Here is a songbird who never got her just-dues. I thought she made some of the best R&B music of the 80's. Here last CD "Hot Times" was brilliant but was criminally over-looked. What a great singer and songwriter she was!

Padlock

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...8J94neOh2Y[/youtube]

(They Long To Be) Close To You

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...RMYxp86mOU[/youtube]

Outside In the Rain

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...ature=fvsr[/youtube]

Your Turn To Burn

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...4zQs273Cvo[/youtube]

Joyriders

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...bfjEEUDRZY[/youtube]

Peanut Butter

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...tMjDp__9k8[/youtube]

Say It Isn't So

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...LP6w1Tgs0I[/youtube]

Never Knew Love Like This Before

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...ObRhFhX4Cw[/youtube]

Ain't Nothing Going On But the Rent

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...ecTPWJu0wk[/youtube]

Tabango Nights (one of her last records)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/wa...0W2THFrkL4[/youtube]

I've been singing her praises here for the last couple of years, her and Syreeta need to get MORE attention

The 1st two album that were produced by Sly & Robbie will ALWAYS be imprinted on my heart

I think "Nothing's Going On But The Rent" hurt her career more than mend it, though. Still, a FABULOUS talent.

In addition to your list, I've always loved this song(which she wrote for Roberta Flack earlier)...

[Edited 6/12/10 7:23am]

Big Time fan of Guthrie's. Yes, very underrated singer/songwriter. She and Larry Blackmon were in a group in the early 70's named, "East Coast". I think they recorded an one album, nothing memorable, if fact it was down right weird, but here's a pic of the album cover with a very young Guthrie and Blackmon.

[img:$uid]http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j220/gowes/eastcoastFRONT72.jpg[/img:$uid]

I absolutely loved, "At Nothin' Goin' On but the Rent". I don't know why some folks tripped over the damn song, Sista was on point.

I understand their reasoning, and catchy as it is, I never fancied those "pay my way through life" songs. And yeah I'm aware of the "its just a song" argument but still....

Needless to say, there're MORE things to enjoy about her music beside that song, which this thread illustrated pretty eloquently

And beside, I'm on a mission to find that "east coast" album,,,,,,I'll NOT rest untill I get my hands on it

Speaking of young Gwen, remember this song ya'll?

Also, she can be heard all over this record(along with Luther and the gang)...

That "to to tooo" bit at the end? Has Gwen ALL over it

Harlepolis said:

I understand their reasoning, and catchy as it is, I never fancied those "pay my way through life" songs. And yeah I'm aware of the "its just a song" argument but still....

Needless to say, there're MORE things to enjoy about her music beside that song, which this thread illustrated pretty eloquently

There's the rub because the meaning of the song took on a very different defintion; I'm not sure why because Guthrie explained her thoughts behind the song upteem times. I knew what she was saying from the start, you have to come in holding up your end of the bargin you must contribute. I don't know how that song became the "gold digger" song when Guthrie had said in interviews. "No, what I was saying, you ain't come in my life pimpin".

I have mad love for the great Miss Gwen Guthrie So underrated but oh so great

here are some of my faves that havent been posted

Im with Harle . . on her work with Sly & Robbie, Untouchable

"sweet bitter love" from her last album is a perfect 10 but I couldnt find it on youtube

[Edited 6/12/10 12:55pm]

TD3 said:

Harlepolis said:

I understand their reasoning, and catchy as it is, I never fancied those "pay my way through life" songs. And yeah I'm aware of the "its just a song" argument but still....

Needless to say, there're MORE things to enjoy about her music beside that song, which this thread illustrated pretty eloquently

There's the rub because the meaning of the song took on a very different defintion; I'm not sure why because Guthrie explained her thoughts behind the song upteem times. I knew what she was saying from the start, you have to come in holding up your end of the bargin you must contribute. I don't know how that song became the "gold digger" song when Guthrie had said in interviews. "No, what I was saying, you ain't come in my life pimpin".

No, what she was lookin' for was a man to put some money in her hands

C'mon Trina, "No romance, without finance"? That is SOME ol' school chickenheadery for you right there.

Mind you, I tried to see both sides of the argument, but eventually I put the lyrics on mind block all for the sake of the killer groove.

Caramelpfe said:

"sweet bitter love" from her last album is a perfect 10 but I couldnt find it on youtube

[Edited 6/12/10 12:55pm]

LOVE her remakes:

Is This Love

One More Time with Feeling

She has alway put this "ease into it" vibe into her remakes, def from the 'less is more' school.

Harlepolis said:

TD3 said:

There's the rub because the meaning of the song took on a very different defintion; I'm not sure why because Guthrie explained her thoughts behind the song upteem times. I knew what she was saying from the start, you have to come in holding up your end of the bargin you must contribute. I don't know how that song became the "gold digger" song when Guthrie had said in interviews. "No, what I was saying, you ain't come in my life pimpin".

