Are you someone who likes traveling in time? Perhaps to the future? I’m not one of those people, but my favorite rock singer does.
Back in 1983, Rick Springfield released his second single off of his Living in Oz album. This single, titled “Human Touch,” takes us to the future.
Much like the movie Back to the Future traveled in time to 2015, Rick is frozen in time and wakes up in 2016.
Lo and behold, here we are in 2016 A.D. just the video shows we are.
The rock singer and his album
Let me back up a minute, though. The song itself never mentions the year. The video has Rick typing a message to Sally, and Sally responds with the year 2016.
The whole album was a big change over his previous two albums. I was in my local Karma Record Store right around the release time in July 1983, and Rick’s face jumped at me from the album cover.
Yes, I say album because back then I bought the big 33 of rock stars I loved. I had a small record player in which to play them, and that was it.
A few years later when I got a boom box, as we called them, I bought the cassette so I could listen to it not only in the boom box, but on my small portable cassette player and in my car.
Gosh, does that make me feel old.
On the record cover, Rick’s face was not the clean shaved one that was on his previous two albums. He wore a scruffy beard and had longer hair with a white T-shirt and vest.
I can’t say covers because Rick’s dog Ron was on the cover of Working Class Dog and Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet while Rick was on the back of these two albums.
Rick was clearly trying to get away from the bubblegum pop label so many had categorized him in. I wasn’t upset in the least. Living in Oz was different using some interesting futuristic sounds, but other fans let it be known they didn’t like Rick’s new look.
Rick’s looks didn’t mean as much to me as his music — although good looking is a plus. Right?
Getting back to “Human Touch,” this song has always been one of my favorites. If you have seen Rick in concert, you know it doesn’t sound at all like the album version of the song.
In his more recent years of touring, Rick uses this song as an introduction to go into the audience and get the human touch. I got lucky one time at a concert in Indianapolis when he came to see a posterboard sign my daughter had made.
The concert was free with your admission to the Indiana State Fair, and seats were first come, first served. We ended up sitting in the grandstand not too far up.
Rick saw my daughter’s sign from stage, and he headed our way. She helped him balance when he made it to our seating area. But I didn’t get to touch him.
I won’t give up, though.
The memoir of the rock singer
I’m working on a short memoir about my deep love of Rick and his music, and I plan to publish it this year. Some people might think I’m writing this to get his attention. I’m a writer. I write about things that mean something to me.
And Rick’s music means a lot to me.
A couple of years ago, I got the idea to share my memories of being a Rick Springfield fan. For me Rick’s music means the world to me. Becoming a fan in the summer of 1981, I didn’t realize how much his music would mean to me, not only in my tough teen years, but as an adult in even tougher times.
Listening to Rick’s song lyrics, I relate to most of what he sings. He struggles with depression. So do I. He moved around a lot as a kid, and I did a few times because of my dad’s job. He’s a shy person, and I’m a shy person.
See what I mean about being able to relate to him?
With the events of my adult life, his music helps me deal in a much better way — crank it up in the car or in my earphones and jam. I always feel better afterward.
Of course, once I finish and publish the book, I would love to hand it to Rick personally. Who wouldn’t?
I leave you with the video to “Human Touch.” I wish more people gave each other the human touch instead of saying or doing hurtful things to each other.
The world would be a much better place if we did. Maybe Rick has a good idea about freezing yourself and waking up 33 years later in the hopes things have changed for the better.