15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez

Reading Time: 20 min read

15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez features Bee Gees, Bob Marley, Dionne Warwick, Rod Stewart & Stevie Wonder.

I love older music – I’m an old soul despite being a millennial. My parents are baby boomers, so, they love music from the 1960s and 1970s. Their great taste, which encompasses various styles, with soul topping the list, rubbed off on me. With Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 in full swing, and four soul oldies lists under my belt – 🎧 15 Soul Oldies That Tickle My Fancy, 🎧 15 More Soul Oldies That Tickle My Fancy (Vol. 2), 🎧 15 More Soul Oldies That Tickle My Fancy (Vol. 3), and 🎧 Soul Oldies: Vol. IV – I proudly present the next series of compendiums celebrating the music of the past: 🎧 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez.

Like the three volumes of soul oldies, 🎧 15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez serves as the first of several forthcoming volumes. Gracing this soulful list are contributions from 🎙 Bee Gees, 🎙 Bob Marley, 🎙 Dionne Warwick, 🎙 Rod Stewart, and 🎙 Stevie Wonder among others. One rule: all songs featured on this list had to be released prior to 1990. I have no doubt a future compendium will expand the dates well into the 90s but for now, everything you see or hear on this series predates it. So, without further ado, let’s take it back 30-plus years and enjoy these throwback vibez of various styles!

1. Bee Gees, “Stayin’ Alive”

💿 How Can You Mend a Broken Heart • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2020

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.” Cutting straight to the chase, 🎵 “Stayin’ Alive” is the quintessential disco song, period. 🎙 Bee Gees have many, many hits, but none is bigger and more recognizable than “Stayin’ Alive.” The record is an entire vibe and even though it hails from a different music era, it remains fresh and relevant.

“Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk

I’m a woman’s man, no time to talk

Music loud and women warm

I’ve been kicked around since I was born.”

Bitmoji Image Woo! So, why is “Stayin’ Alive” still ‘alive and well’ today? It’s timeless to the n^thdegree. The groove is utterly infectious, making you want to get up and dance. The production (Bee Gees, 🎛 Karl Richardson, and 🎛 Albhy Galuten), idiomatic of disco back-when, is slick and impressive, even four decades later. The falsetto vocals remain ripe, with few other bands rivaling those high-flying head vocals, ha-ha. Furthermore, what about the personality and the swagger Bee Gees exhibit? There’s no shortage of confidence. The chorus, of course, is the centerpiece – tuneful and recognizable by those older and younger. Even so, the bridge – “I’m goin’ nowhere, somebody help me / Somebody help me, yeah” – is sweet in its own right. Wanna know how to write a kick-ass pop record? “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees is an exemplary blueprint.

“Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother

You’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive

Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’

And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive.”

Appears in 🔻:

13 Captivating Songs That are Alive & Well

2. Thelma Houston, “Don’t Leave Me This Way”

💿 Any Way You Like It • 🏷 Motown • 🗓 1976

To recap, beloved soul classic, 🎵 “Don’t Leave Me This Way”, was written by Philly soul proponents 🎼 ✍ Kenneth Gamble and 🎼 ✍ Leon Huff. 🎼 ✍ Cary Gilbert is also credited on this particular song. Originally performed by iconic soul collective 🎙 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, featuring 🎙 Teddy Pendergrass, another R&B standout, 🎙 Thelma Houston, would have more success. Arguably, Houston owns the definitive version.

Bitmoji Image Houston had the hit of a lifetime on her hands, period. Her sole 🏆 Grammy win comes courtesy of “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” winning for Best Female R&B Performance, deservingly. Beyond the Grammy win, Houston topped the Billboard Hot 100. This disco gem was everywhere by 1977, originally released in late 1976, and appearing on the album, 💿 Any Way You Like It. 🎛 Hal Davis serves as the producer, doing a fabulous job of giving Houston the perfect backdrop. Houston sings superbly, exhibiting ample personality on this love-filled number. Besides the famous first verse, the chorus is the centerpiece, lacking no shortage of energy. Houston certainly rises to the occasion:

“(Ahh) Baby, my heart is full of love and desire for you

Now come on down and do what you got to do

You started this fire down in my soul

Now can’t you see it’s burning out of control?

