War Babies (Hall & Oates album)

For other uses, see War baby (disambiguation).

Untitled

War Babies is the third studio album by Hall & Oates, released in 1974, and their last of three albums for Atlantic Records before moving to RCA Records. The album was produced by Todd Rundgren. Rundgren and other members of Utopia, his then-recently-formed prog-rock band, perform on the record.

The album was a radical departure from the previous two albums, alienating fans of the blue-eyed soul material that dominated the albums. War Babies is a more rock-oriented LP with heavy keyboard work and sarcastic lyrical content. War Babies would be their first charting album, reaching #86 on the Billboard 200.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

Track listing

Side One

1. "Can't Stop the Music (He Played It Much Too Long)" (Oates) - 2:50
2. "Is It a Star" (Hall, Oates) - 4:41
3. "Beanie G and the Rose Tattoo" (Hall) - 3:01
4. "You're Much Too Soon" (Hall) - 4:08
5. "70's Scenario" (Hall) - 4:00

Side Two

1. "War Baby Son of Zorro" (Hall) -4:10
2. "I'm Watching You (A Mutant Romance)" (Hall) - 4:27
3. "Better Watch Your Back" (Hall) - 4:15
4. "Screaming Through December" (Hall) - 6:35
5. "Johnny Gore and the "C" Eaters" (Hall, Oates) - 5:18

Personnel

• Daryl Hall - lead vocals (3-10), backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, guitar, mandolin, vibraphone
• John Oates - backing vocals, lead vocals (1, 2), keyboards, synthesizers, guitar
• Todd Rundgren - lead guitar, background vocals
• Richie Cerniglia - lead guitar on "Is It a Star"
• "Admiral Television" - "soloist" [presumably TV-broadcast noise] on "War Baby Son of Zorro"
• Don York - keyboards, arrangements on "Is It a Star", ARP String Ensemble on "70's Scenario"
• Tommy Mottola - voice ["Erased Conelrad warning"] on "War Baby Son of Zorro"
• John Siegler - bass
• John "Willie" Wilcox [credited as "John G. Wilcox"] - drums
• Sandy Allen - background vocals on "War Baby Son of Zorro" and "Johnny Gore and the "C" Eaters"
• Gail Boggs - background vocals on "War Baby Son of Zorro" and "Johnny Gore and the "C" Eaters"
• Hello People - background vocals on "Johnny Gore and the "C" Eaters"

Production

• Produced and Engineered by Todd Rundgren
• Assistant Engineer: David Lesage
• Mastered by Jean Ristori at Sterling Sound (New York City, New York)
• Art Direction: Bob Defrin
• Artwork: Peter Palombi
• Photography: David Gahr and Armin Kachaturian
• Musical Assistance: David LaSage and Gene Perla