Harden My Heart

"Harden My Heart" is a song by American rock group Quarterflash, written by guitarist Marv Ross and included on the band's debut album, Quarterflash (1981). The song was originally released as a single in early 1980 by Seafood Mama, Quarterflash's predecessor band. Quarterflash's version became a top-10 hit in the United States, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1982. The song's video features theatrics in and around an office trailer with dark corridors and swinging Metal Halide light bulbs from the ceiling before it was bulldozed and torched.

"Harden My Heart"
Single by Quarterflash
from the album Quarterflash
B-side	"Don't Be Lonely"
Released	September 1981
Recorded	1980
Genre	Rock[1]
Length	3:51[2]
Label	Geffen
Songwriter(s)	Marv Ross
Producer(s)	John Boylan
Quarterflash singles chronology
"Harden My Heart" (1981) "Find Another Fool" (1982)

Background and release

Guitarist and songwriter Marv Ross said,

A friend of mine gave me the title. I came up with the lyrics very quickly. The title came first and I don’t really remember how the rest came about. I usually write the music and words simultaneously. It wasn’t a personal story – just made it up. The chords are simple but voiced so as to make it sound more complex than it is. The whole song is really the groove which we called a shuffle in those days. Rindy came up with the sax line. The whole thing was written in less than a week and recorded in our basement for the Seafood Mama version. It sold 10,000 copies in Portland and Seattle and was the key to us getting signed to Geffen records.^[3]

The first version was recorded by Seafood Mama in the band members' basement in Portland in 1980. After changing their name to Quarterflash and getting signed to Geffen, they re-recorded the song at the Record Plant in Los Angeles. Ross said the re-recording had a better guitar solo, as well as better sound quality in general.^[3]

After changing their name, Quarterflash released their self-titled debut album in 1981 that contains the new version of "Harden My Heart". This power ballad^[4] version was released as the album's first single. In February 1982, it reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 1 on the Billboard Rock Top Tracks chart, and No. 41 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[5][6][7] Worldwide, the song charted in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and German-speaking Europe.

Personnel

• Rindy Ross: Vocals, Saxophone
• Marv Ross: Guitars
• Jack Charles: Guitars, vocals
• Rick DiGiallonardo: Keyboards
• Rich Gooch: Bass
• Brian David Willis: Drums, percussion

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1981–1982) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[8] 6 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[9] 15 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 10 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 12 South Africa (Springbok Radio)[12] 7 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 5 UK Singles (OCC)[14] 49 US Billboard Hot 100[5] 3 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[7] 41 US Rock Top Tracks (Billboard)[6] 1 West Germany (GfK)[15] 51

Year-end charts Chart (1982) Rank Australia (Kent Music Report)[16] 38 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[17] 93 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 13

See also

• List of Billboard Mainstream Rock number-one songs of the 1980s

References

1. Horvat, Robert (November 4, 2019). "Songs about overcoming adversity: 'Harden My Heart' by Quarterflash". Rearview Mirror. Archived from the original on January 26, 2022. Retrieved March 20, 2022.
2. "iTunes - Music - Harden My Heart - The Best of Quarterflash by Quarterflash". iTunes. January 1997.
3. "Interview with Marv Ross of Quarterflash". Kickin' it Old School. May 13, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
4. "The 40 Greatest Power Ballads". February 14, 2015.
5. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. February 13, 1982. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
6. "Rock Albums & Top Tracks: Top Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 93, no. 51. December 26, 1981. p. 40.
7. "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 3. January 23, 1982. p. 35.
8. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 242. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
9. "Quarter Flash – Harden My Heart" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0440." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
11. "Quarter Flash – Harden My Heart". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
12. "South African Rock Lists Website SA Charts 1969 – 1989 Acts (Q)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
13. "Quarter Flash – Harden My Heart". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
15. "Offiziellecharts.de – Quarter Flash – Harden My Heart" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
16. "Kent Music Report No 445 – 3 January 1983 > National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 1, 2020 – via Imgur.
17. "Top 100 Singles of 82". RPM. Retrieved March 5, 2023 – via Library and Archives Canada.
18. "Talent in Action : Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 51. December 25, 1982. p. TIA-20.