No, what she was lookin' for was a man to put some money in her hands

C'mon Trina, "No romance, without finance"? That is SOME ol' school chickenheadery for you right there.

Mind you, I tried to see both sides of the argument, but eventually I put the lyrics on mind block all for the sake of the killer groove.

Is that what that is?

She also said something about have a JOB and what's wrong with a man putting some money in my opps. . I mean her hand? Hey, I'm sticking by my and Guthrie's explanation / understanding; I have to defend her since she's gone to glory and all. Maybe I'm defending myself. Anyways, I love the song/groove it makes me laugh.

Seriously, if Ms. Guthrie's career has been reduced and/or defined by that one song that's a pity because she was talent and her body of work is of note. (IMHO) One of the very best live also, she could've taught a thing two about stage presence.

TD3 said:

Harlepolis said:

No, what she was lookin' for was a man to put some money in her hands

C'mon Trina, "No romance, without finance"? That is SOME ol' school chickenheadery for you right there.

Mind you, I tried to see both sides of the argument, but eventually I put the lyrics on mind block all for the sake of the killer groove.

Is that what that is?

She also said something about have a JOB and what's wrong with a man putting some money in my opps. . I mean her hand? Hey, I'm sticking by my and Guthrie's explanation / understanding; I have to defend her since she's gone to glory and all. Maybe I'm defending myself. Anyways, I love the song/groove it makes me laugh.

Seriously, if Ms. Guthrie's career has been reduced and/or defined by that one song that's a pity because she was talent and her body of work is of note. (IMHO) One of the very best live also, she could've taught a thing two about stage presence.

No defence needed I'm on the same page as you, doll. LOVE the song but like I said, the lyrics will stay on mind block. And nothing disrespectful to Miss Guthrie either, lord knows that there's MORE to her musical story than just that song.

Looooooooove her duet with Peter Tosh in this ditty...

She also wrote this #.1 R&B beauty...

Harlepolis said:

Looooooooove her duet with Peter Tosh in this ditty...

I have not heard this song in years

Caramelpfe said:

"sweet bitter love" from her last album is a perfect 10 but I couldnt find it on youtube

I don't know about anywhere else, but "Sweet Bitter Love" received some rather heavy airplay here in Michigan but it never took off nationally. It barely charted R&B. I'm not sure what happened. Benny Medina produced that album and every song was stellar! Warner Brothers just really failed to bring it home. I don't think they even tried.

kitbradley said:

Caramelpfe said:

"sweet bitter love" from her last album is a perfect 10 but I couldnt find it on youtube

I don't know about anywhere else, but "Sweet Bitter Love" received some rather heavy airplay here in Michigan but it never took off nationally. It barely charted R&B. I'm not sure what happened. Benny Medina produced that album and every song was stellar! Warner Brothers just really failed to bring it home. I don't think they even tried.

I wore that song out it. . . got some play in Chi-Town as well.

Harlepolis said:

She also wrote this #.1 R&B beauty...

Darn i didn't realize that tidbit.

Great to see this thread, Guthrie has such a lovely voice. My favorite song of hers is "Oh what a life" from the Portrait album, anyone else familiar with this song?

I recently found a copy of her 1992 christmas single.

SunnySkies said:

Great to see this thread, Guthrie has such a lovely voice. My favorite song of hers is "Oh what a life" from the Portrait album, anyone else familiar with this song?

I recently found a copy of her 1992 christmas single.

SunnySkies, is that still in print? Thanks.

No, the christmas single is almost impossible to find. But i came across one copy on ebay

SunnySkies said:

No, the christmas single is almost impossible to find. But i came across one copy on ebay

I wanna a copy.

Oh well, the hunt is on. Thanks again.

..I only knew about "Aint Nothing Goin On But The Rent".

Gonna check out her other stuff. Thanks.

Here is another gem from Gwen

featured on the b side to "outside in the rain"

"save your love for me"

Caramelpfe said:

Here is another gem from Gwen

featured on the b side to "outside in the rain"

"save your love for me"

WOW

This is my first time hearing this, does she have more b-side/non-album tracks such as this?

Thats what I hate about the 80s that "non-album" B-sides trend, makes it hard for us to track down nowadays(Prince & MJ are the only easy ones, given the fact that their stuff are still widely circulated).

I only found out a couple of years ago that she died

Love her version of the carpenters "close to you"

Harlepolis said:

WOW

This is my first time hearing this, does she have more b-side/non-album tracks such as this?

Thats what I hate about the 80s that "non-album" B-sides trend, makes it hard for us to track down nowadays(Prince & MJ are the only easy ones, given the fact that their stuff are still widely circulated).

After she left warner/reprise she moved over to the uk to work with Sly & Robbie again. She released this independantly & was working on an album but sadly the album was never completed

so I know somewhere there is a vault full of unheard stuff

[Edited 6/17/10 7:46am]

Make you wanna wish she recorded a gospel album...