50 Daryl Hall & John Oates Songs You Better Have…Or Else
“Private Eyes”
(1981; #1 pop)
Writer: Daryl Hall, John Oates, Sara Allen, Janna Allen, Warren Pash
Producer: Daryl Hall, John Oates, Neil Kernon
from the album Private Eyes
Perfect from beginning to end, “Private Eyes” is the epitome of a timeless pop song. Using a smart dose snarky lyricism (thanks to Sara Allen’s contributions), trendy production values and a smart dose of accessible rock n’ roll, this gold-certified hit seems to sum up the best of the Eighties with every careful listen. To some, the comparisons to “Kiss on My List” were visibly apparent. Separating the two were the contagious hand claps that immediately followed the chorus chants: “Private eyes (clap), they’re watching you (clap, clap)/They see your every move.” Thanks to the silly music video of the band dressed as detectives, the song rocketed to number one in the fall of 1981 and maintained the spot for two weeks straight.
