Private Eyes, the tenth studio album by the American pop-rock duo Hall & Oates, was released on September 1, 1981, through RCA Records. The album achieved significant success, boasting two number-one singles, namely the title track “Private Eyes” and “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” along with the top-10 single “Did It in a Minute.” “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)” also held the top position on the R&B chart for a week.
Before the release of the album Voices in 1980, Daryl Hall & John Oates had already seen success with songs like “She’s Gone,” “Sara Smile,” and “Rich Girl.” However, it was their cover of the Righteous Brothers’ classic “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” on the Voices album that brought them back to major mainstream success. The subsequent release from Voices, “Kiss on My List,” became their first number-one single in four years early in 1981.
During the spring of 1981, while recording the follow-up album in New York City, “Kiss on My List” reached number one in three trade publications, bolstering their determination to continue building on their success. Assisted by co-producer Neil Kernon, Daryl Hall & John Oates produced Private Eyes.
The album spawned several successful singles, with “Private Eyes” showcasing a punchy sound akin to “Kiss on My List.” The accompanying promotional video, featuring the band in detective attire, contributed to its popularity, making it one of their early hits on MTV.
Even with the enduring popularity of “Private Eyes,” it was overshadowed by the immense success of the album’s second single, “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do),” which was released in December 1981, just before the Christmas season. The song achieved chart-topping positions in pop, R&B, and dance charts. Notably, it became one of the few songs by a white act to reach number one in both pop and R&B charts and has been widely sampled in hip-hop history.
Other noteworthy tracks from the album include “Your Imagination,” a Top 40 hit, and “Did It in a Minute,” a top-ten hit with a rhythm reminiscent of “Private Eyes” and “Kiss on My List.”
Among the album’s entries, “Looking for a Good Sign” holds special meaning, as the duo dedicates it to the original lineup of The Temptations, who heavily influenced Hall and Oates.
The duo eventually had the chance to perform with classic Temptations vocalists David Ruffin and Eddie Kendrick at Live Aid and on their Live at the Apollo album in 1985.
Though Hall & Oates achieved even greater success with their album H2O the following year, many critics regard Private Eyes as their creative and cultural peak due to its artistic and commercial triumphs and its lasting influence.