Come on, satisfy the need in me

‘Cause only your good loving can set me free

(Set me free, set me free).”

Simply glorious! Notably, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” became a gay anthem in 1980s and 90s with the AIDS epidemic. It’s simply awesome – Houston’s stellar voice and Davis’ groovy disco production.

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3. Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Three Little Birds”

💿 Exodus • 🏷 UMG Recordings Inc. • 📅 1977

“Don’t worry about a thing / ‘Cause every little thing is gonna be alright.” Ah, such positivity! Furthermore, such VIBE! Reggae, particularly in the hands of the late, great 🎙 Bob Marley, is all about positivity and musically, a surefire vibe. Perhaps no other reggae classic by 🎙 Bob Marley & The Wailers shines brighter, or is more popular, than 🎵 “Three Little Birds.” This is quintessential Bob Marley, as well as quintessential reggae. It’s a shame that Marley didn’t receive the notoriety he deserved during his lifetime. He wasn’t nominated for a Grammy, and he didn’t ignite the Billboard Hot 100. Regardless, Marley has gone on to have massive success posthumously, including the diamond-certified album, 💿 Legend. “Three Little Birds” originally hails from the collective’s gold-certified album, 💿 Exodus (1977).

bird friends “Rise up this morning, smiled with the rising sun / Three little birds pitch by my doorstep,” Marley sings in the verse. These lyrics alone speak to the spirit that Bob possessed – truly special. He continues, “Singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true / Saying, ‘This is my message to you-ou-ou.’” Of course, this sets up the beloved refrain, which touts hope, optimism, and nothing but positive vibes. The message is simple but potent, made even more potent by the expressive, nuanced vocals of Bob and the slick, reggae backdrop. “Three Little Birds” is a model of what reggae is meant to sound like as far as instrumentation, rhythm, and the overall aesthetic. An oft-covered record, does anybody give Bob Marley & The Wailers a run for their money?

“True friends are like stars; you can only recognize them when it’s dark around you.” ~ Bob Marley

Appears in 🔻:

Bob Marley & The Wailers vs. Maroon 5: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 28 (2022)

4. Luther Ingram, “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right”

💿 Absolutely the Best of Luther Ingram • 🏷 Airline • 🗓 2010

“If loving you is wrong I don’t wanna be right / If being right means being without you / I’d rather live a wrong, doing life.” Honestly, I agree wholeheartedly with 🎙 Luther Ingram. Love will make you do crazy things, including things you know aren’t right. In the case of the soul classic, 🎵 “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right”, Ingram is damning himself to hell by Dante Alighieri’s standard, committing the sin of infidelity 😈. Well, if you’re going to be unfaithful, at least do it with a soul joint that damn-near topped the pop charts, right (no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100)?

“Your friends tell you it’s no future

In loving a married man

If I can’t see you when I want to

I’ll see you when I can.”

ugh Yeah, Luther was wrong, wrong, wrong. That said, he perfectly captures how affairs work. The guilty parties have to sneak around, which should signal how criminal what they’re doing is. Ingram questions his behavior throughout “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right,” but finds it hard to give up his ‘side piece,’ despite “Knowing I got a wife and two little children / Depending on me too.” You dog! Besides the expressive lead vocals and scandalous yet pitch-perfect lyrics, the music is epic. That signature guitar line, those horns – the ripe soulful aesthetic! A surefire vibe! More than 50 years after its release, 🎵 “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right” remains fresh, relevant, and timeless. One of soul music’s crown jewels.

