Signs of Life (Billy Squier album)

Signs of Life is the fourth studio album by American musician Billy Squier. It was co-produced by Meat Loaf's famed songwriter Jim Steinman, replacing Reinhold Mack, who had produced Squier's previous two hit records, Don't Say No (1981) and Emotions in Motion (1982), as well as Queen's The Game (1980).

Signs of Life
Studio album by
Billy Squier
ReleasedJuly, 1984
RecordedApril 28, 1984 - June 16, 1984
GenreHard rock, pop rock, progressive rock
Length49:46
LabelCapitol
Producer
Billy Squier chronology
Emotions In Motion
(1982)		 Signs of Life
(1984)		 Enough Is Enough
(1986)
Singles from Signs of Life
  1. "Rock Me Tonite"
    Released: June 1984
  2. "All Night Long"
    Released: October 1984
  3. "Eye on You"
    Released: December 1984
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

The album's best known song, "Rock Me Tonite", was his best charting hit and second #1 single in the Mainstream Rock charts (holding the top spot for two weeks), but is also known for its notorious video which did not conform to standard gender roles or expectations of masculinity at the time. The perceived challenge to Squier's image as a guitar-playing rocker is often regarded one of the main reasons for Squier's subsequent popularity decline as well as one of the worst music videos in the history of MTV; in the book I Want My MTV is a whole chapter dedicated to it.

Commercial and critical reception

Signs of Life became Squier's third-in-a-row platinum selling record. It was his highest new entry, at #61, on the Billboard album chart (also the peak of his next offering). However, the disc ended up narrowly missing the Top 10, peaking at #11.[2]

Apart from its lead single's music video, the album's elaborated production with heavy usage of synthesizers, as well as poppier songwriting, divided Squier's audience. Critics of the time relegated a portion of his rock audience to pop fans. In a two-star review, AllMusic's Mike DeGagne felt the album lacking the "over-the-top approach Squier usually adds to his music".[3] Nowadays, the album is viewed as one of Squier's finest artistic achievements, despite its notoriety.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Squier.

No.TitleLength
1."All Night Long"4:51
2."Rock Me Tonite"4:56
3."Eye on You"4:42
4."Take a Look Behind Ya"5:03
5."Reach For the Sky"5:34
6."(Another) 1984"4:56
7."Fall For Love"4:52
8."Can't Get Next to You"4:36
9."Hand-Me-Downs"4:22
10."Sweet Release"6:15
Total length:49:46

Charts
Chart (1984) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 96

Personnel

Production
  • Billy Squier: Producer
  • Jim Steinman: Producer
  • John Jansen: Production Assistant
  • Tony Platt: Engineer
  • Gary Rindfuss: Assistant Engineer
  • J.B. Moore: Mixing
  • Anjali Dutt: Tape Operator
  • George Marino: Mastering
  • Bill Smith: Cover Art Design & Illustration
  • John Van Hamersveld: Rear Cover Collage & Inner Sleeve Design[5]

References
  1. Allmusic Review
  2. "Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
  3. "Signs of Life - Billy Squier | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  4. 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.
  5. LP liner notes
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