And all this time, you thought Hall and Oates’ 1977 No. 1 hit single “Rich Girl” was about, you know, a girl. John Oates reveals the true story behind the duo’s snotty little gem.
“It was written about a guy who was the heir to a fast-food fortune,” Oates tells TMZ. “Obviously, because Daryl is really smart, he realized that ‘Rich Girl’ sounded better than ‘Rich Guy.’ That’s the truth.”
TMZ did a little digging after Oates made this revelation, and reports that H&O’s “Rich Guy” was one Victor Walker, an ex-boyfriend of Sara Allen — a long-time writing partner with Hall and inspiration for the Hall and Oates smash “Sara Smile.” Walker’s father started the Chicago-based Walker Bros. Original Pancake House, according to TMZ, and also owned 15 KFC franchises.
“He had too much money, and too many drugs — and he just kind of burned out,” Oates adds. “He came over to visit one time, and after he left, Daryl just came up with the idea.”
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