Jump to content

Tao (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tao
Studio album by
Rick Springfield
Released27 March 1985[1]
Genres
Length41:00
LabelRCA Victor
ProducersRick Springfield, Bill Drescher
Rick Springfield chronology
Beautiful Feelings
(1984)		 Tao
(1985)		 Rock of Life
(1988)

Tao is the tenth studio album by Australian musician Rick Springfield. It was released on 27 March 1985, by RCA Records.

Background

[edit]

In the liner notes for the collector's edition CD of Tao, Springfield comments, "I was going through a major depression back then, and had been for a few years. I was spiritually lost, and finding it hard to cope with everything that was going on. Even my success was causing me pain. I couldn't come to terms with earning so much money while others were struggling to find small change even to eat. It seemed so wrong, but what could I do about it? On top of that, I had real problems dealing with my father's death. It all meant that I was in such a mess, which is why the lyrics on the Tao album are definitely the darkest of my career."

RCA and Columbia Records promoted the album with an advertisement campaign that totaled $1 million in spending. A music video for the album's first single, "Celebrate Youth", was launched on MTV on 14 April 1985. They also planned a full-length video titled The Beat Of The Drum, consisting of Springfield live in concert, music videos for "Celebrate Youth", "State Of The Heart", and "The Power of Love", plus an overview of Springfield's previous singles. Billboard announced that The Beat Of The Drum would be simulcast through Westwood One on 6 May 1985. RCA and Columbia Records also planned for it to be turned into a home video product available for retail purchase in July of that year.[2]

The marketing push for Tao included a tie-in with 450 Bally's Aladdin's Castles arcades, which agreed to play the album at their facilities, adorn their coin machines with stickers of the album, and include it as one of their prize giveaways. RCA/Columbia further bolstered the album through promotion in print media and television advertising, along with a video press kit containing 10 minutes of concert footage and an interview with Springfield.[2]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarHalf star[3]

Billboard characterised Tao as "another set of hook-laden pop-rock" from Springfield, saying that there was "no shortage of hit single candidates here." [4] Cashbox praised the album's "use of the latest aural technology", believing that it resulted in "irresistible dance rock".[5] They also described the lead single "Celebrate Youth" as a "slamming rocker" and an "impassioned anthem."[6] Stereo Review believed that the album sounded "artificial and needlessly ornate" and that its songs were "all but buried under the production overkill".[7]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Rick Springfield, except where noted.

  1. "Dance This World Away" (Tim Pierce, Springfield) – 4:36
  2. "Celebrate Youth" – 4:24 (the song is 3:53 followed by a 30-second outro featuring a child's voice repeating the words "who's there")
  3. "State of the Heart" (Eric McCusker, Tim Pierce, Springfield) – 4:02
  4. "Written in Rock" – 4:34
  5. "The Power of Love (The Tao of Love)" – 5:00
  6. "Walking on the Edge" – 5:09
  7. "Walk Like a Man" – 4:14
  8. "The Tao of Heaven" – 1:28
  9. "Stranger in the House" – 4:03
  10. "My Father's Chair" – 3:27

Total length: 41:02

Personnel

[edit]

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for Tao
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[19] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Dome, Malcolm (2008). [Liner notes]. Tao (Re-Mastered Edition) [CD]. Catalog: CANDY041. Rock Candy Records.
  2. 1 2 Lichtman, Irv (20 April 1985). "RCA in Multi-Media Springfield Push" (PDF). Billboard. pp. 4, 73. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
  3. ↑ AllMusic review
  4. ↑ "Reviews | Albums" (PDF). Billboard. 13 April 1985. p. 70. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  5. ↑ "Out Of The Box" (PDF). Cashbox. 20 April 1985. p. 12. Retrieved 26 September 2026.
  6. ↑ "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. 6 April 1985. p. 13. Retrieved 26 July 2022.
  7. ↑ Simels, Steve (September 1985). "Popular Music | Rick Springfield: Tao" (PDF). Stereo Review. p. 162. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
  8. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 289. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  9. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Rick Springfield – Tao" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  10. ↑ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 2, no. 22. 26 September 2026. p. 12 – via World Radio History.
  11. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Rick Springfield – Tao" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  12. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Rick Springfield – Tao". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  13. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Rick Springfield – Tao". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  14. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Rick Springfield – Tao". Hung Medien. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  15. ↑ "Official Albums Chart on 26/5/1985 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  16. ↑ "Rick Springfield Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  17. ↑ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  18. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1985". Billboard. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  19. ↑ "American album certifications – Rick Springfield – Tao". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tao_(album)&oldid=1377143330"