What Are the 5 Biggest US Singles by The Alan Parsons Project?

The Alan Parsons Project began as an experiment of sorts by the legendary engineer and producer. The band evolved into one of the most successful British acts of their era in terms of crossover chart success in America. Each APP album tended to focus on a unique theme or unifying subject. But the band also managed to knock out a series of hits that worked all on their own. Here are the five that did the best in the US!

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5. “Damned If I Do” – No. 27 in 1979

The Alan Parsons Project released some singles in their early days that have since received a lot of airplay. But they didn’t do much on the charts at the time. For example, “I Wouldn’t Want To Be Like You”, from their acclaimed 1977 album I Robot, has earned its place as a classic rock staple. But it barely scraped the Top 40 in its original release. Instead, their first significant foray into the pop charts came with “Damned If I Do”, found on their 1979 album Eve. Perhaps it’s understandable that this was the first, as the quasi-disco bass line made it feel at home on the radio. Lenny Zapatek does gritty work on lead vocals.

4. “Games People Play” – No. 16 in 1980

On the 1980 album The Turn Of A Friendly Card, Parsons and company made a decided turn towards a more commercial sound. Remember that these guys didn’t really tour, so having some radio songs that could break through was especially crucial for them. The album mostly cohered around the theme of life being a gamble, and “Games People Play” builds off that. APP strikes a nice balance here between the proggier elements (such as Parsons playing something called the Projectron) and a bluesier rock feel (largely courtesy of Ian Bairnson’s stinging lead guitar lines).

3. “Time” – No. 15 in 1981

Eric Woolfson handled the songwriting duties in conjunction with Alan Parsons throughout much of this band’s tenure. And he constantly bugged his musical partner to let him do some singing on the records. Parsons finally relented, and it’s a good thing. Woolfson’s vocals would end up adorning the most popular songs in the band’s history. His plaintive delivery proves just right for this sweeping ballad that concerns itself with the ticking clock hanging above us all. The melody casts a gorgeous, melancholy glow. Meanwhile, Parsons’ production skills shine, as the track recalls some of his early days working with The Beatles.

2. “Don’t Answer Me” – No. 15 in 1984

As their career progressed, Parsons and company finally saw the benefit of separating the concept stuff from the radio-friendly singles. Nowhere was that more evident than with “Don’t Answer Me”. It has little to do with some of the weightier themes connecting other songs on the 1984 album Ammonia Avenue. Instead, Parsons and Woolfson set about crafting a pitch-perfect homage to the Phil Spector girl-group ballads of the early 60s. Give props to Mel Collins for the saxophone work that soulfully blasts its way through the break. “Don’t Answer Me” came equipped with a spiffy, groundbreaking (for its time) video as well.

1. “Eye In The Sky” – No. 3 in 1982

For all of their lofty concepts and technically advanced musical backing, The Alan Parsons Project could sink their teeth into groove-based midtempo rock as well as anyone. It certainly paid off on their biggest ever single, “Eye In The Sky”, which still stands as one of the most beloved songs of the 80s. Again, it’s Eric Woolfson on lead vocals. He uses the title phrase as a metaphor for a guy who can see through everything his lover is doing behind his back. This one is fine in the single version, but it really soars when the iconic intro track “Sirius” leads into it.

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