Luther Vandross, A House is Not A Home | Throwback Vibez

In the 85^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “A House Is Not A Home” by Luther Vandross. 

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 85^th edition of Throwback Vibez (2023), we recollect and reflect on “A House Is Not A Home”, performed by Luther Vandross.

via GIPHY

“A chair is still a chair / Even when there’s no one sittin’ there…” Sometimes it takes the right artist to cover a song. By the time the late, great Luther Vandross released his version of “A House Is Not A Home”,  the song was already 17 years old .  It had been recorded by both Dionne Warwick and Brook Benton, though neither struck pop gold with it.  Penned by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, the perfect fit for this ballad was none other than Luther, whose pipes are buttery smooth – angelic to the n^th degree.  Sure, his debut album, Never Too Much, is best known for “Never Too Much”, but the seven-minute “A House Is Not A Home” is easily a contender for the LP’s crowning achievement.

“But a chair is not a house / And a house is not a home / When there’s no one there to hold you tight / And no one there you can kiss goodnight.” The songwriting is marvelous by Bacharach and David – their slightly unusual style made their tunes stand out.  Here, Luther Vandross executes those quirks – more ambitious harmonic moments – masterfully.  He never gets in a rush, milking the lyrics and gorgeous melodies for all their worth.  Sure, we’ve seen the videos and GIFs of Luther sweating, but he NEVER sounds like he breaks a sweat here.  Seven minutes is ambitious for any song, particularly in popular music, but this ultra-slow take on “A House Is Not A Home” never bores.  His tone, the phrasing, the production – it is PERFECT.

via GIPHY

Luther Vandross • Never Too Much • Sony Music Entertainment • 1981

Luther Vandross, “A House Is Not A Home”: Throwback Vibez No. 85 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment; John Alan Sperry, PIRO via  Pixabay]