Hear & Now (Billy Squier album)

Hear & Now is the sixth studio album by American rock musician Billy Squier, released on June 14, 1989. It features his last Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Don't Say You Love Me", as well as popular fan favourites and radio hits "Don't Let Me Go", "Stronger" and "Tied Up", the latter two being co-written with Desmond Child.

Hear & Now
Studio album by
Billy Squier
ReleasedJune 14, 1989
Genrehard rock, AOR, pop rock
Length43:34
LabelCapitol
Producer
  • Godfrey Diamond, Billy Squier, Jason Corsaro
Billy Squier chronology
Enough Is Enough
(1986)		 Hear & Now
(1989)		 Creatures of Habit
(1991)
Singles from Hear & Now
  1. "Don't Say You Love Me"
    Released: 1989
  2. "Don't Let Me Go"
    Released: 1989

The disc's lead single, "Don't Say You Love Me”, reached #4 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Tracks and #58 on the Billboard Hot 100. Aided by a popular MTV music video, it became his best charting song since 1984's "Rock Me Tonite" and the last one to chart in Billboard Hot 100.[1] The album marked a return to Squier's rougher hard rock sound following synth-heavy Signs of Life (1984) and polished Enough Is Enough (1986), with his arena rock slightly updated to late 1980's standards. On Billboard 200, the album had the second best chart debut of his career at #71, but ended up peaking only at #64, even lower than his previous album.[2]

Hear & Now was and still is regarded as one of Squier's best albums by his fanbase, with most of them calling it his greatest since 1981's Don't Say No.[3] Despite the favourable reception, his popularity continued to wane, and he didn't manage to make a notable comeback anymore.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Billy Squier, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Rock Out/Punch Somebody" 3:09
2."Stronger"Squier, Desmond Child4:02
3."Don't Say You Love Me" 4:28
4."Don't Let Me Go" 5:14
5."Tied Up"Squier, Child3:56
6."(I Put a) Spell on You" 4:32
7."G.O.D." 5:29
8."Mine Tonite"Bobby Held, Jim Klein, additional lyrics by Squier3:46
9."The Work Song" 3:56
10."Your Love Is My Life" 4:46
Total length:43:34
Bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."Too Much"5:07
Total length:48:42
  • "Too Much" was recorded during the sessions, but wasn't included on the original album. It was originally issued as a b-side for "Don't Say You Love Me" and is nowadays available to purchase from Squier's website, either alone or as a part of Hear & Now.

Personnel

Additional personnel
  • Mars Williams - saxophone ("Stronger")
  • Eric Wessberg - mandoline ("Don't Let Me Go")
  • Rob Hardin - synthesizer, additional arrangements ("Mine Tonite")
  • Godfrey Diamond and Steven Scales - miscellanous percussion
  • The Uptown Horns - horns ("The Work Song")
  • Doug Lubahn - additional backing vocals
  • Godfrey Diamond - "Keith couldn't make it" vocal ("Stronger")
  • Curtis King, Tawatha Agee, Brenda White-King - backing vocals ("The Work Song")

References
  1. "Billy Squier discography", Wikipedia, 2019-09-28, retrieved 2019-11-29
  2. "Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-04-03.
  3. "Hear & Now - Billy Squier | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
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