One On One – Daryl Hall & John Oates | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#7) and Adult Contemporary (#4); 1983
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
Before Hall and Oates became, well, “Hall & Oates,” Daryl Hall had shown off his fine falsetto with the Temptones, while John Oates showcased his rich baritone as a member of the Masters.
Legend has it that the two Temple University students bumped into each other, literally, while running from a record hop fight. They performed together briefly, then went their separate ways.
Hall recorded with Gulliver in 1969, the same year he reunited with Oates. The blue-eyed soul duo released three albums on Atlantic Records which yielded no hit singles until She’s Gone went to #7 after they had switched to RCA and scored with Sara Smile (#4; 1976).
Despite releasing a string of fine 45’s H&O managed only two Top 10 hits in four years – Rich Girl in 1977 and Kiss On My List in 1981 – both #1 smashes. Kiss sparked a string of six straight funky hits before Hall & Oates slowed down the tempo and turned up the he-and-she heat on One On One.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Daryl Hall
- John Oates
Lyrics Written by:
- Daryl Hall
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).