National Emotion is an album by the American band Tommy Tutone, released in 1983.[1][2] The band broke up after its release; it reunited in 1996.[3]

National Emotion
Studio album by
Released1983
LabelColumbia
Tommy Tutone chronology
Tommy Tutone 2
(1981)
National Emotion
(1983)
Nervous Love
(1996)

The album peaked at No. 179 on the Billboard 200.[4] It was barely promoted by Columbia Records, due in part to staff turnover.[5][6] "Get Around Girl" was released as a single.

Production

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Members of Toto played on National Emotion.[7] It was intended to be a concept album.[8]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [9]
The Philadelphia Inquirer     [10]

The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote that "Tommy Heath and Jim Keller rough up their heretofore smooth style, but their music is no less ingratiating ... This has always been a band that is simultaneously charming and derivative."[10] The Philadelphia Daily News called the band "one of the best practitioners of West Coast 'skinny tie' pop rock."[11]

The Sun-Sentinel deemed "Get Around Girl" "a punchy rocker full of angry, slicing guitars."[12] The San Francisco Chronicle noted "a swipe of grit, a certain mannerism that comes off as style, not excuse, on a base of writing that contains a germ of interest beyond the four-chord, get-the-girl mentality."[6]

AllMusic wrote that the album "finds the band going through the motions, half-heartedly repeating the formula of Tommy Tutone-2, rocking harder in places but generally lacking inspiration."[9] In 1991, The Palm Beach Post labeled "Get Around Girl" one of the 1980s' "hits-that-should-have-been."[13]

Track listing

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  1. Dumb But Pretty
  2. Someday Will Come
  3. Laverne
  4. National Emotion
  5. Get Around Girl
  6. I Believe
  7. Money Talks
  8. Imaginary Heart
  9. Sticks and Stones
  10. I Wanna Touch Her

References

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  1. ^ "Tommy Tutone Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  2. ^ Prince, Patrick. "Tommy Tutone dialing in again with new release". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia.
  3. ^ Beviglia, Jim (November 15, 2018). "Playing Back the 80s: A Decade of Unstoppable Hits". Rowman & Littlefield – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "Tommy Tutone". Billboard.
  5. ^ Piven, Joshua (October 7, 2003). "As Luck Would Have It: Incredible Stories, from Lottery Wins to Lightning Strikes". Random House Publishing Group – via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b Ahlgren, Calvin (June 22, 1986). "LEAD SINGER TOMMY HEATH – Rock 'n' Roll Fever – Tommy Tutone's Got It". SUNDAY DATEBOOK. San Francisco Chronicle. p. 51.
  7. ^ Tucker, Ken (17 Jan 1984). "CALCULATIONS FOR SUCCESS DON'T ADD UP". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E4.
  8. ^ Murray, Tom (15 Aug 2019). "The dual life of Tommy Tutone". Edmonton Journal. p. B2.
  9. ^ a b "National Emotion - Tommy Tutone | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
  10. ^ a b Tucker, Ken (9 Oct 1983). "TOMMY TUTONE HAS A 3D RELEASE". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. P16.
  11. ^ Takiff, Jonathan (13 Jan 1984). "TOMMY TUTONE/JONATHAN RICHMAN". FEATURES. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 36.
  12. ^ Benarde, Scott (15 Nov 1985). "BYPASSED RECORDINGS MERIT A SECOND LOOK". Sun-Sentinel. p. 27S.
  13. ^ Benarde, Scott (August 11, 1991). "RHYTHMS FOR THE ROAD". The Palm Beach Post. p. 2L.