DavidEye said:[quote]Here's a few other gems by Luther...


***"If Only For One Night"(1985)---The song "Creepin" segues into a lovely remake of Brenda Russell's 1979 song "If Only For One Night".It's superb,as expected.


Actually If Only For One Night segues into Creepin'
If velvet had a voice it would sound like Luthers'. If Only For One Night is the top two of his remakes, number one being A House Is Not A Home. His own instant classic when it was dropped was Never Too Much and still is a jam today. On most of his cds he had a remake, but in the eighties what I enjoyed about them was that many werent already top ten hits previously ('cept for Love Wont Let Me wait and maybe another I cant think of). He defintiely fell off in 1990 right after his greatest hits double cd...trying for the ever allusive pop number one hit with no shame (he even wrote about it on his Songs covers cd---ugggh). I remember David Bowie saying something about Lutha, reminiscing about the Young Americans tour saying to Luther "this is gonna be your year" and that he was only a few years off. Actually Luther told the story of Luther saying that, not a direct quote. Not to compare or make a dig but he is like the rnb version of Frank Sinatra(ducks). I say that in that his phrasing, timing and way with a song is legendary such as Sinatras was etc. His live performances are the shit..Ive only seen him once and that was on the Love Power tour with Lisa Fischer(yes!). He tore shit up that nightand so did she ( How can I Ease The Pain as well as being backup). He finally had a return to form with his latest record on J records this past year.I remember hearing him in jingles (Feeling 7-up Im feelin 7-Up) and in songs from Change etc ( Holiday?) etc...I remember him finally winning his allusive grammy in the early ninities which was a long as time comng...he is a heavyweight of vocalists..I wish he would hook back up with Marcus Miller though etc...for some reason I get this vibe that Luther and Meshell could make a great duo with her instrumentation and his voice..that's who Meshell sort of reminds me of--a female Luther sometimes..anyways , all this was my humble opinion..cheers to Lutha,the voice.

DavidEye said:

This raised the bar.



Bingo g-money.




you cant deny it
[This message was edited Sun Aug 18 10:12:54 PDT 2002 by rdhull]

Oh, one more point. On his reinterpretations of the glory days, when he remade a song he made it his own as if his was the definitve version. Not many people can do that. Usually an artist remakes a song and you go "this is a remake by so and so", but with Luthers remakes you just went with it as if it was the real version and the original almost never existed.

The way Luther did Lionel Richie's "Hello" is
outstanding!!! It makes you want to cry, it's so
beautiful! After hearing Luther sing it, you wonder
how could you have ever liked the Richie version.
Of couse if it were not for Richie, there would be
no "Hello", which is certainly a magnificently written
song, but I think the gorgeous video made the record
for Lionel whereas Luther put the "H" in "Hello"!!!

Hope the folk in Atlanta enjoy the show tonite 8/18/02.

-

SkletonKee said:

Sensual said:

Could you give me an example of what you mean by
Warbling?
I must not understand, because the definition I see is:
to sing with melodious turns or variations; a flow of
melodious sounds, or a trilling, a flexible melody...
This sounds like a good thing to me.
Besides, Luther has often been complimented for NOT
overdoing his vibrations as such; He has amazing
vocal control. Take "Here and Now", for example. He
could have used much more vibrato, but he chose to
keep a very smooth style.

Nevermind me SkeltonKee...Anything just a little negative
about my Luther brings out the bad girl in me...lol.


Anyway...Luther! Luther! Luther!

-
[This message was edited Tue Aug 20 6:52:49 PDT 2002 by SensualMelody]

Im guessing here but I think the warble he means is Luthers patented "whoo woo waaa woo"s vocal acrobatics he sometimes does live and on wax...the thing that Yorke does is a "whine"...but they are wonderful warbles and wonderful whines by each of them imho.

so, is it 'Vandross' like 'cross'? or 'Vandross' like 'gross'?

Hi Felt...
I say Vandross like gross,
But Luther says Vandross like cross.
I guess he oughta know...

-

THE NIGHT I FELL IN LOVE

Never Too Much

Superstar

Hey,did anybody mention his 1982 hit "Bad Boy/Having A Party"? That song was da bomb back then!

Sometimes when Luther sings "If Only For One Night" live,
he will add a little something like:

Let me take you home
I wanna keep you safe and warm
(like a baby)/added (I'm fanning now like a church/lady)
Let me hold you near
And ease away your fears
It would be so nice
If only for one nignt (now I'm sayin' yes!!!)

(My husband's looking at me now like he's asking
Hey, do you want him or me?)

