Say It Isn't So (Hall & Oates song)

"Say It Isn't So"
"Say It Isn't So"
Single by Daryl Hall & John Oates
from the album Rock 'n Soul Part 1
B-side	"Kiss on My List"
Released	October 1983
Recorded	September 1983 at Electric Lady Studios in New York City
Genre	Pop rock, blue-eyed soul
Length	4:17 (album version); 3:56 (7" version); 6:45 (special extended mix); 5:15 (video version)
Label	RCA Records
Songwriter(s)	Daryl Hall
Producer(s)	Daryl Hall, John Oates, Bob Clearmountain
Daryl Hall & John Oates singles chronology
Music video
	"Say It Isn't So" on YouTube

"Say It Isn't So" is a song performed by American pop rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, and written by Daryl Hall. It was released by RCA Records in October 1983 as the first of two new singles from their compilation album Rock 'n Soul Part 1, released that same year (see 1983 in music). The song was remixed as a "special extended dance mix" by John "Jellybean" Benitez, which topped Billboard magazine's Hot Dance Club Play chart.^[2] The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, behind coincidentally "Say Say Say" by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson.

Composition and recording

"Say It Isn't So" was written by Daryl Hall during the duo's supporting tour for H₂O. It was the first of two new songs recorded during the sessions for Rock 'n Soul Part 1. The sessions took place in September 1983 at Electric Lady Studio A in New York City. The song was produced by Daryl Hall and John Oates, with recording by Bob Clearmountain, who co-produced the recordings. The backing musicians on the song were bassist Tom "T-Bone" Wolk, saxophonist Charles DeChant, guitarist G. E. Smith, drummer Mickey Curry, and percussionist Jimmy Bralower. The song's arrangement was developed in the studio with backing vocals inspired by the Flamingos' version of "I Only Have Eyes for You" and a problem with a break in the song solved by Jimmy Bralower.^[1]

Reception

Cash Box called it "a derivative and decidedly Motown-inflected outing" that is "more vital than nostalgic."^[3]

Music videos

There were two versions of the video. The first version was once aired on MTV as part of the duo's special titled The Greatest & The Latest. The second version, which was on heavy rotation during the channel's heyday, was filmed on location in New York City.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Chart (1983–1984)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)^[4]	24
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[5]	18
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[6]	18
UK Singles (OCC)^[7]	69
US Billboard Hot 100^[8]	2
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)^[9]	8
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)^[10]	1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[11]	45
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[12]	18
US Cash Box Top 100	3
US Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay Chart^[13]	2

Year-end charts

Year-end chart (1984)	Rank
US Top Pop Singles (Billboard)^[14]	22

Track listings

7" 45 RPM

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Say It Isn't So"	Daryl Hall	3:56

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kiss on My List"	Hall, Janna Allen	3:48

12" 33⅓ RPM

Side A
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Say It Isn't So" (Special Extended Dance Mix)	Hall	6:45

Side B
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Say It Isn't So" (Dub version)	Hall	4:47
2.	"Kiss on My List"	Hall, Allen	4:24

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Wolk, Tom "T-Bone" (2006) [1983]. "The Rock 'n Soul Part 1 Sessions". Rock 'n Soul Part 1 (CD liner). Daryl Hall & John Oates. RCA Records/Legacy Recordings. 82876753972.
^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7.
^ "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 22, 1983. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-20.
^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4382." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
^ "Daryl Hall & John Oates – Say It Isn't So". Top 40 Singles.
^ "Daryl Hall & John Oates: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
^ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
^ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
^ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
^ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
^ "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2017.
^ "Hall + Oates".
^ "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.

[notes-1] Wolk, Tom "T-Bone" (2006) [1983]. "The Rock 'n Soul Part 1 Sessions". Rock 'n Soul Part 1 (CD liner). Daryl Hall & John Oates. RCA Records/Legacy Recordings. 82876753972.

[Dance-2] Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco 1974–2003. Record Research. p. 116. ISBN 978-0-89820-156-7.

[3] "Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. October 22, 1983. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-07-20.

[auchart-4] Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

[sc_Canadatopsingles_Daryl_Hall_&_John_Oates-5] "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4382." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved September 21, 2019.

[sc_New_Zealand_Daryl_Hall_&_John_Oates-6] "Daryl Hall & John Oates – Say It Isn't So". Top 40 Singles.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Daryl_Hall_&_John_Oates-7] "Daryl Hall & John Oates: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 3, 2017.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Daryl_Hall_John_Oates-8] "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2017.

[sc_Billboardadultcontemporary_Daryl_Hall_John_Oates-9] "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2017.

[sc_Billboarddanceclubplay_Daryl_Hall_John_Oates-10] "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Daryl_Hall_John_Oates-11] "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2017.

[sc_Billboardmainstreamrock_Daryl_Hall_John_Oates-12] "Daryl Hall John Oates Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2017.

[13] "Hall + Oates".

[14] "Talent Almanac 1985: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 51. December 22, 1984. p. TA-19.

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v t e Hall & Oates
Daryl Hall John Oates
Studio albums	Whole Oats (1972) Abandoned Luncheonette (1973) War Babies (1974) Daryl Hall & John Oates (1975) Bigger Than Both of Us (1976) Beauty on a Back Street (1977) Along the Red Ledge (1978) X-Static (1979) Voices (1980) Private Eyes (1981) H₂O (1982) Big Bam Boom (1984) Ooh Yeah! (1988) Change of Season (1990) Marigold Sky (1997) Do It for Love (2003) Our Kind of Soul (2004) Home for Christmas (2006)
Live albums	Livetime (1978) Live at the Apollo (1985) Greatest Hits Live (2001)
Compilation albums	No Goodbyes (1977) Rock 'n Soul Part 1 (1983) Looking Back – The Best of Daryl Hall + John Oates (1991) The Atlantic Collection (1996) The Very Best of Daryl Hall & John Oates (2001) VH1 Behind the Music: The Daryl Hall and John Oates Collection (2002) Ultimate Daryl Hall + John Oates (2004) The Singles (2008)
Singles	"She's Gone" (1974) "Alone Too Long" (1975) "Sara Smile" (1976) "Rich Girl" (1977) "Wait for Me" (1979) "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (1980) "Kiss on My List" (1981) "You Make My Dreams" (1981) "Private Eyes" (1981) "I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)" (1981) "Did It in a Minute" (1982) "Maneater" (1982) "One on One" (1983) "Family Man" (1983) "Jingle Bell Rock" (1983) "Say It Isn't So" (1983) "Adult Education" (1984) "Out of Touch" (1984) "Method of Modern Love" (1985) "A Nite at the Apollo Live! The Way You Do the Things You Do/My Girl" (live) (1985) "Everything Your Heart Desires" (1988) "Love Train" (1989) "So Close" (1990) "Starting All Over Again" (1991) "Do It for Love" (2002) "Someday We'll Know" (2003) "Getaway Car" (2003) "I'll Be Around" (2004) "Without You" (2004) "I Can Dream About You" (2005) "Ooh Child" (2005) "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" (2006)
Other songs	"Everytime You Go Away" (1980)
Hall solo albums	Sacred Songs (1980) Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine (1986) Soul Alone (1993) Can't Stop Dreaming (1996) Laughing Down Crying (2011) BeforeAfter (2022)
Oates solo albums	Phunk Shui (2002) Arkansas (2018)
Related articles	Discography Interpreting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates Live from Daryl's House HoagieNation Sara Allen Janna Allen