Our Top 10 Songs From the band Orleans presents the best Orleans songs like “Still The One,” “Love Takes Time,” “Dance With Me,” and more. In January 1972, Orleans was founded as a band from Woodstock, New York, by John Hall, Larry Hoppen, and Wells Kelly. Before the year ended, Lance Hoppen, Larry’s brother, joined the group to turn Orleans from a trio to a quartet. Then, in 1976, Jerry Marotta joined the lineup to make it a quintet. This is the same Marotta who later became an elected member of the United States House of Representatives.
Intros & Inspiration
The inspiration behind Orleans originates from the Neville Brothers, as well as Allen Toussaint. The Nevilles, as well as Toussaint, came from Louisiana. This began after Wells Kelly met John Hall just before the release of Hall’s 1970 debut album, Action.
Wells Kelly was part of the original lineup of King Harvest in 1969 before joining Larry Hoppen’s college band, Boffalongo. The band’s home base was Ithaca, New York. This was the same band that first recorded “Dancing in the Moonlight,” a song that was written by Kelly’s brother, Sherman. In 1973, King Harvest turned it into a hit with their version. Boffalongo’s discography had two albums, both by United Artists, that were released to the band’s credit.
During this time, John Hall and his wife Johanna had already made a name for themselves when Janis Joplin’s performance of “Half Moon” appeared on her album, Pearl. This was a song the couple wrote, which they also recorded themselves. These New Yorkers moved from the Big Apple to Woodstock to be closer to Bearsville Studios and the music scene that was going on there. Once they moved there, Hall started his band, beginning with Wells Kelly as his first recruit.
When Kelly agreed to team up with Hall, the multi-instrumentalist wanted to play the piano. The first lineup featured Kelly on electric piano, with Hall as the guitarist, Bill Gelber on bass, and Roy Markowitz as the drummer. This lineup didn’t last long as Gelber and Markowitz opted out. Kelly convinced Hall to bring Larry Hoppen from Boffalongo to sign up. When these men became a trio, they chose Orleans as the band’s official name in January 1972. Before the end of October that same year, Larry Hoppen’s younger brother, Lance, joined the band.
East Coast Heroes
It didn’t take long for Orleans to establish a core audience while performing in clubs and the college circuit throughout the Northeast United States. Along the way, the band members met future recording artists Bonnie Raitt, , and Tom Waits. As far as Rolling Stone magazine was concerned, Orleans was the best unrecorded band in America. In 1973, Orleans released its debut album via ABC Dunhill Records. The recording took place in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, with Roger Hawkins and Barry Beckett as part of the production crew.
In 1974, Orleans II became the second recording by John Hall and his bandmates. However, ABC refused to release it in the United States as it felt there were no hit singles to work with. The label also dropped Orleans, despite the band having this album released in Europe. Orleans II was the first album to feature the first recordings of “Dance With Me” and “Let There Be Music.” It wasn’t until 1978 that Orleans II would finally be released to the American market, which came as a double LP when Before the Dance was issued.
This was made possible thanks to Asylum Records, which helped Orleans score its first hit as a band with “Let There Be Music,” which came from its third album in 1975. It was followed by “Dance With Me,” another single that would become a hit for Orleans. For the band, its popularity was growing and began to extend beyond the East Coast as its brand of music was gaining ground across the nation.
After Orleans recorded and released its fourth album, Waking and Dreaming, in 1976, the band earned a solid North American fan following. It was also this same year Jerry Marotta joined the lineup as Orleans embarked on a major tour across the United States. From state to state, the popularity of Orleans was growing. The success of Orleans as a band suggested this was a musical act that had the potential to stand the test of time as an elite American band.
By 1977, the tension mounting among the members of Orleans had begun to take its toll. It was enough for John Hall to embark on a solo career. This meant leaving the band he founded behind to carry on without him. However, Jerry Marotta also left, opting to join Hall & Oates before moving on to perform with Peter Gabriel. Some months later, brothers Lance and Larry Hoppen joined Marotta. As for Wells Kelly, he performed with the Beach Boys.
It was also in 1977 that Bob Leinbach and Robert Martin were brought in as replacements so that Orleans could still continue as a band. This new lineup was signed with Infinity Records, which resulted in the 1979 release of Forever. This album featured the hit single “Love Takes Time.” Thanks to this success, Orleans went on tour, performing with artists such as Chicago and Stephen Stills.
