Vocalist Michael Cooper had already displayed his talents in the vocal group Con Funk Shun. He then blessed fans with his solo debut, Love Is Such a Funny Game, in 1987. For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to give Cooper flowers for that album’s second single, “Dinner For Two.”
Cooper’s authoritative yet passionate tenor is enhanced by a thumping bassline, a sax introduction, and silky background vocals, which combine to form a compelling vocal ethos. Lyrically, the song tells us about a man expressing his desire to take a woman he is interested in out on a date. It is a romantic song with lyrical imagery of a romantic dinner for two in a cozy cafe, with wine, music, and sweet serenading.
He expresses his love for her and how she has “excited his heart and soul” and made him “feel so real.” He wants to show her his love and affection. The song culminates with him asking the woman if he can pick her up in his car so they can have dinner for two. Almost forty years later, the song is still a romantic slow jam capturing the feeling of falling in love.
Final Grade: A
“Dinner For Two” from Love Is Such a Funny Game 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.