My Fave Huey Lewis Songs, Besides "Power of Love"

By CASEY JARMAN

"Do You Believe in Love"
Huey Lewis and the News' first Top 10 hit—like much of Lewis' catalog—manages to turn cheesy '80s production into an overwhelming strength. It sounds like an awesomely Wonderbread version of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City."

"Walking on a Thin Line"
Aside from being one of the catchiest Lewis songs ever recorded, this is one of the most serious. A moody but energetic five-minute tune about war veterans with PTSD returning, without fanfare, from the frontlines of war.

"Back in Time"
Though it's "The Power of Love" that's most often associated with the Back to the Future soundtrack, "Back in Time" is a far more literal translation of the film's plot—all set to crisp, horn-driven pop. I crack up imaging Lewis penning the campy opening line: "Tell me, doctor, where are we going this time?/ Is this the '50s, or 1999?"

"If This Is It"
Certainly a classic Lewis tune, "If This Is It" blends bouncy pop with blue-eyed soul and doo-wop. But it's the soaring, bright-'n'-shiny guitar solo that kills me every time.

"When I Write the Book"
Lewis' able take on a Nick Lowe classic may have not received much airplay, but at least it put some deserved royalty money in Lowe's pocket, and it came out pretty well, to boot.

SEE IT:

Huey Lewis and the News play Chinook Winds Casino in Lincoln City on Friday, Aug. 20, and Saturday, Aug. 21. 8 pm. SOLD OUT. 21+.

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