Hard Times
In 1980, despite the success of Forever, Ininifty Records became bankrupt and was acquired by MCA Records. The new label failed to promote Orleans’ self-titled follow-up album, which was recorded in Woodstock. Shortly after, Bob Leinbach left the band and was replaced by Dennis Arnero. Leinbach left to join the John Hall Band.
Unfortunately for Orleans, the band members discovered their accountant misappropriated the funds, which put them into debt. Lance and Larry Hoppen, along with their younger brother, Lane, picked up the pieces to keep Orleans going. There was also Wells Kelly until he decided to leave in 1981.
In 1982, Orleans signed with Radio Records before releasing the next album, One of a Kind. The band’s lineup at this time included new band members Michael Mugrage, Don Silver, and Ben Wisch. Jerry Marotta did join them when they were recording in Florida. After One of a Kind was released, he was replaced by Nicholas Parker.
Unfortunately for Orleans, Radio Records suffered the same fate as Infinity Records. As a result, Orleans was without a record label again. Because of this, the financial struggles of the band continued. To at least make ends meet, the Hoppen brothers performed at a variety of clubs that included their side group, Mood Ring. However, in 1984, Larry Hoppen lost his voice due to air quality issues that compromised his singing ability. This latest chapter of misfortune had the Hoppens debate whether or not the career run of Orleans was worth continuing.
Wells Kelly
While the Hoppen brothers and Jerry Marotta were busy with their music careers, Wells Kelly did the same from 1981 until 1984. In 1983 he was part of Meat Loaf’s Neverland Express before his body was found dead while he was staying in London, England. According to the post-mortem examination, it was revealed Kelly’s cause of death came from his vomit. It was also discovered he had high levels of cocaine and morphine, as well as heroin.
Kelly’s death shocked John Hall, Bob Leinbach, and Larry Hoppen to reunite. They met in Ithaca, New York. Lance Hoppen couldn’t join the band to perform at a memorial for Wells Kelly as he was committed to another event. However, as John Hall and Larry Hoppen reunited, the two rediscovered the Orleans magic that first made the band tick.
The Return
In 1985, John Hall used his connections in Nashville, Tennessee, to bring Orleans back together as a band and record the album Grown Up Children. The album was released in 1986 with John Hall, Lance Hoppen, Larry Hoppen, and Bob Leinbach as the core lineup. There were guest vocal appearances by Chet Atkins, Bela Fleck, Ricky Skaggs, and Steve Wariner.
While in Nashville, it was realized by Hall and Larry Hoppen that it was a great place to serve as songwriters but not so great for Orleans as a band. This resulted in the group falling into a dormant state until it slowly regained its musical presence in the American Northeast. This resulted in a 1990 opportunity to cut a live album for the growing fan base that was taking place in Japan. Orleans responded by performing two shows at Woodstock’s Bearsville Theater that featured John Hall, Lance and Larry Hoppin, and Bob Leinbach. Paul Branin was a member of the band’s lineup at this time Serving as special guests for the live performances were Lane Hoppen, Rob Leon, Jonell Mosser, and John Sebastion.
Orleans Live became a double CD set released in Japan in February 1991, a few months before the band performed live in that nation for what would be the first time. This was followed in 1993 by the American release of the band’s live recordings as two separate releases. It was also when Orleans didn’t have a label in the United States so the band was signed to Japan’s Pioneer when Analog Men was released as an album in 1994. Due to the popularity of Orleans at the time, the group returned to Japan to perform more shows.
When Woodstock 94 was proposed as a concert for Saugerties, New York, this was an opportunity too good for Orleans to turn down. Orleans was touring as a trio with Hall and the Hoppins brothers a year later. Most venues they performed in clubs, but the band also toured with Fleetwood Mac, Pat Benatar, and REO Speedwagon. In 1996, Ride became the latest album released by Orleans. Still, the independent label they dealt with at the time failed to promote the album properly for its single, “I Am on Your Side” from receiving more radio airplay.
Second Split and Reunion
In 1997, the members of Orleans opted to take another break from each other as a band. This came when John Hall spent more time as a songwriter in Nashville, and Lance Hoppin toured with various country artists. A remarried Larry Hoppin wanted to spend more time at home and start a family. However, his love of music led him to become involved with the Voices of Classic Rock starting in 1997. In 2000, he also formed his band so he could perform again. In 2003, he joined Rock & Pop Masters (RPM) as part of a supergroup that featured lead singers from Rainbow, Santana, Survivor, and Toto.
