Comments on: White Label Wednesday: Quincy Jones featuring Ray Charles and Chaka Khan, “I’ll Be Good to You”

By: davide1982

davide1982 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:36:10 +0000

Frank Sinatra called him "The only genius in our business" and that obviously wasn't a kind of exaggeration. Here I've tried to collect all notable tributes paid to Ray Charles by peers:

http://www.tributespaid.com/category/r/ray-charles

By: davide1982

davide1982 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:36:10 +0000

By: davide1982

davide1982 — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:36:10 +0000

By: rwcass

rwcass — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:01:17 +0000

I don't consider the Brothers Johnson's version to be a slow jam — it's more of a midtempo slow burn that explodes near the end thanks to their persuasive performances. I love the original, and though I like the cover as well, it doesn't reach those heights.

I also like Tevin Campbell's performance of “Tomorrow (A Better You, Better Me)” from the “Back on the Block” album, but I had no idea that it started out as an instrumental on “Look Out for #1,” the same Brothers Johnson album that features “I'll Be Good to You.” The cover version for that song IS superior. I was listening to Kanye West's “We Don't Care” the other day and was wondering what it reminded me of — turns out it was the children's choir of backup singers on “Tomorrow.”

Thanks for the mixes, David!

By: DavidMedsker

DavidMedsker — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:43:33 +0000

< fly dancers, those inexplicable green apples...it all plays out like a JC Penney ad targeted for the Arsenio crowd.

But that's exactly what I find so fascinating about it, that that was what once defined American pop culture. And my use of the word 'sweetest' clearly lost its context on paper.

Other than that, thank you for the dose of humility. (*refills coffee cup*)

By: kingofgrief

kingofgrief — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:48:45 +0000

Never heard of The Brothers Johnson? “Strawberry Letter 23″ (itself a Shuggie Otis cover )? “Stomp”? “Get the Funk Out Ma Face”? I'm not calling you out, I'm just…wow. (Plus, everyone knows that Quincy Jones was the guy who produced Lesley Gore's “It's My Party”. Have some coffee, Medsker!)

Okay, now that I've had my fun, I'll admit that you're bringing me around to this version of the song. I guess my original prejudice stems from the video. What you call sweet and innocent, I call cutesy (as opposed to cute). Kids kissing, fly dancers, those inexplicable green apples…it all plays out like a JC Penney ad targeted for the Arsenio crowd.

But I'd never heard the faux Soul II Soul or house mixes before, and they're catching my ear. Sure, they all scream 1989, but an earful of '89 is what I need on occasion. So good on ya, Medsker…only next time, leave the little green apples to Bobby Russell.