
  • Kevin Cronin – producer, arrangements, lyrical assistance (5, 8)
  • Gary Richrath – producer
  • Alan Gratzer – co-producer
  • Tom Cummings – assistant engineer
  • Jeff Eccles – assistant engineer
  • Kent Duncan – mastering at Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California).
  • Aaron Rapoport – photography
  • John Kosh – art direction, design
  • Bobby Gordon – lighting design
  • John Baruck – management
  • Al Quaglieri – reissue producer
  • Joseph M. Palmaccio – remastering
  • Laura Grover – remastering supervisor

Charts

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[21] 5× Platinum 500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[22] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[23] Diamond 10,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Label Format Catalog #
USA November 21, 1980 Epic Records Stereo Vinyl FE 36844
USA November 21, 1980 Epic Records Tape FET 36844
USA 1980 Epic Records 8 TRK E36844
USA 1985 Epic Records CD EK 36884
USA 2000 Epic Records/Legacy Recordings CD (Remaster) EK 61614
USA 2011 Epic Records/Legacy Recordings CD (30th Anniversary 2 Discs) 88697695792
Japan 2011 Sony Music CD (DSD-Remaster) EICP 1223

Notes

  1. ^ "REO speedwagon singles".
  2. ^ "REO speedwagon singles".
  3. ^ "REO speedwagon singles".
  4. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. REO Speedwagon: Hi Infidelity at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  6. ^ Henke, James (March 19, 1981). "REO Speedwagon's Big Breakout". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  7. ^ "REO Speedwagon's 30-Year Anniversary of Multi-Platinum #1 Breakthrough Hit Hi Infidelity". Sony Corporation of America. Tom Cording. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  8. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 250. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ^ "Results – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  10. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  11. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  12. ^ "Charts.nz – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  13. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  14. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  15. ^ "REO Speedwagon | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  16. ^ "REO Speedwagon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  17. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  18. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  19. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  20. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  21. ^ "Canadian album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Music Canada.
  22. ^ "British album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infedility". British Phonographic Industry.
  23. ^ "American album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Recording Industry Association of America.