info.txt
Sports
Studio album by Huey Lewis and the News
Released September 15, 1983
Recorded Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California;
The Plant Studios, Sausalito, California
Genre Rock
Length 37:46
Label Chrysalis
Producer Huey Lewis and the News
Professional reviews
* Allmusic 4.5/5 stars link
* Robert Christgau (B+) link
* The Daily Vault (A-) link
* Rhapsody (favorable) link
* Rolling Stone 2/5 stars 1984
* Rolling Stone 3/5 stars 2004
* Yahoo! Music (unfavorable) link
1. "Heart and Soul"
Released: 1983
2. "I Want a New Drug"
Released: 1984
3. "The Heart of Rock & Roll"
Released: 1984
4. "If This Is It"
Released: 1984
5. "Walking on a Thin Line"
Released: 1984
Sports is the third album by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1983 (see 1983 in music). This was the album that truly made the band famous, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 on June 30, 1984, and making the band internationally known. The album has been certified 7x Platinum by the RIAA. Sports was ranked number 2 on Billboard's 1984 year-end album chart, after Michael Jackson's Thriller, and spawned four top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and a fifth that went top 20. It also did very well internationally, with most of its singles reaching chart peaks in various countries.
The album's biggest hit, "I Want a New Drug", was certified gold with sales of 500,000 copies in 1989, and was also the center of a lawsuit against artist Ray Parker Jr. who was accused of plagiarizing the song for his 1984 hit "Ghostbusters". The case was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
Another single, "The Heart of Rock & Roll", a top 10 hit for the group, was later ranked at #6 in Blender magazine's list of the "50 Worst Songs Ever", with its worst moment coming in "the second verse, when that cheeky Huey almost uses the word 'ass'".
Track Listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "The Heart of Rock & Roll" Johnny Colla, Huey Lewis 5:03
2. "Heart and Soul" Mike Chapman, Nicky Chinn 4:13
3. "Bad Is Bad" Alex Call, John Ciambotti, Sean Hopper, H. Lewis, John McFee, Schriener 3:48
4. "I Want a New Drug" Chris Hayes, H. Lewis 4:46
5. "Walking on a Thin Line" Andre Pessis, Kevin Wells 5:11
6. "Finally Found a Home" B. Brown, C. Hayes, H. Lewis 3:43
7. "If This Is It" J. Colla, H. Lewis 3:54
8. "You Crack Me Up" Mario Cipollina, H. Lewis 3:42
9. "Honky Tonk Blues" Hank Williams 3:26
Personnel
* Huey Lewis - harmonica, lead vocals
* Mario Cipollina - bass, backing vocals
* Johnny Colla - guitar, saxophone, backing vocals
* Bill Gibson - percussion, drums, backing vocals
* Chris Hayes - guitar, backing vocals
* Sean Hopper - keyboard, backing vocals
Additional Personnel
* John McFee - pedal steel, steel guitar
Production
* Producers: Huey Lewis & the News
* Reissue producer: Kevin Flaherty
* Engineers: Jim Gaines, Jeffrey Norman, Jesse Osborne
* Assistant engineers: Jeffrey Norman, Jesse Osborne
* Mixing: Larry Alexander, Bob Clearmountain
* Mastering: Ted Jensen
* Remastering: Bob Norberg
* Compilation: Kevin Flaherty
* Art direction: Sam Gay, Lisa Glines
* Graphic design: Bunny Zaruba
* Design: Bunny Zaruba
* Cover Photo: 2am Club in Mill Valley
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