That album is great from begin'n to end

I didn't know You Can't Change That he originally wrote for The Spinners.

MusickMan said:

My favorite Ray Parker Jr./Raydio songs that haven't been mentioned, both from the "Rock On" album:

"Hot Stuff:"

"More Than One Way To Love A Woman:"

MusickMan said:

from the "Rock On" album:

"More Than One Way To Love A Woman:"

Love that song! Rock On is my favorite Raydio album.

MusickMan said:

This may be the clear version of the song for which you were looking.

Actually, the "Jaime" in the Randy Hall song was the name of Hall's friend -- hence the name "I've Been Watching You (Jaime's Girl)."

The reason why people were confused is because Ray Parker Jr. wrote and produced both songs and he used the male name "Jaime" to describe Hall's friend and the female name "Jamie" to describe his ex-girlfriend in his own song. So technically, one song is not an answer to the other song.

On another note, Randy Hall was was co-arranger on the 1981 Miles Davis album "The Man With The Horn." He later joined the group Pleasure in 1982 before going solo to make the Parker-produced album "I Belong To You."

Ah, so that other video is still there Thanks for posting and for your explanation about the song.

Athough the name is used for a female and male character, i actually never saw the spelling of "Jaime" on Randy's album or singles, so that's what confused me

And Randy's contributions for the late Miles and Pleasure are great Pleasure's "What's It Gonna Be" and "Sending My Love" are some of my regular rotations.

phunkdaddy said:

banks said:

Ray wrote Mr Telephone Man...

You never heard the Raydio sound in Mr Telephone Man

Now I do... I never really paid any attention to it..

[post deleted]

[Edited 2/14/12 6:04am]

MusickMan said:

banks said:

Ray wrote Mr Telephone Man...

Ray Parker Jr. was the session guitarist on Cheryl Lynn's "Got To Be Real." He wrote and produced "Shake It Up Tonight."

Once you listen to "Mr. Telephone Man," it certainly has that Raydio melody, similar to "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" and "You Can't Change That."

[Edited 2/13/12 21:06pm]

Ray Parker Jr. produced and wrote songs on the "Shake It Up Tonight" lp but the title song was written by Michael&Brenda Sutton,who by their own did two lps one for Sam Records `82 (good lp) and one for Rocshire Records `84 (not so good imvho).

Michael&Brenda also wrote songs for many Motown arist like Michael,Jermaine,Three Ounces Of Love,Smokey..............................

As stated "Mr.Telephone Man" was another Ray song but it was Jr.Tucker (Geffen Records) who did it first and then later covered by New Edition.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...U_r5JVagNI

[Edited 2/14/12 6:11am]

windjammer said:

MusickMan said:

Ray Parker Jr. was the session guitarist on Cheryl Lynn's "Got To Be Real." He wrote and produced "Shake It Up Tonight."

Once you listen to "Mr. Telephone Man," it certainly has that Raydio melody, similar to "A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do)" and "You Can't Change That."

[Edited 2/13/12 21:06pm]

Ray Parker Jr. produced and wrote songs on the "Shake It Up Tonight" lp but the title song was written by Michael&Brenda Sutton,who by their own did two lps one for Sam Records `82 (good lp) and one for Rocshire Records `84 (not so good imvho).

Michael&Brenda also wrote songs for many Motown arist like Michael,Jermaine,Three Ounces Of Love,Smokey..............................

As stated "Mr.Telephone Man" was another Ray song but it was Jr.Tucker (Geffen Records) who did it first and then later covered by New Edition.

http://www.youtube.com/wa...U_r5JVagNI

[Edited 2/14/12 6:11am]

That's right and thank you for the clarification. I meant to say that Ray Parker Jr. wrote and produced songs on "Shake It Up Tonight."

Shango said:

Ah, so that other video is still there Thanks for posting and for your explanation about the song.

Athough the name is used for a female and male character, i actually never saw the spelling of "Jaime" on Randy's album or singles, so that's what confused me

And Randy's contributions for the late Miles and Pleasure are great Pleasure's "What's It Gonna Be" and "Sending My Love" are some of my regular rotations.

I thought Ray Parker Jr. also wrote "I've Been Watching You (Jamie's Girl)" but he did not; Randy Hall and Robert Irving III wrote it. So it seems like Parker was once again inspired by another artist's then-recent song to write his own version of the song. Thank you for the clarification.

[Edited 2/14/12 6:54am]

SPYZFAN1 said:

lol..There's Ray Parker Jr BEFORE "Ghostbusters" and AFTER. Some cats I know laugh when I mention that he used to be an accomplished/in demand session guitarist. I guess when he got caught up in the "Billy Dee-isms" those days out the window.

I remember seeing him on the Grammy's performing the hit with his dangling earring and his hair (or wig) a mile above his head. That's when I knew it was pretty much over for him.

