R&B group New Edition was at crossroads in the summer of 1987. The group’s fourth album, Under the Blue Moon, and their only one as a quartet, had only achieved gold sales. Those numbers were very different from the platinum sales of their previous two albums.
Nevertheless, the group was one of their label’s most popular acts. Label head Jheryl Busby had big plans for the group and would bring in producers Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis and vocalist Johnny Gill to give the group a mature sound.
However, before working with Gill, NE built chemistry with Jam & Lewis for the lovely ballad. “Helplessly In Love.” Originally appearing on the soundtrack to 1987’s Dragnet, the song production was textbook Jam & Lewis, which perfectly accompanied the maturing tenors of group members Ralph Tresvant and Ricky Bell.
The double R connection sounds excellent together as they croon:
“Never knew the closing of a door
Could open up a heart
Since the day we met I needed you
(needed you)
In my life
To do and say the things that I
Needed to feel and hear
I’m just
Helplessly in love
(ooh)
Don’t know what to do, I’m
Helplessly in love
And the love in my heart
Is for you.”
A long-time favorite among NE fans, “Helplessly in Love” is one song that I wish they would add back to their concert setlist. While I was fortunate enough to hear Ralph perform it live during his stint with Heads of State (a side project with NE members Johnny Gill and Bobby Brown), I would love to hear it performed with Ricky Bell. “Helplessly in Love” was a perfect preview of the chemistry that Jam & Lewis would build with the New Edition collection.
Final Grade: A
“Helplessly in Love” is available on all streaming platforms.
It’s hard to believe that an iconic singing competition like American Idol has produced only two Black male winners in its more than two-and-a-half-decade history. Jamal Roberts made history last year when he won the show, following Ruben Studdard’s well-deserved victory in Season Two.
One wonderful aspect of supporting physical media is that I never run short of albums to choose from when deciding what to cover for Second Listen Sunday. Often, I’ll head to the man cave, browse through my CD collection, and an album will pop out at me. This week’s pick is T-Pain’s fourth album, “Revolver.”
One of my favorite singers, Mr. Eric Roberson, is performing this weekend at America’s legendary music venue, The Birchmere. To show Eric some love, I want to highlight something longtime R&B fans have always known: he’s had remarkable songwriting talent.