View source for Don't Talk to Strangers (Rick Springfield song)

{{Infobox song
| name       = Don't Talk to Strangers
| cover      = Don't_Talk_to_Strangers_-_Rick_Springfield.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [[Rick Springfield]]
| album      = [[Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet]]
| B-side     = Tonight
| released   = March 1982
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [[Power pop]]<ref>Leroy, Dan (13 July 2005). {{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rickspringfield/articles/story/7484608/springfields_new_day |title=Springfield's New "Day" |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |accessdate=2014-08-16 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100405144812/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/rickspringfield/articles/story/7484608/springfields_new_day |archivedate=5 April 2010 }}. ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.</ref><ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic |class=album |id= mw0000191950|title= Rick Springfield - ''Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet'' (1982): Review |last= Erlewine|first= Stephen Thomas|access-date= January 3, 2024}}</ref>
| length     = 2:59
| label      = [[RCA Records|RCA]]
| writer     = Rick Springfield
| producer   = [[Keith Olsen]]
| prev_title = [[Love Is Alright Tonite]]
| prev_year  = 1981
| next_title = [[What Kind of Fool Am I (Rick Springfield song)|What Kind of Fool Am I]]
| next_year  = 1982
}}
'''"Don't Talk to Strangers"''' is a song written and performed by Australian musician [[Rick Springfield]]. It was released as a single in 1982, from the album ''[[Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet]]''. The song reached number&nbsp;two on the U.S. [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] for four&nbsp;weeks, making it his second biggest hit in the US after the number-one hit, "[[Jessie's Girl]]". It was kept off the top spot by "[[Ebony and Ivory]]" by [[Paul McCartney]] and [[Stevie Wonder]]. Springfield was nominated for [[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance]] with the song in 1983.
== Background ==
The music was based on an earlier Springfield song titled "Spanish Eyes", and released on the Sound City recordings from 1978. The song lyrics were changed and were written to Springfield's then-girlfriend Barbara Porter (later his wife), whom he was worried was involved with other people while they were apart. Springfield recalled, "Back then, I was scared that she was screwing around because I was doing the same thing."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/gallery/rick-springfield-the-stories-behind-the-music/#!3/dont-talk-to-strangers-1982/ |title=Rick Springfield: The Stories Behind the Music |author= |work=variety.com |access-date=April 20, 2016 }}</ref>
==Reception==
''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' said that it has "irresistible hooks interspersed throughout."<ref>{{cite magazine|magazine=Billboard|date=March 6, 1982|accessdate=2023-01-21|page=75|title=Top Single Picks|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCQEAAAAMBAJ}}</ref> ''[[Record World]]'' said it has "a snappy rock beat and sharp chorus hook."<ref name=rw>{{cite magazine|magazine=Record World|date=March 6, 1982|page=1|accessdate=2023-03-02|title=Hits of the Week|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Record-World/80s/82/Record-World-1982-03-06.pdf}}</ref>
== Chart history ==
===Weekly charts===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1982)
!Peak<br>position
|-
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name="aus82">{{cite web|title= National Top 100 Singles for 1982 |publisher= [[Kent Music Report]] |via= [[Imgur]] |issue= 445 |date= 3 January 1983 |access-date= 22 January 2023 |url= https://i.imgur.com/iP7HHqt.jpg}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|10
|-
|Canada ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Top Singles
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|Canada ''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'' Adult Contemporary
| style="text-align:center;"|3
|-
|South Africa ([[Springbok Radio|Springbok]])<ref>{{cite web|title=SA Charts 1965–March 1989 |url=http://www.rock.co.za/files/springbok_top_20_(S).html |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref>
|align="center"|19
|-
|US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]]<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/365034/rick-springfield/chart?f=379|title=Rick Springfield - Chart History|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=April 20, 2016}}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|US [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Top Rock Tracks]]
| style="text-align:center;"|11
|-
|US [[Cash Box (magazine)|''Cash Box'']] Top 100<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19820529.html |title=Cash Box Top 100 Singles, May 29, 1982 |access-date=April 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603094127/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/19820529.html |archive-date=June 3, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|}
===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Chart (1982-1983)
! style="text-align:center;"|Rank
|-
|Australia ([[Kent Music Report]])<ref name="aus82"/>
| style="text-align:center;"|73
|-
|Canada ''RPM'' Top Singles<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6167&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |title=Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada |website=Collectionscanada.gc.ca |access-date=2017-04-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811145442/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6167&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |archive-date=2016-08-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|33
|-
|US ''Billboard'' Hot 100<ref>[http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1982.htm Musicoutfitters.com]</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|20
|-
|US ''Cash Box'' Top 100<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1982YESP.html |title=Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 25, 1982 |access-date=April 7, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711062300/http://tropicalglen.com/Archives/80s_files/1982YESP.html |archive-date=July 11, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| style="text-align:center;"|17
|}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{Rick Springfield}}
{{authority control}}
[[Category:1981 songs]]
[[Category:1982 singles]]
[[Category:Rick Springfield songs]]
[[Category:Songs written by Rick Springfield]]
[[Category:Franglais songs]]
[[Category:RCA Records singles]]
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Keith Olsen]]