Second Nature (Dan Hartman song)

"Second Nature"
Single by Dan Hartman
from the album I Can Dream About You
Released January 1985 (America)
April 1985 (Europe)
25 April 1985 (Japan)[1]
Format 7", 12"
Genre Pop
Length 3:57
Label MCA Records
Writer(s) Dan Hartman
Producer(s) Dan Hartman, Jimmy Iovine
Dan Hartman singles chronology
"Name of the Game"
(1984)		 "Second Nature"
(1985)		 "Get Outta Town"
(1985)
Alternative Cover
Japanese cover of "Second Nature"

"Second Nature" is a song by American musician-singer-songwriter Dan Hartman, released as the fourth and final single from his 1984 album I Can Dream About You. The single was released in early 1985.[2]

Background

I Can Dream About You was Hartman's debut album for the MCA Records label, and marked the first album to feature Hartman's longtime songwriting partner Charlie Midnight, who he would continue to write with throughout the rest of the decade. "Second Nature" was written by Hartman and Midnight, and was produced by Hartman and Jimmy Iovine. Midnight would also provide backing vocals on the song. Like the rest of the album, "Second Nature" was recorded at Hartman's own home studio "Multi-Level" and was mixed at Image Recording in Los Angeles.[3]

As the fourth and final single from the album, "Second Nature" continued the success of the album's title track which was a Top 10 hit in America. The second single "We Are the Young" had peaked at #25, however the third single "Name of the Game" did not become a commercial success. "Second Nature" returned Hartman to the Top 40, where it peaked at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100, lasting a total of 12 weeks on the chart.[4] It also made #40 on the Dance Music/Club Play Singles Chart, where it lasted on the chart for 4 weeks,[5] and #19 on the Adult Contemporary Chart, where it lasted on the chart for 7 weeks.[6] "Second Nature" would be Hartman's last charting single in America within his solo career.[7]

In the UK the single peaked at #66, after "I Can Dream About You" had only reached #78 in late 1984. Following "Second Nature" the song would be re-released, and peaked at #12 in the UK.[8] "Second Nature" did make gain some minor success in UK clubs and brought back echoes from the days of his 1978 hit "Instant Replay",[9] which had been a Top 10 hit in the country.[8]

In the February 16, 1985, issue of Billboard magazine, the song was listed twice under the Hot 100 Singles Radio Action section. It was noted that "Second Nature" was within the Top 3 songs played within Regions 1 and 3, both covering the far eastern side of America. Region 1 included such places as New York area, and Region 3 included states such as Florida.[10] By the issue of March 9, 1985, under Hot 100 Singles Retail Action, the song was listed as one of Top 3 in Regions 6, 7 and 8.[11]

In a 1984 interview with Hartman, he described the song's meaning. He revealed "Second Nature" is a good old love song. It's like a song about being elated and excited and in love, and how much just every day of life is made easy."[12]

Release

The single was issued via MCA Records in North America and Europe, on 7" and 12" vinyl formats. This included countries such as America, Canada, UK and Germany. It was issued in Spain on 7" vinyl via WEA Records. In Japan, MCA released a 7" vinyl version. The single's B-Side was the I Can Dream About You album track "I Can't Get Enough" which was also written by Hartman and Midnight.[2] All main issues of the single featured the same artwork - a collage of different coloured shapes. The Japanese 7" vinyl though featured a photograph of Hartman leaning against a backstreet wall, taken from the same photo session by Jim Shea as for the I Can Dream About You album.[13]

The 12" vinyl single was released with an extended version of "Second Nature", as well as a dub version of the track. Both of these remixes were created by John Luongo.[14]

Promotion

A promotional music video was created for the single. The song featured a truck of watermelons crashing, with the incident causing people from varying backgrounds and ages rushing to the scene. Hartman, who is originally seen playing guitar from a window in an apartment block brings his portable radio down to the scene and begins performing the song. The rest of the crowd eventually begin to dance, as more people come to the scene such as emergency services, a marching band and high school football team. After being officially uploaded onto YouTube in October 2009, the video has gained over 75,000 views.[15]

Within The Dispatch newspaper of February 27, 1985, and also the Kentucky New Era newspaper of March 1, 1985, an article on latest music videos mentioned the video for "Second Nature". Writer E.A. Vare stated "Dan Hartman pulled out all the stops recording the video for his new tune, "Second Nature." In what may have been the largest and strangest cast ever assembled for a rock clip, Hartman utilized: The Pierce (Los Angeles) High School Marching Band and the Jefferson (Los Angeles) High School football team, a horde of Los Angeles street people, a dozen nuns, 48 chickens, 120 watermelons and a sheep wearing eyeglasses. Watermelons?"[16][17]

