Johnathan Butler was a decade into his career when his self-titled album arrived in stores in 1987. Listeners may recall his hit singles “Lies” and “Overflowing” from that album. However, I wanted to highlight the project’s second track, “Love Songs, Candlelight & You,” for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Butler’s music frequently carries the description of R&B, jazz fusion, or worship music, but with “Love Songs, Candlelight & You,” the South African-born singer-songwriter and guitarist, elegantly solidifies intimacy. Butler opens the track with lush instrumentation and smooth cooing before kicking off the first verse.
“In the middle of the night, the doorbell rings
My baby’s come to call
She wants to make love, and I don’t mind at all
No, baby
‘Cause nobody loves me the way she does
She’s got that special touch
It’s just too much, the way she makes me climb the walls
Ooh, baby”.
Butler then glides through the pre-chorus before giving us the chorus.
“So, give me some love songs, candlelight and you
It’s the perfect situation
Love songs, ooh, candlelight makes dreams come true
And all I wanna do is be with you”.
“Love Songs, Candlelight & You” was one of the many songs I discovered in my mid-twenties while deployed to the Middle East. At the time, Al B. Sure was hosting the romantically themed nighttime music program, The Secret Garden. Sure’s radio show was on the programs broadcast through internet radio. Thirty-five years later, the song still holds up as Butler creates a vibe of sensuality while avoiding vulgarity.
Final Grade: A
“Love Songs, Candlelight & You” from Johnathan Butler is available on all streaming platforms.
This past Friday marked the 40th anniversary of “The Voice,” a.k.a. Whiney Houston’s self-titled debut album hitting stores. So, in that regard, it was only right to give Nippy her flowers for this week’s Second Listen Sunday.
For this weekend’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to take a trip to Motor City and show some love to soul singer Dwele. It was 2005, and I was living in the UK as part of my Air Force enlistment. Dwele had just released his second album, “Some Kinda,” enjoying some chart success with the lead single “I Think I Love U,” by Mike City.
The remainder of the album maintains a classic R&B vibe, showcasing the group’s signature sound. One of the standout tracks is “Maybe Tomorrow,” featuring the iconic Phyllis Hyman. It transforms difficult circumstances into positive outcomes—essentially making lemonade from lemons.