Appears in 🔻:

Luther Ingram, “(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don’t Want to Be Right”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 61 (2022)

5. Betty Wright, “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do”

💿 My First Time Around • 🏷 Atco • 📅 1968

“The guys are gonna wander / Go out and play sometimes / But girls you must not let it get you down.” Guys are trash for sure, so, yeah, 🎙 Betty Wright, you have valid point. Still, it feels so damn unfair to the girls (and I’m a guy)! In her 1968 classic, 🎵 “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do”, Wright continues adds in the first verse, “Just take this advice I give you just like a mother / You try to match your guys two for two / Don’t try to do the things that the guys do, no no.” Well, okay… Wright, again, has a valid point on this throwback gem from 💿 My First Time Around. Of course, it also highlights the double standard women face, ugh!

The chorus, the centerpiece of “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do,” speaks volumes:

“‘Cause girls you can’t do what the guys do, no

And still be a lady

Girls, you can’t do what the guys do, no

And still be a lady, no

No, oh.”

i object Basically, women can’t get away with that sugar honey iced tea… lame. BUT, depending on the lens you view “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do,” Wright is urging women to be classy – rise above the dumb stuff guys do. The messaging is big on this soul classic, which peaked at no. 33 on the Billboard Hot 100. Also worth mentioning is the music itself. “Girls Can’t…” features vintage, soul production with horns, keys, and vibes; the orchestration is ‘everything.’ The record commences dynamically and energetically with articulated, biting horns. Wright is both refined and commanding. Besides her epic lead vocals, the backing vocals are terrific in their own right. Notably, “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do,” has been sampled by 🎙 Beyoncé (🎵 “Upgrade U”) and 🎙 Latto (🎵 “Pussy”). Although 🎵 “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do” has a short runtime, it’s incredibly powerful. The message – the theme – and musicianship are equally important. Still, above all, Betty Wright was a fabulous vocalist. It’s no wonder why so many rappers sought her out for collaboration in her later years.

Appears in 🔻:

Betty Wright, “Girls Can’t Do What the Guys Do”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 63 (2022)

6. Michael McDonald, “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)”

💿 If That’s What It Takes • 🏷 Warner • 📅 1982

“I keep forgettin’ we’re not in love anymore / I keep forgettin’ things will never be the same again.” 🎙 Michael McDonald had a successful run as a member of 🎙 Doobie Brothers, an iconic, soft-rock, pop-soul collective. He also experienced a successful run as a solo artist beginning with his first and best studio album, 💿 If That’s What It Takes. The crown jewel of his 1982, gold-certified LP is 🎵 “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near)”. “I Keep Forgettin’” was a pop hit, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100, his most successful solo single.

i forgot “I Keep Forgettin’” is an exceptional example of sound songwriting, period (McDonald, 🎼 ✍ Ed Sanford, 🎼 ✍ Jerry Leiber, and 🎼 ✍ Mike Stoller). The lyrics are strong, but also, the crossover appeal is what really stands out. McDonald lies somewhere in the rock/pop/soul sphere, which makes him appeal to multiple audiences. Thematically, McDonald is struggling with a break-up. Sure, we’ve heard ‘this song and dance’ many times but it never grows old. Clearly, McDonald hates that things have ended, and he isn’t coping well. In the bridge, he asserts, “Don’t say that, don’t say that, don’t say that / I know you’re not mine anymore-anymore-anytime / But tell me how come I…” Basically, like all of us who have broken up with someone, you have to work through it, sigh.

