Maybe it was in response to critics that had dismissed his music as lightweight fare, but Rick Springfield decided to take his pop friendly sound in a slightly harder direction with the release of 1983's Living In Oz set. Following the multi-platinum success of his two previous albums, 1980's Working Class Dog and 1982's Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, Springfield was in a position to take more of a chance.

Not that it was that drastic a departure. However, their was a bit more edge as evident on the lead single, "Affair Of The Heart." The guitars are a bit more rock-infused and some moody synthisizer adds a darker undertone. It was still a pop song at heart, though, and was quickly embraced by the fans Springfield had attracted with hits like "Jessie's Girl," "I've Done Everything For You," and "Don't Talk To Strangers."

It scaled the charts quickly, entering the US Top 40 at the end of April. Two months later, "Affair Of The Heart" had become Springfield's fourth Top Ten single in a period of eighteen months. As it was peaking at #9, the song also earned Springfield some airplay on more rock-oriented stations, climbing to #23 on the album rock charts.

To hear this song, and many more hits from the '80s, log on to Pop Go The '80s

What You Can Expect If You Give Pop Go The '80s A Listen

Quick Reference To Pop Go The '80s Blog