St. Louis Music Blog

The Singer: We featured the peerless Marvin Gaye a few weeks ago with his uber-slow jam "Let's Get It On." There's not much more to say about him that you don't already know: he's as good of an artist as this country has produced. And in honor of Earth Day, we again highlight Gaye and his call to global awareness.

The Song: One of the first and most enduring songs about eco-consciousness in pop music history, "Mercy Mercy Me" takes a personal, emotional appeal in discussing environmental disasters. The song was one of the big singles from Gaye's game-changing What's Going On, along with the title track and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)."

The Singers: Along with the Stylistics, the Spinners and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes, the Delfonics were one of the premier Philly soul acts of the '60s and '70s. Hit-making producer Thom Bell helped the group hone its sound with hits like "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" and "La-La (Means I Love You)." Bell wrote and produced this week's jam, "Ready Or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love)" -- the man clearly loved parenthetical phrases in his song titles.

The Song: The turgid strings and bowel-shaking low brass that introduce "Ready or Not Here I Come" hint at the obsessive streak that runs through this brief tune. Think of it as a precursor to great stalker love-songs like the Police's "Every Breath You Take" and Elvis Costello's "Alison." The song also features founding member Randy Cain, who died last week at the age of 63.

The Singers: Founded by brothers Robert and Ronald "Kool" Bell, Kool & the Gang was one of the most successful funk acts of the '70s and '80s. Best remembered for dance-club hits like "Jungle Boogie" and "Ladies' Night," the group also had a slower side. Singles like "Cherish" and today's jam "Joanna" showed a softer, more sensitive side.The Song: With a vocal harmony part reminiscent of doo-wop, "Joanna" floats along like a glossy soap bubble. Singer James "J.T" Taylor (not to be confused with the Handy Man) has a voice to match the effervescent production, and that smooth trombone solo is icing on the cake.

The Video: Talk about taking liberties with a song's lyrics: who knew that Kool & the Gang were singing about a waitress at a greasy spoon? According to the video, Joanna is a middle-aged coffee-slinger who used to be a Cotton Club startlet in her youth. So perhaps when Taylor sings that "she never lets me down, especially at night," he's speaking to Joanna's skills with eggs and hash browns, not her amorous charms.

The Singer: We're covered Marvin Gaye in this space before (with "Sexual Healing"), but we're giving him another airing for this sad and special day: Today marks the 25th anniversary of Marvin Gaye's shooting at the hands of his father (he died the next day). I'm not much for numerology, but it's fitting that as Motown celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, we mark the 25 years since the loss of one of the label's true artists.

The Song: "Let's Get It On" was hardly the first song to be considered a Slow Jam, but it may stand as the finest model of the genre. Every piece of the song just falls into place, from the weepy, wah-wah guitar intro to the attack-and-release drumbeat to Marvin's gentle but unwavering commitment to gettin' some. And while I haven't done the research to back up this claim, I've always suspected that Marvin's use of colloquial language his songs (from "I'll Be Doggone" to "I Heard it Through the Grapevine") has impacted the proliferation of these terms in American slang. "Let's Get It On" -- as a song and as a come-on -- stands as a testament to his powers of language and songwriting. Oh, and it will totally help you get laid.

The Singer: Bill Withers is an odd success story in the annals of soul music. His singing style is affecting but often understated, the instrumentation in his songs was often minimal, and his persona was so low-key that he often seemed to fade into the background of his own songs. His hits -- "Lean on Me," "Just the Two of Us," "Lovely Day" -- still stand as upbeat, uplifting soul songs, but he got funky and a little raw with 1972's "Use Me."

The Song: Slow jams often feature duplicitous paramours and faithless lovers, but few songs sing the praises of a shady lady like "Use Me." Built around a prickly clavinet bassline and rimshot-heavy drumming, "Use Me" lays a simple groove for Withers' tale of barely-coded carnal delight.

The Singers: Heatwave was helmed by brothers Keith Wilder and Johnnie Wilder, Jr., but the band's secret weapon was organist and songwriter Rod Temperton. The Englishman wrote all the songs on Heatwave's debut LP, including today's slow jam, but Temperton racked up a massive amount of songwriting credits after leaving Heatwave. According to his Wikipedia entry, he wrote or co-wrote songs such as Michael Jackson's "Thriller," Michael McDonald and James Ingram's "Ya Mo Be There" and George Benson's "Give Me the Night." 

