Harden My Heart
Encyclopedia
"Harden My Heart" is the most popular single by the rock group Quarterflash
, off their Quarterflash
album, released in 1981.
The song was originally released as a single in early 1980 by Seafood Mama, Quarterflash's predecessor band. It featured more sparse instrumentation but a more dramatic vocal arrangement than the hit version and was a regional success on radio stations in Portland, Oregon
. The record's video features theatrics in and around an office trailer with dark corridors and swinging light bulbs from the ceiling before it was bulldozed and torched.
After changing their name, Quarterflash released their self-titled debut album in 1981 which contained the new version of "Harden My Heart". This version was released as the album's first single
. In January 1982, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
chart and #1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song also reached the Top 20 in Germany
and in France
, though it stalled below the Top 40 in the United Kingdom
. It was the group's only Top 10 single on the Hot 100, although their follow-up single off the album, "Find Another Fool", and their 1983 hit "Take Me to Heart" both entered the Top 20. This song is included in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
, in the radio station Emotion 98.3 and was played twice in the pilot episode of Knight Rider.
The song is used in the 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer
, which is set in 1981.
Mary J. Blige
sings this song in the film Rock of Ages
Quarterflash
Quarterflash was an American rock group formed in 1980 in Portland, Oregon. The band was made up of Rindy Ross , her husband Marv Ross , Jack Charles , Rick DiGiallonardo , Rich Gooch , and Brian David Willis...
, off their Quarterflash
Quarterflash (album)
Quarterflash is the 1981 debut album by the band Quarterflash. It had a number 3 hit with the song "Harden My Heart", followed by "Find Another Fool", which reached number 16....
album, released in 1981.
The song was originally released as a single in early 1980 by Seafood Mama, Quarterflash's predecessor band. It featured more sparse instrumentation but a more dramatic vocal arrangement than the hit version and was a regional success on radio stations in Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. The record's video features theatrics in and around an office trailer with dark corridors and swinging light bulbs from the ceiling before it was bulldozed and torched.
After changing their name, Quarterflash released their self-titled debut album in 1981 which contained the new version of "Harden My Heart". This version was released as the album's first single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
. In January 1982, it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart and #1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song also reached the Top 20 in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, though it stalled below the Top 40 in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It was the group's only Top 10 single on the Hot 100, although their follow-up single off the album, "Find Another Fool", and their 1983 hit "Take Me to Heart" both entered the Top 20. This song is included in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories is a 2006 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar Leeds in association with Rockstar North. It was published by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable in late 2006 and later for the PlayStation 2 in March 2007. The game is the eighth...
, in the radio station Emotion 98.3 and was played twice in the pilot episode of Knight Rider.
The song is used in the 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer
Wet Hot American Summer is a 2001 satirical comedy film written by David Wain and Michael Showalter, and directed by Wain. The film takes place during the last day at a fictional Jewish summer camp in 1981, before closing for the summer...
, which is set in 1981.
Mary J. Blige
Mary J. Blige
Mary Jane Blige is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and occasional actress. She is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has...
sings this song in the film Rock of Ages