Tag: r&b

Stevie Wonder + Dionne Warwick | Weakness

After releasing a string of albums which rank among not only his best but the best of the 1970s as well (Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, Songs in the Key of Life, etc.), Stevie Wonder took on some film scoring work for the 1984 movie Woman in Red. The style Stevie chose for this project wasn’t focused on evocative instrumental music. Rather, he most provided some pop/R&B hits which could stand entirely on their own, propelling the film to larger success in the bargain.

AllMusic reports: ” … still not having completed the official follow-up to Hotter Than July, he recorded the soundtrack to the Gene Wilder comedy The Woman in Red, which wasn’t quite a full-fledged Stevie Wonder album but did feature a number of new songs, including ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You.’ Adored by the public (it was his biggest-selling single ever) and loathed by critics (who derided it as sappy and simple-minded), ‘Just Called to Say I Love You’ was an across-the-board number one smash, and won an Oscar for Best Song.”

“Weakness” is another contribution from our frequent guest mod scout JB. It was only an album track for Stevie and Dionne, but might have made the cut as a single for lesser artists. The track kept a much lower profile than “I Just Called … ” or even the follow-up hit “Love Light in Flight.” But it’s certainly a showcase for Stevie’s unmistakable songwriting, embossed with the high sheen of 1980s arranging and production. Starting in Db major, the tune floats forward on a relaxed, gospel-inflected 6/8 feel and Wonder and Warwick’s world-class vocal blend. At 2:36, a short but mighty multi-key bridge lands us in F major at 2:51.

Average White Band | A Love of Your Own

“Their self-effacing name to the contrary, Average White Band are anything but — one of the few white groups to cross the color line and achieve success and credibility playing funk,” AllMusic reports. “With their tight, fiery sound also belying their Scottish heritage, evoking American R&B hotbeds like Detroit, Memphis, and Philadelphia instead.”

Wikipedia details that the band had several soul and disco hits between 1974 and 1980: “They are best known for their million-selling instrumental track ‘Pick Up the Pieces’, and for their albums AWB and Cut the Cake … They have influenced others, such as the Brand New Heavies, and been sampled by various musicians, including the Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, TLC, Too Short, Ice Cube, Eric B. & Rakim, Nas, A Tribe Called Quest, and Arrested Development, making them the 15th most sampled act in history.” Despite many changes in lineup, as of 2020, the band continues on — 48 years after it was formed.

“A Love of Your Own” (1976) starts in F# minor, shifts to A minor at 0:44, then returns to F# minor at 1:12. The pattern holds through a second verse (through 2:24), where a wholesale shift upwards to G minor kicks in for the balance of the tune — which amounts to an extended 3-minute chorus/outro. Many thanks to stalwart mod wrangler JB for submitting this tune!

Luther Vandross | Dance With My Father

Considered by Vandross to be his “career song,” “Dance With My Father” is a tribute and remembrance of his father based on childhood memories Vandross held of his parents dancing together. “I played it over and over, and I cried and cried,” his mother, Mary Ida, said of the song. “I was amazed at how well Luther remembered his father, how we used to dance and sing in the house. I was so surprised that at 7 1/2 years of age, he could remember what a happy household we had.”

The track quickly become one of Vandross’s most requested songs, and won Song of the Year and Best R&B Male Vocal Performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards. Key change at 3:18.

The Pointer Sisters | Jump (For My Love)

“Jump (For My Love)” was released by the American R&B singing group The Pointer Sisters in 1984 on Break Out, their tenth studio album. The track charted in the top ten in numerous countries and was awarded the Grammy Award in 1985 for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The verses and chorus alternate between G major and A major, and a final modulation to F at 3:21.

Kirk Franklin | I Smile

AllMusic calls Kirk Franklin “one of contemporary gospel’s brightest and most awarded stars, a soulful singer with a revivalist spirit and just a twist of hip-hop.” Franklin’s life could have been profoundly troubled, given his troubled early origins, but his talent came to the fore early: “Abandoned by his mother and having never known his father, Franklin was raised in Fort Worth, Texas, by his Aunt Gertrude, a deeply religious woman who maintained a strict Baptist household. When he was four years old, his aunt paid for his piano lessons by collecting aluminum cans. A natural musician who could sight-read and play by ear with equal facility, Franklin received his first contract offer at the age of seven, which his aunt promptly turned down. At age 11, he was leading the Mt. Rose Baptist Church adult choir near Dallas.”

