Johnnie Taylor, I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)

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In the 119^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)” by Johnnie Taylor.

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 119th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)”, performed by Johnnie Taylor.

“I feel sorry for any man out there / When he can’t look around and say / ‘This is my woman, my woman alone.’” Woo! Somebody please explain to me how The Philosopher of Soul, the late, great Johnnie Taylor (1934 – 2000), never won a Grammy! It’s both a tragedy and a travesty as Taylor was one of the truly great soul musicians particularly when it comes to southern soul. The two biggest hits of Taylor’s career are “Who’s Making Love”, which peaked at no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and his sole no. 1 hit, “Disco Lady”. Taylor just missed adding a third top-10 hit to the mix with his no. 11 hit, the eight-word titled “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)” which appears as the fifth track on his 1973 album, Taylored In Silk. “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)” was written and produced by Don Davis.

Ultimately, Johnnie Taylor has a woman he can fully believe in, invest in, and T-R-U-S-T. You might say the bond that they have, well, it’s “Solid / Solid as a rock” Ashford & Simpson! “People talking, trying to pull us apart, no / Always ticking pins and needles in both of our hearts,” Taylor sings, adding “But our love together, don’t care about no stormy weather.” classic He follows up those lyrics with the titular lyrics – the centerpiece: “I believe in you / You believe in me too.” Like many soul songs of the 1970s, the backdrop – the production – is ear catching, led by the electric piano and of course the colorful, smooth orchestration. What makes “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)” interesting is how the verses are written – a bit nontraditionally. This unorthodox approach, coupled with a stellar, tuneful melody is part of the charm of the record. Of course, Johnnie Taylor is a beast on the vocals – oozing with authenticity and soul. Even though others have bad intentions for the love on “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)”, him and his lady won’t be broken up given their belief in each other . As for me, I believe in the sheer excellence of this early 70s gem .