Babyface was already a legendary hitmaker when his fourth album, The Day, arrived in stores in the fall of 1996. For the album’s first single, “This Is for the Lover in You,” a cover of the Shalamar classic, Babyface linked up with LL Cool J and the former members of Shalamar: Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniel. It was a lively cover that echoed the original while adding some nineties R&B flavor.
Babyface released dual songs for the second single, depending on the market and the collaborations continued on both. “Talk to Me” found Face collaborating with Eric Clapton on guitar and reunited the two legends. Earlier in the summer, Face and Clapton worked on the lovely cover of “Change the World,” so it was great to hear the two working together again.
One of Babyface’s most famous songs, “Every Time I Close My Eyes,” saw release alongside “Talk to Me.” Mariah Carey served as a backing vocalist, and it also had a sax solo from Kenny G. “Every Time I Close My Eyes” was textbook Babyface. He sings the mess out of the song. If you’ve had the pleasure to hear it live, then you know what I’m talking about.
For the final single, “How Come, How Long,” Babyface linked up with Stevie Wonder. “How Come, How Long” went against the usual Babyface template as the lyrics dealt with physical abuse, regarding a woman killed by her husband after tremendous physical abuse. While the topic is one of much-needed discussion, I’ve always felt the song didn’t gel with the rest of the album. Maybe it would have been better off as a single, raising money for abused women or even saving the song for the 2002 Jennifer Lopez movie, Enough.
The real gems on The Day, though, are in the album tracks. The lush ballads “When Your Body Gets Weak,” “Seven Seas,” and “I Said I Love You” are signature Babyface that destroys much of the so-called music on the radio in 2021. However, two particular songs resonate the most with me from this project.
When I first started dating my wife way back in 2007, I kept one on repeat. “All Day Thinkin,” as it always reminds me of the newness in a relationship. The lyrics “You have a synergy that gets in me (that’s better than sex)” is so spot on with its message as it reminds me of the times I just wanted to be around my lady and her positivity. Finally, “The Day You Gave Me a Son” reminds me of the day my wife gave birth to my son and how I couldn’t wait for him to enter the world.
Featuring only ten songs, The Day still resonates as a fine album overall twenty-five years later, from one of the greatest writers in music.
Final Grade: B+
Top Songs: “All Day Thinkin,” “I Said I Love You,” “The Day You Gave Me a Son,” and “Every Time I Close My Eyes
The Day is available on all streaming platforms.
Growing up in the nineties, movies aimed at a melanin audience often featured soundtracks that had to be just as flavorful as the films themselves. This week, for Slow Jam Saturday, I want to take a trip back to 1993 and highlight one of the slow jams from the soundtrack of “Menace II Society”.
Last week marked two significant anniversaries for one of the greatest artists of all time, Mr. Prince Rogers Nelson. It’s only fitting that I show him some love for Second Listen Sunday. The first anniversary was on the 21st, commemorating nine years since his passing. The second anniversary was on the 22nd, celebrating the 40th anniversary of his seventh studio album, “Around the World in a Day.”
One of my most significant decisions late last year was to pledge to Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. At the time of this writing, I am in Atlantic City for my fraternity’s Regional Conference, where I will represent my chapter, Beta Alpha Omega. In that regard, I believe the perfect song for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday is “The Best Man I Can Be.”
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