The Singer: Stax recording artist, Shaft theme singer, King of New York, voice of South Park's Chef and Scientologist: Isaac Hayes amassed quite the rap sheet before his death last year. He started as a songwriter for Stax Records and became a singer in his own right in the late '60s. Today's cut comes from 1969's Hot Buttered Soul, though the album's 12-minute version of "Walk on By" is truncated here.

The Singer: Born Helen Folasade Adu in Nigeria, the singer known as Sade found her way to music a few years after arriving in London to pursue a career in fashion. In 1982 Sade formed the band that shared her name (a trait that makes her something of a precursor to PJ Harvey). Her debut, 1984's Diamond Life, contained "Smooth Operator" (her best-known song), but this week's slow jam comes from her sophomore effort, Promise.

The Singers: Though born in Chicago, Donny Hathaway was raised in St. Louis: He grew up in a housing project in the Carr Square neighborhood and attending Vashon High School. Hathaway began singing gospel at a young age but made his mark in the soul scene back in Chicago. His most enduring composition is the holiday hit "This Christmas," though his 1972 collaboration with Roberta Flack (of "Killing Me Softly" fame) earned the duo a Grammy for this week's slow jam, "Where is the Love." Despite his cool exterior, Hathaway suffered from depression and paranoid shizophrenia, and he committed suicide in 1979. Hathaway is buried in the Lake Charles Cemetery in North City's Bel-Nor neighborhood.  

The Singer: Hailing from Atlanta, Gladys Knight fronted her brother and two cousins in the Pips from 1953 to the late '80s, though the best-known incarnation of the Pips recorded between 1967 and 1975. The quartet recorded for Motown in the '60s but found greater fame on the Buddha label, which released "Midnight Train to Georgia" in 1973.

The Song: "Midnight Train" is a little more gritty and Stax-y than most slow jams we've featured here, but the soul and sentiment comes through. When Gladys sings "I'd rather live in his world than be without him in mine," it basically condenses every love song down to one line. More notable, though, is the back-up vocals by the Pips: rather than simply echo the lead singer's lines in harmony (like most back-up groups did), the all-male Pips provide a Greek Chorus for Gladys. It's an elegant solution to a tricky gender issue.

The Singer: Marvin Gaye needs no introduction. The man basically perfected the Slow Jam with "Let's Get It On" and contributed more to the body of soul music than anyone before or after. This week's jam may not have the clout of "Let's Get It On," but it remains a classic.

The Singer: Along with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson was a triple threat for Motown Records: a great singer, hit songwriter and an architect of the label's sound. Most people can name a half-dozen songs Smokey sang with the Miracles in the '60s, but his solo career pointed his smooth delivery and trembling timbre in a new direction. His "Quiet Storm" provided the template (and title) for a new genre of low-lit R&B, and "Cruisin'" remains a karaoke-bar standard. The Song: Taken from the 1981 album of the same name, "Being with You" captures what Smokey was all about in the '70s and early '80s: soft, smooth soul that gently but persistently percolates throughout. The song also contains one of his all-time best couplets: "I've heard the warning voice from friends and my relations / They tell me all about your heart-break reputation."  

The Singers: Herb Fame and Francine "Peaches" Parker began recording together in the late '60s, but Parker was one of five women to fill the role of Peaches. Linda Greene stepped up to the mic for 1979's 2 Hot, which contained the pair's biggest hit, "Reunited."

The Singers: Harold Melvin got top billing with the Blue Notes, but the quintet is best remembered as the proving ground for Teddy Pendergrass, whose raspy, unbound voice was supported by the act's velvet harmonies. Pendergrass took the lead on today's slow jam and on "The Love I Lost," another classic Gamble & Huff production from the group's time on Philadelphia International Records. Pendergrass went on to larger fame as a solo artist before retiring from the music business a few years ago.

The Singer: Discovered by Jermaine Jackson (and later romantically linked with his brother Michael), Stephanie Mills began her recording career in 1974 but didn't find success until the early '80s. Her bright, clear voice was ideal for big, glossy disco numbers, and 1979's What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin went gold on the strength of the title track. She continues to record and tour, but her legacy was cemented with 1980's "Never Knew Love Like This Before."

The Singer: Born in Trinidad but raised in England, Billy Ocean began his recording career in the mid-'70s and found worldwide success in the early '80s with hits like "Suddenly" and the smash "Caribbean Queen."

