Crooner Anthony Hamilton is currently entertaining audiences on The Night Tour with fellow soul-crooners Maxwell and Joe. It was a long road for Anthony Hamilton to break through to mainstream audiences. His 1996 XTC didn’t chart was quickly out of print. However, GOD had bigger plans for the singer. Seven years later Hamilton Would experience a platinum-selling album and two signature singles from his sophomore album, Comin’ from Where I’m From.
Shortly before releasing his third solo album Ain’t Nobody Worrying, Hamilton made an appearance on the film soundtrack for In The Mix. Collaborating with producers Dre and Vidal, Hamilton constructs a mid-tempo ballad that allows anyone whoever couldn’t find the words to express how they feel about a crush. What I’ve always loved about the song is the simplicity in the lyrics :
“Girl, it [?] impossible
For me to come and talk to you
Can we exchange and meet again?
Something kinda magical
For me, it’s more than physical
It’s spiritual, and I respect your wait
Can we just talk for a minute?
Can we just walk and hold hands?
Girl, I do dig you
And everything that comes with you, yeah!
Some kind of wonderful
Some kind of beautiful.”
The song does appear to have been specially created for the soundtrack given the film’s plot, as I don’t see where the song would have first on his second or third album. Seventeen years later, “Some Kind Of Wonderful” is still in rotation and easily one of my favorite Anthony Hamilton tracks.
Final Grade : A
“Some Kind Of Wonderful” from the In The Mix soundtrack is available on YouTube and iHeart radio.
Nineties R&B fans had an exciting moment last week when rumors began circulating that vocal powerhouses Brandy and Monica are reportedly embarking on “The Boy Is Mine Tour” this fall. While no official announcement has been made yet, with Monica’s debut album “Miss Thang” celebrating its 30th anniversary next month, I thought it would be the perfect pick for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
As Black Music Month 2025 continues, I wanted to give flowers to “The Queen of Funk,” Ms. Chaka Khan, for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday. The song I decided to highlight is “Through the Fire.”
If there were ever a question on Jeopardy with a category about R&B bands and the question centered on Cameo, I’m sure it would be on one of their signature songs, “Candy” or “Word Up!”