Huey Lewis and the News (album)

Background

In 1979, the band's name was Huey Lewis and the American Express. Under this name they released a single and secured their recording contract with Chrysalis Records at the end of the year. The album was recorded within three weeks and the producer was Bill Schnee, who had produced for Boz Scaggs and Pablo Cruise.

Chrysalis did not like the addition 'American Express' to the band's name, fearing that the credit card company of the same name could sue them. In January 1980, just prior to the release of their debut album, the band changed their name to 'Huey Lewis and the News'.

On June 25, 1980, the band released their first album, the self-titled LP Huey Lewis and the News. Though not a commercial success on the national level, the album helped to enlarge the band's local following in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Track listing

All tracks written by Mario Cipollina, Johnny Colla, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes, Sean Hopper and Huey Lewis except as noted.

Singles

"Some of My Lies Are True (Sooner or Later)" was written in San Francisco by the band and recorded in Los Angeles at Studio 55 within three weeks, and the track was released as the album's first single. The song is about people betraying other people, including friends, old friends, and enemies. The video for the song was in heavy rotation on Nickelodeon’s Pop Clips in 1980 – the precursor to MTV.

The B-side for the single was "Don't Ever Tell Me That You Love Me". The songs, along with the album, failed to chart.

Videos were shot for both songs and were later included on the band's 1985 VHS compilation, Video Hits. In 1986, remixes of the songs were included as B-sides to the singles "Hip to Be Square" and "Stuck with You", respectively.

Personnel

Production