Alan O’Day To Release First Album In 28 Years
by Paul Cashmere - July 9 2008


Hit singer-songwriter Alan O’Day is preparing to release his first new album in 28 years.


The ‘Undercover Angel’/‘Skinny Girls’ hitmaker is finishing off ‘I Hear Voices’. “All songs on the album are written or co-written by me,” Alan tells Undercover News. “All the "guests" are special to me, but not celebs. Some of Nashville's top players though, and they can handle much more than twang! There are 14 songs on the album, ranging from spiritual to quirky to retro”.

O’Day is best known as a singer for ‘Undercover Angel’ which reached no. 9 in Australia in 1977 and ‘Skinny Girls’ which went to no. 11 in 1980 but he also wrote Helen Reddy’s ‘Angie Baby’ and Righteous Brothers ‘Rock and Roll Heaven’.

Being a successful songwriter has given him ammunition for to answer questions from those new to the industry. “I like to offer a variety to my audience,” he says “and I'm excited for the opportunity to once again share my work with my fans, old & new”.

“Being a friend of aspiring songwriters everywhere, I would especially call their attention to one track titled "Your Song Sucks", recorded live at a club in Nashville.”

“Another song honors a real person, a talented painter named Kaziah,” he says, “who, not being able to have children of her own, several years ago took it upon herself to paint a loving portrait of a fallen soldier, from a photo sent her by his grieving family. Now, over 500 portraits later, she's still answering these requests, at no cost to the families. What a labor of love”.

However, it was that hit song he wrote recorded 31 years ago that he would be forever indebted too. “Undercover Angel validated my talent and my dreams,” he says proudly. “It also showed me that what goes up, eventually comes down. And it eventually taught me that we are not just our successes or our failures, we're much more”!

‘I Hear Voices’ will be released later this year.

IIRC, he did remake of "Undercover Angel" some time back. I'd love to see the "Appetizers" (I think that's what it was called) album get a cheapo reissue.

I swear, I was just listening to a Helen Reddy CD yesterday at work, and hadn't remembered that he wrote "Angie Baby." Weeeeeeird song! The wicked neighbor boy winds up getting miniaturized and sucked into her radio to be Angie's plaything forever, if I follow correctly.

Talk about weird - I just got back from a little shopping this evening and picked up a used LP of Appetizers for a dollar!

I always loved the Pacific label - just gorgeous:



I haven't seen any other artist besides O'Day on the Pacific label.

Doesn't O'Day turn 68 years old this year? I believe he was born in 1940.

He seems to be a slightly pervy, horny fellow, given his song lyrics...

I just posted on the Rod Stewart "Downtown Train" thread that "Tonight's The Night" always gave me the creeps. Ditto for "Undercover Angel." My wife was just telling me a few nights ago that a guy she knew in high school used to sing this song to her. Not a boyfriend, mind you, just some guy who I guess was infatuated with her. I think I would have gotten a restraining order.

Speaking of Alan O'Day, I don't know when this happened, but you can get a CD version of his album "Appetizers" from his website for $11.95 with free shipping. (Autographed version available for $24.95) I couldn't resist!



http://alanoday.com/

Hmmm. I wonder if the CD has the same mastering as the Japanese mini-LP reissue from a year ago.

Walter Walter Walter!

This made my day. I've been wanting this to be released on cd for years. Specifically because I NEEDED the full-length album version of the title song.

In a similar "NEED" category is Exile's Mixed Emotions lp from 1978 or so, that contains a longer album version of the big hit, "Kiss You All Over."

Can anyone make my day a second time with the news that this album is available on cd and just waiting for me to give them my credit card?

I'll report in with my impression of Appetizers when I get it.

Vince

I truthfully wasn't aware of the Japanese version released a year ago, but frankly I wouldn't have paid that kind of money anyway. $11.95 with free shipping is much more tolerable to me.

Just checking back in on this. For anyone wondering, this is sourced from the Japanese version. Great sound on this. I sent a few emails back and forth to Alan (he does his own email). What a nice guy!

Vince

Thanks for the heads up, Vince!