Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine

Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine
Studio album by Daryl Hall
Released	August 1986
Recorded	October 1985-May 1986
Genre	Rock, pop
Length	47:38
Label	RCA
Producer	Daryl Hall, David A. Stewart, Tom "T-Bone" Wolk
Daryl Hall chronology
Sacred Songs (1980) Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine (1986) Soul Alone (1993)

Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine is a 1986 solo album by Daryl Hall. The album features his only Top 10 solo single, "Dreamtime", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, "Foolish Pride", reached the Top 40, peaking at number 33.^[1]

The two sides of the vinyl record album were not labeled "Side 1" and "Side 2", nor "Side A" and "Side B", but rather, "Side 1" and "Side A", a convention which was maintained on the cassette tape release.^[2]

Track listing[]

Singles[]

The album's lead single, "Dreamtime", was the most successful song of the album. It reached #5 on the Hot 100 on October 4, 1986, staying there for a week and remaining on the chart for 15 weeks; consequently it was an airplay hit, peaking at #3 on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay chart. The song went to number 11 on the Mainstream Rock Songs on August 16, 1986 to stay on the chart for 10 weeks. It was also a club hit, the remix version peaked at #36 on the Dance Club Songs chart on October 15, 1986 and remaining on it for five weeks. The single peaked at #24 on the Adult Contemporary chart as well.^[3][4][5][6] The song was ranked as the 53rd most successful song of 1986 across contemporary hit radio in the United States by Radio & Records.^[7]

The next single, "Foolish Pride", peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the December 6, 1986 issue and it remained on the chart for thirteen weeks. It was a moderate radio hit, reaching #29 on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay and #21 on the Adult Contemporary charts. It also went to number 91 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on December 27, 1986 and remained on the chart for nine weeks. The single also reached #29 on the Cashbox Top 100.^[3][4][8][9]

The last single, "Someone Like You", went to #57 on the Hot 100 on February 21, 1987 remaining on it for only eight weeks.^[3] It was more successful on the Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at #11.^{[citation needed]}

Critical reception[]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[10]
Robert Christgau	(C)[11]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic gave the album 4/5 stars, commenting that "(3 Hearts) is a record tied to its time", and that "although he couldn't quite pull it together at the time, of interest as a portrait of where Hall was in 1986." Robert Christgau was far more critical, giving the record a C and stating that the album was "bloated by endless codas, superfluous instrumentation, hall upon hall of vocal mirrors, and the artist's unshakable confidence that his talent makes him significant."

Production[]

• Produced by Daryl Hall, Dave Stewart and T-Bone Wolk; "What's Gonna Happen To Us" produced by Daryl Hall.
• Recorded between October 1985 and May 1986.
• Engineer at Studio de la Grande in Armee, Paris, France – Manu Guiot; assisted by Frederick Defaye and Serge Pauchard.
• Engineer at The Church in Crouch End, London, England – Jon Bavin; assisted by Stephen Gallifent.
• Engineer at Marcus Studios, London – Manu Guiot; assisted by Dick Beetham and Tim Burrell.
• Engineers at Right Track Studios, New York City – Frank Filipetti and Manu Guiot; assisted by Noah Baron and Paul Hamingson.
• Engineer at Electric Lady Studio, New York City – Manu Guiot; assisted by Ken Steiger.
• Mixed by Bob Clearmountain at Electric Lady Studio, except "For You": mixed by Frank Filipetti at Electric Lady; Filipetti was assisted by Ken Steiger.
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk (New York City, NY).
• Art Direction and Design – Jeb Brien and Joe Stelmach
• Hand Tinting – Cheryl Winser
• Photography – Paul Elledge

Personnel[]

• Daryl Hall – lead and backing vocals, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, drum programming
• Ric Morcombe – guitar
• G.E. Smith – guitar
• Jamie West-Oram – guitar
• David A. Stewart – guitar, guitar solo (1), drum programming
• Robbie McIntosh – guitar, guitar solo (4)
• Robbie Kilgore – keyboards
• Mike Klvana – keyboards, Synclavier programming
• Patrick Seymour – keyboards, E-mu Emulator II sampling
• Stephen Gillifant – E-mu Emulator II sampling
• Tom "T-Bone" Wolk – bass guitar, guitar, mandolin
• Tony Beard – drums, additional percussion
• Michel De La Porte – percussion
• Steve Ferrone – additional percussion
• Olle Romo – additional percussion
• Jimmy Bralower – drum programming
• Manu Guiot – drum programming
• Steve Harvey – drum programming
• Bob Riley – drum programming
• Lenny Pickett – saxophone
• Dick Morrissey – saxophone solo (3)
• Michael Kamen – string arrangements and conductor (1)
• June Montana – additional backing vocals (1)
• Kate St. John – additional backing vocals (1)
• Bob Geldof – additional backing vocals (2, 5)
• Joni Mitchell – additional backing vocals (8)

Charts[]

Weekly charts[]

References[]