The 'List: Best of R&B Vol. 1 (?)

Hello, one and all.

This new 'list is a labor of love for the both of us; me and my buddy Calvin (Wilford Brimley loves to eat Oates) Cherry have an affinity for R&B music and this may be the first in a series of 'lists that will highlight the best of the genre. First, a small lesson about the first tentative volume of this 'list.

R&B basically is an abbreviation for "rhythm & blues" and it's a genre that, by and large, was created and coined by African-Americans during the times of slavery and the civil rights struggles. As the latter word delineates; the blues is the central beating heart to the genre. As many African-Americans faced horrible struggles for freedom, for equality and for visibility, their music began to show signs of growth as it told of their struggles and their search for joy, love, even sexual intimacy, their pain and hardships and even their triumphs through a pastiche of gospel, romantic music, jazz and elements of rock, funk and of course, the blues.

What separates this genre is the former word: rhythm. It adds a beat, sometimes fast, or even slow; puts some emphasis on bass and rhythm guitar (many songs incorporated the "wocka wocka" sound) and a more funky percussive vibe to either dance to or to, as they've coined the phrase: "music to make babies to."

Many black artists from the 50s and 60s were mostly part of the doo-wop genre; artists as prolific as The Drifters, Coasters, Miracles, and the Temptations. However, many solo artists; male and female, were bringing a new sound to the genre; everyone ranging from James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Etta James and Sam Cooke to name a few. Even the king of rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley was responsible for mainstreaming R&B music to the masses - although there's still an acrimonious, divisive sentiments towards him and his contributions to R&B music.

In the 60s, music impresario Berry Gordy would create a label strictly for the genre in Detroit, the now iconic Motor-town label (of course, shortened to Motown). Home to acts like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, Diana Ross, The Four Tops and The Temptations. It would even be the label to put an 11-year-old Gary, IN, musical wunderkind on the map with his four other brothers. Of course, I'm referring to The Jackson 5. The Memphis, TN-based, Stax Records label would be home to neo-soul-funk artists such as Booker T & the MGs, The Bar-Kays, Eddie Floyd, Sam & Dave and of course, the iconic Isaac Hayes.

The 1970s gave us the soul-rise of the Atlantic Records' label giving us artists like Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Wilson Pickett, Roberta Flack and Otis Redding. R&B music soon began to add more of a backbeat and bass line and expand to styles such as funk and even disco. Bands such as Chic and the Commodores would fill this void. Casablanca Records, founded by the late Neil Bogart, would be home to acts as diverse as Donna Summer, Parliament/Funkadelic and Lipps, Inc. The 1980s brought us two arch-rivals in Michael Jackson and the late Minneapolis musical wizard, Prince who were neck-in-neck as to who was the most legendary musically. We would also see the meteoric rise of the late NJ neo-soul/pop superstar, Whitney Houston.

Then, R&B took yet another turn, as a once, very underground form of a thumping beat and poetry rhyme began to make its way above ground. Record-scratching, boom boxes and record sampling were just part of its band instruments; of course, I'm talking about "rap and hip/hop." The 1990s would bring rap and hip/hip to the forefront, along with new jack swing and neo-soul. Artists such as Janet Jackson (Michael's iconic younger sister), R. Kelly, TLC, Boyz II Men, Jodeci and the biggest star of the genre, Mariah Carey, gave the 20th century a soulful sendoff.

My buddy, Oates, has already promised me a his-only 'list of the best of Motown and he and I found 12 of our favorite soul hits that encompass many styles and tempos. Enjoy...and let's see about that second volume.

Cherry Picks

Usher Raymond IV, a TX-born wunderkind who was raised in Chattanooga, TN became a superstar overnight after years of honing his talent as a child on shows like Star Search. He would hit pay-dirt with this sexy ode to cheating and unrequited lust. His career has spanned four decades and he's even the mentor to one Canadian wunderkind (maybe you know him), by the name of Justin Bieber. It was his first number one in a long list of number ones including, "U Remind Me", "Yeah" and "Burn" to name a few.

As profiled by me for Valentine's Day; this Newark, NJ icon made my buddy's R&B 'list with a song that had its original roots in country music. Dolly Parton recorded this song in 1973 and released as a single in 1974. It would be revised for her movie role in the 1982 film adaptation of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

But, Houston (who didn't pick the song) still gave it her own personal stamp for her movie debut in the 1992 drama, The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner in the title role. It lasted 14 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was also number one on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Charts. Like I said before...total perfection. Sadly, she became a legend in 2012 under tragic circumstances.

It would've been interesting to have had a pairing of the 1965 Otis Redding original and have a musical sparring with the most beloved version by the Queen of Soul from Memphis. Either way, it TCB'd its way to the top of the pop and soul charts and is still her signature song to this day.

