Maybe you remember the song "Maneater," ("Woah here she comes/ Watch out boy, she'll chew you up"). If you do, it's probably been stuck in your head for your entire life. Curiously, its creators, Hall & Oates, are more readily forgotten.
Daryl Hall and John Oates are the best-selling vocal duo in history, and they're coming to Centennial Hall as part of an annual Hillel Benefit concert Sunday. They may even play their minor hit cover of "Jingle Bell Rock." But it's unlikely.
The benefit concert is expected to raise about $100,000 for the UA Hillel Foundation. But students may not be the ones ponying up the dough.
"I don't think they're good songwriters," said Christopher Krapek, a photography senior. Krapek was very familiar with "Maneater," but did not know much about any of their other work.
"I don't know anybody that actually likes Hall & Oates," he said.
Even some students who have never heard them have strong negative feelings toward the duo.
"I've never actually heard them," said interdisciplinary studies junior Ashley Zeltzer. "But I hate them by association with the people who like them."
While it's difficult to find students who have actually heard any of the band's songs, there is a stigma surrounding their fans.
"The only person I know who liked Hall & Oates was this self-righteous vegan kid who wore their T-shirt for 20 days straight," said Sean Anderson, a freshman majoring in English.
Popular with self-righteous vegans, Hall & Oates began their career in the mid '70s, when they were discovered by Tommy Mottola, a music mogul who later went on to sign Mariah Carey. Hall & Oates reached the height of their popularity in 1984 with the album Big Bam Boom, but separated that year, only to reunite in 1988.
Though they have been commercially successful, with six No. 1 singles and six platinum albums, they've never been popular with critics. Their most recent release, Do It For Love (2003), was rated poorly by Rolling Stone but included one positive note: "Your mom will totally love it."
So, what do they sound like? They are often categorized as soft rock, adult contemporary and blue-eyed soul, which, according to Allmusic.com is "soul and R&B music performed and sung by white musicians."
Included in the duo's repertoire is their popular cover of the Righteous Brothers' "You Lost That Lovin' Feeling," a staple of blue-eyed soul. Their music is sometimes surprisingly danceable, as is the case with their 1981 hit "I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)."
Despite their success, students seem to have trouble figuring out who they are.
"Didn't they do that song from 'Karate Kid'?" asked Anderson, referring to "You're the Best." No, that was Joe "Bean" Esposito.
Maybe if their fans were a little "cooler," or if their music was a little "better," Hall & Oates wouldn't be labeled so negatively by students. Sure they aren't Simon and Garfunkel, and they're hardly Captain & Tennille, but there are apparently a lot of people out there who like them, and they are going to get a real treat Sunday.
Not that you would be caught dead there.