It was 1986. Huey Lewis and the News were basically the biggest band in the world, or at least it felt that way if you owned a radio. They were coming off the monster success of Sports, and the pressure to deliver was, frankly, insane. People wanted more of that blue-collar, bar-band-done-good energy. What they got was Fore!, an album that managed to be even more polished while keeping its soul.
Honestly, when you look back at the Huey Lewis and the News Fore songs, it's kind of wild how many hits were packed into one record. We’re talking about an album that produced five Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. That’s a feat usually reserved for the Michael Jacksons or Madonnas of the world. But here was this group of guys from the Bay Area, looking like they just stepped off a golf course, absolutely dominating the charts.
The Hits Everyone Remembers (And One They Forget)
Most people immediately think of "Stuck With You" when this album comes up. It’s the quintessential 80s pop-rock tune—catchy, slightly goofy music video, and a sentiment that’s relatable to anyone who's ever been in a long-term relationship. It spent three weeks at number one. You couldn't escape it.
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But the real "rock" moment on the album, the one that showed they hadn't totally gone soft, was "Jacob's Ladder."
Interestingly, Huey didn't even write it.
The Hornsby Connection
Bruce Hornsby wrote "Jacob's Ladder" with his brother John. Hornsby was actually recording his debut album, The Way It Is, at the same time. He initially offered the song to Huey because he wasn't sure if it fit his own style. Huey took it, added those stadium-sized drums and his signature harmonica-inflected grit, and turned it into a #1 hit. It’s a darker, more metaphorical song than your standard News fare, dealing with the struggle of the working man and spiritual salvation.
Then you have "Hip to Be Square."
This song is the ultimate Rorschach test for Huey Lewis fans. Is it a satirical take on the "yuppie" culture of the 80s? Or is it a genuine celebration of growing up and settling down? Patrick Bateman in American Psycho certainly had his own interpretation, but for the rest of us, it was just a high-energy anthem with a killer horn section.
The Weird Trivia Behind the Tracks
One of the coolest things about the Huey Lewis and the News Fore songs is who showed up in the studio. If you listen closely to the backing vocals on "Hip to Be Square" and "I Know What I Like," you aren't just hearing professional singers.
You're hearing the San Francisco 49ers.
Specifically, Joe Montana, Dwight Clark, Ronnie Lott, and Riki Ellison. They were friends with the band and literally just showed up to shout the "Here, there, and everywhere!" lines. It gives those tracks a weird, communal, "local bar" energy that you just don't get with modern, over-produced pop.
The Tracklist Breakdown
- Jacob's Ladder – The Bruce Hornsby-penned opener.
- Stuck With You – The massive #1 hit about commitment.
- Whole Lotta Lovin' – A deep cut that feels like a throwback to 50s rock.
- Doing It All For My Baby – The sixth and final single. It has a heavy Chicago-style horn influence.
- Hip To Be Square – The controversial, high-energy pop masterpiece.
- I Know What I Like – A solid mid-tempo rocker that hit #9.
- I Never Walk Alone – Written by Reed Nielsen, it's a bit of a raspy outlier.
- Forest For The Trees – A gentler, almost motivational track.
- Naturally – An a cappella track that proves these guys could actually sing.
- Simple As That – A horn-heavy closer that brings back the Tower of Power vibe.
Note: If you bought the album outside the US, you probably had "The Power of Love" as a bonus track. It was recorded for Back to the Future but slapped onto international versions of Fore! to boost sales.
Why the Production Style Matters
By 1986, everyone was using synthesizers. The News didn't. Not really.
While the album sounds "big" and definitely has that 80s shimmer, it was recorded with real instruments in real studios like Studio D in Sausalito. They used the Tower of Power horns to give the songs a punch that synths just couldn't replicate. If you listen to "Doing It All For My Baby," the arrangement by Greg Adams is masterclass-level brass work. It’s soulful. It’s tight. It’s human.
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The band was exhausted, though. They’d been touring Sports for nearly three years. Guitarist Chris Hayes and Huey were writing in hotel rooms and dressing rooms. That's probably why the album feels a bit like a collection of different moods—you have the barbershop quartet vibes of "Naturally" sitting right next to the hard-driving rock of "I Know What I Like."
The Impact Today
Fore! was the peak of their commercial power. It went triple platinum. It made them superstars. But it also sort of pigeonholed them as the "safe" band.
That's a bit unfair.
When you dig into the lyrics of "Jacob's Ladder" or the sheer vocal complexity of "Naturally," you realize these weren't just guys in polo shirts making elevator music. They were world-class musicians who happened to find a formula that everyone loved.
If you want to experience these songs properly, don't just stream the hits. Find an original vinyl pressing. The "Tubey Magic" (as audiophiles call it) of the mid-80s analog recordings makes the drums on "Jacob's Ladder" sound like they're in your living room.
Next Steps for the Fan:
- Listen to the "Naturally" isolated vocals to appreciate the band's actual harmony skills without the instruments.
- Watch the "Doing It All For My Baby" music video—it’s a seven-minute Frankenstein-themed mini-movie that most people have forgotten.
- Compare Bruce Hornsby's version of "Jacob's Ladder" (available on live albums) to Huey's version to see how a song's "DNA" can change with a different arrangement.
The legacy of the Huey Lewis and the News Fore songs isn't just nostalgia. It’s a reminder of a time when a group of friends from Northern California could take over the world just by being really, really good at their jobs.