Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine

Singles

The album's lead single, Dreamtime, was the most successful song of the album, it reached #5 on the Hot 100 on October 4, 1986 staying there for a week and remaining on the chart for 15 weeks, consequently it was an airplay hit, peaking at #3 on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay chart, the song also went to number 11 on the Mainstream Rock Songs on August 16, 1986 to stay on the chart for 10 weeks, it was also a club hit, the remix version peaked at #36 on the Dance Club Songs chart on October 15, 1986 and remaining on it for five weeks, the single peaked at #24 on the Adult Contemporary chart as well. The song was ranked as the 53th most successful song of 1986 across contemporary hit radio in the United States by Radio & Records.

The next single, Foolish Pride, peaked at #33 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the December 6, 1986 issue and it remained on the chart for thirteen weeks, it was a moderate radio hit, reaching #29 on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay and #21 on the Adult Contemporary charts, it also went to number 91 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs on December 27, 1986 and remained on the chart for nine weeks, the single also reached #29 on the Cashbox Top 100.

The last single, Someone Like You, went to number 57 on the Hot 100 on February 21, 1987 remaining on it for only eight weeks. It was more successful on the Adult Contemporary chart, peaking at #11.

Critical reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic gave the album 4/5 stars, commenting that "(3 Hearts) is a record tied to its time", and that "although he couldn't quite pull it together at the time, of interest as a portrait of where Hall was in 1986." Robert Christgau was far more critical, giving the record a C and stating that the album was "bloated by endless codas, superfluous instrumentation, hall upon hall of vocal mirrors, and the artist's unshakable confidence that his talent makes him significant."

Production

Personnel