Sunday, November 25, 2018

"No Easy Way Out" by Robert Tepper

Song#:  2599
Date:  01/25/1986
Debut:  80
Peak:  22
Weeks:  16
Genre:  Rock, Soundtrack



Pop Bits:  This New Jersey singer/songwriter had been performing in bands and on his own since he was a teen in the late 60s. After supplying a couple of hits for other artists, Tepper ended up with a solo contract of his own with Scotti Brothers in 1985. Around that time, the soundtrack to Sylvester Stallone's film Rocky IV was being assembled, which was to be released on Scotti Brothers. The connection led to Tepper contributing this song to the film's soundtrack. It would end up being issued out as the third single from the soundtrack in addition to serving as the first single from Tepper's debut album of the same name. The song would do well at Rock getting to #12 while nearly breaking into the Pop Top 20. These results plus Tepper's sound was enough for Stallone to lift another track from Tepper's debut album, "Angel of the City," for the soundtrack to his 1986 film Cobra.

ReduxReview:  The unmistakable 80s production on this track is massive and awesome. Luckily, it was paired with a good song with a solid hook. I liked it right off the bat and got the single. It might have been too heavy of a song to reach the Pop Top 10, but it really should have. Tepper is a good vocalist, but there is nothing really unique about his voice to make it stand out from other singers so he was going to need some A+ material to really make it. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and this ended up being his only major hit.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Tepper's first song to reach the chart was one that he wrote with Madeline Sunshine titled "This Is Love." The tune was picked up and recorded by Paul Anka in 1978. The single would get to #3 AC and #35 Pop. Tepper then hooked up with singer Benny Mardones and the pair wrote "Into the Night," a #11 hit for Mardones in 1980 (the song later re-charted in 1989 and got to #20). Tepper would also co-write "La Bel Age," at #54 Pop/#19 Rock entry by Pat Benatar.

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