Hi Infidelity

Hi Infidelity is the ninth studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon, released on November 21, 1980 by Epic Records. The album became a big hit in the United States, peaking at number one on the Billboard 200. It went on to become the biggest-selling album of 1981, eventually being certified 10 times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Of the four singles released, "Take It on the Run" went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and the band got their first of two number one hits with "Keep On Loving You".

For the Italian film, see High Infidelity.
Hi Infidelity
Studio album by
REO Speedwagon
ReleasedNovember 21, 1980 (1980-11-21)
RecordedJune - October 1980
StudioCrystal Studios (Los Angeles, California)
Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California)
Genre
Length34:55
LabelEpic
Producer
REO Speedwagon chronology
Nine Lives
(1979)		 Hi Infidelity
(1980)		 Good Trouble
(1982)
Singles from Hi Infidelity
  1. "Keep On Loving You"
    Released: November 4, 1980 (US)
  2. "Take It on the Run"
    Released: March 1981 (US) [2]
  3. "Don't Let Him Go"
    Released: May 1981 [3]
  4. "In Your Letter"
    Released: July 1981 (US) [4]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[5]
Robert ChristgauB−[6]

Background

The album title is a play on the term "in high fidelity," which used to appear on album covers. The album art is an illustration of this pun where an act of sexual infidelity is apparently occurring while the man is putting a record LP to play on the hi-fi stereo.

Songs

Six songs from the album charted on the Billboard charts, including "Keep On Loving You" which was the band's first Number 1 hit, and "Take It on the Run", which reached No. 5 on the charts. The song "Tough Guys" uses an audio clip from the Our Gang short film Hearts Are Thumps (1937).[7]

"Tough Guys" was one of two songs from the album that charted on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart despite not being released as singles. Music critic Robert Christgau called "Tough Guys" his favorite song from the album but suggested that the line "They think they're full of fire/She thinks they're full of shit" would prevent the song from reaching the pop Top 40.[6]

Record World described "I Wish You Were There" as having a "novel gospel touch."[8]

Reissues

On October 25, 2004, the band recorded the songs of this album live from beginning to end for an XM Radio "Then Again Live" special.

On July 19, 2011, Sony Music re-released Hi Infidelity with bonus demo tracks for the album's 30th anniversary.[9] Demo tracks were recorded Live at Crystal Studios, Hollywood, June through August 1980.

Track listing

Original release
Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Don't Let Him Go"Kevin Cronin3:47
2."Keep On Loving You"Cronin3:23
3."Follow My Heart"Tom Kelly, Gary Richrath3:50
4."In Your Letter"Richrath3:20
5."Take It on the Run"Richrath[lower-alpha 1]4:01
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Tough Guys"Cronin3:51
2."Out of Season"Cronin, Kelly3:07
3."Shakin' It Loose"Richrath[lower-alpha 1]2:27
4."Someone Tonight"Bruce Hall2:41
5."I Wish You Were There"Cronin4:27

30th Anniversary edition (2011)
Disc 2: The Crystal Demos
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Someone Tonight"Hall2:49
2."Tough Guys"Cronin3:35
3."In Your Letter"Richrath4:08
4."Follow My Heart"Kelly, Richrath3:57
5."Take It on the Run"Richrath4:01
6."Don't Let Him Go"Cronin4:20
7."Keep On Loving You"Cronin3:30
8."Shakin' It Loose" (Instrumental)Richrath2:32
9."I Wish You Were There"Cronin4:58
Total length:33:54

Personnel

REO Speedwagon

  • Kevin Cronin – lead and backing vocals (except on "Someone Tonight"), acoustic and rhythm guitars, acoustic piano on "Keep on Loving You" and "I Wish You Were There"
  • Gary Richrath – electric guitar
  • Neal Doughty – keyboards
  • Bruce Hall – bass, lead vocals on "Someone Tonight"
  • Alan Gratzer – drums, tambourine on "I Wish You Were There"

Additional musicians

  • Steve Forman – percussion on "Keep on Loving You"
  • Tom Kelly – backing vocals
  • Richard Page – backing vocals
  • N Yolletta – backing vocals on "In Your Letter"
  • Maggie Ryder – backing vocals on "Keep On Loving You"

Technical personnel

  • Kevin Beamish – producer, engineer
  • Kevin Cronin – producer, arrangements
  • Gary Richrath – producer
  • Alan Gratzer – co-producer
  • Tom Cummings – assistant engineer
  • Jeff Eccles – assistant engineer
  • Kent Duncan – mastering at Kendun Recorders (Burbank, California).
  • Aaron Rapoport – photography
  • John Kosh – art direction, design
  • Bobby Gordon – lighting design
  • John Baruck – management
  • Al Quaglieri – reissue producer
  • Joseph M. Palmaccio – remastering
  • Laura Grover – remastering supervisor

Charts

Certifications
Certifications for Hi Infidelity
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[23] 5× Platinum 500,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[24] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[25] Diamond 10,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history
Release history and formats for Hi Infidelity
Region Date Label Format Catalog #
United States November 21, 1980 Epic Stereo vinyl FE 36844
United States November 21, 1980 Epic Records Cassette FET 36844
United States 1980 Epic 8-track E36844
United States 1985 Epic CD EK 36884
United States 2000 Epic/Legacy CD (Remaster) EK 61614
United States 2011 Epic/Legacy CD (30th anniversary 2 discs) 88697695792
Japan 2011 Sony Music CD (DSD-Remaster) EICP 1223

Notes
  1. Although the song is officially credited solely to Richrath, the album's liner notes also list Kevin Cronin as providing "lyrical assistance".

References
  1. Trenz, Brandon (1998). "REO Speedwagon". In Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 935–936.
  2. "REO speedwagon singles".
  3. "REO speedwagon singles".
  4. "REO speedwagon singles".
  5. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. REO Speedwagon: Hi Infidelity at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  6. Robert Christgau Consumer Guide
  7. Henke, James (March 19, 1981). "REO Speedwagon's Big Breakout". Rolling Stone. Retrieved September 24, 2016.
  8. "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. December 13, 1980. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-22.
  9. "REO Speedwagon's 30-Year Anniversary of Multi-Platinum #1 Breakthrough Hit Hi Infidelity". Sony Corporation of America. Tom Cording. Retrieved January 25, 2015.
  10. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 250. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  11. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 0375". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  13. "Offiziellecharts.de – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  14. "Charts.nz – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  15. "Norwegiancharts.com – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  16. "Swedishcharts.com – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Hung Medien. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  17. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  18. "REO Speedwagon Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July, 8 2023.
  19. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  20. "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  21. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  22. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1982". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  23. "Canadian album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Music Canada.
  24. "British album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infedility". British Phonographic Industry.
  25. "American album certifications – REO Speedwagon – Hi Infidelity". Recording Industry Association of America.
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