The legendary Gerald Levert was on top of his game in the fall of 1994 when his second album, Groove On, hit stores. His 1991 debut Private Line saw platinum success, and two years later, his sixth album For Real Tho’ with the group LeVert went gold. Not to mention Gerald was also an in-demand producer and writer.
After turning down a chance to work with David Foster to record an R&B cover version of John Michael Montgomery’s “I Swear,” which would become a massive hit for All-4-One, Gerald refused to make that mistake again.
For Groove On‘s first single, Levert teamed with Foster, who gave the baritone singer an R&B version of the 1993 song “She’d Give Anything” by short-lived country music group Boy Howdy. Foster and Levert changed the title to “I’d Give Anything.” Levert flawlessly expresses the deep desire for all-consuming, fulfilling love.
In his voice, you generally believe he is searching for someone to turn his life around and make him feel the way he used to. However, he’s yet to find that person. He’s grown tired of the endless parade of lovers and wants something more meaningful.
I still remember the music video watching Gerald reflect on his loneliness, questioning if he’ll ever find the one he’s been searching for. He emphasizes his determination to keep searching and not settle for anything less than true love at its highest level. The lyrics reveal the speaker’s willingness to do anything and everything to fall in love, even if that means waiting and making wishes.
“I’d Give Anything” conveys a sense of longing for a soulmate who completes the speaker and fills the emptiness in his life. Ultimately, the song suggests that love is the ultimate goal. It also offers that finding true love is worth waiting for and fighting for, no matter what it takes.
The second single was “How Many Times,” reflecting his experience with unrequited love. The video, directed by Jada Pinkett Smith, is a stark reminder of domestic violence and its devastating effects. The opening monologue of “Answering Service” provides powerful insight into emotions and relationships. The song “Have Mercy” showcases Gerard’s ability to convey a range of emotions through his unique singing style.
Sans the lead single and “It’s Your Turn,” Gerald wrote and produced every song on the album with frequent collaborator Harold Nichols. The up-tempo numbers haven’t aged as well, but the ballads and slow jams filling the album are more substantial than some hit singles today.
It’s still quite difficult to believe we lost Mr. LeVert almost two decades ago. Nevertheless, the music lives on, and his sophomore album is a fine slice of mature nineties R&B.
Final Grade: B+
Groove On is available on all streaming platforms.
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.
My introduction to Myron was with the song “Sistas” on the “Eddie” soundtrack in the summer of 1996. Before setting up his solo album, Myron would write classics for Mya and Dru Hill. “Destiny” was written by Myron and Tyrice Jones, and the latter was also producing. Set to a sample of Herbie Hancock’s “Come Running to Me”, the song explores how fate governs the formation of connections between people meant to exist from the beginning.
Music producers transitioning to a solo album is common in the music industry. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit Sean Garrett’s solo debut, “Turbo 919,” released in 2008.