Billy Stewart, Cross My Heart | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

In the 117^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2024), we recollect and reflect on “Cross My Heart” by Billy Stewart. 

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 they’re ancient – no fossils 🦴! All genres of music are welcome. In the 117^th edition of Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 (2024), we recollect and reflect on Billy Stewart performed by “Cross My Heart”.

“Cross my heart that I love her / Place no one up above her.” Those lyrics hail from “Cross My Heart” by the late, great Billy Stewart.  Sadly, the R&B singer/pianist died in 1970 at only 32 years old.  Cause of death: a car accident, which killed him and his three passengers.  Despite his youth, Stewart left behind some incredible songs with “Cross My Heart” being one of the best. It was written by Dave Henderson, Sidney Pinchback, and Warren Hagood. Billy Davis produced.

The instrumental accompaniment on “Cross My Heart” is impressive. It all begins with an epic drum riff.  Beyond that, the rhythm section is locked in, while the orchestra (strings and winds) amplifies the sound with its colorfulness. Billy Stewart sings commanding and expressively on his lead vocals.  His performance drips with personality.  Also, his falsetto is stunning.  He doesn’t carry all of the weight himself. He has fabulous background vocals supporting him. Not only are the instrumental and vocals elite, but the songwriting is too. The lyrics are memorable, particularly the chorus    (excerpted above) as well as the surefire gem, “This fat boy’s gonna love her / Place no one up above her / Don’t you know I said /Ooh, ooh, ooh.” Unfortunately, “Cross My Heart” wasn’t a significant pop hit for Stewart. Bummer! It peaked modestly at no. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1968. “Heart” performed better on the R&B songs chart, reaching no. 34. Even though it didn’t receive its just-due commercially, “Cross My Heart” is an amazing 60s soul cut.  Unsurprisingly, it’s been sampled a few times.

Billy Stewart // Cross My Heart // UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1967

Billy Stewart, Cross My Heart: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 117 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; OpenClipart-Vectors, Speedy McVroom from Pixabay]