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7. Shalamar, “The Second Time Around”

💿 Big Fun • 🏷 Unidisc Music Inc. • 🗓 1979

🎵 “The Second Time Around” appears on the 1979 🎙 Shalamar album, 💿 Big Fun. Big Fun earned the disco/funk/soul collective a gold album. Likewise, the song at hand, a top ten hit on the pop charts, is certified gold too. The edition of Shalamar that appears on “The Second Time Around” and Big Fun is comprised of 🎙 Howard Hewett (lead vocals), 🎙 Jody Watley, and 🎙 Jeffrey Daniel. Throughout the course of this late 1970s classic, Howard Hewett serves up commanding, compelling lead vocals. He sounds nothing short of exuberant, energetic, and utterly sublime.

big mood Of course, it’s not all about Howard, though he’s ‘kind of a big deal’ on “The Second Time Around!” The record is a feel-good, surefire vibe. It was written by 🎼 ✍ Leon Sylvers III and 🎼 ✍ William Shelby. Sigh, I wish I’d written this bop! It’s set in a bright major key – D-flat to be precise 🤓. Musically, it’s the funky groove, robust bass line, keys, and the crisp, rhythmic guitar that truly stand out. Beyond the instrumental backdrop, the lyrics are sweet, encouraging her that love can be found, even if it didn’t work out the first time. “But you can’t keep runnin’ away from love / ‘Cause the first one let you down, no, no, no,” Hewett sings, adding, “With me, true love can still be found / Love can still be found.” Awesome! Of course, the centerpiece of “The Second Time Around” is the catchy chorus, carried by the backing vocals (Watley and Daniel), and of course, marvelous ad-libs by Hewett.

“The second time around

Ooh, the second time is so much better, baby

The second time around

And I’ll make it better than the first time.”

Appears in 🔻:

8. Billy Preston, “Nothing From Nothing”

💿 The Kids & Me • 🏷 A&M • 🗓 1974

“Nothing from nothing leaves nothing / You gotta have something if you wanna be with me.” Woo, so true, 🎙 Billy Preston! The iconic musician extraordinaire had a surefire pop hit on his hands with 🎵 “Nothing From Nothing” in 1974 (💿 The Kids & Me). The brief, but funky, potent classic spent one week atop the Billboard Hot 100. It marked Preston’s third and final no. 1 hit overall (his second as the lead artist). Preston penned “Nothing From Nothing” alongside 🎼 ✍ Bruce Fisher. He produced the record himself.

quality content Musically, “Nothing From Nothing” is one of the funkiest records of all time, PERIOD. The keyboard work is awesome, as to be expected from a keyboardist as gifted and elite as Preston was. Furthermore, “Nothing From Nothing” is masterfully arranged and orchestrated from the tightness of the rhythm section to the horns. The musical canvas which Preston gets to sing over is celestial – R&B/soul/funk heaven if you will! The lyrics are fun, capitalizing on nothingness. Notably, beyond the famous, infectious chorus, there is one terrific verse:

“I’m not trying to be your hero

‘Cause that zero is too cold for me

I’m not trying to be your highness

‘Cause that minus is too low to see, yeah

Nothing from nothing leaves nothing

And I’m not stuffing, believe you me

Don’t you remember I told ya

I’m a soldier in the war on poverty

Yeah, yes, I am.”

It’s hard to believe “Nothing From Nothing” is pushing 50 years old. This old-school soul joint still sounds fresh in the 2020s – truly timeless. He wouldn’t win the 🏆 Grammy he was nominated for 😏, but he also didn’t need a Grammy to validate the sheer excellence of “Nothing From Nothing” (he’d win two in his lifetime, by the way). If you need a lift on a down day, let the classic, soulful vibes of this Billy Preston gem elevate you!

Appears in 🔻:

Billy Preston, “Nothing From Nothing”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 60 (2022)

9. Donna Summer, “Heaven Knows” (Ft. Brooklyn Dreams)

💿 On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II • 🏷 UMG Recordings Inc. • 📅 1979

“Heaven knows / It’s not the way it should be / And heaven knows / It’s not the way it could be / And don’t you know / There’s no need to leave.” Two words: 🎙 Donna Summer. How about an additional word: #ICONIC. Oh, and two more words, for good measure: 🎵 “Heaven Knows”! This hit (💿 On The Radio: Greatest Hits Volumes I & II) from one of the most legendary artists in the game peaked at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1979. Notably, Summer got an assist from 🎙 Brooklyn Dreams.

