A rock legend passed away today. Joe Cocker had one of those very unique voices which most everyone recognized. A blues and soul rock singer who performed with some of the rock legends of the 60’s and 70’s, he would become a mainstream hit with songs such as “Up Where We Belong” and his covers of Beatles songs.
It was in 1975, covering a ballad written and composed by Billy Preston, Bruce Fisher and Dennis Wilson that he truly burst into the mainstream scene. The song was “You Are So Beautiful” and while the album it was a part of never truly took off the single itself reached No. 5 on the Billboards chart of that year.
Cocker’s version was much slower in tempo than the original song and this worked well in concert with his gritty, bluesy voice where each word and lyric felt full of emotion that blues and soul singers have become well-known for.
Joe Cocker might have faded away from the mainstream consciousness after the 80’s but rock and blues aficionados always remembered and admired him right down to his last days.
Time for the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame to heed the words of Billy Joel and induct the man in it’s hallowed halls. He’s more than earned it.
You Are So Beautiful
You are so beautiful to me You are so beautiful to me Can’t you see Your everything I hoped for Your everything I need You are so beautiful to me
Such joy and happiness you bring Such joy and happiness you bring Like a dream A guiding light that shines in the night Heavens gift to me You are so beautiful to me
“One look in your eyes and there I see Just what you mean to me”
Those opening lyrics are instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up during the late 80’s. Whether one was in junior high, high school, college or already settled down. It’s a song with not a single cynical bone in its making.
“Here and Now” was the song that introduced the velvet-voiced crooner Luther Vandross to the general public. He was already a favorite singer for those who followed the R&B and soul music scene, but for the rest of the world he was an unknown. After the release of “Here and Now” in 1989 he was not an unknown to the rest of the world.
It’s a song that’s become a staple at proms and formal dances. The song soon became at weddings and continues to this day.
“‘Cause you’ve got that whip appeal So work it on me”
It would be impossible not to include one of the most popular old school ballads from my era.
“Whip Appeal” was the third single off of singer-producer Babyface’s second R&B album, Tender Lover. The single released in early 1990 just in time for the song to put it’s melodic hooks into everyone who heard it for the first time. I can confirm that this was a staple of all high school dances and proms from 1990 and onwards. It was one of the go-to ballads that would get couples and potential ones to get on the dance floor and just sway to the song.
Ballads like this are truly old school. When I say they don’t make them like this anymore there’s some truth in that. The lyrics themselves are quite risque, but definitely more subtle than what R&B artists nowadays put into their own form of ballads. There’s a classic soulful sound to the music that harkens back to the Motown sounds of the 60’s that have been lacking in most R&B today.
A song that’s 25 years old and yet still planting it’s soulful hooks into old and new listeners alike.
One of the great classic R&B songs also happens to be today’s late “Song of the Day.”
The song “I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5 is not just a great song but also reminds us that, through all the scandal and absurdity which that became Michael Jackson’s adulthood, he was a great singer and performer and none more so than when he was fronting his band of brothers.
I also picked this song for another reason that seems so out of left field (which it is), but also fit in so perfectly to end two hours of an enjoyable time at the cinemas. James Gunn had personally picked the classic 70’s songs that would be part of mixtape for Guardians of the Galaxy. One such song is The Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” and it’s use and timely appearance in the film also marks one of it’s most adoring sequences.
I know for a fact that site co-founder Lisa Marie Bowman will love not just this song but the scene it gets attached too.
I Want You Back
Let me tell you now
When I had you to myself I didn’t want you around Those pretty faces always made you Stand out in a crowd
But someone picked you from the bunch One glance was all it took Now it’s much too late for me To take a second look
Oh baby, give me one more chance (To show you that I love you) Won’t you please let me Back in your heart
Oh darling, I was blind to let you go (Let you go, baby) But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back)
Yes I do now (I want you back) Ooh, ooh baby (I want you back) Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (I want you back) Na na na na
Trying to live without your love Is one long sleepless night Let me show you, girl That I know wrong from right
Every street you walk on I leave tear stains on the ground Following the girl I didn’t even want around Let me tell you now
Oh baby, all I need is one more chance (To show you that I love you) Won’t you please let me Back in your heart
Oh darlin’, I was blind to let you go (Let you go baby) But now since I see you in his arms, uh huh
A buh buh buh buh A buh buh buh buh All I want A buh buh buh buh All I need A buh buh buh buh All I want A buh buh buh buh All I need
Oh, just one more chance To show you that I love you Baby (baby), baby (baby), baby (baby)
(I want you back) Forget what happened then And let me live again
Oh baby, I was blind to let you go But now since I see you in his arms (I want you back) Spare me of this cause Gimme back what I lost
Oh baby, I need one more chance, ha I tell ya that I love you Baby, ow, baby, baby I want you back I want you back
I just got back from watching an early screening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Now, what does this have to do with the latest “Song of the Day” featuring musical legend Marvin Gaye. Well, I’m glad you asked. The song gets mentioned by a major character in the film and gets some airplay towards the end. The lyrics of the song itself could almost be synonymous with the storyline for this follow-up to Captain America: The First Avenger.
