Anita Baker, Sweet Love | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 14^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Sweet Love” by Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter, Anita Baker. 

The vibes, the vibes, those Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶! Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 is a column that celebrates awesome songs from the past.  The records that grace this column are older, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 14^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Sweet Love”, performed by Anita Baker.

Although infamous for being a diva, Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Anita Baker is an incredible musician. Her voice is distinct – truly, one of a kind.  Throughout her career, Baker had a successful run, including a gold certified comeback album in 2004 (My Everything).  Still, Baker did her most damage during her heyday, including 1986, multiplatinum masterpiece, Rapture.  The song to beat on Rapture is the opening gem, “Sweet Love” which was composed by Baker, Gary Bias, and Louis Johnson.  “Sweet Love” marks one of two top-10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. It peaked at no. 8 on the pop charts, which is impressive for an adult contemporary R&B song.

“Sweet Love” runs a respectable four-and-a-half minutes in duration – not too short, not too long. It kicks off with a bang thanks to a lush introduction: lovely keys and animated ‘live’ drums, which set up a refined, classy R&B experience. In addition to being idiomatic of R&B, the harmonic scheme and approach have some jazz sensibilities. Of course, the biggest draw is the diva herself, Baker.  Baker blesses our ears with ultra-sophisticated vocals, serenading us about L-O-V-E (“Your heart has called me closer to you / I will be all that you need”).  She masterfully brings the melodies to life. Additionally, her ad-libs are celestial as well.  The chorus, in all its tuneful glory, serves as the centerpiece:

“I’m in love, sweet love (sweet love)

Hear me calling out your name, I feel no shame

I’m in love, sweet love (Sweet love)

Don’t you ever go away, it’ll always be this way.”

It’s not just the chorus that stands out. Those verses are tuneful too, not to mention the sheer elegance.  Furthermore, what about the bridge? It brings a welcome contrast, separating itself from the verses and chorus. “Sweet Love” is nothing short of sweet.

🎙 Anita Baker • 💿 Rapture • 🏷 Elektra • 📅 1986

Anita Baker, Sweet Love: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 14 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Elektra; OpenClipart-Vectors, Speedy McVroom via  Pixabay]