Despite going their separate ways for a second time, John Hall, the Hoppin brothers, and Bob Leinbach reunited again as Orleans and opted to remain together as a band from that time forth. Peter O’Brien was also in the lineup at this time. However, the lineup changed again after John Hall ventured into politics in 2006 and became a congressman representing the Democrats until he was defeated by Nan Hayworth in 2010. Replacing Hall was the return of Dennis Amero. Replacing O’Brien was Charlie Morgan. A year later, the band released another live recording, We’re Still Havin’ Fun.
As a group, Orleans continued to perform music. However, on July 24, 2012, Larry Hoppin ended his own life just before Orleans was scheduled to perform in concert. However, Lance Hoppin rose to the occasion by setting aside his mourning for losing his older brother so that Orleans could continue the tour. It was assumed that Orleans would cease as a band once the touring was over, and the men would go their separate ways again.
However, this was not the case as 2013 was a year that featured Orleans’s record and release of The Last Band Standing, as well as the double-disc compilation recording of No More than You Can Handle: A 40 Year Musical Journey.
Orleans continues today as a band with Dennis Amero, Lance and Lane Hoppins, Tom Lane, and Brady Spencer. In 2019, then again in 2022, John Hall retired. After retiring the first time, Hall felt he wasn’t entirely done yet, but complications from the COVID-19 pandemic put the concert tours on hold until the summer of 2021. In the meantime, Orleans recorded a video performance of “No More Than You Can Handle” in memory of Larry Hoppen to boost public morale as the world felt like it was in the middle of its darkest hour.
Top 10 Orleans Songs
#10 – I Am on Your Side
If you want a song that makes you feel like a superhero, “I Am on Your Side” from the 2017 release Love Takes Time 10 Authorized Hits By Orleans is the one to do it. The guitar solo featured in this awesome song served as a reminder of why Orleans was so heavily favored as a band by fans who were fortunate enough to come across the band’s musical material. This is simply a beautiful song. If you feel the world is against you, listen to “I Am on Your Side” so you are reminded that it’s no more than you can handle.
#9 – Don’t Throw Our Love Away
From the album Forever, “Don’t Throw Our Love Away” earned critical acclaim as a witty pop song. The main highlight came from the guitarwork, which demonstrated that not even John Hall’s departure was enough to thwart Orleans from putting forth quality music that could win over and maintain a solid fan base. Unfortunately for Orleans, Infinity Records couldn’t give Forever, nor “Don’t Throw Our Love Away” the amount of attention they deserved for the musical masterpieces they were at the time.
#8 – Forever
On the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart, “Forever” became a number twenty-four hit in 1979. It was the title track from Orleans’ fifth studio album. After Larry Hoppen ended his life on July 24, 2012, the surviving members of Orleans performed this song. It was written by Hoppen, along with Bob Leinbach, and it was about a friendship that stood the test of time no matter what fate decided to throw at it. The acoustic guitar starting the song sets the tone of a heartfelt number that still makes a great tune to listen to when you feel the urge to take a trip down memory lane. Be careful if you do, as you may need a tissue before the song ends.
#7 – Reach
In 1977, “Reach” became a number fifty-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and a number forty-seven hit on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart. In Canada, it peaked at thirty-one on its Top Singles chart. Musically, it shared similar characteristics as “Still the One” but with less funk and more groove. If you’re looking for a good cheer-up song to get out of a bummer mood, “Reach” is it. As a band, Orleans had a knack for delivering cheery material that could take someone from feeling dumpy to feeling groovy as if without effort.
#6 – Spring Fever
The appeal behind “Spring Fever” came from the saxophone as it gave the song from Orleans’ Waking and Dreaming album a pop sound that made it an easy fan favorite. Unfortunately, as a single, “Spring Fever” failed to chart, but this song demonstrated Orleans at its finest as a group that earned its place as a world-class talent. This is a cool, fun, and sexy number that’s perfect for a fan of easy-listening music. The beauty behind Orleans was their songs’ easygoing style, which also doubled as a great mood booster.
