Lost that lovin’ feeling?

For us of the older age, our music has the tendency of staying in our earlier, more youthful years. Consequently, we take out the old CD or even an LP. We then hope that the playing device still works. But there is another solution – Sirius/XM.

Sure, it costs something to have it on your radio, but when you check out the various channels from which you can choose, it is like a trip back into your personal life.

One of my favorite channels is The Bridge. I also have two country channels, a modern one of Kris Stapleton, and of course, the Beatles. When the day has been long, I might slip into The Spa, a station with gentle soothing instrumentals. In other words, something for my age period mixed with some with more current tunes, and one to zone me out.

But going back in time will sometimes raise certain questions about a group or a song. Having had a changing life this past year will bring new meaning to some of the lyrics of older songs. Some are long forgotten until you hear the sound and remember the lyrics.

That was true this past week with the song “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.” This song was in the top 40 in the mid-1970s. But it was clear that I remembered it and some of the words.

You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.

And there’s no tenderness like before in your fingertips

You’re trying hard not to show it

But baby, baby I know it.

Think about those words that the Righteous Brothers and Hall and Oates sang to us in the time so early in our lives. If things were going well, it was a tune and good music. But the words had no direct meaning to me.

I decided to look back at Hall and Oates only to find out that neither group had written that tune, but rather Phil Spector. But back to Hall and Oates. The duo both came from Philadelphia and joined together in 1970. Their music was a mixture of rock and roll, soul and some rhythm and blues. They wrote their own songs, and 29 of their 33 songs hit the U.S. top 40.

While they stayed together for some time, they were limiting themselves to concerts and not so much new songs. Then, with both closing in on their 80s, John Oates decided it was time to end the relationship. In 2023, he then tried to sell his rights in their empire of songs to a group of professional buyers of music rights, called Primary Wave Music.

A few weeks earlier Daryl Hall had filed a petition to arbitrate their rights in their products. The feud was on, and Hall filed for an injunction on such a sale until the arbitration was concluded.

The words exchanged publicly were most unkind from both. While Hall claimed that the potential purchaser was not to be trusted, it was clear that this group was not an amateur as it had bought music rights from Bing Crosby, Bob Marley, Stevie Nicks, Whitney Houston, Bob Dylan, Prince and even the present thorn in the side of the President, Bruce Springsteen.

In February, the judge ruled that the injunction was allowed, blocking the sale, and that the arbitration was to proceed. I cannot find the eventual outcome as perhaps that has been kept private.

It surprises me how so often these magical singing groups collapse over time. Take for instance, the Beatles. The group was the best of the best and it died in the middle of their run. I think of Simon and Garfunkel. A fabulous duo that split way too early.

I tried to read a bit more about the breakup of Hall and Oates and learned that while the two performed well into the 2000s, there was no friendship left. Oates admitted that when they performed, they came separately to the arena, sat apart as the performance commenced, performed on stage, and immediately went their separate way.

One can understand with such a lack of association, the parting would come. Despite what a relationship positively produces, many associations choose to terminate those relationships and move on.

Whether the breakup comes in the music industry, the business association, playing for the same professional athletic team or a marital partnership, there is a time when the ending is the logical choice. Staying together merely for financial terms does not make one’s life enjoyable.

Mr. Oates and Mr. Hall kept it together for years to the delight of music fans, but Oates finally decided that he had had enough. At least I can still listen to their incredible collections of hit songs.