DeBarge -- Love Me in a Special Way

 

Here I was about to devote this week's ROY article to the wonders of DeBarge and "All This Love", only to find out that I'd already devoted the classic soul ballad to ROY-dom last year! I may have to increase my intake of fish oil.

Still, the oversight gives me the opportunity to add another romantically-charged DeBarge love song to "Kayo Kyoku Plus", and that would be "Love Me in a Special Way". Next to "All This Love", this would be the DeBarge song that I adore the most. Released in November 1983 as a single, the El Debarge-penned "Love Me in a Special Way" is a slow dance-worthy or sway-worthy number that has a quietly grand opening with El's piano and then the gradual introduction of those strings. Stevie Wonder has always been the saffron in any R&B paella, and he does so here as well thanks to his solo guest appearance via a melodica or harmonica (the Wikipedia article for the song says both in different parts, but I think it's the latter).

Ironically, the "All This Love" article was the first time that I got the idea to apply the ROY tag to my old favourites from America, Canada and the UK. Anyways, I would love to add more DeBarge to this Label in the months to come.

Now what were the Top 3 of November 1983 on Oricon?

1. Seiko Matsuda -- Hitomi wa Diamond （瞳はダイアモンド）

2. Masahiko Kondo -- Royal Straight Flush（ロイヤル・ストレート・フラッシュ）

3. Seiko Matsuda -- Glass no Ringo （ガラスの林檎）