#5 – Love Takes Time
“Love Takes Time” became a number eleven hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 after it was released as a single in 1979. It also became a number thirteen hit on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart and a number twenty-three hit on the Canadian Top Singles chart. From the album Forever, this dynamic tune also became a minor hit in Australia as it peaked as high as number ninety in that nation. While the critics felt “Love Takes Time” sounded too much like “Dance with Me” and “Still the One,” fans still loved the soft rock melody enough to consider it a favorite.
As a fan, whenever I hear a song with great piano performance, it’s usually a winner. It’s even better when the guitars and vocals can accommodate a performance that’s every bit as entertaining, not to mention uplifting.
#4 – No More Than You Can Handle
“No More Than You Can Handle” immortalized Larry Hoppen as a songwriter. This Orleans classic was one of the best tunes the band ever performed. If you want a good song that motivates someone from “I can’t” to “I can,” this is it. In a memorandum of Larry Hoppen, “No More Than You Can Handle” became one of Orleans’ signature songs. 2017’s Love Takes Time 10 Authorized Hits By Orleans featured this incredible song written and performed by such extraordinary talent.
In 2021, when this song was performed as a video to lift the spirits of music fans during the COVID-19 pandemic, “No More Than You Can Handle” became an anthem among the fortunate listeners who took the time to take the song’s message in. If you feel the world around you is giving you more than you can handle, listen to this beautiful song and use it to lift your spirits so you may reconsider your line of thinking. When placing faith over fear and in a constructive manner, you become the best version of yourself.
#3 – Let There Be Music
“Let There Be Music” was the debut single Orleans hoped would earn it the recognition it deserved as a world-class talent that would win over a nationwide audience. It was enough to become a number fifty-five hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and a number ninety-six hit on the Canadian Top Singles chart. However, the song didn’t receive enough airplay then, so it wouldn’t be until the period before more listeners were treated to the soft rock delight it was.
The guitar riffs of this song were simply amazing. If you want that great tune perfect as you’re on the road, “Let There Be Music” is it.
#2 – Dance With Me
On the US Billboard Hot 100 and the US Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart, “Dance with Me” became a number one six hit after it was released as a single from the album, Let There Be Music, in 1975. It also became certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. This was a second release for “Dance with Me,” but featured a melodica solo that Larry Hoppen performed. A melodica is a tiny keyboard that is blown into a tube.
Previously, this song was released as a single in 1974 from the band’s second studio album, Orleans II, but failed to make the same kind of impression as the newer version did. This was a song that John Hall wrote with his wife, Joanna, at the time. She created the title and lyrics while he came up with the melody. “Dance with Me” still has the infectious appeal as a soft acoustic rock number that could easily encourage the listener to take the song up on its offer. It appealed to Canadian fans enough to chart “Dance with Me” as high as number five on its Top Singles chart, and the Australian fans for the song to peak as high as number thirty-three.
#1 – Still the One
“Still the One” was a 1976 release that became a number-five hit for Orleans on the US Billboard Hot 100. From the album Waking and Dreaming, this became the band’s signature single that continues to be a crowd-pleasing favorite. In 1977, Bill Anderson turned this song into a US Billboard Hot Country Singles favorite at number eleven with his cover version.
As a love song, “Still the One” addresses his feelings for his significant other as someone who was still just as awesome to him now as she was when they first met. For Johanna Hall, the lyrics behind “Still the One” were deliberately written as a contrast to the flurry of breakup songs. As soon as the lyrics were handed to her husband, John Hall, it took him only fifteen minutes to assemble the musical composition. It didn’t take long for Orleans and the record label they had at the time to realize they had a hit single on their hands.
It was more than just some hit single. In 1977, it was used as a jingle to promote the American Broadcasting Company’s 1977 television season, as well as its 1979 television season. This came at a time when ABC earned the highest ratings in the United States. The song’s lyrics were also occasionally altered by various advertising agencies to promote some product or service. 2004 Republican George Bush played the song as part of his campaign until Democrat John Hall forced him to stop. This happened again in 2008 when Republican John McCain did this for his presidential campaign. Hall, however, had no problem with a version of the song’s chorus to be played during the 2008 Democratic National Convention after Senator Ted Kennedy made his speech.
“Still the One” also became a number nine hit on the Canadian Top Singles chart, a number thirty-one hit in New Zealand and a number sixty-one hit in Australia. It also became the second certified gold seller with the Recording Industry Association of America, playing an instrumental role in Orleans’ most successful album.
Feature Photo: Brettalan, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Updated March 3, 2024
Top 10 Orleans Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2024
