"Caught Between a Hard, Hard Place and a Rock"

Review Score: (8/10)
When Living in Oz was released in 1983, gone were Rick Springfield's bubblegum, teeny bopper days of "Jessie's Girl," "Don't Talk to Strangers" and, the worst of the lot, "How Do You Talk To Girls" (ugh). On this album, Rick shows that he knew how to do plenty of things to girls and that he knew how to write interesting and kickin' rock songs. Two of the singles demonstrates the maturity in Springfield's songwriting in terms of music and lyrical content. The synthesizers in "Human Touch" and "Affair of the Heart" bring depth to the music. Yes, it sounds very 1980s but, if you like that sound like I do, this is an album for you. The third single "Souls" and the title track really rock. In fact, I can see hard rock/heavy metal fans liking a lot that is on this album. The evil voice hissing "I'll touch you and squeeze you and make you miiiine" blew me away the first time I heard it (THIS is Rick Springfield?). "Like Father, Like Son" is an interesting track with an orchestra.

Lyrically, this album definitely geared itself towards a more mature audience. Most of the songs are about sexuality (the "hard place" indeed). If there was any cover photo of Ron the "working class" dog that followed the theme of this album it would not be appropriate for young eyes. Rick thoroughly explores the art of having affairs. In the case of "Alyson," the subject of the song is an actor filming steamy love scenes (no doubt, on a soap opera) in front of the husband of the co-star with whom he's having an affair. "Affair of the Heart" was surprisingly graphic for a pop star with a young audience: "You shudder and shake, sink your teeth in my skin." "Motel Eyes" moves into another sexual topic: "Though there was something wicked about the way she flexed her thighs" and another nice line, "She started saying something about movement versus size." "Like Father, Like Son" is a strange yet interesting song about a man traumatized by his heavy-handed religious upbringing. If you only know the "Jessie's Girl" Rick Springfield, I recommend checking out Living in Oz. It will change your perspective on the former teen heartthrob.




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• Go on Rick! Get your rock on!
• Love to relive it !!
• A surprisingly superb recording
• classic Rick Sprinfield
• lio even better on cd
• Finest of Rick Springfield Ever!
• Sexually serious
• Rick Springfield rules
• Living In Oz Demands Respect
• A Great CD
• The finest from the pretty face with the golden tongue.
• a great CD --