John Oates Releases Reggae Version of “Maneater”

John Oates, one half of the pop-rock duo Daryl Hall & John Oates, is unveiling his reimagined version of the popular hit song “Maneater.” The new incarnation has been transformed into a reggae tune, which Oates had envisioned from the beginning.

Following a trip to Jamaica, in the ’80s,’ Oates was inspired to explore the reggae style and came up with the catchy chorus hook. During a recent appearance on the Questlove podcast, Oates shared this story, and the response from listeners was overwhelming, with many expressing their desire to hear the reggae version. Encouraged by this feedback, Oates reached out to producer, Native Wayne Jobson, who brought together a lineup of legendary reggae musicians to record in Jamaica.

“I tried to approach the reggae version of ‘Maneater’ as if I was a new artist, as if I was not associated with Hall & Oates in any way,” Oates said in a statement. “I wanted to see if I could reimagine it in a way that would make it fresh again and really work with the vibe of the players who were in that were in the studio in Jamaica.”

“Maneater” (Reggae Version) marks the fifth release in Oates’ recent series of standalone singles, which includes covers of Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” and Timmy Thomas’ “Why Can’t We Live Together,” as well as original tracks like “Disconnected” and “Pushin’ A Rock.”

Oates is hitting the road for some tour dates in support of the new release, with dates already scheduled and more to be announced.

Tour Dates
May 24 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
May 25 – Waukegan, IL – Genesee Theatre
June 7 – Nashville, TN – Marty Stuart’s Late Night Jam at The Ryman Auditorium
July 14 – Boone, NC – The Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts
July 26 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate
July 27 – Old Saybrook, CT – The Kate
July 28 – Newport, RI – Newport Folk Festival
September 6 – Nashville, TN – Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
September 11 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic 

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