The soundtrack single, Run To You, may not be one of Whitney Houston’s intrinsic songs but it can arguably be one of her best vocal performances. When you tune your ear to the effortless transition in her vocals and the equal power she holds in her high noted belts and the airy falsetto, she is just mind blowing to experience. One the other side of the coin, I really have to ask, was this song inadvertently more personal than originally intended? In all honesty, I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Houston so I would never want to paint a picture in falsehood. However, when you really hear the lyrical content of the song and compare it to her notable interview with Oprah Winfrey in speaking about her desire to relinquish control and feel that sense of safety and freedom in another’s arm, you may see a stronger parallel to the Rachel Marron role she played in The Bodyguard and certain aspects of her life. Here is a clip from that interview as she speaks about Bobby Brown and what she wanted most:
Whitney: They don’t have any idea about that sweet, gentle tenderness about him that nobody knew. He was a very quiet person. When that entertainer came out onstage, he did that thing. But at home, he was very much the father. He was very much the man. He was very much in control. I liked that because I was in control of all my stuff, and here he comes along and everybody was like, “Wow, she’s got somebody now.” When he said something, I listened. I was very interested in having someone have that control over me. It was refreshing.
Oprah: It was refreshing because in every other aspect of your life—
This song is more than a powerful Jam & Lewis ballad, it really tells the story of Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph and Johnny. For 33 years we’ve followed the tale of five young boys inspired by the legacy of the Jackson 5 and The Temptations turn into six men who’ve created a legacy of their own. While I enjoy the individual projects of BBD, Johnny Gill, Ricky Bell, Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown and will probably equally enjoy Heads of State but nothing, and I mean nothing, can compare with the solid and unified force of New Edition……..home again.
Rock Wit’cha is one of those songs that strangely reminds me of junior high school. While it’s a song that sweetly suggest a session of intimate love making, the production of Babyface made it a song that could easily be played at your high school dance. So if you had someone to “rock wit” during that socially awkward time of your teenage years or if you’re “rockin’ wit” someone now, take a moment and enjoy this mental trip down memory lane with Bobby Brown’s, Rock Wit’cha!
“Don’t Be Cruel” was the second single off the album of the same title and went to #1 on the R&B charts. Babyface, L.A. Reid and Darryl Simmons, who just about owned the late ’80s and the ’90s, did their thing and delivered a great bassline and melody for this classic. “Don’t Be Cruel” was dope in 1988 and it’s still dope now. I see ya’ll dancing!
“Something About You” is the third single from the groups sixth studio album “Home Again.” Released in 1996, “Home Again” marked the return of Bobby Brown and the first album with he and Johnny Gill recording together. “Home Again” went on to be certified double platinum, with sales of over two million, and became the groups greatest commercial success. I thought “Something About You” was a pretty decent track with Ralph Tresvant singing lead and Bobby co-lead. By the time this single generated steam the bigger news was how the group was falling apart during their reunion tour. After an altercation on stage between Brown and Ronnie DeVoe that brought a halt to a concert, Brown left the tour as did Michael Bivens. That pretty much explains the video for “Something About You.” It was put together with clever editing using old footage from the “Still In Love With You” video that was shot on location at Villa Vizcaya in Miami. The song more than made up for the video which was not all bad considering it was a recycle with no real willing participants.
The era of Count Me Out from the All For Love album was a significant turning point for New Edition. During this time, NE was now with MCA Records (presently Geffen Records) and most of the group was content in the direction of the album and the image. However, tensions were brewing between the group’s management and Bobby Brown’s dissatisfaction with the bubblegum imagery. While the album was certified platinum, had 3 top 10 singles on the R&B charts and received two Grammy nominations, the restlessness had already reached a boiling point and resulted in the departure of Bobby Brown in 1985. Unfortunately, the group had to “C-O-U-N-T Bobby out” and continue to promote the album without him. Here is a clip from that period.
The American Music Awards had some very “interesting” performances and winners this year. From Bon Jovi’s medley, Neyo’s sci-fy interpretation of love vs. power and Justin Beiber’s four time sweep, which I’m still scratching my head over. However, one thing stood out the most to me and that was Usher’s performance. While he definitely pulled off a highly energetic performance, it looked extremely similar to another known artist. If I think about it, Bobby Brown sure comes to mind. In this performance, it seems that Usher read Bobby Brown’s play book page by page, slipped in a few James Brown tips and ended with Michael Jackson’s signature stance at the end. Check out Bobby Brown’s Get Away video and Usher’s AMA performance to see the pointers he picked from his inspiraton! (more…)
