R and B Essentials...
We have this bar right next door to my work that we go to at least twice a week. The jukebox at the bar has an amazing array of 80's and 90's R and B unlike I have ever seen before. I thought my 80's and 90's R and B collection was top notchm but it pales in comparison to this jukebox. We're talking as deep as Neneh Cherry and Ricky Bell (formerly of New Edition). I spend 25-30 bucks a night on this jukebox playing these songs.
My coworker asked me to compile him a CD of the best R and B songs from those decades that I could find, and I found myself having trouble. I finally came up with a Top 15, which was almost impossible for me because anyone who knows me, knows that this is my favorite genre of music, by far.
Here's what I came up with...
(P.S. this doesn't include any R and B from the 21st century such as Jaheim or the later Jon B. stuff)
15. Jodeci "Love You For Life" ~ You can't just have one Jodeci song in the top 80's/90's R and B. This is the first of the installments. Jodeci's "Lately" should be at the top of this list. The reason I left it out is because it was originally a Stevie Wonder song that they did on MTV Unplugged and never released it as a single. "Love You For Life" was ahead of it's time, and didn't get a lot of airplay until later in its albums release.
14. Tevin Campbell "Tell Me What You Want Me To Do" ~ I could have placed "Can We Talk" or "I'm Ready" in this position. I figured that all three songs were easily interchangeable, and gave a nod slight nod to this song by just an eyelash.
13. New Edition "Can U Stand The Rain?" ~ New Edition's transition track. See Song number 2 on the list for an explanation.
12. New Edition "Cool It Now" ~ This is the last of the "young voice" sound for New Edition when they still had Ralph Tresvant as the lead singer. Johnny Gill still hadn't been introduced.
11. Al B. Sure "If I'm Not Your Lover" ~ Didn't get much play, but you'd recognize it if you heard it.
10. Bell Biv Devoe "Poison" ~ Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronald Devoe. This could be considered 90's Hip Hop, but it's just too damn cheesy to classify as hip hop. Too much keyboard and high pitched singing.
9. Jodeci "Cry For You" ~ Best song off of "Diary of a Mad Band" which was arguably their best album.
8. Keith Sweat "Twisted" ~ The coming of age track for anyone the same age as me. This song hit just as we were allowed to go to parties that were unattended by parents. I think I made out with at least 4 other fellow 8th grades to this tune.
7. Jon B f. Tupac "Are You Still Down" ~ 1999 - the last year of the decade, and the year of Jon B. Just a great fuckin track.
6. Boyz II Men "On Bended Knee" ~ Everyone in middle school owned the "II" album. Most of you can remember the front cover. I still remember automatically starting my Aiwa CD player to track 10 and began with this one. I even remember being in a Paddle-Boat with Jenny Perras in 7th grade at the Frito-Lay company picnic party (our dads both worked there) and this song was playing in the background. Nostalgia baby!
5. Shai "Comforter" ~ Another song that flanked the most popular on the album. "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" was the marquee hit mostly because of the playtime that the video received, but if you went deeper into some of the cuts on the album, "Comforter" blew "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" out of the water.
4. Ralph Tresvant "Sensitivity" ~ Another one of the New Edition gang. I play this mp3 probably more than any other that I own.
3. Bobby Brown "Tender Roni" ~ The greatest of Bobby Brown's lovey-dovey, super synthed songs. I never really did figure out what a "Roni" was though.
2. After 7 f. Babyface "Till You Do Me Right" ~ Easily one of my favorite slow jams of all time. It didn't get a ton of play, but the seperation between these top 2 and the rest of the list I made is huge. This was the transition song from After 7's "No Better Love" which was cheesy synths to the "mature" sound, part of the "growing up" that most of these groups did once they ended puberty and started making more soulful music.
1.New Edition "If It Isn't Love" ~ You just can't f*** with this track. Period. Best of it's time.
My coworker asked me to compile him a CD of the best R and B songs from those decades that I could find, and I found myself having trouble. I finally came up with a Top 15, which was almost impossible for me because anyone who knows me, knows that this is my favorite genre of music, by far.
Here's what I came up with...
(P.S. this doesn't include any R and B from the 21st century such as Jaheim or the later Jon B. stuff)
15. Jodeci "Love You For Life" ~ You can't just have one Jodeci song in the top 80's/90's R and B. This is the first of the installments. Jodeci's "Lately" should be at the top of this list. The reason I left it out is because it was originally a Stevie Wonder song that they did on MTV Unplugged and never released it as a single. "Love You For Life" was ahead of it's time, and didn't get a lot of airplay until later in its albums release.
14. Tevin Campbell "Tell Me What You Want Me To Do" ~ I could have placed "Can We Talk" or "I'm Ready" in this position. I figured that all three songs were easily interchangeable, and gave a nod slight nod to this song by just an eyelash.
13. New Edition "Can U Stand The Rain?" ~ New Edition's transition track. See Song number 2 on the list for an explanation.
12. New Edition "Cool It Now" ~ This is the last of the "young voice" sound for New Edition when they still had Ralph Tresvant as the lead singer. Johnny Gill still hadn't been introduced.
11. Al B. Sure "If I'm Not Your Lover" ~ Didn't get much play, but you'd recognize it if you heard it.
10. Bell Biv Devoe "Poison" ~ Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ronald Devoe. This could be considered 90's Hip Hop, but it's just too damn cheesy to classify as hip hop. Too much keyboard and high pitched singing.
9. Jodeci "Cry For You" ~ Best song off of "Diary of a Mad Band" which was arguably their best album.
8. Keith Sweat "Twisted" ~ The coming of age track for anyone the same age as me. This song hit just as we were allowed to go to parties that were unattended by parents. I think I made out with at least 4 other fellow 8th grades to this tune.
7. Jon B f. Tupac "Are You Still Down" ~ 1999 - the last year of the decade, and the year of Jon B. Just a great fuckin track.
6. Boyz II Men "On Bended Knee" ~ Everyone in middle school owned the "II" album. Most of you can remember the front cover. I still remember automatically starting my Aiwa CD player to track 10 and began with this one. I even remember being in a Paddle-Boat with Jenny Perras in 7th grade at the Frito-Lay company picnic party (our dads both worked there) and this song was playing in the background. Nostalgia baby!
5. Shai "Comforter" ~ Another song that flanked the most popular on the album. "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" was the marquee hit mostly because of the playtime that the video received, but if you went deeper into some of the cuts on the album, "Comforter" blew "If I Ever Fall In Love Again" out of the water.
4. Ralph Tresvant "Sensitivity" ~ Another one of the New Edition gang. I play this mp3 probably more than any other that I own.
3. Bobby Brown "Tender Roni" ~ The greatest of Bobby Brown's lovey-dovey, super synthed songs. I never really did figure out what a "Roni" was though.
2. After 7 f. Babyface "Till You Do Me Right" ~ Easily one of my favorite slow jams of all time. It didn't get a ton of play, but the seperation between these top 2 and the rest of the list I made is huge. This was the transition song from After 7's "No Better Love" which was cheesy synths to the "mature" sound, part of the "growing up" that most of these groups did once they ended puberty and started making more soulful music.
1.New Edition "If It Isn't Love" ~ You just can't f*** with this track. Period. Best of it's time.
posted by Shawnzo at 11:31 AM
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