Deniece Williams, Silly | Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶

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In the 178^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Silly” by Deniece Williams.

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 178^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “Silly”, performed by Deniece Williams.

“Silly of me to go around / And brag about the love I found /… And foolish of me to tell them all / That every night and day you call / When you could care less.” True dat! The Grammy winning R&B/gospel singer/songwriter Deniece Williams penned “Silly” alongside Clarence McDonald and Fritz Baskett. She produced alongside the late, great Thom Bell. With Bell at the helm, the production is lush, warm, and sophisticated. The arrangement is nothing short of glorious, including rhythm section, winds , and strings . The incredibly gifted Williams thrives over this utterly sublime backdrop. It’s a perfect fit for her refined soprano. The gem appears as the third track on Williams’ 1981, gold-certified album, My Melody. Although not a pop hit (it peaked at no. 53 on the Billboard hot 100), “Silly” performed much stronger on the R&B charts, peaking at no. 11.

The songwriting is a selling point of “Silly.” Williams asserts, [its] “Silly of me to think that I / Could ever have you for my guy.” She adds, “Silly of me to think that you / Could ever really want me too / How I love you.” Love is a predictable yet highly effective subject for R&B. On “Silly,” love fuels the fire without a hitch. The centerpiece, unsurprisingly, is the chorus:

“You’re just a lover out to score

And I know that I should be looking for more

What could it be in you I see?

What could it be?

Oh, love, oh, love, stop making a fool of me.”

The production and the theme and lyrics are vital to the success of “Silly.” But the key piece is none other than DENIECE WILLIAMs – Niecy! As Williams sings, it sounds as if she never breaks a sweat . What’s most impressive is that it sounds like she sings with incredible ease. Of course, melodically, she has a great tune to deliver. This song right here speaks for itself – NO CAP ! Notably, Grammy winner Monica sampled “Silly” for her own R&B hit, “My Everything” from her 2010 album, Still Standing (no. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100 / no. 1 on the R&B charts).