From the once lead singer of The Drifters; this song, actually penned by two Jewish men and serving as more of a hymn than a pop/R&B song, has had more recordings, about 400+, and was even re-charted in 1986 by the same artist for a Rob Reiner-directed drama film with the same title. A beautiful song by a legendary performer who sadly left us in 2015.

This Tuskegee, AL super-funk group gave us all something to smile about with this disco/funk gem about a woman's bodily dimensions. It was the band that spearheaded the career of co-lead singer/songwriter and megastar in his own right - Lionel Richie! Guess what? Another Commodores song made my 'list with one of their stock in trades: a sexy ballad. Read on...

One of the most iconic soul classics from the 1970s from this WV pop/soul/jazz/blues singer. Went number one on the pop and soul charts and also has the intriguing distinction of being one of nine songs to have gone number one as well as its cover version. A pop/funk/reggae group from Sacramento, CA, called Club Nouveau took their reggae-fied version to number one also in 1987. It only went to number two on the R&B/Black Charts.

This Detroit-reared songstress scored her first top ten smash with this quiet storm/torchy ballad. It established Baker as a soul singer to watch for and made her signature album 'Rapture' one of the most iconic soul albums ever put out. Interesting in that I too have a song with the exact same title on my 'list. Mooooving on...

Jazz artists were still able to crack the 40 in the 60s, 70s and even for a short while, the 80s. This Pittsburgh jazz guitar magician would score one of his biggest hits with, no less - a disco record! Released in the year that disco was officially on its way out, Benson went top ten and took this song to the top of the soul and disco charts. Interesting fact, it was written by a Caucasian UK musician named Rod Temperton; one of the founders of the funk/disco group Heatwave (he also wrote "Rock With You" and "Thriller" for Michael Jackson). It was produced by the iconic Quincy Jones.

The two founding members of the 90s R&B/Hip Hop/new jack swing group Jodeci are point-in-fact, real-life brothers. Their project outside of Jodeci would net them their first and only number one on the pop and R&B/Hip Hop Charts. It has a very overt and potent gospel feel; no surprise since they come from that genre and also returned to it afterwards. It was dedicated to JoJo's young daughter.

This Philly, PA R&B/soul quartet would finally break the record for song that spent the longest week at the top of the pop charts. After Olivia Newton-John proved unbeatable with her 1981 hit "Physical" which stayed ten weeks at the top; Boyz II Men would break it with two extra weeks (12 total) with this sad, breakup ballad. It was featured in the raunchy Eddie Murphy 1992 comedy, Boomerang and on its soundtrack also.

This Atlanta, GA, neo-soul/hip hop duo: Big Boi and Andre 3000, would break the bank with this funky (and funny) ode to 60s/70s funk/folk/doo-wop music channeling Sly & the Family Stone (a pity that they couldn't make this 'list) where even the music video paid sweet homage to the Beatles' Ed Sullivan appearance in 1964. The phrase "Shake it like a Polaroid pictcha.." became a bit of a catchphrase, although the Polaroid company took some umbrage in the lyric. Finally...

This NYC singer/songwriter/musician stormed the scene with this quiet storm/throwback R&B soul classic that channeled the great Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight. It went to number one and made Keys one to look out for in the 2000s. She has since grown into an actress and a reality TV personality, all the while still churning out hit albums and records - one of her signature hits would be with Jay-Z as an ode to my hometown, NYC; "Empire State of Mind" in 2009. And now...here are mine.

My Picks

My pick from the four boyz from Philly came down to a neck-in-neck choice with a song of theirs from 1994 called "On Bended Knee." But, this made my 'list on account of its being one of the few songs to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 and to properly use the four seasons as a metaphor for a life without love. Hmmmm...dat's deep! It actually gets more rotation from my 90s 'list than "Bended" does - so...there you go.

My pick encompasses two birds with one stone. Another song title with the name "Sweet Love" in it - and my personal pick for the best Commodores' single ever! This would be the song that bucked the trend of all dance/funk/disco offerings and showcase Richie's skills as a prolific soul balladeer. It went top ten (their first) and number two on the soul charts. It was said that frictions in the group began when Richie attempted to steer the band's funky sound to ballads mostly. Hey; two number one hits "Three Times a Lady" and "Still" are nothing to sneer at!

This now iconic R&B/hip hop/new jill swing girl group from Atlanta, would have a signature smash with a song that dialed it back a bit and was a more socially-conscious record than most music offerings of the 90s. Tackling issues ranging from poverty, drug abuse, crime, the AIDS epidemic and even crisis of faith would be one of the most memorable song out of the Clinton era. It would also be the late Lisa 'Left Eye Lopes' introspective rap that would burn indelibly in our consciousness for all time. Sadly, she left us in 2002.