Franklin is a multi-Grammy winner, including categories such as Best Gospel Album, Best Gospel Performance/Song, Best Contemporary R&B Gospel Album, and Best Gospel Album by Choir/Chorus.

2015’s gospel-driven “I Smile” walks the most secular edge of Franklin’s material. This performance was featured at the 2015 Dove Awards, which honors Christian and gospel music. A half-step modulation arrives triumphantly at 3:45.

Ariana Grande | Tattooed Heart

“Tattooed Heart” is the fourth track from Ariana Grande’s 2013 debut album, Yours Truly. It was the first song recorded for the album, and Grande claims her inspiration for writing it was a tattoo she got on her right foot. Other notable performances include a 2013 presentation on The Today Show to promote the album, and a feature in the “Women of Soul” concert at the White House in 2014. Key change at 2:16.

Robin Thicke | Brand New Jones

American-Canadian singer/songwriter Robin Thicke makes his MotD debut with “Brand New Jones” from his 2002 debut studio album A Beautiful World. Thicke has collaborated with Usher, Christina Aguilera, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson among others, and currently serves as a judge on the Fox reality singing competition show The Masked Singer. Key change at 3:12.

The Delfonics | Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time

“The sound that producer Thom Bell created for the Delfonics was the antithesis of the soul sound that came from Stax in Memphis and Muscle Shoals in Alabama,” according to AllMusic. “He sandpapered away the grit, lightened up on the backbeat, brought in string sections, and created a smooth, airy sound…a different kind of groove where subtlety and nuance reigned.”

“All of the individual elements that helped create the distinctive ‘smooth grooves’ sound synonymous with the Delfonics coalesce with undeniable intensity” on the Delfonics’ fourth LP, 1970’s The Delfonics, AllMusic continues. “Indeed, the material has arguably never been stronger … ideally scored, incorporating string and brass sections without overpowering the vocal blend or seeming pretentious … several sides on this disc are among the group’s best-known works, as well as definitive entries into the distinct Philly-brand soul music scene. The leadoff track, ‘Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time),’ would not only become a staple of Top 40 and R&B radio in 1970, but nearly two decades later inspired the 20-volume soul music compilation Soul Hits of the 70s: Didn’t It Blow Your Mind.“

After an intro in F major, the verses are in A major (for the first time at 0:19); the choruses are in F major, prominently announced by a series of Bb/C kicks (IV/Vs) pushing the door open into the new key (for the first time at 1:01). The opening moments of the intro, 2:29, and a few other spots present prominent features for french horn — not exactly a typical part of most soul horn sections.

Judith Hill | Cry, Cry, Cry

“Cry, Cry, Cry” was the single released from American singer-songwriter Judith Hill‘s 2015 debut album Back in Time. The album, co-produced with Prince, marked Hill’s first foray into solo performing after she appeared as a backup singer with Michael Jackson (including as a featured soloist on his This is It tour) Josh Groban, and John Legend. Hill’s story was also featured in the acclaimed 2013 documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, for which she was awarded a Grammy Award. The tune starts in B major, and modulates to C at 3:38.

Chaka Khan | This Is My Night

Chaka Khan built her career as frontwoman for the band Rufus (starting as “Rufus featuring Chaka Khan” and later billed as simply “Rufus + Chaka”). AllMusic calls Chaka “one of the most dynamic and accomplished artists to debut during the early ’70s … Khan launched her solo career with “I’m Every Woman” (1978), an anthemic crossover disco smash that led to eight additional Top Ten R&B hits.”

Her 1984 album, I Feel for You, was likely the peak of her crossover pop success. The release was fueled by a single of the same name, written by Prince and featuring Stevie Wonder’s unmistakable harmonica riffs, ultimately becoming one of the most iconic tunes of the 80s. The heavy-hitting Turkish-American producer Arif Mardin left a strong imprint on the entire album; his dense wall-of-sound approach to up-tempo tunes can be heard his on earlier productions as well, including the Bee Gees’ 1975 track “Nights on Broadway.” Other than Quincy Jones, Mardin was one of the first producers in pop music to routinely garner prominent mentions alongside the music artists they supported. “This Is My Night” enjoyed a more modest success as a follow-up single, but still reached #1 for one week on the Billboard dance chart, #60 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #11 on the R&B chart.

Featuring a full showbiz mini-plot, Busby Berkeley-style dance sequences, and appearances by noted actors Wallace Shawn and Carol Kane, this story video doesn’t introduce the tune until 1:35. There’s a mammoth whole-step key change at 4:16 as the scrappy understudy becomes the toast of the town.