B-side "Slammin'" Format cassette, CD Length 4:07 | Released June 1988 Genre Rock Label Chrysalis Records | |
"Perfect World" is a song performed by Huey Lewis and the News and released as the first single from the album Small World in late June 1988. The single peaked at number three on the US Billboard Hot 100 and #48 on the UK Singles Chart.
Contents
The song, which was written by Alex Call, is about how we don't live in a perfect world, even though we like to believe to, and that there is nothing wrong with keeping on believing that we do. The song was mostly positively received, and the music video, which featured the band singing in a rubbish tip, was in heavy rotation at MTV.
History
The song was written by Alex Call, a former bandmate of Lewis and Sean Hopper from the band, Clover. Call had previously co-written the hit song "867-5309/Jenny" for Tommy Tutone. Huey Lewis gave the song a reggae flavor. The song is an optimistic commentary on a human being's hopes and dreams, as well as our private thoughts. The song tells the person to "keep on dreaming," because there will never be a perfect world. The song admits that life isn't perfect, but tells the listener to use the power of positive dreaming to cope with the reality. The B-side to the single was an instrumental album track, "Slammin'"
Music video
The music video features the band playing on a stage in a garbage dump field, with various pieces of garbage flying in the air, hitting various members of the band. Throughout the video, Huey Lewis dances and strolls through a pathway as work is done by garbage trucks behind him. At the end of the video, the band is seen posing by more garbage. The video received heavy rotation on MTV.
Reception
Reception for the song was mostly positive. Lynn Van Matre of the Chicago Tribune said that the song was "Wry," and it seemed "destined" to be another top ten single from the band. According to Martin Moynihan of thee Albany Times Union, the song was "a pop music mix of Lewis' usual musical optimism tempered with an element of reserve" Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic said of the song, "None of the musical diversions work as well as the bouncy Top Ten hit 'Perfect World.'" Erlewine also believed that the song ranked "with the group's best material." Jerry Spangler of Deseret News said that the song was a "captivating rocker." New York Times reviewer Stephen Holden considers the song a "companion piece" to the first song off of the Small World album, "Small World, Part One".
Chart performance
"Perfect World" was the first single released from the album Small World. Originally to be released in mid-June, the single's release was held off until later in the month. It was the last top-ten hit for the band, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and was prevented from moving further up the chart by Guns N' Roses' "Sweet Child O' Mine", and Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible".