One of the best things about growing up in the nineties was experiencing the joy of a Bad Boy remix. The label’s female R&B trio Total was enjoying the success of their song “Kissing You” when Puff dropped the remix in the late fall of 1995. The remix h carried the subtitle Oh Honey and was smoother than the original version.
While my DJ days were about nine years away, I was always an album credit reader and discovered the artist Diddy and co-producer sampled for the remix. Delegation was a United Kingdom-based soul group compromised of original members Len Coley, Roddy Harris, and Rick Bailey on lead vocals. Eventually, Ray Patterson and Bruce Dunbar would replace Coley & Harris.
The group’s debut, The Promise of Love, would be released in 1977, and Oh Honey was one of the featured songs. The smooth ballad gave the group their first US hit in 1979. Christian Gold and Michael Denne penned, with Gold also producing. “Oh Honey” is a love song that celebrates the unconditional devotion and support you receive from your partner. The song’s lyrics express the sentiment that no matter what, you will always be there for your partner through joy and sorrow.
When you find the one, you realize that love is a force that never waves. The lyrics depict a partner that is the speaker’s source of inspiration, strength, and comfort in times of trouble. In the song, Bailey is so appreciative of their partner that they thank them for “giving [them] a brand new start,” showing the level of devotion in the relationship. The song overall is a positive and uplifting message about the power of love and connection.
Final Grade: A –
“Oh Honey” by Delegation is available on most 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.