His mother played songs by Frank Sinatra to him as a child, and he later became a fan of Motown and other R&B/soul music. He took piano lessons as a child, but he did not like them. He would skip the lessons and ride his bicycle across the bridge from his grandfather's farm over to the heart of the black "Chicken Hill" ghetto, where he could just listen and absorb the music.
In the 1960s, Hall attended Temple University, but did not graduate, preferring instead to spend his time singing on the street corners and play with various musicians and groups. At that time, Daryl Hohl (as he was called then) sang backup for different bands. He eventually changed his last name to Hall. Daryl Hall idolized the Temptations and began to perform session work as a singer. He first met John Oates at a band competition.
After John transferred to a different school, Daryl joined the band Gulliver, which released one eponymous album in 1969 before being dropped from their label.
Daryl is the host of the wildly popular online show entitled "Live From Daryl's House", where Daryl and the band collaborate with artists from various musical genres on the 15th of each month. The first episode aired in 2007, and it's still going strong. Best of all, it's free to watch.
Why Was It So Easy
Daryl Hall Lyrics
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The light from your star is glowing
Yeah, I see you in the magazine
Your face seems older now, more knowing
But I prefer a woman to a teenage queen
The wine and the confusion
It's your game and you play it so cool
In your hotel room
German eyes, blonde disguise
Never really knew who I was talking to
But if you're supposed to be such a mystery
Why was it so easy for me to be with you
Why was it so easy for me to be with you
Too much time has come between us
And the sad words that I hear you say
Must mean you don't hold me inside you
But I guess it couldn't go any other way
That night is so far behind us
The words are changed and so is the time
I only hope that you think of me
In a hotel room
Oh those eyes, blonde disguise
Never really knew who I was talking to
But if you're supposed to be such a mystery
Why was it so easy for me to be with you
Why was it so easy for me to be with you
In Daryl Hall's "Why Was It So Easy," the singer reflects on a past sexual encounter with an enigmatic woman whom he met under mysterious circumstances. The lyrics paint a picture of a fleeting romance that took place in a hotel room, fueled by wine and confusion. The woman, whom Daryl describes as having "German eyes" and a "blonde disguise," remains a mystery to him even now, but their connection was so intense that he finds himself still thinking about her.
Throughout the song, Daryl juxtaposes the woman's beauty and allure with his desire for something more substantial - a "woman, not a teenage queen." He acknowledges that their time together has passed, and even though the woman's feelings towards him have changed, he still holds onto the memory of that night.
The song is full of contradictions: the woman is both alluring and mysterious, but also a bit sad and jaded. Daryl is both entranced by her beauty and yearning for something more meaningful. The hotel room symbolizes both the intimacy of their connection and the transience of their encounter.
Overall, "Why Was It So Easy" is a bittersweet reflection on a past romance that was both exhilarating and ultimately unfulfilling.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DARYL HALL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
bricebu
Omanko Mitai
I agree that not everyone likes working under Todd The Producer (XTC didn't, but the collaboration yielded a great album anyway) but to say that Rundgren "tried to be successful and failed, because he's limited" is just silly, and can be translated as "I don't know shit about Todd Rundgren".
Todd has more range as a creative artist than any five run-of-the-mill rock stars combined. His 40-something years in the business is no fluke. He has also produced a good number of commercially, artistically and critically successful albums, such as Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band", Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell", XTC's "Skylarking" and the groundbreaking debut by The New York Dolls.
As for "War Babies", the problem was not that Rundgren tried to "make H+O commercial", it's that he pushed the album in the direction of edgy, futuristic rock, and away from the blue-eyed soul and urban folk-rock that dominated their first two records. Note that the H+O album which followed "War Babies" marked a return to the more pop-oriented styles they were known for, and coughed up a single that would have been bizarrely out of place on the progressive "War Babies": the classic "Sara Smile", which was H+O's first Top Ten single.
I certainly agree that H+O made it on their own merit. No question about that.
As for Todd being "a kind of a creep," I wouldn't know. Maybe so. He surely did a great thing for Bebe Buell and her daughter, Liv Tyler. But that's another story. :-)
Dendroica sialix
Daryl Hall is one of the greatest gifts to this planet...saw him live twice....this album needs to be appreciated...I personally think it's his masterpiece, from a very deep catalogue at that...keep singing, songbird!!!!
Evie
agree agree agree!!!
Carlos Calderon
Agree! From chile.
Diva in the Woods
Beautiful song! I have to admit I just stumbled here after finding a track of his from '64 on The Boys of Philly LP.
I first became a fan of his with Hall & Oates. Then became a lover of his craft and talent some years later with his smooth jazz tracks. I honestly had no idea he'd been a musician since before I was born (and I'm old LOL). He is so incredibly gifted. His soulful sound can make a bad day disappear. What a great find...thanks for sharing! Now I'm off to find other songs of his I've never heard!!
Darth Raider
Daryl's best solo album that never got the respect it deserved.
nick freeman
Rediscovered this after many years - was a revelation when I heard the album in the late '70's. Big H & O fan for their soul style but always loved Fripp's amazing talent from the days of King Crimson. What a stunning combination. Fantastic!!
MDL's Railfan Window Views
Ah...memories of '79. I loved this album. Bought it mainly because Fripp was on it, but it really showcased Hall's true talents. Much better as a solo artist than with Oates.
Melba Palmero
Beautiful song!!! I love it!!! I love Daryl Hall's music!!!!
Brice Buchanan
I'd say that Hall at his best is just about as good as Rundgren at his best - which is saying something. Those two guys share a lot of influences, a commonality which is sometimes very audible in their music.
It's great to read the comments on this video and know there are still Hall fans -- no, Hall appreciators walking among us. ;-)
I agree that some Hall & Oates can easily compete with Hall's best solo stuff, and not just because of "Luncheonette" ;-) Surely I am not the only one who remembers "You Must Be Good For Something", "Bad Habits and Infections", and "Winged Bull" from the H&O album "Beauty On A Back Street"?
thomas mark
as a life-long Rundgren fan I would agree this guy writes with the same quality and integrity as Todd, although he went more for the commercial side or played the game better than Todd. Grats on Daryl getting in to the RRHOF.