Robbed hit of the week 3/18/13 - Heart's "How Can I Refuse"...

Heart - "How Can I Refuse"
from the album Passionworks (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #44

This week's "robbed hit" is by the Wilson sister-led rock act Heart, who in the early 80's were going through what nicely could be termed as a "transition" period. After their Private Audition album was a relative letdown, though it still produced a top-40 hit with "This Man Is Mine", they scuttled their previous rhythm section and replaced the bassist and drummer in the group. They were paired with big-profile producer Keith Olsen, who helmed records for Fleetwood Mac and Rick Springfield, and the result was a more glossier rock sound with their seventh studio set Passionworks. The first single, "How Can I Refuse", was a template for what their sound was being shaped into to compete with the deluge of second-British-Invasion new wave...

Although "How Can I Refuse" became their first and only single to reach the top of Billboard's rock radio chart, the song stalled just under the Top-40. After the album (which still managed to graze the top-40 of the chart) was another disappointment, Heart left the Epic label for Capitol, and in two years would be back on top of the heap. For this song, I think it was the right song at the wrong time, as older rock acts were being crowded out by the synth-led new wave and post-punk groups. By 1985, the tide had swung the other way around (like it usually does) and the band would return to the top-40 (and the top itself with "These Dreams).

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...and here's the band live in 1983 with the song...

That's it for tonight...I'll be back tomorrow with another Song of the Day, Candletime, and this week's French and German music recaps. Have a great night!