The Singers: Formed in the late '60s when the members were school mates at the Tuskegee Institute, the Commodores are best known for two things: having fostered a young Lionel Richie, and the funk jam "Brick House". The group's hits were split between "Brick House"-like funk songs ("Machine Gun" and "Lady (You Bring Me Up)" ) and Richie-penned soul ballads, like "Still" and the eternal "Easy." Today's slow jam, however, comes from 1985, after Richie had left the group for worldwide fame as a solo artist. Ironically, it would win the band its only Grammy award.

The Singer: The list of truly certifiable pop-music geniuses is a short one, but even the briefest tally would have to include Stevie Wonder. Forget the fact that he's blind and that he played nearly every instrument on his best-loved albums. Forget that no one paired such stone-cold funk with vocal intensity as Stevie. Wonder's lyrics alone place him at the top of the class. He's written better slow jams than today's selection ("Knocks Me Off My Feet"  and "That Girl" come to mind), but Wonder touched on something special and sacred with "As."

 

The Song: Coming as the penultimate track on 1976's epochal double album Songs in the Key of Life, "As" serves as both the summation of the record's themes and, I argue, the pinnacle of Wonder's career. You can accuse Stevie of going a little long on many of the Key of Life tracks, but even at seven-plus minutes, "As" feels perfectly measured. Unlike other slow jams, you don't merely make love to "As"; you create worlds to it.

Most of the track is a straightforward declaration of undying love, but the final verse turns it into something spectral.

The Singer: The line between smooth jazz and slow jams got a lot thinner when guitarist George Benson released 1976’s Breezin’. Benson came up playing with organist Brother Jack McDuff and guested on Miles Davis’ Miles in the Sky, but Breezin’ and its hit “This Masquerade” recast Benson from ace guitarist to husky-voiced R&B star. He scored hits with “Turn Your Love Around” and “Lady Love Me (One More Time),” and his rendition of the Drifters’ “On Broadway” became the definitive version.

The Song: Produced by Quincy Jones, “Give Me the Night” shimmers with the anticipation of a night on the town. The quick, jazzy strokes of Benson’s guitar give way to some scat-inflected singing, and the airy background vocals help give the song an echo-y fog.

The Singers: We’ve written about the Pointer Sisters in this space before
for their hit “Slow Hand,” but today’s selection just feels appropriate, given last night’s events.

The Song: “Yes We Can Can” was the first big single from the Pointer Sisters, recorded when they were still a quartet. The track was written by New Orleans music magnate Allan Toussaint and originally recorded by Lee Dorsey (who scored big with Toussaint’s “Working in a Coal Mine”). It’s a little too fast to be a true slow jam, but the groove is undeniable thanks to that gritty two-note bass line and the Sisters’ stacked vocals. But the theme of unity and of fixing our social ills from the inside is something we can all get behind.

The Singers: If the Temptations and the Four Tops were the kings of ’60s soul, the Spinners were the crown princes of the '70s scene. Despite forming in 1954, the group struggled to make a mark until 1970, when the quintet scored its first major hit for Motown with the jangly “It’s a Shame" (which was co-written by Stevie Wonder). It was the Spinners’ only hit for the venerable Detroit label, but the group found much more success on Atlantic Records, charting hits like “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love,” “Working My Way Back to You," and their #1 hit with Dionne Warwick, “Then Came You."

The Singer: For all the unsavory entries on Whitney Houston’s resume – drug abuser, reality show train wreck, Mrs. Bobby Brown – it’s easy to forget that she has one of the all-time great voices in R&B. The power and the range behind her vocals are staggering, and she never retreated to the note-bending melisma like her heir Mariah Carey. Only Madonna can match her string of ’80s hits, though I’d argue that Whitney’s have aged better; can you beat “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me," “How Will I Know” or “So Emotional”? Her first two records, 1985’s Whitney Houston and 1987’s Whitney, were chart fodder and are worth rescuing from the nearest 99-cent vinyl bin.

The Singer: The St. Louis rock & roll hierarchy goes something like this: 1. Chuck Berry 2. Nelly 3. Michael McDonald. The bushy-bearded singer grew up in Ferguson and attended McCluer High School, playing keyboard and singing in local groups before moving to L.A. in the early 1970s. His work with Steely Dan (his vocals are all over “Time Out of Mind,” “Kid Charlemagne” and most notably “Peg”) and, later, as lead singer of the Doobie Brothers brought McDonald national acclaim. His debut solo record, 1982’s If That’s What it Takes, went gold on the back of the hits “Believe in It,” “I Gotta Try,” and in particular “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near).” McDonald was added to the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2003, but when is our city going to give the man his due and erect an equestrian statue in his honor? Get on it, Joe Edwards.