Ray Parker Jr. musically jumped the shark by 1984 and 1985. If "Ghostbusters" wasn't enough, then there is this similarly sounding song (along with the video):

[Edited 2/16/12 12:56pm]

HuMpThAnG said:

scriptgirl said:

What is the funky song in the very beginning that Ray is playing-the clip is a soul train clip?

This is my favorite from him, and then Still In The Groove. those instrumentals.

Identity said:

Ray co-wrote this hit single with Chaka Khan from the band Rufus' 1974 album Rags To Rufus.

I had no idea he was playing on this, or co-wrote it. I love old school Rufus and Chaka. It was great seeing and hearing Chaka and Cheryl Lynn with Ray on Unsung. I hope they'll do an Unsung on Cheryl Lynn.

MusickMan said: I thought Ray Parker Jr. also wrote "I've Been Watching You (Jamie's Girl)" but he did not; Randy Hall and Robert Irving III wrote it. So it seems like Parker was once again inspired by another artist's then-recent song to write his own version of the song. Thank you for the clarification.

You're welcome and thank you too for the further info Yeah, besides Robert, Randy's band included some other cats from Miles' "Man With The Horn" sessions: drummer Vince Wilburn (Miles' nephew) and bassist Felton Crews.

Jboogiee said:

I didn't know You Can't Change That he originally wrote for The Spinners.

yeah, imagine that

Ashamed to admit that I never heard of him before Ghostbusters and couldn't name anything else he's done besides that song except the solo in Stevie's "Maybe" song... guess I got some catching up to do.

I did know that he was a highly regarded session guitarist thanks to Paul Jackson Jr. graciously including him in one of his instructional vids.

VH1 featured him on one of their Where Are They Now segments about 12 years ago, but didn't get THAT deep into his history.

I thought this was quite an enjoyable episode (even though I don't see him as Unsung). Ray seems content, has a great family life, and didn't go flat-broke in the music biz.

It was cool to see legends and industry big-wigs like Chaka Khan, Cheryl Lynn, Deniece Williams, David Foster and Clive Davis sing his praises. (Also, why does the producer who ripped off his song for Leo Sayer look like Jack Kevorkian )

Great episode. Enjoyed it a lot.

MusickMan I remember that song..(ouch!) I think he had another one just as bad called "I'm A Dog" (?)

Timmy84 my bad! I thought it was Jeff on "Baby".

Wondered what ever happen to the album that Ray produce for group member Arnell Carmichael?

SPYZFAN1 said:

MusickMan I remember that song..(ouch!) I think he had another one just as bad called "I'm A Dog" (?)

"I'm A Dog" was horrible, so bad that I will listen to "Girls Are More Fun" over that song. It was obvious Ray Parker Jr. was listening to a lot of Prince songs when he wrote "I'm A Dog:"

[Edited 2/14/12 16:43pm]

lol....It has "Sexuality" and "Let's Pretend..." all over it.

What was even more embarrasing was seeing him lip-synch it on the "Solid Gold" TV show with the dancers.

MusickMan said:

SPYZFAN1 said:

MusickMan I remember that song..(ouch!) I think he had another one just as bad called "I'm A Dog" (?)

"I'm A Dog" was horrible, so bad that I will listen to "Girls Are More Fun" over that song. It was obvious Ray Parker Jr. was listening to a lot of Prince songs when he wrote "I'm A Dog:"

[Edited 2/14/12 16:43pm]

I agree with you when you say he jumped the shark musically but i dig this one

a hell of a lot more than Girls Are More Fun. I thought Ray lost his damn mind when i

first heard that shit. I was like is this the same guy who threw down with Raydio.

At least I'm A Dog had a little bit of that New Wave sound to it.

Sex and the Single Man is a horrible album a messy,over-synthesized disaster.That's why I was so happy when he released his next album,After Dark,which is his best solo album.It was a soulful return to form,without all the 'pop' sounds.

TonyVanDam said:

Here is one of those funk tracks co-written by Ray for Herbie!:

Solid as a rock. Herbie also re-did Raydio's "Tonight's The Night". And welcome back Tony

SPYZFAN1 said:

lol....It has "Sexuality" and "Let's Pretend..." all over it.

What was even more embarrasing was seeing him lip-synch it on the "Solid Gold" TV show with the dancers.

It does steal from the Prince sound. But He had a little Prince sound in him. I always like artist that write & play their own music. I really enjoyed this unsung. He is my kind of artist. But he is not Unsung in my opinion. But good to know he is still doing well and not broke like all the other RNB artist of that time(Besides Prince)Loved his story the best...

[Edited 2/16/12 6:44am]

This is the best Unsung episode that I saw It was fun re-visiting all those great songs and hearing the story behind them.I'm gonna pull out the Raydio albums.

Jazzy instrumental from the After Dark album (1989).

Identity said:

Jazzy instrumental from the After Dark album (1987).

I really think that After Dark is his best solo album.

You caught my error. The After Dark album came out in '87.

Identity said:

You caught my error. The After Dark album came out in '87.