My brother recently hipped me to Ray Parker Jr. I admit, I had always linked him with Ghostbusters (and "The Other Woman") and never bothered to really listen to anything else. But I love all of his music with Raydio and a lot of the solo stuff too. He's much more funky than I imagined and a decent guitarist too.

Who else is a fan and do you have any favorite songs?

My favorite Ray song is definitely "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)."

Ray played guitar on "Maybe Your Baby."

Electronic Lover

I think his 1987 abum 'After Dark' was a return to form after several years of pop hits.It was the most soulful album of his career,featuring this breezy first single...

"Jamie" is one of my favorites.Takes me right back to Christmas 1984

"Over You" by Ray Parker Jr. and Natalie Cole (1987)

[Edited 7/19/11 0:45am]

Thanks for these responses. I thought I was completely caught up but I see there's still some songs I haven't heard. For instance, I hadn't heard anything from After Dark.

xpertluva said:

I hadn't heard anything from After Dark.

not even the first single?

Ray Parker Jr & Raydio! I grew up on the music Glad folks are digging into the catalog. Lots of great gems...

SoulAlive said:

xpertluva said:

I hadn't heard anything from After Dark.

not even the first single?

Nope! I told you I'm playing catch up. I see the cd's my brother burned me were comprised of songs to his liking and not comprehensive. I'm gonna have to seek out some of this on my own.

I just learned that Ray did the Pryor's Place theme and wrote Mr. Telephone Man for New Edition. Have you heard his album, I'm Free from 2002, I think? It's definitely more contemporary and has some light jazz, Latin and even reggae on it. It's very good.

I haven't checked out that 'I'm Free' album,but I've seen it in record stores.

I'm Free is worth a listen, especially the title track which is a blues song. I'd post a vid but I don't know how.

xpertluva said:

I'm Free is worth a listen, especially the title track which is a blues song. I'd post a vid but I don't know how.

^Thanks!

Due to him playing guitar on "Maybe Your Baby" and "I Want You", recording with Raydio (where "Jack & Jill", "You Can't Change That" came from) and "A Woman Needs Love", Ray Parker, Jr. gets my respect. Plus he did a great production of Cheryl Lynn's "Shake It Up Tonight".

^ The motherload! Some of my favs are there too, including "Hot Stuff", "It's Your Night" and "Bad Boy". All that's missing is "More Than One Way Yo Love A Woman".

xpertluva said:

^ The motherload! Some of my favs are there too, including "Hot Stuff", "It's Your Night" and "Bad Boy". All that's missing is "More Than One Way Yo Love A Woman".

I tried to post mainly the jams but they had a lot of great slow jams too....

Let Me Go

Goin' Through School and Love

That Old Pro

More Than One Way To Love A Woman

A Woman Needs Love

Tonight Is The Night

xpertluva said:

^ The motherload! Some of my favs are there too, including "Hot Stuff", "It's Your Night" and "Bad Boy". All that's missing is "More Than One Way Yo Love A Woman".

Oh, and be sure to click and listen to "The Other Woman". I posted the 12 Inch version. I don't know if you've ever heard it but it's much better than the original because of the breakdown.

xpertluva said:

My brother recently hipped me to Ray Parker Jr. I admit, I had always linked him with Ghostbusters (and "The Other Woman") and never bothered to really listen to anything else. But I love all of his music with Raydio and a lot of the solo stuff too. He's much more funky than I imagined and a decent guitarist too.

Who else is a fan and do you have any favorite songs?

I remember my dad playing Ray Parker Jr's stuff when I was a kid. Yes, the Ghostbuster song but some other stuff too.

He's actually not that bad, his work is pretty smooth.

vainandy said:

xpertluva said:

^ The motherload! Some of my favs are there too, including "Hot Stuff", "It's Your Night" and "Bad Boy". All that's missing is "More Than One Way Yo Love A Woman".

Oh, and be sure to click and listen to "The Other Woman". I posted the 12 Inch version. I don't know if you've ever heard it but it's much better than the original because of the breakdown.

Thanks! You're right, killer breakdown. Oh, and I forgot to mention "Let's Get Off". Classic!

armpit said:

xpertluva said:

My brother recently hipped me to Ray Parker Jr. I admit, I had always linked him with Ghostbusters (and "The Other Woman") and never bothered to really listen to anything else. But I love all of his music with Raydio and a lot of the solo stuff too. He's much more funky than I imagined and a decent guitarist too.

Who else is a fan and do you have any favorite songs?

I remember my dad playing Ray Parker Jr's stuff when I was a kid. Yes, the Ghostbuster song but some other stuff too.

He's actually not that bad, his work is pretty smooth.

Yeah, Ray was like the Billy Dee Williams of music.

don't forget that he wrote "you got the love" for rufus featuring chaka khan. i always wonder if he got pissed at Lenny Kravitz for borrowing from that funky groove for lenny's its your life from his 5 album. he didn't sue like huey lewis did.

SoulAlive said:

I think his 1987 abum 'After Dark' was a return to form after several years of pop hits.It was the most soulful album of his career,featuring this breezy first single...

This is one that I heard alot around the house as a little kid.