Three Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine is the second solo album by American singer-songwriter Daryl Hall, released in 1986. The album features his only top-ten solo single, "Dreamtime", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. The second single, "Foolish Pride", peaked at number 33.
The album's lead single, "Dreamtime", reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 4, 1986, and remained on the chart for 15 weeks.[1] Receiving significant play on American radio stations across multiple formats, it peaked at No. 3 on the Radio & RecordsCHR/Pop Airplay chart, No. 24 on the BillboardAdult Contemporary chart, and number 11 on the Album Rock Tracks chart.[2][3][4] A club play hit as well, the remix version peaked at No. 36 on the BillboardHot Dance/Club Play chart on October 15, 1986.[5] The song was ranked as the 53rd most successful song of 1986 across contemporary hit radio in the United States by Radio & Records.[6] "Dreamtime" also spent 8 weeks in the UK Singles Charts, peaking at No. 28 on August 30, 1986.
The next single, "Foolish Pride", peaked at No. 33 on the Hot 100 on the December 6, 1986, remaining on the chart for 13 weeks.[1] It peaked at No. 29 on the Radio & Records CHR/Pop Airplay chart and No. 21 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[7][3] Crossing over to the R&B charts, the single reached number 91 on the BillboardHot Black Singles chart on December 27, 1986.[8] The single also reached No. 29 on the Cashbox Top 100.[9]
The third single, "I Wasn't Born Yesterday", was released only in the UK and peaked at No. 93 in the UK Singles Chart on December 20, 1986 on its second week in the charts.
The final single, "Someone Like You", went to No. 57 on the Hot 100 on February 21, 1987, during an eight-week chart run in early 1987.[1] On the Adult Contemporary chart, it peaked at No. 11.[3]
Stephen Thomas ErlewineofAllMusic commented 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."[10]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."[11]
Engineer at Electric Lady Studio, New York City – Manu Guiot; assisted by Ken Steiger.
Mixed by Bob Clearmountain at Electric Lady Studio, except "For You": Mixed by Frank Filipetti at Electric Lady; Filipetti was assisted by Ken Steiger.
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