The song is also the theme song to the 1972 Soul Cinema Classic film production Trouble Man.
While the song remains a classic R&B song that does consistent radioplay I’m sure it won;’t hurt for new listeners coming to listen to it even more after experiencing it for the very first time watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Trouble Man
I come up hard, baby, and that ain’t cool! I didn’t make it sugah, playin’ by the rules! I come up hard, babe, but now I’m fine. I’m shakin’ trouble sugah, & movin’ down the line. I come up hard, but that’s OK. ‘Cause
Trouble Man don’t get in my way!!
I come up hard, baby!
I mean fo’ real, baby, cuz I’m a Troubled Man! Gonna keep movin’, gonna go to town. I come up hard, and now I’m gettin’ down! There’s only 3 things that’s fa sho*: Taxes, death and trouble
This I know, baby. this I know. Yeah, you never let it sweat you baby,
Whooooo
Got me singin’, yeah, yeah, hooo
I come up hard, baby, I had to fight! To keep my dignity with all my might! I come up hard, I had to win! Then start all over. And WIN AGAIN!! I come up hard, but that’s OK! ‘Cause Trouble Man don’t get in my way
Hey,Hey!
Now I been some places and I seen some faces I got my connections they take my directions Don’t care what they say. that’s OK, they don’t bother me I’m ready to make it, don’t care ’bout the weather Don’t care ’bout no trouble, got myself together No laughin’, no cryin’, my protection’s all around me
I come up hard, baby I mean for real, baby With the Trouble Man Movin’, goin’ tight I come up hard, come on, get down There’s only 3 things for sure: Taxes, death and trouble
This I know, baby, baby This I know, baby, baby Hey now, let it sweat, baby
I’ve come up hard, but now I’m cool I didn’t make it, baby, playin’ by the rules I’ve come up hard, baby, but now I’m fine I’m shakin’ trouble, sure movin’ down the line
February is almost over and I’m sure those who celebrated Valentines Day a couple weeks back are either flying high on love or becoming bitter by the day at things not turning out the way either party have imagined.
The latest “Song of the Day” puts into words such a a scenario that those in the latter might be going through right about now. It’s a song by soul and blues singer Bill Withers. He’s better known for classic soul hits such as “Lean On Me”, “Just the Two of Us” and “Ain’t No Sunshine”.
“Who Is He (And What Is He To You)” is a song of infidelity and betrayal. I just love the bass line that goes throughout the song. The song’s lyrics also hints at a sense of malice and and built-up rage at the betrayal. One could almost imagine how things will erupt after the final note and lyric has faded in the background.
Who Is He (And What Is He to You)
A man we passed just tried to stare me down And when I looked at you, you looked at the ground I don’t know who he is but I think that you do
Dag gummit Who is he and what is he to you
I have something in my heart and in your eyes Tell me he’s not someone just passin’ by And when you cleared your throat was that your cue
Dag gummit dag Who is he and what is he to you
Now when I add the sum of you and me I get confused and I keep coming up with three You’re too much for one man but not enough for two
Dag gummit Who is he and what is he to you
Hey you tell me man don’t have not much for intuition That what you really think or are you wishin’ Before you wreck your old home be certain of the new
Well, finally reach Valentine’s Day and to the finish line of the romance-themed choices for “Song of the Day”. We’ve had quite a list of songs which looks at romance and love from many differing angles. In the end, all of the previous songs were just foreplay and led up to the choices made for today. I couldn’t decide which song from Marvin Gaye to pick so I went with both.
What better way to close out Valentine’s Day and Night but with the two songs which probably led to some exceptional endings to couples’ Valentine’s Day for decades since their release. So, here’s Marvin Gaye with “Let’s Get It On” and “Sexual Healing” and I hope everyone have a safe, exceptional and epic Valentine’s Day.
