My Introduction to Rock: Rick Springfield

Rick Springfield may not have been the 80s icon that Madonna or Prince was - after all he did need no go by more than one name. But that was okay. His breakout album actually came in '81, Working Class Dog -- you know the album with "Jesse's Girl" that had every girl between 11 and 50 wishing they were "Rick's girl? I had listened to popular music before, being the youngest in a large family, but Rick Springfield was that first celebrity crush that was plastered on my walls, and his was the first concert I ever went to, when I was 13, and if I recall correctly, he was promoting Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet.

Like any follow up, "Success" was a test to whether or not Springfield was a one album wonder. He responded with the album that gave us hits like "Don't talk to Strangers", and "What Kind of Fool Am I?" -- although my favorites at the time was his remake of "Black Is Black" and the song dedicated to his father, "April 24, 1981" In any case, the album went Multi-Platinum, proving "Success" was just that .

But Rick Springfield was more than a pretty face. The sound itself was very mid-ranged rock of the time. Not too hard not to soft, which gave him widespread appeal. The songs reflected a "have fun and play" attitude. There was nothing there to raise social consciousness or convince anyone to change the world. But stil it was enough to earn him a Grammy and an American Music Award. Rick Springfield could've been bigger than he was, had he consistently pushed his music, but he periodically took time off for his family. Yet he hasn't stopped, and in 2008 he recorded his latest album, Venus in Overdrive.

Here's the full track listing of Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet

1. Calling All Girls
2. I Get Excited
3. What Kind of Fool Am I?
4. Kristina
5. Tonight
6. Black Is Black
7. Don't Talk to Strangers
8. How Do You Talk to Girls
9. Still Crazy for You
10. American Girl
11. Just One Kiss
12. April 24, 1981

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