West End Girls (Dance Mix)

It was written and recorded during the 1981 Private Eyes sessions at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, with Daryl Hall, John Oates, and co-producer/engineer Neil Kernon. Hall built the song from a drum machine groove and keyboard bass line after a session, and the tape was captured immediately. Released in 1981 as the second single from Private Eyes, it became Hall & Oates’ fourth Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 and also reached No. 1 on the R&B chart, a rare crossover for a white duo. It confirmed their commercial peak at the start of the 1980s. The song remains one of Hall & Oates’ most durable hits and is widely cited as an influence on Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” It has also been covered by Paul Young, extending its reach well beyond the original release.