The Hungry Years

Neil Sedaka found success in the early 1960s as both a songwriter for Aldon Music and a singer, then went through a quieter period. Recording several albums in Britain in the 1970s led to a deal with Elton John’s Rocket Records and a splendid comeback: ‘Laughter in the Rain’ became a US No. 1 hit in 1974. This was effectively his first new album after that move, and a representative work of his 1970s period.

Like his old friend Carole King, Sedaka’s style had changed considerably from the youthful sweetness of the 1960s: one might say a young man had returned as an adult. The powerful ‘Bad Blood’, with Elton John in the backing chorus, became the biggest hit of Sedaka’s career. But the highlight here is surely ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do’, ingeniously recast from his own old hit as a slow ballad. The title song and ‘Your Favorite Entertainer’ are among the other sophisticated, adult numbers that reward listening.