We all know Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis (ex Time members) are great producers, with their work for Janet Jackson, Boyz 2 Men, among others. But what classic songs have they actually written? When I learned that they actually wrote "On Bended Knee" and "You're only Human", I realized that they are great songwriters. If Prince didn't have so much pride, he could get them to write a couple of songs for him, and probably send him back to the top of the charts...anyway, what songs have they written that were really huge?

Boy your sleeping, their best work IMO is with Alexander O'Neal particularly on his first two albums. All True Man was excellent too overall. Would be interesting to hear the sound if they came together for another album now as since then it's been more about Alex's Otis Redding-esque vocals rather than good, well produced songs.

Not to diss Bobby Z's production on his latest but still...

I got madd Props for Jam&Lewis&Respect all they have done especially early on.Jams with Cheryl Lynn,SOS Band,Alexander O'Neal,Cherelle,Janet Jackson,(early on)Human League,etc.. back in the day.Having said all that about them in all true Honestly they are "Trendy Producers" to Me.smart&Know the Game.as much as I Hold them Highly for there Work&Success but they will work with anybody.I wanted to Hear there Band the Secret but they never brought it back.

I prefer their early songs,which were all excellent...


***"High Hopes" SOS Band (1982)
***"Just Be Good To Me" SOS Band (1983)
***"I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" Cherelle (1984)
***"You're Number One (In My Book)" Gladys Knight & The Pips (1983)
***"If You Were Here Tonight"Alexander O'Neal (1984)
***"Change Of Heart" Change (1982)

Not sure if you'd call those songs "classics",but they are great songs that still sound good to this day.

DavidEye said:

"If You Were Here Tonight" was written and produced by Monte Moir, also formerly of The Time of course.

These are some of my favorite songs minus Janet Jackson:

80's:

Human - Human League
Encore - Cheryl Lynn
Just Be Good to Me - SOS Band
The Finest - SOS Band
Change of Heart - Change
The Heat of Heat - Patti Austin
If it isn't Love - New Edition
Fake - Alexander O'Neal
Everything I Miss At Home - Cherelle

90's:

Rub You the Right Way - Johnny Gill (One of my Faves)
All True Man - Alexander O'Neal
Sensitivity - Ralph Tresvant
On Bended Knee - Boyz II Men
Romantic - Karyn White

mistermaxxx said:

In the 80's, they were selective on who they wanted to produce. I remember reading Right On back in the day and it was mentioned that they had turned down an offer to work with Whitney Houston. In the past 5 years,they do tend to work with anybody. However, I do enjoy their work with Usher "Can You Help Me".

PrettyMan72 said:

Don't forget the Force Md's "Tender Love."!! Sure it's the same chords as Janet's "Come Back to ME" and "Sensitivity" but I like most of Jam and Lewis's songs. They put out quality stuff, great production and great lyrics with usually a twist to them. I dont like Janet's klatest album, but you can't win them all!

No one has mentioned 2 cool songs on Herb Alpert's 1987 album Keep Your Eye On Me penned and produced by J&L:

"Diamonds" (Janet Jackson)
"Making Love In The Rain" (Lisa Keith feat. Janet Jackson)

-On the soundtrack to Set It Off [1996], Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's song "Days of Our Livez" begins with the piano riff from Force MD's "Tender Love", then slips into the groove from "Making Love In The Rain" mentioned above.

Other songs I like by Jam & Lewis Minus Janet J.:

Saturday Love - Cherelle w/Alexander O'Neal
Never Knew Love Like This - Alexander O'Neal w/Cherelle
Do What I Gotta Do - Ralph Tresvant
Give it to You - Jordan Knight
Fishnet - Morris Day
4 Seasons of Loneliness - Boyz II Men
Weekend Love - SOS Band
Just the way you like it - SOS Band

CinisterCee said:

ahhh..but the true, groundbreaking song from these sessions was the title song itself.."Keep Your Eye On Me". To think, that that song actually charted higher then the above two mentioned. At the time it was the first intrumental (I never got that since it had *some* vocals) to chart in a while...until the horrid Kenny G came along and broke tunes of records with Songbird...

Herb Alpert is a genius...