Let’s Get It On
I’ve been really tryin baby Tryin to hold back this feeling for so long And if you feel like I feel baby Come on, oh come on, ooh
Let’s get it on, ow baby Let’s get it on, let’s love baby Let’s get it on, sugar Let’s get it on, woo
We’re all sensitive people with so much to give Understand me sugar Since we got to be, let’s live, I love you There’s nothin’ wrong with me lovin’ you, baby no no And givin’ yourself to me can never be wrong If the love is true, oh baby ooh
Don’t you know how sweet and wonderful life can be, ooh ooh I’m askin’ you baby to get it on with me, ooh ooh ooh I ain’t goin’ to worry, I ain’t goin’ to push, won’t push you baby So come on come on come on come on come on baby Stop beatin’ round the bush, hey
Let’s get it on, ooh ooh Let’s get it on, you know what I’m talkin’ about Come on baby, hey hey, let your love come out If you believe in love let’s get it on, ooh Let’s get it on baby, this minute, oh yeah Let’s get it on, eeeeeeeeee Please get it on, hey hey
Come on come on come on come on come on darlin’ Stop beatin’ round the bush, oh, gonna get it on Beggin’ you baby I want to get it on You don’t have to worry that it’s wrong If the spirit moves you, let me groove you Good, let your love come down, oh
Get it on, come on baby, do you know I mean it I’ve been sanctified, hey hey Girl you give me good feelings, so good Somethin’ like summertime
Sexual Healing
Ooh baby, now let’s get down tonight
Baby I’m hot just like an oven I need some lovin’ And baby, I can’t hold it much longer It’s getting stronger and stronger
And when I get that feeling I want Sexual Healing Sexual Healing, oh baby Makes me feel so fine Helps to relieve my mind Sexual Healing baby, is good for me Sexual Healing is something that’s good for me
Whenever blue tear drops are falling And my emotional stability is leaving me There is something I can do I can get on the telephone and call you up baby, and Honey I know you’ll be there to heal me The love you give to me will free me If you don’t know the thing you’re dealing Oh I can tell you, darling, that it’s Sexual Healing
Get up, Get up, Get up, Get up – let’s make love tonight Wake up, Wake up, Wake up, Wake up – ‘cos you do it right
Baby I got sick this morning A sea was storming inside of me Baby I think I’m capsizing The waves are rising and rising
And when I get that feeling I want Sexual Healing Sexual Healing is good for me Makes me feel so fine, it’s such a rush Helps to relieve the mind, and it’s good for us Sexual Healing, baby, it’s good for me Sexual Healing is something that’s good for me And it’s good for me and it’s so good to me My baby ohhh
Come take control, just grab a hold Of my body and mind soon we’ll be making it Honey, oh we’re feeling fine You’re my medicine open up and let me in Darling, you’re so great I can’t wait for you to operate
(Heal me my darling) I can’t wait for you to operate
When I get this feeling, I need sexual healing oh when I get this feeling, I need Sexual Healing, I gotta have sexual healing, Darling ‘cos I’m all alone sexual healing, darling, ’till you come back home
We’re now at the penultimate choice leading up to Valentine’s Day. With the previous “Song of the Day” speaking of just how difficult staying in love can be it’s only natural that this pick for the latest song deals with a much more hopeful version of “Love Is”.
“Let’s Stay Together” is one of the most iconic soul tracks one can ever be introduced to. It comes from the same named album by soul artist Rev. Al Green and has been a staple in the playlist for pretty much every fan of R&B, soul and gospel music. Even President Obama has been seen and heard belting out a verse or two from the song of recent. It’s the quintessential song about taking a chance and becoming a couple no matter circumstance.
This is definitely a song which would be on my Valentine’s playlist for the night which would lead up to the song which would end the night. A song I shall save for tomorrow which also happens to be Valentine’s Day and the final song in this week-long romance-themed list.
Let’s Stay Together
I, I’m so in love with you Whatever you want to do Is all right with me ‘Cause you make me feel so brand new And I want to spend my life with you
Since, since we’ve been together Loving you forever Is what I need Let me be the one you come running to I’ll never be untrue
Let’s, let’s stay together Lovin’ you whether, whether Times are good or bad, happy or sad
Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad
Why, why some people break up Then turn around and make up I just can’t see You’d never do that to me (would you, baby) Staying around you is all I see (Here’s what I want us to do)
[Repeat to fade:] Let’s, we oughta stay together Loving you whether, whether Times are good or bad, happy or sad
Some sad news has hit the music industry and it’s fans as one of the iconic singers of the 1980’s and 90’s passed away today at the age of 48.
