Music Review: Corey Hart "Sunglasses At Night"
Corey Hart
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Sunglasses At Night
Album: First Offense
Year: 1983
Corey Hart hides his meekness behind eyewear in the shabby "Sunglasses At Night."
A paranoid synthesizer beat starts the single, setting a wary atmosphere. While out at night with his girlfriend, he wears his sunglasses. With them on, he feels as though he is able to be equal to her. He lives vicariously through her. He wants to remember her every detail.
In the chorus, the synthesizers are gradually phased out and replaced with an electric guitar. He's caught her in a couple lies, which picks away at his self-esteem. However, he can't bring himself to let her go.
He decides to overcompensate by being robust and arrogant. He tells his girlfriend not to play games and ironically, not to be phony. He adds she wouldn't be able to do better than a guy like him.
He lets her take all the credit in the relationship and lose his identity. However, he's learning that the sunglasses can't disguise the reality.
A forceful electric guitar solo occurs mid-chorus.
Hart then begins the chorus again. He extends the last half of it, though. He says that although he looks unapproachable, he's really a sweet guy. Soon, she will not be able to leave his side.
The electric guitar returns as Hart repeats the song title.
The electric guitar has another solo to end the single.
"Sunglasses At Night" is able to build momentum at the beginning with a mysterious dance beat. By the chorus, it turns into a rock song. There's a confusion of which genre Hart would like to be in: synth pop or adult contemporary? The single cannot get away with a catchy, often-sampled hook. It needs more but doesn't deliver. The verses and choruses contradict each other. By the end, has his plan to be cool worked or has it backfired? A five minute single shouldn't have plot holes.
Album: First Offense
Year: 1983
Corey Hart hides his meekness behind eyewear in the shabby "Sunglasses At Night."
A paranoid synthesizer beat starts the single, setting a wary atmosphere. While out at night with his girlfriend, he wears his sunglasses. With them on, he feels as though he is able to be equal to her. He lives vicariously through her. He wants to remember her every detail.
"I wear my sunglasses at night/So I can so I can/Watch you live and breathe your storylines/(And) I wear my sunglasses at night/So I can so I can/Keep track of the visions in my eyes."
In the chorus, the synthesizers are gradually phased out and replaced with an electric guitar. He's caught her in a couple lies, which picks away at his self-esteem. However, he can't bring himself to let her go.
"While she's deceiving me/It cuts my security, (has)/She got control of me/I turn to her and say."
He decides to overcompensate by being robust and arrogant. He tells his girlfriend not to play games and ironically, not to be phony. He adds she wouldn't be able to do better than a guy like him.
"Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades, oh no/Don't masquerade with the guy in shades, oh no/I can't believe it/You got it made with the guy in shades, oh no."
He lets her take all the credit in the relationship and lose his identity. However, he's learning that the sunglasses can't disguise the reality.
"(And) I wear my sunglasses at night/So I can so I can/Forget my name while you collect your claim/And I wear my sunglasses at night/So I can so I can/
See the light that's right before my eyes."
A forceful electric guitar solo occurs mid-chorus.
Hart then begins the chorus again. He extends the last half of it, though. He says that although he looks unapproachable, he's really a sweet guy. Soon, she will not be able to leave his side.
"Don't switch the blade on the guy in shades, oh no/Don't masquerade with the guy in shades, oh no/
I can't believe it!/Don't be afraid of the guy in shades, oh no/It can't escape you/'Cause you got it made with the guy in shades, oh no."
The electric guitar returns as Hart repeats the song title.
"I said I wear my sunglasses/I wear my sunglasses at night/Wear my sunglasses at night."
The electric guitar has another solo to end the single.
"Sunglasses At Night" is able to build momentum at the beginning with a mysterious dance beat. By the chorus, it turns into a rock song. There's a confusion of which genre Hart would like to be in: synth pop or adult contemporary? The single cannot get away with a catchy, often-sampled hook. It needs more but doesn't deliver. The verses and choruses contradict each other. By the end, has his plan to be cool worked or has it backfired? A five minute single shouldn't have plot holes.