I gotta be honest with you #Growns, “You Will Know” was not one of my favorite Stevie tunes in real time 1988. Part of that was due to the fact that I perceived the music as a much older sound that wasn’t for me. That was then. Looking back at then from now, yeah I missed it. That’s all part of growth right? Some food that as a child you could not stand you come to cling to as you get older and become more health conscious. “You Will Know” are those greens that you long for that night only taste good but are good for you. Interesting to note that “You Will Know” was Stevie’s 20th and last number one R&B hit.
I must admit that I also was convicted to change the conversation within myself. Often in the push to maintain my reverence for Stevie’s run in the 1970’s, I miss gems like “You Will Know”. Now perhaps not as complete statements as the 70’s albums were the 80’s output from Stevie is packed full of moments and we’re certainly not just talking the singles(“Whereabouts” anyone? )Also, I’ve been guilty of getting caught in the notion that the analog sonic sensibilities of the 1970’s automatically trump the 80’s fascination with the new digital frontier(btw it sounds like there’s some serious FM Synthesis going on in this track). “You Will Know” as a song by itself stands so strong that it matters not the wrapping paper this gift was surrounded by, did you get the gift?
I did, finally about thirty years later.
Ivan Orr is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, performer, and writer. A native of Charlottesville, Virginia Ivan was involved with the forming and nascent days of The Music Resource Center as its first Program Director. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Department of Music, Ivan currently resides in Richmond, VA where he maintains an active performance and production schedule while serving as the Music Editor for Grown Folks Music, a position he has held since 2010.
