Throwback Thursday- Anita Baker
They must have known this one was gonna be a hit right out the studio. There are just some songs that come along that make it seem as though “the stars have all aligned” in order for it to become what it is. You have the perfect tune, the right producer, and the perfect vocalist, all at the same time. From the chord changes, to Anita Baker’s “unapologetically- alto” tone and delivery of the tune, this song still continues to give me LIFE some 30 years later. It’s the perfect 80’s R&B ballad; that came just at the right time to drive Baker’s solo efforts; giving her the first big hit single of her career, in the Fall of 1986. This is the first song that most folks in my age bracket remember from “The Songstress” because it was on heavy rotation on BET back in the day…..I know, hard to believe, given their current choice of programming. I consider this video a time capsule in itself- musically speaking, that is........The entire video is just her dancing around in a room full of candles, covered in a long black dress from the neck down. Take note, children! What drives this song is her voice….That’s all Anita Baker ever needed to make people stand up and take notice. She didn’t have to be "scantily clad" or sell sex in order to become a legend. She didn’t have to compromise her integrity to have a successful solo career. All she ever needed was her voice, and the rest was history....
Enjoy this trip back in time to August 1986.