The Song: The definition of the slow jam undergoes a revision nearly every week in this space, but there are a few key traits: smooth instrumentation, a softening of funk’s rough edges, and a palpable sense of emotion (either love, lust or heartache). By that rubric, “I Keep Forgettin’” is a slow jam of the highest order, even if it is sung by a white man best known for his contributions to the soft rock song book. The minor key resolution of McDonald’s electric piano sets an ominous tone, while the slapped bass guitar and prickly Clavinet stabs add some percussive elements. Maureen McDonald, Michael’s sister, adds the female harmonies, giving the song an icky Luke Skywalker/Princess Leia vibe.

The Singer: Each man has his own vision of heaven; personally, I’d be happy to pass through the pearly gates and see Lou Rawls wearing a white linen suit and matching white loafers. He may not look especially God-like, but that voice, so bottomless and smooth, was pretty goddamn divine.

The Song: Written and produced by the Philadelphia music magnates Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, “You’ll Never Find” stands as Rawls’ signature song as well as a Platonic ideal for Philly soul itself. The dramatic strings, the Latin-tinged piano and a relentless disco beat in the chorus gives Rawls ample room to croon and exhort in equal measure. The song was Rawls’ biggest hit, charting at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard R&B and Adult Contemporary Charts.

The Video: Not much to say about this live clip; it’s a shame that a YouTube search didn’t reveal Rawls in his mid-’70s prime. But it’s a solid performance and Lou comes off as classy as ever.

-- Christian Schaeffer

The Singers: The Manhattans formed in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1962. The outfit had its biggest chart hit with the #1 single “Kiss and Say Goodbye” in 1976, though 1980’s “Shining Star” remains the group’s signature song.

The Song: Not to be confused with the Earth, Wind & Fire song of the same name, “Shining Star” sounds like an updated slice of Philly soul, with glossy strings and a jazzy guitar vamp laying the foundation for the sweet, simple lyrics.

The Video: The video for “Shining Star” appears to be taken from some poorly dubbed VHS cassette from Japanese MTV, but you can’t beat the matching suits and slick choreographed dance moves. But take note of the YouTube contributor who posted this little gem: the user, with the screen name “fuckthisshit12345,” has only posted this video – an odd choice, given the curse-laden moniker.

Hipster Cachet: Gerald Alston, who took lead vocals on many of the group’s songs after joining in 1970, appears on the Wu Tang Clan’s 2007 album 8 Diagrams, contributing to the song “Stick Me for my Riches.”

-- Christian Schaeffer

The Singer: As one of the longest running bands in R&B, the Isley Brothers have been charting hits since the late ‘50s. A string of Isleys have passed through the group, but Ron Isley remains both the only constant member of the band and the group’s signature vocalist. Sometime during the mid-’90s, Ron introduced his alter ego Mr. Biggs, a big-spend, big-loving pimp who initially acted as a villainous foil in several R. Kelly videos. R. repaid the favor by co-writing and producing the Isleys’ 1996’s Mission to Please, 2001’s Eternal and 2003’s excellent Body Kiss, which yielded the hit “What Would You Do?” and this week’s slow jam, “Busted.”

The Band: Drummer and vocalist Maurice White founded Earth, Wind & Fire in 1970. You could staff an entire basketball league with the number of musicians who have passed through EWF, but in 1972 singer Philip Bailey became the band’s focal point with his castrati-like range. Bailey’s high-flying vocals paired nicely with White’s more husky, countrified delivery, and the combo charted a number of hits with various styles, ranging from the breezy funk of “Shining Star” to the cosmos-exploring “Fantasy."

"Reasons":

The Song: If you had to pick one Earth, Wind & Fire song at the expense of all the rest, it would have to be “Reasons.” Everything about this track is perfect – the punchy electric piano, breathy horn lines and stutter-step drum breaks all build to a crystal-cracking crescendo. If heaven has a waiting room, this song is playing on a constant loop over the intercom.

