Best 80's Albums No One Ever Listened To: Chapter 4

Once upon a time there was a band called Men At Work, who were the hottest thing going on the planet until a little album called Thriller came out and ushered them into obscurity pretty quickly. The lead singer of the band, Colin James Hay, continued on with a solo career after the band's demise. Sadly, his career since has been under the radar, and undeservedly so.

His first solo album Looking For Jack came out in 1986, and although it mirrored the foray into world music by such bigger names as Sting and Peter Gabriel, it went unnoticed by most. 

There are many great tracks on the album. Hold Me, the title track, Can I Hold You, Master Of Crime, and These Are Our Finest Days are ever bit as good as anything from the Men At Work catalog. If you were a MAW fan and have never heard this album, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

That being said, this gives me the perfect segue into telling about my experience of seeing him live in Saugatuck, Michigan a couple of weeks ago. Armed only with an acoustic guitar, he played a dozen or so songs while completely entertaining the crowd with anecdotes of his 30+ year music career. He is one of the last of my musical heroes from my youth that I had yet to see, and the wait was worth every bit of it. I've roughly assembled a set list from memory for any fans who might want to check out some of his other stuff. (Sadly, he played nary a song from Looking For Jack!)

Going Somewhere

Beautiful World (Note: My old favorite CJH song.)

Who Can It Be Now?

What Would Bob Do?

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

Are You Looking At Me?

Melbourne Song (Note: My new favorite CJH song.)

I Just Don't Think I'll Ever Get Over You

Down Under

Maggie

Overkill

I Wish I Was Still Drinking

Waiting For My Real Life To Begin (Note: My second new favorite CJH song.)

It was a fantastic show that I saw in the company of good friends and we were all ecstatic at just how great it was. Saugatuck is a great little vacation town in West Michigan that I look forward to going back to someday.

CJH will be on tour later this year with Ringo Starr's All Star Band, and if they come to a venue to you I highly suggest you take your ass down and check it out!!!