The earliest example of the R&B genre of new jack swing: a mix of beat-driven funk with rap added, would be this Boston-based five teen boy group and their breakout hit in late '84. It would be the springboard for solo careers by lead singer Ralph Tresvant and his three other groupmates, Bell Biv Devoe and yes, even Whitney Houston's mercurial ex-husband, Bobby Brown, who would have the most successful solo career of the bunch. The group's founder Maurice Starr would also attempt an all-Caucasian boy band version from the same town: "New Kids on the Block."

Thought I'd try a "two-for-one." Go neck-and-neck with an original soul hit and its cover. Ray, Goodman & Brown, from Washington DC, who were then known as The Moments, took this Sylvia Robinson/Burt Keyes composition to number three on the pop charts and number one on the soul charts...then in, 1981...

..a then-14-year-old singer, also from DC, made more of a torchy/sadder version of theirs and had massive success with it as well; but more on the soul charts than on the pop. My two cents is - the Lattisaw version works better than The Moments' version on account of the sadness of Lattisaw's vocal delivery giving us the sense of a "woman scorn." Just stirring the pot, folks. And on to...

This song was my first, official introduction to R&B/soul music. I was only 4-years-old, but I distinctly remember hearing this sad love-em-and-leave-em soul gem on the radio by this Jersey City, NJ vocal group that started back in 1962. It's a toss-up whether the group's name refers to the main NYC borough or the popular happy hour cocktail...but whatever it was, this song was and is, always a part of my life soundtrack for the rest of my life. Thank you, Manhattans - really! Thank you.

This soothing, 1984 soul ballad gave a voice to an undiscovered singer/songwriter from Greenville, SC who would carve out a career singing hits for many beloved Disney animated features. His voice is considered the best in the genre and can take the listener to emotions they thought they never had. Is that true for me, too? I acknowledge that he was more deserving of a successful career given to the likes of Lionel Richie and even Michael Jackson.

This 1969 light jazz recording by the now iconic Black Mountain, NC, singer responsible for "Killing Me Softly" in 1973 had a second life when it was featured in the Clint Eastwood romantic/psychological horror film, Play Misty For Me"from 1971. It would stay at the top for six weeks and give her the push needed to start her illustrious music career. She was also known for her many duets, with said previous artist, Peabo Bryson and many with Donny Hathaway, who died tragically by suicide in 1979.

Disco may have had little to stand on at the start of the 80s, but this Chi-town supergroup still cracked the top ten on the pop, soul and disco charts with this sexy funk-fection that even inspired 10s artist Bruno Mars with his 2013 funk/throwback hit, "Treasure." Founder Maurice White passed on in 2016. Sad, sad, sad.

The superman behind the careers of Michael Jackson, Brothers Johnson and Leslie Gore would also set the standard for finding flawless talent and showcasing them. Although he's the artist credited; it's the heartbreaking vocals by the singer from Akron, OH, that adds the soul, the beating heart and the ache that we all feel when we hear it. A bigger hit on the soul chart than the pop charts; but both Jones (who was riding the "Thriller" wave) and Ingram (who would score future number one pop hits) would have solid careers in the Reagan era.

This Chicago funk/soul queen; a one-time frontwoman for the mixed-group, Rufus, did the unthinkable. Take a 1978 Prince composition, Hi-NRG-ize it and make it one of the best dance/R&B hits of the decade! Adding to the sexy sauce was rapper Melle Mel (whose opening was actually an analog mistake that was kept for style reasons) and Stevie Wonder's unforgettable harmonica solo. An out-of-the-box smash and Khan's signature hit.

Another country song that went the soul route and became a smash on both the pop and soul charts in the bicentennial year. The artist, from Jackson, MS, always had me believing she was Gladys Knight. Hmmmm...pity that I couldn't find a song they both covered...!

Another bicentennial smash hit that melded the soulful sensibilities of R&B with the sinewy bass and backbeat of disco music. Considered the first platinum-selling record of its time and gave this one-time Stax artist from Dallas, TX, his one and only number one smash that still makes us remember those risque lyrics: "Put it in, put it out..." He passed away in 2000.

The last one...?

I chose this song as the last one on account of it was by a group that had its roots in the rap/hip hop/freestyle genre. The six men from Staten Island, NY, would have a big hit on their hands by the Minneapolis funk team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who would spearhead Janet Jackson's success in the late 80s. It would be a rare ballad that still catered to the rap music scene and still hearken us to romantic old school soul balladry. A great tune indeed...

But, has a Caucasian act also scored a number one on the pop and soul charts? The answer right down below...

The Philly blue-eyed-soul/pop/rock duo scored this one out of the park and became the duo's only known song to do so. Bless you, Casey Kasem.

Depending on traffic flow; we will determine a sequel. 'Till then, float on. float, float, float ooooon!

Next 'List Pending (Maybe Motown)