The Video: This concert recording, filmed in 1982, sacrifices some of the smoothness of the recorded version by ramping up the backbeat, but it’s worthwhile to hear Bailey’s scat-like riffs on the song’s theme, as well as his lovey-dovey introduction. Just remember to shield your eyes from Bailey’s gold -lamé headband and vest-pants combo; EWF’s stage costumes make their soul-funk brethren in the Commodores seem dignified by comparison.

Hipster Cachet: Bailey found some crossover success by pairing up with another Philip – Mr. Phil Collins – for the smash hit “Easy Lover.” Watch the video, complete with sweater vests and helicopters, below.

In my informal survey of slow jams, I estimate that roughly 40% of these songs center on infidelity. Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs. Jones” comes to mind as a breezy celebration of the forbidden act, while Luther Ingram’s “If Loving You is Wrong (I Don’t Wanna Be Right)” considers the moral consequences a bit more seriously. Even Stevie Wonder’s “Part Time Lover” sounds fraught with the risk of being found out.

Which leads us to “Secret Lovers” by Atlantic Starr. The duet, sung by David Lewis and Barbara Weathers, recognizes the sinfulness of this cuckoldry while sounding entirely effervescent. In this live recording, Weathers entreats her audience before the band launches into an amped-up version of the song: “San Bernardino, can we talk?” Go ahead, Barbara – we’ll listen. Typical mid-’80s production values are in full effect here, from the flowing, shimmering stage costumes to the all-electronic octagonal drum kit.
(Atlantic Starr plays at the President Casino Theater, 1000 North Leonor K Sullivan Blvd., on Saturday night, September 6, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.)

-- Christian Schaeffer

VIEW VIDEO HERE. NON-EMBEDDABLE.

The Singer: Released in 1986, Gregory Abbott’s “Shake You Down” is softer in tone and more synthesized in sound than other slow jams, but the song helped the genre cross over into adult contemporary radio. Based on a simple 808 drum pattern, some jazzy guitar and what sounds like an electronic melodica, “Shake You Down” glides on its simplicity – that, and Abbott’s cloud-bursting falsetto.

The Song: Like most R&B singers, Gregory Abbott is a man given to claims – his sly, come-hither flirtations of the first verse become hardened with the bravado of an A-1 lover man. Not only will he shake you down, he’s gonna rock you down, while (of course) giving you all the loving you need. “Shake You Down” is notable not only for its use of pseudo-science as a pick-up line (“I’m glad you picked up on my telepathy”) but for its spoken third verse. Abbott may not have been the first crooner to implore his lady-love with such a bald-faced monologue, but damn if he doesn’t embody the time period’s airbrushed cheese with his lispy declarations. Budding Casanovas, take note: when the lights are low and the mood is right, start every other sentence with “Girl, I’ve been missing you.” It’s virtually bulletproof.

The Video: Abbott dances and sings while beautiful ladies pass by. It’s a beautiful thing.

Hipster Cachet. Abbott was married to Freda Payne, singer of the wonderful “Band of Gold.” (vid after jump)

The Singer: Luther Ingram had only one major hit, but 35 years later it stands tall among soul ballads. Ingram was born in Tennessee but spent time in St. Louis working for the McDonnell space program before moving to New York to pursue a career in music. In his later years, Ingram settled in Belleville, Illinois, where he died in March of 2007. He’s best remembered for “(If Loving You is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right,” but Ingram had a long history in music: He played with Ike Turner in East St. Louis clubs, shared a room with Jimi Hendrix, and co-wrote the Staple Singers’ hit “Respect Yourself.”

The Song: While plenty of slow jams celebrate adultery (from Billy Paul’s “Me and Mrs. Jones” to Atlantic Starr’s “Secret Lovers”), Ingram’s signature song has a palpable sense of dread and a moral gravity to it. The stabs of the Hammond organ seem to cut through the singer’s conscience, and the electric piano floats with an unwieldy menace. In an obituary published by The Independent, Ingram is quoted on the song’s arrangement:

“Barry Beckett played the organ, did exactly what I needed, Shelton Clayton played the Wurlitzer with an Echoplex to get the real shrill vibrations. Jimmy Johnson was on rhythm guitar, he put his fills in. With the other guitar player [Pete Carr], I said, ‘I need some tears,’ so he got a Crybaby wah-wah. And Roger Hawkins played the drums. He had started it off a bit fast. It has a tempo in the introduction that is faster than when I come into it. ‘Drop it back a little bit,’ I said, and it fell just right in the pocket.”