The Outfield - One-Hit Wonders Who Deserved Better

Official Music Video for "Your Love":

"Josie's on a vacation far away, 

come around and talk it over,

so many things that I wanna' say, 

you know I like my girls a little bit older. 

I just wanna' use your love tonight,

I don't wanna' lose your love tonight..." 

How many of you just "sang-read" those lyrics right there? If you did, then you're one of countless others who fondly (or maybe not so fondly) remember those signature opening lines of the song "Your Love" by "one-hit wonders", The Outfield. If you didn't, click play on the video above and I'm sure you will rememer too!

Despite their baseball oriented band name and debut album name, Play Deep, they are not an American band, but are in fact from London, England. What further makes listeners think they're American is because that is where they had their sole commercial success. The album did not chart in the U.K., but reached #9 in the U.S., with "Your Love" hitting #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in '85.

And although the three other singles from the album also managed to chart ("Say It Isn't So", "All The Love", and "Everytime You Cry")- All but "Your Love" faded into obscurity, and left the band known for only that song. Even at the time of its release, very few people would have known any other song off the album. So with this post, it is my goal to give the Outfield the praise they deserve, as I believe Play Deep is a damn perfect record, and have played the entire thing to death since I first heard it. Thus begins a new ongoing segment on my blog which I like to call "One-Hit Wonders Who Deserved Better"!

Album cover for The Outfield's debut record, Play Deep, released in 1985.

While the Outfield did release several albums after Play Deep, my goal for this post is really only to discuss that first album, because I do feel the later releases pale in comparison. Play Deep is a mix of so many different genres and vibes, the songs on it could find themselves on anything from an 80's rock, new wave, or pop playlist. There is definitely that classic 80's "stadium rock" vibe, with powerful vocals, catchy lyrics, and room-filling, melodic guitar and pounding drums throughout. But, there is also a (certainly more subtle) new wave sound, on tracks like the little-known  "61 Seconds". 

This hidden gem also happens to be my favorite on the record (along with "Say It Isn't So"), because it is one of the more mellow, and melancholic songs on Play Deep. And while the lyrics don't seem to make much sense, one could either blame it on poor songwriting, or on being deliberately artistic. I'm inclined to believe it's the latter. "61 Seconds" lyrics seems to be talking about just how quickly time seems to pass, and how easy it is to become late, or just become so lost you don't even know what time or day it is. To me it is saying that the "9 to 5 man" feels like his entire life is working, and has no identity outside of work. Pretty deep for a "pop" album! And something many of us can relate to. You can listen to it below.

And now for something entirely more poppy- "Say It Isn't So" should have been just as big of a hit as "Your Love"! It opens the album and sets the tone for what is to come. Although it's lyrics take on the opposite perspective of that in "Your Love", in that it is about hearing that your lover is cheating on you, and needing them to tell you it isn't true. It still has that booming, powerful delivery all around, vocally and instrumentally, that fills the room and beyond of wherever you're listening. It has just as anthemic a feel to it as other 80's classics, but fell short of most listeners attention spans, with "Your Love" hogging the spotlight. You can determine its pop-power for yourself, by listening and watching the official music video below~

For the record, this is not a "Your Love" hate post! I do enjoy the song, and think it deserves the airplay it has gotten. This is just to say that the rest of the songs on the album it comes from are just as good in their own ways, and deserved more attention back in the day, and now. So do your 80's-pop loving self a favor and check out all of what Play Deep has to offer. There are a slew of anthemic, stadium pop-rock tracks that are bound to make you want to turn the volume up, and roll the windows down. And at the same time, there are plenty of more low-key, thoughtful songs that will make you rethink your initial opinions on the depth that the Outfield can create. Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more "One-Hit Wonders Who Deserved Better" in future posts!