Hartman also performed the song on a number of American TV shows. Before being released as a single, Hartman mimed the song on music-performance show American Bandstand in December 1984, with his touring band.[18] "I Can Dream About You" was also performed, and both performances aired on the January 12, 1985, episode of the show.[19][20] In 1985 he mimed the song with his touring band on the American syndicated music show Solid Gold.[21] This performance aired in the episode dated May 4, 1985.[22] On the musical variety show Soul Train he performed both "I Can Dream About You" and "Second Nature" alone, but with live vocal.[23][24] This song was performed as a short version, and aired on May 10, 1985.[25] Within the UK, Hartman performed the song twice on the UK ITV children's TV programme Razzamatazz. One performance aired on May 1, 1985, and the other late on August 7, 1985.[26][27]

A tour was also organized to promote the album and its singles, and Hartman toured alongside Toto in 1985. It was his first tour in a decade but also his last. The song was likely to have been performed on this tour.[28]

Track listing

7" Single
  1. "Second Nature" - 3:57
  2. "I Can't Get Enough" - 3:27
12" Single
  1. "Second Nature (Extended Version)" - 7:14
  2. "Second Nature (Dub Version)" - 6:42
  3. "Second Nature (LP Version)" - 3:57

Critical reception

In the Billboard magazine issue of October 27, 1984, Brian Chin reviewed the I Can Dream About You album under the 'Recommended Albums' part of the 'Dance Trax' section, where he mentioned the song. He noted "There are three great uptempo numbers: the uplifting electronic production number "Name of the Game," a bouncy neo-Motown "Second Nature" (of a pair with "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"), and the electro-funk "Electricity"."[29]

In the Billboard magazine issue of February 9, 1985, the 12" vinyl version of "Second Nature" was reviewed under the 'Dance Trax' section by Brian Chin. He stated "Dan Hartman's "Second Nature" is one of his very best songs, with a genuine gospel feel, though a bit stretched out at seven-and-change, considering that the central motif is the two-and-a-half-minute "Heat Wave"."[30]

In The Evening Independent of February 8, 1985 - a daily newspaper of St. Petersburg, Florida, an article on the latest chart action by Jan Deknock of the Chicago Tribute was published. Within this article, she mentioned the song by stating "This week, there are two pick hits: Phil Collins' "One More Night," a haunting ballad that will be one of the big songs of '85, and Dan Hartman's Motown-influenced "Second Nature," the fourth - and by far the best - release from his "I Can Dream About You" album."[31]

Chart performance

Chart (1985) Peak
position
Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart[32][33] 19
Canadian Singles Chart[33][34] 80
UK Singles Chart[35] 66
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[7] 39
U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart[7] 19
U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart[7] 40

Personnel

References

  1. ↑ "Dan Hartman Discography - USA". 45cat. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  2. 1 2 "Dan Hartman - Second Nature at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  3. ↑ "Dan Hartman - I Can Dream About You (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  4. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Chart history". Billboard. 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  5. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Chart history". Billboard. 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  6. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Chart history". Billboard. 2009-03-22. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Artist Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Dan Hartman | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  8. 1 2 "The Official Charts Company - Second Nature (Dan Hartman song)". The Official Charts Company. 4 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Solo Career". Creaser.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. 1979-02-24. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  10. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1985-03-02. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  11. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1985-03-09. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  12. ↑ "Dan Hartman 1984 - Edited Interview by danhartman - Hear the world's sounds". soundcloud.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  13. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Second Nature / I Can't Get Enough - MCA - Japan - P-1963". 45cat. 1985-04-25. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  14. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Second Nature (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  15. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Second Nature". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  16. ↑ "The Dispatch - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  17. ↑ "Kentucky New Era - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  18. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Second Nature". YouTube. 1988-08-08. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  19. ↑ "Dan Hartman - I Can Dream About You". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  20. ↑ ""Bandstand" Episode #28.21 (TV Episode 1985) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  21. ↑ "Dan Hartman - Second Nature". YouTube. 2009-09-06. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  22. ↑ ""Solid Gold" Episode dated 4 May 1985 (TV Episode 1985) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  23. ↑ "dan hartman 2nd nature". YouTube. 2009-09-15. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  24. ↑ "dan hartman i can dream about you". YouTube. 2009-09-15. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  25. ↑ ""6.20 Soul Train" Episode dated 10 May 1985 (TV Episode 1985) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  26. ↑ ""Razzamatazz" Episode dated 1 May 1985 (TV Episode 1985) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  27. ↑ ""Razzamatazz" Episode dated 7 August 1985 (TV Episode 1985) - IMDb". imdb.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  28. ↑ Orange Coast Magazine - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  29. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1984-10-27. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  30. ↑ Billboard - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1985-02-09. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  31. ↑ "The Evening Independent - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  32. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  33. 1 2 "Results - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  34. ↑ "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2014-03-07.
  35. ↑ "The Official Charts Company - Second Nature by Dan Hartman Search". The Official Charts Company. 4 April 2014.
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