I went back and forth about what song to pick for the final Slow Jam Saturday of 2022. Initially, I thought of collaborating with my guys Thomas Leo and Kyle Ng from YouKnowIGotSOul.com or big bruv Edward Browser from Soul In Stereo. In the end, though, the answer was evident when I looked back at the foolishness, heartbreak, and accomplishments of 2022 and what I want to carry into 2023.
I decided to go with “Pure Gold” from the elements known as Earth, Wind, and Fire. Initially appearing on the group’s nineteenth album Illumination, “Pure Gold” was produced by the legendary Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Co-writing the song with Jam & Lewis were The Avilla Brothers and Tony Tolbert.
The legend Philip Bailey leads the song and elegantly sings about living your life with substance and not focusing on keeping up with the joneses or becoming the center of attention. In addition, “Pure Gold” has a strong message of self-worth, and true love is conveyed through the lyrics. Throughout the song, EWF encourages and reiterates to the listener that nothing is more valuable than true love and self-worth.
A message of peace and strength is conveyed in the song that urges its audience to take some time to find their inner strength and light. This theme is to choose a path of truth and light over worldly desires. As a result, love, above all other possessions, is the only thing that will always remain valuable and never fade away.
Final Grade: A
“Pure Gold” from Illumination is available on all streaming platforms.
Nineties R&B was home to many female groups, so standing out took more than good looks and a major industry endorsement. I still remember seeing Allure in a Vibe ad and thinking how gorgeous those four women were. The question was whether they had the talent to compete in the music scene.
In 1996, I first heard the Houston quartet Ideal on the Original Gangsters soundtrack. Their interpretation of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues,” featuring the Chi-Lites, caught my attention.
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.