Charlie Wilson was already an established star in his own right when “Without You,” the first single from his second solo album, Bridging the Gap, was released in the summer of 2000. At the turn of the 21st Century, Wilson was still touring with his group The Gap Band and singing hooks on numerous songs from rappers. Hip Hop heads can undoubtedly recall Wilson working with Snoop Dogg on four tracks from the rapper’s sophomore album, The Doggfather. Wilson could have easily made a living just singing hooks for the second part of his career. However, the allure of a solo career was calling.
Wilson had previously released his debut 1992’s You Turn My Life Around, which failed to offer any charting singles. Wilson decided it was time for a change and took a different approach for the lead single for his second solo project. Laney Stewart served as the producer of the beautiful ballad, which is a song about lost love. Everyone can relate to the passion that Wilson’s tenor emotes as he croons :
“It feels like a lifetime, a thousand days have passed by
Since I held you close to me
If I could see that smile from my friend
I know that I could live again
I need you here with me
Heaven knows what to say
Even though for right now you’re so far away
I hope and I pray
Somewhere in your heart I’ll always stay
Girl, lately my sun doesn’t shine without you
Never noticed what it feels like to be without you
Feels like I took my last step and my last breath in
my life ending
Had to say just what I was feeling, girl
Cause my sun doesn’t shine, sun doesn’t shine without you”.
When the song was released, I lived down south, so I remember just how much airplay the song was receiving. While Bridging the Gap wouldn’t entirely give Wilson the solo breakthrough he deserved (that would happen five years later), “Without You” is one of his signature songs and worth revisiting.
Final Grade: B+
“Without You” from Bridging the Gap is available on all streaming platforms.
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!”
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to venture to the Wolverine State and show some love to “Whose Is It,” the lead single from Melvin Riley Jr.’s solo album “Ghetto Stories.”
From his early days in the family group Wings of Faith, Mr. Gill was born to make music. However, as R&B fans know, Johnny Gill’s initial release with Atlantic Records failed to make a significant impact when it first came out. The 1983 self-titled debut showed a strong voice struggling to adapt to a studio that couldn’t properly utilize its power.