Bitmoji Image Of course, the chorus is the centerpiece of “Heaven Knows.” It’s one of the catchiest, most memorable, and tuneful choruses you’ll ever hear. Still, there’s even more to love. The record features an electrifying disco groove and makes awesome use of percussion. Besides the percussive element, the orchestration and production (🎛 Giorgio Moroder and 🎛 Pete Bellotte) – which kicks some serious ass – stand out thanks to the exuberant strings and biting horns. I mentioned Brooklyn Dreams’ assistance earlier. It’s ultimately a nice collaborative vocal performance between Summer and Dreams’ 🎙 Joe “Bean” Esposito – a match made in HEAVEN. Still, “Heaven Knows” is most celestial because Donna Summer is the superstar without question. Rest in peace, queen!

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10. Rod Stewart, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”

💿 Blondes Have More Fun • 🏷 WEA Records B.V. • 🗓 1978

“Sugar, sugar / Ooh.” Indeed! In the 1970s, disco was inescapable. Musicians who weren’t disco musicians were performing disco for good reason – it had a dominant run. It died, sure, but it had a dominant run! 🎙 Rod Stewart certainly wasn’t a disco artist, but one of his biggest hits embodies it: 🎵 “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”. “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” from his 1978 album, 💿 Blondes Have More Fun, marked a departure Expectedly, some liked it, and others loathed it. Compared to his discography, it is pop to the core.

sexy beast While the lyrics aren’t deep, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” does have a story beyond the electrifying danceable instrument and silly title. Is that story distinct? Well, no. Many men and women have partaken of the experience, honestly. Shy guy meets lonely girl in the club, they go back to his place (“They catch a cab to his high-rise apartment / At last, he can tell her exactly what his heart meant”), they have sex (“They wake at dawn ‘cause all the birds are singing / Two total strangers but that ain’t what they’re thinking”) – yeah, you get the picture. Still, even if the substance is missing, this record is irresistible and has stood the test of time, maybe surprisingly. The chorus is golden:

“If you want my body and you think I’m sexy

Come on sugar, let me know

If you really need me, just reach out and touch me

Come on honey tell me so

Tell me so, baby.”

🎵 “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?” wasn’t without its skeptics and detractors. Still, despite the criticism and accidental plagiarism, Rod Stewart ultimately got the last laugh. “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” stayed no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks.

Appears in 🔻:

Rod Stewart, “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 59 (2022)

11. Dionne Warwick & The Spinners, “Then Came You”

💿 Then Came You • 🏷 Warner • 🗓 1975

“Ever since I met you / Seems that I can’t forget you / The thought of you / Keeps running through, the back of my mind.” For 🎙 Dionne Warwick, 🎵 “Then Came You” (💿 Then Came You, 1975) marked her first no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Warwick, who experienced an incredibly successful career, would only earn one other no. 1 hit ( 🎵 “That’s What Friends are For”). For another legendary act collaborating with Warwick, 🎙 The Spinners, surprisingly, “Then Came You” marked their sole no. 1 hit. “Then Came You” gave both Warwick and The Spinners a big moment in their respective careers.

“I’m so darned proud of you

I wanna sing about you

All I know

You made love grow

By touching my hand.”