-

DavidEye said:

I forgot to menmtion it with all of the ballads taking up space..yeah this song is the shit. I freaked when they played it at the very beginning of House Party ...but this is a "clear the chairs and make room..dont spill the koolaid on my rug as we dance though" type of blended song. Love it.

rdhull said:

I remember in the fall of 1982 when that song came out.There were MANY great songs out at that time (Marvin's "Sexual Healing",Prince's "1999",Lionel Ritchie's "Truly",etc).Luther's entire 'Forever,For Always,For Love' album is a classic.Check out the songs "Promise Me","Better Love" and of course "Since I Lost My Baby".

Here and Now

Here and now
I promise to love faithfully
You're all I need
Here and now
I vow to be one with thee
Your love is all I need

More Here and Now

One look in your eyes
And there I see
Just what you mean to me

Here in my heart
I believe
Your love is all I'll ever need
Holding you close through the night
I need you

I look in your eyes
and there I see
What happiness really means
The love that we share
Makes life so sweet
Together we'll always be
This pledge of love feels so right
And ooh, I need you.

(chorus in previous post)

When I look in you eyes
There I see
All that a love should really be
And I need you more
And more each day
Nothing can take your love away
More than I dare to dream
I need you
Right here and NOW!

-
[This message was edited Tue Aug 20 6:56:46 PDT 2002 by SensualMelody]

Luther's cool, I have his hits CD and two live video concerts (can anybody say SEQUINS?) but Mr Alexander O'Neal is my 80s soulman of choice.

Damn, you beat me to it Brother! I was just thinking of Posting this exact thread. I feel the same exact way, the older I get, the more he amazes me. I think he's one of if not the most beautiful voices ever!

Your Secret Love
Endless Love
A House
If Only For One Night

jus a few

and Sade's the same way...

No Ordinary Love
Kiss Of Life
Cherish The Day

jus a few of those

Blue
Dont play me

I do miss Lisa Fischer and Ava Cherry
from the background singers.
The new ones are good though.
Kevin Owens is still there of Ray, Goodman and Brown
He usually hits a bit of his "Love on a Two-Way
Street" at the concert.
Nat Adderly Jr, the director and the keyboard player
is phenominal!
My only question now is ..."Will he come near me soon?"

-

"here and now" is such a great song i can hear it at 500 more weddings and still not be sick of it.

DavidEye said:

Hey, don't forget the title track from this album!! It's the best one on there, to me!

MightBQueen said:

---


Girl, you are something else!
I like that signature. Such humility!


Luther IS the VOICE!!!
Amen.


-

I saw Stevie in concert in 1986 during the "In Square Circle" tour. Luther showed up just 2 do his "scat" on the song "Part-Time Lover"...it was cool, and at the time I had no idea he did that part!

As 4 Luther, the man, what a voice. Very smooth, very clear, very strong. I dig all/most of his work.. I had 2 correct that because I hated his and Mariah's version of "Endless Love". U can't improve a Picasso...don't even try.

Also, he toured with Anita Baker one year, and they had 2 cut it short because they didn't get along. 2 Divas acting like Divas and shit...arguing over who was gonna open and close! 2 funny!

I enjoyed his and Janet Jackson's "Best Things In Life Are Free" ...remember that? Very 80's!

Much love...

Luther is so god-damn bland, I can't even tell you how much I loathe his style.

he's the fucking Celine Dion of soul.
[This message was edited Wed Aug 21 15:38:03 PDT 2002 by Aaron]

I don't mind him but the best thing he ever did were his backup vocals on the "Young Americans" album. I know, blasphemy.

TRON said:

I agree. And the reason why I love that album is its irony about the sound, not necessarily that he (Bowie) immersed himself in it.

he floated above it. his vocals are transcendent on there.

June7 said:

Luther also had problems when he toured with EnVogue in 1993.Just a few years ago,he toured with Boyz II Men,and there were also some problems.Why does he even bother having an opening act?...lol...

DavidEye said:

Hey enough of this backstage rumour, let's just talk the MUSIC.

Actually I read an article recently stating that Luther, Rahsaan Patterson, Tevin Campbell etc can't get modern day public success due to their sexual preferences as soul men.

That's pathetic although the lyrics do become a charade in many ways (Luther's looking for a "Super Lady"?) and when a gay R&B/Hip-Hop star is honest in their art, once the intial shock dies down they may begin to gain greater acceptance.

Essence said:

Actually,Luther is quite successful regardless of his rumored sexual preference! So much for your "theory",eh?

DavidEye said:

My theory? Note the article referred to the modern day. Luther is established now although his 2002 album didn't even dent in the UK. It's closed minded to say the issues don't exist in terms of Luther's modern day representation as well as holding back Tevin and Rahsaan.