Why wasn't this guy ever HUGE!?! Just listen to "Love Always"and convince yourself it's not one of the early 80s' prettiest r&b ballads. Can't be done!


[Edited 7/29/05 6:33am]

:worship:Much props to El

I always wondered why he never made it big as a solo act.He could certainly sing...he had "the look" that the ladies went crazy over...and he had the right material."Love Always" and "Someone" (from his 1986 solo debut album) should have turned him into a superstar.I guess folks just preferred him as a member of DeBarge?

hehe. people on the org are always talking about El Debarge
I never heard of him before.

In fact, up until this thread, with the picture, I used to
think that El Debarge was a woman!

I guess he was only big in the states, right?

IstenSzek said:

LOL...DeBarge was a singing group made up of four brothers and their sister Bunny.El was the lead singer.Their hits include "I Like It" (1982),"All This Love" (1982),"Time Will Reveal" (1983),"Rhythm Of The Night"(1985) and "Who's Holding Donna Now"(1985).In 1986,El released his first solo album.One sidenote:in 1984,Janet Jackson married one of the guys in this group,but it was annulled less than a year later.

His voice is really great on "I Like It". I love a good falsetto.

He was great. Absolutely a wonderful talent.

His last great hit that I can remember? Secret Garden...

El has a beautiful voice and was also a talented writer and piano player. He shoulda blew up bigtime. Ah well...

Yeah, El has a wonderful unique voice. I was really surprised when he did those songs with DJ Quick a few years back. Not in good taste but he's definitely talented.

vainandy said:

His is one of my fave falsetto voices.

Lammastide said:

You Wear It Well was my favorite track.

oooooh an I like it

I used to have all their albums and El's first solo album. El should have been a superstar, no doubt about it.

Robert Chrisgau thinks that El is a better singer then Luthor.

"Heart, Mind and Soul [Reprise, 1994]
The great lost love man enlists Babyface (five songs, four jumpy), Jermaine Dupri (one trick groove), various siblings (backing up his ballads), and the shade of Marvin Gaye (self-penned title finale) in an overdue quest for his own genius. The incomparable In a Special Way was 1983, and those hung up on the irretrievable innocence and naturalness of the past may take offense at the digital aesthetic, not to mention El's occasional descent into a manly tenor. Me, I applaud his appetite for the freaky, and note fondly that he adores her for it in the morning, as dogged as ever in his helpless devotion. I urge him to find more harmony work for Bunny and the others. But this is his second-best album. A-"

"DeBarge--In a Special Way [Gordy, 1983]
When first I fell in love with the austere lilt and falsetto fantasy they've pinned to plastic here, I thought it was just that I'd finally outgrown the high-energy fixation that's always blocked my emotional access to falsetto ballads. So I went back to Spinners and Blue Magic, Philip Bailey and my man Russell Thompkins Jr., and indeed, they all struck a little deeper--but only, I soon realized, because the superior skill of these kids had opened me up. I know of no pop music more shameless in its pursuit of pure beauty--not emotional (much less intellectual) expression, just voices joining for their own sweet sake, with the subtle Latinized rhythms (like the close harmonies themselves) working to soften odd melodic shapes and strengthen the music's weave. High energy doesn't always manifest itself as speed and volume--sometimes it gets winnowed down to its essence. A+"

I think we deserve to have these two albums remastered, and perhaps extended into deluxe editions.

He does have a fine voice. In general, Motown's 80's stuff is often overlooked.

Idais said:

He did blow up pretty big. He had alot of Pop Solo singles after he left Debarge such as: I Wonder Who's Holding Donna Now, Who's Johnnie, You Wear It Well, and Dance With Me. I especially remember You Wear It Well b/c that single was produced by Jesse Johnson. Overall, El Debarge's solo career was doing well until some women accused him of rape and it ended up like a 2Pac/Tyson situation and he ended up serving some time. However, he did make a comeback with Foreplay and DJ Quick.

Time Will Reveal makes me wanna cry for joy. Classic song that even makes Prince weak.

Hotlegs said:

wasn't it Chico Debarge that went to jail not EL?

Also although I loved Debarge I was still originally in Love with Bobby, El's older brother who was the lead singer os Switch.


So Debarge was just rehash for me.....

butterfli25 said:

Yes, butter.....it was Chico that went to jail.....

luv me some smooth chico noise

there ya go pip!

butterfli25 said:

I sure needed that butter...

Was'nt Chico suppose do something w/ Janet but she got cold feet at the last minute, I remember reading that in Vibe magazine.

Oh lawd. We need you back in P&R

"Dance with me" .. Fourplay

that was ..after lookin at the cd

"After the dance"...w/Fourplay

His Heart, Mind and Soul cd is very underrated. It's a 90's r&b gem.

Holds Pippet.

2freaky4church1 said:

Thanks..I need a today....oh, wait....I bet ya meant to dance huh..