Knee Deep in the Hoopla | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 10, 1985 | |||
Recorded | 1984−1985 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | AOR, pop rock | |||
Length | 40:28 | |||
Label | Grunt/ RCA | |||
Producer |
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Starship chronology | ||||
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Singles from Knee Deep in the Hoopla | ||||
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Knee Deep in the Hoopla is the debut studio album by American AOR band Starship, the succeeding musical project to Jefferson Starship. It was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.
Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits " We Built This City" and " Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" (No. 26 US Hot 100) and "Before I Go" (No. 68 US Hot 100).
AllMusic retrospectively described Knee Deep in the Hoopla as the Jefferson Airplane/ Jefferson Starship/Starship project's "most overtly commercial effort to date". [3]
The track "Desperate Heart", written by Michael Bolton and Randy Goodrum, also appears on Bolton's album Everybody's Crazy, released the same year. Two songs sung by Grace Slick were recorded for but left off the album: Slick's own "Do You Remember Me?" (released on The Best of Grace Slick) and the Peter Wolf–Jeremy Smith composition "Casualty" (included as a bonus track on the 1999 remaster). Jeannette and Pete Sears wrote a song for the album called "One More Innocent", but it was rejected for its political lyrics. [4]
Cash Box said of the track "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" that "Mickey Thomas’ sensational lead vocal keeps this cut aloft with exhilerating sonic flight" and that "It slices like a double bladed sword, and backed by searing rock guitars and a churning rhythm." [5] Billboard called that song "exemplary American AOR of the '80s, interrupted only by an ethereal bridge." [6]
Knee Deep in the Hoopla was released on September 10, 1985, through record label Grunt.
Four singles were released from the album: the No. 1 hits " We Built This City" and " Sara", "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" and "Before I Go".
The album was certified platinum by the RIAA.
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [3] |
People | negative [7] |
Knee Deep in the Hoopla received a negative response from professional music critics.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | " We Built This City" | Bernie Taupin, Martin Page, Dennis Lambert, Peter Wolf | 4:53 |
2. | " Sara" | Ina Wolf, P. Wolf | 4:52 |
3. | "Tomorrow Doesn't Matter Tonight" | Steven Cristol, Robin Randall | 3:41 |
4. | "Rock Myself to Sleep" | Kimberley Rew, Vince De la Cruz | 3:24 |
5. | "Desperate Heart" | Randy Goodrum, Michael Bolton | 4:04 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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6. | "Private Room" | Craig Chaquico, Mickey Thomas | 4:51 |
7. | "Before I Go" | David Roberts | 5:30 |
8. | "Hearts of the World (Will Understand)" | Stephen Broughton Lunt, Arthur Stead | 4:21 |
9. | "Love Rusts" | Taupin, Page | 4:57 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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10. | "Casualty" | P. Wolf, Jeremy Smith | 4:34 |
Per liner notes [8]
Additional personnel
Love Rusts backing vocals
Production
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Canada ( Music Canada) [19] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United States ( RIAA) [20] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |