Johnathan Butler was a decade into his career when his self-titled album arrived in stores in 1987. Listeners may recall his hit singles “Lies” and “Overflowing” from that album. However, I wanted to highlight the project’s second track, “Love Songs, Candlelight & You,” for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Butler’s music frequently carries the description of R&B, jazz fusion, or worship music, but with “Love Songs, Candlelight & You,” the South African-born singer-songwriter and guitarist, elegantly solidifies intimacy. Butler opens the track with lush instrumentation and smooth cooing before kicking off the first verse.
“In the middle of the night, the doorbell rings
My baby’s come to call
She wants to make love, and I don’t mind at all
No, baby
‘Cause nobody loves me the way she does
She’s got that special touch
It’s just too much, the way she makes me climb the walls
Ooh, baby”.
Butler then glides through the pre-chorus before giving us the chorus.
“So, give me some love songs, candlelight and you
It’s the perfect situation
Love songs, ooh, candlelight makes dreams come true
And all I wanna do is be with you”.
“Love Songs, Candlelight & You” was one of the many songs I discovered in my mid-twenties while deployed to the Middle East. At the time, Al B. Sure was hosting the romantically themed nighttime music program, The Secret Garden. Sure’s radio show was on the programs broadcast through internet radio. Thirty-five years later, the song still holds up as Butler creates a vibe of sensuality while avoiding vulgarity.
Final Grade: A
“Love Songs, Candlelight & You” from Johnathan Butler is available on all streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.