Whitney Houston was one of the major voices of the music scene from the time she came into it with her self-titled debut album in 1985. Her sound was a combination of the R&B, soul and Gospel sound which Motown had popularized during it’s hey day during the 60’s and 70’s, but she also injected a major dose of pop to her singing which allowed her to cross genre boundaries to become a mainstream pop star.
Her success with the mainstream scene would cause her some problems with those who were R&B fans first and foremost. This personal struggle to both acknowledge her R&B roots and also maintain her foot within the mainstream would plague Whitney Houston throughout her career.
In the end, one doesn’t need to be in the camp of either side to acknowledge her vocal talent of which it was staggering. She dominated the Billboard during her reign as pop music’s female answer to Michael Jackson during the 80’s and early 90’s. Sadly, a contentious marriage to another pop star in Bobby Brown during the early 90’s would lead to drug use and subsequently a degradation of the very voice which brought her fame and success.
For me, two songs which would forever cement her star in the constellation of greatest singers of any era would be her cover of the song “The Greatest Love of All” and her powerful rendition of the national anthem, “Star-Spangled Banner”, during Super Bowl XXV. These two songs proves that she was a talent that arrived on the music scene once a generation and who would influence uncounted singers following in her footsteps.
The next song for the current romance-themed “Song of the Day” column comes direct from 1996 and from one of the most underrated and under-appreciated R&B bands of the past 20 years.
“What Kind of Man Would I Be” by the band Mint Condition remains one of those songs that people always say they love, but never knowing just who sang it. It’s been a long and hard road for Mint Condition, but the fact that even now the band remains together, strong and still putting out albums. Not many R&B groups from the 80’s and 90’s ever last beyond a few releases. One of the secrets which makes Mint Condition always relevant in the music and R&B scene is the fact that these are musicians. Their sound is not overdubbed, auto-tuned and they sing with an honest passion about subject matters without bragging about themselves.
This song, at first listen, sounds like a very depressing track. Some have mistaken it as a story sung about one man’s infidelity when in fact it’s a song about staying true and loyal to that one special person in their life. It’s a song that tells that age’s long story about the temptation to stray and cheat on one’s partner.
“What Kind of Man Would I Be” is a celebration of how true love will always win out over temptation. It also tries to dispel the notion that all men cheat no matter who they are. At least, for one song, it makes a point that not all men are dogs and will cheat at a moment’s notice. This is a song that I try to live my life by and hopefully others would find inspiration to do the same.
What Kind of Man Would I Be
[Intro]
You know
We can’t do this
We just can’t
listen
[Verse 1:]
You say u feel disintented
Cause latley he takes you for granted
Still faithful and true you remained and to hurt so have I
You pore out your heart and I listen
And we catch a vibe reminiscing
Temptations so strong not to mention
The urging inside
[Chorus:]
But what kind of man would i be
If i lived unfaithfuly
And what kind of girl would you be
If you did the same
Cause I dont wanna see her cry
And you dont need a reason to lie
Cause if we laid down tonight
It wont justify on the lovers side
[Verse 2:]
This feeling is strong and we know it
But we gotta see past the moment
Theres too much to lose if we blow it
This is no lie
Still here we are both together
With promises made that we never
Yet feeling it now more than ever
I cant denie
[Chorus x1]
[Bridge]
Here we are all alone
But some how we’ve got to stay strong
[Chorus: until song fades out]
(Makes me wanna say ohhhhhhhhhhhhh)
(Just gotta say ohhhhhhhhhh)
(She makes me wanna say ohhhhhhhhh)
(Just gotta say ohhhhhhhhh)
But what kind of man would I be ohhhh can’t be unfaithful
sorry baby
With promises made that we never
Yet feeling it now more than ever
I cant denie
[Course x1]
[Bridge]
Here we are all alone
But some how we’ve got to stay strong
[Course: until song fades out]
(Makes me wanna say ohhhhhhhhhhhhh)
(Just gotta say ohhhhhhhhhh)
(She makes me wanna say ohhhhhhhhh)
(Just gotta say ohhhhhhhhh)
But what kind of man would I be ohhhh can’t be unfaithful
sorry baby
Through the Shattered Lens 