Side one begins with "Better Off Dead", a rousing rocker that gets your foot tapping right way. The track features a number of solos: saxophone, piano and guitar - all fitting for this jam session number. It a solid album opener.
"Passion", the lead single, hit number 17 in the UK, number 13 in Germany, number 7 in New Zealand, number 6 in Ireland, number 5 in the Netherlands and Sweden and on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number 4 in Switzerland. Back in 1980, this song was all over the radio which prompted me to pick up the 45. The instrumental opening sets the song's slinky, sexual mood - perfect for listening to with headphones on in a darkened room (which I did often as a high school teenager).
The bluesy, murderous title track is next. The reoccurring guitar riff on "Foolish Behaviour" reminds me of T-Rex's "Bang a Gong (Get It On)".
"So Soon We Change" changes things up musically yet again. This one has a tropical, Jamaican vibe to it.
The mid-tempo "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" stopped at number 74 on the German charts but went all the way to number 4 in Sweden. The lyrics tells of a guy working far away who is missing the woman he loves.
Side two opens with the mid-tempo rocker "Gi' Me Wings", which flew to number 45 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
Time to slow things down with a swaying ballad. The second single "My Girl" peaked at number 42 in New Zealand, number 41 in the Netherlands, number 32 in the UK, and number 21 in Ireland.
The energy kicks back up with "She Won't Dance With Me", another very fun tune that was smack-dab in the middle of Stewart's rocker wheelhouse.
"Somebody Special", another slower ballad, stalled at number 71 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
The original vinyl release ended with "Say It Ain't True", another gentle ballad. Here, a guy pours out his soul to his cheating lover.
The German cassette version of the album included an eleventh track, a live cut entitled "I Just Wanna Make Love to You".
I picked up a copy of Foolish Behaviour a number of years back, as part of a five Rod Stewart CD offering for around twenty dollars. Since I owned only a greatest hits disk prior to this, the deal worked for me. Given how much I enjoyed the whole record once I heard it, it definitely would have been one that would have gotten a lot of play on my turntable back in the 80's.
For more from Rod Stewart, click here.
My Dad had three Rod Stewart 8-tracks that I can remember seeing and listening to:
ReplyDeleteEvery Picture Tells A Story
Foot Loose & Fancy Free
Blondes Have More Fun
"Hot Legs" was his favorite Rod Stewart song until the unplugged version of "Have I Told You Lately" came out in 1993
I bought or received for Christmas 1979's Greatest Hits album and then picked up Foolish Behaviour, Tonight I'm Yours, Body Wishes and Camouflage in what seemed like quick succession but was really over the five years from 1980-1984.
"Passion" has always been a huge favorite of mine - have it on 45 and promo twelve inch. Your comment about the song being perfect for headphone listening is spot on and I also like to listen to it as part of a night driving playlist in the Blueberry.