Billboard

Song Of The Day: Sheriff – When I’m With You

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Today’s Song of the Day also qualifies as a true one hit wonder with a twist.

Canadian rock band Sheriff released their only album, the self-titled Sheriff in 1982. Nestled amongst the ten tracks was the charming power ballad “When I’m With You”. When the song was originally released back in 1982 they scored a Top 10 in their native Canada but only managed to get to No. 61 in the US in 1983. In 1989 after being championed by a Las Vegas DJ “When I’m with You” the single was re-released by Capitol Records and became an unexpected No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989.

By then the band had already disbanded citing internal friction in the band.

If that wasn’t enough who could forget lead singer Freddy Curci’s high note at the end of the song. Reputedly the longest note held in rock history.

Today’s SOTD is “When I’m With You” by Sheriff

Jody Watley’s Billboard Hot 100 Playlist

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This past February 23 marked the 35th anniversary of Jody Watley’s eponymous debut album. From January 1987 to April 1988, Jody Watley spun off five singles in “Looking For a New Love” (US #2, US R&B #1, US Dance #1), “Still a Thrill” (US #77, US R&B #3, US Dance #8), “Don’t You Want Me” (US #6, US R&B #3, US Dance #1), “Some Kind of Lover” (US #10, US R&B #3, US Dance #1), and “Most of All” (US #60, US R&B #3, US Dance #1). It also earned Jody a well-deserved Grammy for Best New Artist. Though Jody has never landed a number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 she has had to date fourteen entries on the Billboard 100 including 3 Top 5 Hits in the aforementioned “Looking For a New Love”, “Real Love” (US #2) and “Everything” (US #4) from her second album, 1989’s Larger Than Life. An interesting factoid is that though it didn’t hit the Top 5 Jody’s collaboration with Eric B. & Rakim “Friends” (US #9) was Billboard Hot 100’s first top 10 with a rap act as a feature.

From her days with Shalamar to present Jody continues to personify talent and grit. Singer/Songwriter/Producer/Fashion Icon.

It feels like a good time to bless the blog with a Playlist of all 14 of Jody Watley’s Hot 100 entries in chronological order from her first “Looking For a New Love” to her last entry to date 1998’s “Off The Hook” from her Intimacy album.

AlbumYearTitleTrack Artist(s)Billboard Hot 100 Chart PeakWeeks on Hot 100Composer(s)
Jody Watley1987Looking For a New LoveJody Watley219Jody Watley & André Cymone
Jody Watley1987Still a ThrillJody Watley567Jody Watley & André Cymone
Jody Watley1987Don't You Want MeJody Watley623Jody Watley, D.P. Bryant & Franne Gold
Jody Watley1988Some Kind Of LoverJody Watley1017André Cymone / Jody Watley
Jody Watley1988Most of AllJody Watley6011Patrick Leonard / Gardner Cole
Larger Than Life1989Real LoveJody Watley218Jody Watley & André Cymone
Larger Than Life1989Friends (feat. Eric B. & Rakim)Jody Watleyfeaturing Eric B. & Rakim918Jody Watley, André Cymone / Eric B. / Rakim
Larger Than Life1989EverythingJody Watley423Gardner Cole & James Newton Howard
Larger Than Life1990Precious LoveJody Watley873Jody Watley & André Cymone / Pat DiNizio
Affairs Of The Heart1991I Want YouJody Watley6115André Cymone/Jody Watley
Affairs Of The Heart1992I'm The One You NeedJody Watley1917David Morales/Alec Shantzis/Jody Watley
Intimacy1993Your Love Keeps Working On MeJody Watley1002John Barnes/Robert White/Joey Diggs
The Day1996This Is for the Lover In YouBabyface featuring LL Cool J, Howard Hewett, Jody Watley and Jeffrey Daniel620H. Hewett & D. Meyers
Flower1998Off the HookJody Watley7313Cassandra Lucas

Here then are all of Jody’s Billboard Hot 100 singles. Enjoy!

Album of the Day: Lisa Stansfield – Real Love

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Real Love is the second studio album by British singer Lisa Stansfield, released by Arista Records on 11 November 1991. Stansfield co-wrote all songs with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris. Devaney and Morris also produced the album.

Real Love peaked at number three in the United Kingdom and a rather disappointing number 43 in the US where it spent 40 weeks total on the Billboard 200. Real Love failed to replicate the success of Stansfield’s eponymous album “Lisa Stansfield” which reached number 9 on the Billboard 200

Despite this lacklustre showing the album managed to provide Stansfield with two number ones.”Change” the lead off single reached number one on the US Hot Dance Club Songs and “All Woman” was a number one hit on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
The highlight of the album is “All Woman” which is given an incredibly soulful performance by Stansfield that elevates the song to a modern day R&B Classic as enduring as Karyn White’s Superman.

They are other noteworthy tracks on this album such as the dancefloor ready aforementioned “Change” and the dreamy gorgeous “Time to Make You Mine” which is arguably Stansfield’s sexiest vocal performance on any of her albums to day. I find the album a consistently rewarding listen with some stellar vocal performances. It ranks as a solid sophomore album and thats why its today’s ALBUM OF THE DAY!


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Song of the Day: Level 42 – Something About You

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There are some songs that you just never can forget or get enough of. Something About You by Level 42 is one such song for me. Released in 1985 the single was released ahead of their album World Machine their sixth album also released in 1985. Something About You became the British group’s biggest Stateside hit peaking at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 on this very 31 May 1986. It replicated that success in their native UK where it charted one place higher at number 6.

Reportedly the band wasn’t sure that this song was good enough for the album. It had a more commercial Pop/R&B sound and glossier production than their previous jazz-funk recordings. Nevertheless, this song’s indelible melody propelled it to the top 10 and helped the World Machine sell over three million copies and a 72-week stay on the US charts.

The song’s lyrics centre on Love found and then lost but which never fades from the memory.

How, how can it be that a love
Carved out of caring, fashioned by fate
Could suffer so hard
From the games played once too often?
But making mistakes
Is a part of life’s imperfections
Born of the years
Is it so wrong to be human after all?

Have a look and listen below.