Looking Back
Wrapping This Week's Soul Candy
- Latonya Blige brought us to Jesus in her own way.
- Stevie Wonder liked to tease.
- Keri Hilson made her first and probably last appearance on SoulBounce.
- Ditto for Ashanti, if I have anything to say about it.
- Nas didn't appreciate being called "Toby".
- We wished Gladys Happy Birthday!
- If you thought you were pissed now, wait 'til you see the Top 10.
FEEDBACK OF THE WEEK: In order to elevate the discourse around here, we decided to highlight some of the best and worst comments over the past week by awarding them. The Gold Star Award will go to comments that are insanely funny, intelligent or do much to drive the thread forward.
We didn't have any of those this week.
As lead singer of the group Tower of Power, Lenny Williams enjoyed a sprinkling of hits during his tenure with the funk outfit. But it wasn't until he returned to his solo career in the mid-'70s that his star really shined, and one of his stellar moments on wax was the soaring ballad "Cause I Love You." Clocking in at over seven minutes long, this song is as dramatic as an episode of The Young & the Restless. Between Lenny's soulful wails and his heartfelt monologue where he let it be known that he wasn't afraid to cry for the love that he lost, "Cause I Love You" is nothing short of a classic. Kanye West revisited the track when he sampled it for Twista's "Overnight Celebrity" in 2004, almost 30 years after the song's release. The sample was good, but it barely scratched the surface of the original's brilliance. Thank goodness at any given moment between the hours of 10 PM and 2 AM you are liable to hear this tune on your favorite urban radio station, and you'll more than likely find yourself singing "Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!" just because it still sounds so sweet. 
Bobby Brown has made the news again. But this time it's his accomplishments with New Edition that garners our attention. As they celebrate their 25th anniversary, ASCAP is honoring New Edition with the Golden Note Award at its 21st Annual Rhythm & Soul Music Awards. Bobby alongside Ralph Tresvant, Ronnie DeVoe, Michael Bivins, Ricky Bell and Johnny Gill will join other singers, songwriters, composers and artists, such as Stevie Wonder and LL Cool J, as recipients of the Golden Note Award on June 23. Along with accomplishing solo success, the members of New Edition have released seven albums that included the hits "Candy Girl," "Can You Stand the Rain," and "Hit Me Off." New Edition's influence can be seen in boy bands ranging from Boyz II Men to 'N Sync. We at SB congratulate the guys of New Edition on all their success, including you Bobby Brown. [
Not one to go down without a fight, 
There's a reason this song was straight jacked by Ice Cube with no variation. Although "Footsteps In The Dark" was a groove meant initially for Quiet Storm sets, there's something about the mood it creates that causes heads to nod involuntarily. The pre-"Mr. Biggs" Ron Isley would settle instead for posing slightly metaphorical questions in the face of his lover's possible indiscretions rather than committing an act of violence. Still a player in those days, his gentle falsetto would attempt to goad her into answering: Is this meant to be? Is there anything left for us? What else is out there for you?
1985 was a good year for adultery. After all, there was not only one but two chart-topping odes to getting your sneaky freak on: Stevie Wonder's "Part-Time Lover" and Atlantic Starr's "Secret Lovers." Both of these songs were about something so wrong, but they sounded oh-so right. 
