For the first Reminiscings of Youth article for 2021, I bring you Anita Baker's "Sweet Love". Interestingly enough, with that title, it could easily have become the name for a typical Japanese aidoru tune of the decade, and perhaps it has become one but I have yet to come across a song like this. Perhaps if there's someone who knows such a song out there, he/she can let me know.
I've seen the video for "Sweet Love", which was released on May 27th 1986, a number of times but the first time I heard it was on radio. And it hit me like a Mack truck because of that dramatic piano-and-percussion intro followed by Baker's splendidly smoky vocals.
In retrospect, I wondered if this breakthrough hit for the divine Ms. Baker had ever made it as a Parliament cigarette song in Japan because "Sweet Love" feels like the perfect soul love song that often makes it onto a Parliament commercial. The song is urban and urbane, soulful and sophisticated, and it's the type of tune that should have been floating in the air at my first university prom at the old Sutton Place hotel in downtown Toronto. We were all decked out in tuxedoes and ball gowns that night as we looked distinctly less scruffy. Indeed, "Sweet Love" is the type of song to accompany a high-class night out on the town.
Pretty darn quickly, I picked up the record that it came on, "Rapture", Baker's 2nd album which had come out a little earlier in April, and all of the tracks are winners there, too. And if I'm not mistaken, I taped it onto a Maxell so that I could listen to it when I had to pull off some of those all-nighters. Nothing better than having Anita Baker and copious amounts of green tea making sure you stayed awake past the midnight hour.
As for the single "Sweet Love", Baker and Louis A. Johnson were two of the songwriters but I was surprised to discover that Gary Bias, the veteran saxophonist from one of my favourite bands, Earth Wind & Fire, was also a fellow songwriter. Happy to know as well from Wikipedia that not only did "Sweet Love" pick up a Grammy for Best R&B Song but "Rapture" itself earned a Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. It hit No. 8 on Billboard and No. 21 on Canada's RPM singles chart.
Considering the date of release for "Sweet Love", let's see what were the Top 3 singles at Oricon in June 1986.
1. Akina Nakamori -- Gypsy Queen（ジプシー・クイーン）
2. Checkers -- Song for U.S.A.
3. Satomi Fukunaga -- Kaze no Invitation （風のInvitation）
Hi, J,
ReplyDeleteI remember being blown away by "Sweet Love" the first time I heard it. If I remember right, it got some fairly regular play on MTV when it came out. Anita Baker and Sade were two of the biggest highlights of 80s R&B. I got Baker's greatest hits when I had a membership to one of those discount CD places years ago, and then bought up all of Sade's albums a few years ago. Baker actually put out a Christmas album at some point. I never got around to listening to it this year, but might queue it up later tonight.
Hi, Scott.
DeleteI'll probably have to do a ROY article on Sade one of these days...it'll either be for "Is It a Crime?" or "Smooth Operator". I remember always scouring the radio channels for the extended version of the former.
I think I ended up getting several of Baker's first releases including "The Songstress" from 1982. Always a pleasure listening to her.
I've always had a soft spot for Anita, being from Detroit, and that voice was as smooth as top-shelf bourbon.
ReplyDeleteHi, JPope! Thanks very much for the comment, and I totally agree with your choice of libation. Like your site!
DeleteThanks! I noticed I was getting visitors from here, and I'm glad I investigated. This is like an encyclopedia of J-pop that I missed.
DeleteI think your Oricon chart is from 1985....
ReplyDeleteLove Anita Baker, have all her albums.
Yes, indeed it is. Apologies on that...will make the corrections.
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