I think I'm in love The song is electrifying from start to finish. This 1974 gem was written by 🎼 ✍ Philip Pugh and 🎼 ✍ Sherman Marshall. 🎛 Thom Bell produces this masterpiece, with all its vintage soul cues – the funky riffs, alluring groove, lush strings, and stellar keyboard work. The music alone is enough to make “Then Came You” a vibe – a surefire soul bop. But of course, Warwick and The Spinners’ lead singer, 🎙 Bobby Smith deserve plenty of credit for their sensational vocals. Warwick, of course, who is tough to categorize, falls somewhere between R&B and pop – not your quintessential soul singer per se. Here, she holds her own with her expressive, unique instrument, blending exceptionally well duetting with Smith. There’s sheer exuberance in “Then Came You”; it bears an innocence and arguably, fun, that’s not always perceptible on modern R&B/contemporary soul records. The chorus, of course, is the centerpiece, where Warwick and The Spinners reveal their cards:

“I never knew love before

Then came you (Ooh-ooh-ooh)

Then came you

Hey, hey, hey, then came you.”

Appears in 🔻:

Dionne Warwick & The Spinners, “Then Came You”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 57 (2022)

12. Lou Reed, “Walk on the Wild Side”

💿 Transformer • 🏷 RCA • 📅 1972

When it comes to the late, great 🎙 Lou Reed, the first song that comes to mind is: 🎵 “Walk on the Wild Side”. This highlight from 💿 Transformer (1972), written about Andy Warhol’s friends and the New York underground, peaked at no. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. One of the greatest songs of all time, Reed brilliantly captures oddballs perfectly, all of whom happen to be members of the LGBTQ+ community. Worth noting that Reed was bisexual and struggled with his sexuality. The colorful characters he sings about in “Walk on the Wild Side” are Holly, Candy, Little Joe, Sugar Plum Fairy, and Jackie.

wild In the first verse, Lou sings about Holly Woodlawn: “Plucked her eyebrows on the way / Shaved her legs and then he was a she.” Holly was transgender, a topic today that wasn’t often covered in rock or any musical genre back in the day. In the second verse, Candy Darling (also trans) gets her moment, with arguably the most famous line in the song: “But she never lost her head / Even when she was giving head.” Wow! Oral sex – a blow job – in an early 70s song? It’s commonplace now in many rap songs, but eyebrow-raising then. In the third verse, Reed portrays bisexual actor Joe Dallesandro as a hustler, true to the character he plays. In the fourth, Sugar Plum Fairy (Joe Campbell, a former lover of gay activist, Harvey Milk) gets his moment, while Jackie Curtis’ demons (“Jackie is just speeding away…”) in the fifth and final verse preface her eventual death from a heroin overdose at just 38. How Reed portrays oddballs and misfits makes “Walk on the Wild Side” not only outlandish but a certified classic. Another reason why “Walk on the Wild Side” is so great? The music. Reed keeps things on the lighter side. After all, it is the lyrics, which tell a compelling story, that are ultimately the reason why this song is a success. That said, musically, the bass line, the background vocals where (“the colored girls say / doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo), and the baritone saxophone solo marks some of the song’s bright spots.

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13. Stevie Wonder, “I Wish”

💿 Songs in the Key of Life • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1976

“Looking back on when I was a little nappy-headed boy.” That iconic 🎙 Stevie Wonder lyric hails from one of his very best songs, 🎵 “I Wish”. “I Wish” is in elite company in the 🏆 award-winning musician’s catalog; it is one of his no. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. That’s right, this reflective joint spent one week atop the pop charts, showing Mr. Wonder flexing those crossover muscles – something he’s done throughout his career. Furthermore, it appears on arguably the best and most important album in his discography, 💿 Songs in the Key of Life (1976). The entertaining first verse continues, “then my only worry was Christmas, what would be my toy / Even though we sometimes would not get a thing / We were happy with the joy the day would bring.”

memories There are more compelling lines besides those excerpted from the first verse. In the second verse, Stevie sings, “Brother said he’s telling ‘bout you playin’ doctor with that girl.” Ooh, wee! There’s also, “Smokin’ cigarettes and writing something nasty on the wall / Teacher sends you to the principal’s office down the hall.” The verses are awesome, but we all know the biggest claim to fame is the timeless chorus:

“I wish those days could come back once more

Why did those days ever have to go?

