Skip to main content
Speaking of Babyface, he's my other favorite artist behind Brooks. If you're not into R&B/lite soul, this could be your gateway. I would highly recommend 1993's For The Cool In You, which gave us 5 R&B/pop hit singles, including: the title track, "Never Keeping Secrets," and the haunting, "When Can I See You". Frankly, the albums beginning with 1989's Tender Lover, the aforementioned For The Cool In You, and 1996's The Day, make up perhaps the best three-album set released by someone other than Brooks or George Strait. Here is a partial list of the songs written or produced by Babyface in the 1990s for other artists:
"Change The World," (performed by Eric Clapton)
"Take A Bow" (Madonna)
"Breathe Again" (Toni Braxton)
"End of the Road" (Boyz II Men)
"I'll Make Love to You" (Boyz II Men)
"Baby, Baby, Baby" (TLC)
"Pretty Girl" (Jon B)
"These Are The Times" (Dru Hill)
"My Heart Is Calling" (Whitney Houston)
"Never Forget You" (Mariah Carey)
"Water Runs Dry" (Boyz II Men)
"Exhale" (Whitney Houston)

I chose these songs because they are ones I heard and liked before I knew who had written them. I should have guessed! Babyface's strategy is twofold: 1. An addicting chorus; and 2. Set up the opening of the song melodically (usually with a keyboard) in such a way that by the time one hears words, one is already hooked! Babyface's influence extends even into country music, as you will know by the anecdote I am about to relate. CMT was reviewing the videography of a singer named Terri Clark. She's had many mid-level country hits, including a fairly big one called, "Now That I Found You". Terri said in introducing this video that it was a touching love song with a great chorus, and "it reminded us of Babyface." (paraphrase) Check him out. He deserves the label of music legend.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

My Thoughts On The Harrison Butker Commencement Speech

Update: I read the whole thing. I’m sorry, but what a weirdo. I thought you [Tom Darrow, of Denver, CO] made a trenchant case for why lockdowns are bad, and I definitely appreciated it. But a graduation speech is *not* the place for that. Secondly, this is an august event. It always is. I would never address the President of the United States in this manner. Never. Even the previous president, though he deserves it, if anyone does. Thirdly, the affirmations of Catholic identity should be more general. He has no authority to propound with specificity on all matters of great consequence. It has all the hallmarks of a culture war broadside, and again, a layman shouldn’t speak like this. The respect and reverence due the clergy is *always due,* even if they are weak, and outright wrong. We just don’t brush them aside like corrupt Mafia dons, to make a point. Fourthly, I don’t know where anyone gets the idea that the TLM is how God demands to be worshipped. The Church doesn’t teach that.
Post a Comment
Read more

Dear Alyse

 Today, you’re 35. Or at least you would be, in this place. You probably know this, but we’re OK. Not great, but OK. We know you wouldn’t want us moping around and weeping all the time. We try not to. Actually, I guess part of the problem is that you didn’t know how much we loved you. And that you didn’t know how to love yourself. I hope you have gotten to Love by now. Not a place, but fills everything in every way. I’m not Him, but he probably said, “Dear daughter/sister, you have been terribly hard on yourself. Rest now, and be at peace.” Anyway, teaching is going well, and I tell the kids all about you. They all say you are pretty. I usually can keep the boys from saying something gross for a few seconds. Mom and I are going to the game tonight. And like 6 more times, before I go back to South Carolina. I have seen Nicky twice, but I myself haven’t seen your younger kids. Bob took pictures of the day we said goodbye, and we did a family picture at the Abbey. I literally almost asked
Post a Comment
Read more

A Friend I Once Had, And The Dogmatic Principle

 I once had a friend, a dear friend, who helped me with personal care needs in college. Reformed Presbyterian to the core. When I was a Reformed Presbyterian, I visited their church many times. We were close. I still consider his siblings my friends. (And siblings in the Lord.) Nevertheless, when I began to consider the claims of the Catholic Church to be the Church Christ founded, he took me out to breakfast. He implied--but never quite stated--that we would not be brothers, if I sought full communion with the Catholic Church. That came true; a couple years later, I called him on his birthday, as I'd done every year for close to ten of them. He didn't recognize my number, and it was the most strained, awkward phone call I have ever had. We haven't spoken since. We were close enough that I attended the rehearsal dinner for his wedding. His wife's uncle is a Catholic priest. I remember reading a blog post of theirs, that early in their relationship, she told him of the p
Post a Comment
Read more