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.
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.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.