I wish those days could come back once more

Why did those days ever have to go?

‘Cause I love them so.”

Beyond the chorus, there’s no way you can mention “I Wish” and not compliment the funkiness of the production. Those electric keys! That drum groove! The harmonic progression! Let’s just be honest here, Stevie Wonder kicks ass and takes names – NO CAP!

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14. Whitney Houston, “How Will I Know”

💿 Whitney Houston • 🏷 Arista • 📅 1985

“There’s a boy I know, he’s the one I dream of /… When I wake from dreaming, tell me, is it really love?” ‘Boy, oh, boy’ did 🎙 Janet Jackson pass up an awesome record! No problem as 🎙 Whitney Houston earned a no. 1 hit with 🎵 “How Will I Know”. “How Will I Know,” written by 🎼 ✍George Merrill, 🎼 ✍ Shannon Rubicam, and 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Narada Michael Walden (who also produces) is the quintessential 1980s record. It successfully straddles pop and R&B, a place where Houston would often find tremendous success as well as an identity crisis.

This innocent record appears as the sixth track on Houston’s 1985 debut album, 💿Whitney Houston. It commences with an inescapable, electrifying groove. Bright and exuberant, this major key joint never grows old. The chorus is incredibly memorable, including Whitney’s own background vocals:

“How will I know if he really loves me?

I say a prayer with every heartbeat

I fall in love whenever we meet

I’m asking you what you know about these things

How will I know if he’s thinking of me?

I try to phone, but I’m too shy (Can’t speak)

Falling in love is so bittersweet

This love is strong, why do I feel weak?”

Houston sings like an angel, owning this memorable gem from the start. Also, like so many of the 80s songs, “How Will I Know” gives us a modulation – aka a key change. Also, shout out to the music video 🎶📼 – #ICONIC!!!

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15. The O’Jays, “Stairway to Heaven”

💿 Family Reunion • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1975

Ohio-born soul collective, 🎙 The O’Jays, comprised of 🎙 Walter Williams, Sr. and 🎙 Eddie Levert (and various other members, including the deceased 🎙 William Powell), is one of the greatest groups of all time. The hits are endless for this Philadelphia soul proponent, who famously worked with the legendary, dynamic duo of 🎼✍ 🎛 Kenneth Gamble and 🎼✍ 🎛 Leon Huff. One of the greatest fruits of their labor: 🎵 “Stairway to Heaven”.

Bitmoji Image “Stairway to Heaven” is, indeed, heavenly; north of six minutes of sheer glory. It arrives as the sixth track on The O’Jays’ platinum-certified, 1975 album, 💿 Family Reunion. The moment you hear the silky smooth, lush backdrop, you know it’s Gamble and Huff. The writing/production team sees their music continue to find new life within R&B and hip-hop. 🎙 Chrisette Michele repurposed “Stairway to Heaven” brilliantly in 2013 with her own slice of R&B heaven, 🎵 “A Couple of Forevers”. Honestly, these guys could just flat-out sing. Here, they provide a vocal bible of sorts, bringing smooth moments as well as dynamic, truly gritty moments.

“Here we go, climbing the stairway to heaven

Here we go, walking the road of ecstasy

Taking a load of the whole world off our shoulders

The door is wide open for you

The door is open for me.”

Yes! That’s before The O’Jays put ample emphasis on “Climbing the stairway to heaven / And we’re going step by step together.” Oh, the love, it’s L-I-T! “Stairway to Heaven” sounds and feels like musical salvation, if such a thing exists.

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15 Must-Hear, Throwback Vibez [📷: A&M, Airline, Alina Vilchenko, Anselmo Pedraz, Arista, Atco, Brent Faulkner, Capitol, cottonbro, Motown, The Musical Hype, RCA, Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings, Inc., Unidisc Music Inc., Warner, WEA Records B.V.]

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Published by the musical hype on July 25, 2022July 25, 2022