Charlie Wilson & Fantasia, I Wanna Be Your Man | COVERS

In the 33^rd edition of COVERS (2025), Charlie Wilson and Fantasia deliver a compelling rendition of “I Wanna Be Your Man,” originally performed by Roger.

[nx_dropcap]A[/nx_dropcap]h, it’s time to get cozy and cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers.  It is open to established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 33^rd  edition of COVERS (2025), Charlie Wilson and Fantasia deliver a compelling rendition of “I Wanna Be Your Man”, originally performed by Roger.    

[nx_pullquote]“I wanna be your man / I wanna be your man / I wanna be your man / Yes, I do, yeah, yeah.”[/nx_pullquote] Charlie Wilson (b. 1953) knows a thing or two about funk music. His band, The Gap Band, excelled in the genre. With “I Wanna Be Your Man”, he covers a fellow funk musician, Roger (Roger Troutman, 1951 – 1999). Roger earned his only pop hit with the record, penned with his older brother, Larry Troutman.  Remaking a top-five pop hit can be a Herculean task.  Wilson is up to the task with the help of a Grammy-winning R&B standout, Fantasia (Fantasia Taylor).  “I Wanna Be Your Man” appears as the third track on Wilson’s 2010 album, Just Charlie.

The sound of “I Wanna Be Your Man” in the hands of Charlie Wilson is full-on adult contemporary R&B vein. The instrumental is updated and upgraded from the 1987 track to sound like the 2010s.  Gregg Pagani puts in work behind the boards, giving Wilson and, later, Fantasia, a vibrant backdrop to sing upon. Charlie wows with his buttery smooth, soulful vocals. “Every time I see you walking by, I get a thrill,” he sings in the first verse, and continues, “You don’t notice me, but in time you will.” Ooh-la-la, Charlie! In the second verse, he’s thinking matrimony (“‘Cause what I got to say / Is sealed with a kiss and a wedding”). Some vocal effects complement his marvelous instrument, as well as the background vocals that accentuate his performance and “I Wanna Be Your Man” overall. His runs are otherworldly. Fantasia appears on the back half of “I Wanna Be Your Man.” When she sings the third verse, however, she leaves her mark. “My mind is blind at times, I can’t see anyone but you,” she sings, and concludes, “Those other girls don’t matter ‘cause they cannot sport my view.” Once she gets loose, Fantasia delivers her high-flying, gospel histrionics, infusing the track with soul.  When Charlie and Fantasia sing collaboratively in the final chorus and post-chorus, the chemistry is undeniable.  All told, the duo drops a sweet, highly effective cover of “I Wanna Be Your Man”.