I purchased this on CD a few weeks ago. I had never even heard of the album until the CD reissue, don't remember any of the songs getting airplay and apparently, it didn't sell well when it was originally released in 1980. I think it's probably my favorite album from him. Certainly different, concentrating more on his voice with ballads and mid-tempo tracks and not really on the funk music he was associated with. Anyone here who has listened to the album, how do you feel about it? Anyone who hasn't, I highly recommend giving it a spin.

[Edited 1/11/14 16:50pm]

My favorite is Big Time

I've always had mixed feelings about this album.After recording three explosive funk albums,I can understand why,in 1980,Rick felt that it was time to slow things down and try a different approach.Nothing wrong with that.However,for some reason,I can never really get into these songs."Big Time" is great,though.The other songs aren't terrible,but I think my problem is....I like to hear the crazy,outrageous,funky Rick! I think of this album as the calm before the storm.His next album was Street Songs.

kitbradley said:

I don't remember any of the songs getting airplay and apparently, it didn't sell well when it was originally released in 1980.

"Big Time",the first single,got some airplay on the R&B stations.

I've never cared much for Garden of Love. This album is just too ballad-heavy for my taste, failing to hold my interest except for the sole hit,"Big Time", the so-so funk offering, ''Mary-Go-Round", and ''Don't Give Up on Love'', admittedly one of Rick's most seductive compositions.

[Edited 1/12/14 10:26am]

"Big Time" is the only song I've got on my phone.

In general, the album sounds like something he created with his private parties in mind. I could imagine it being played by the swimming pool with the people starting to get drunk and lighting their first joints.

I used to play this album to death back in the day.

"Summer Love" is my all time favorite Rick James ballad! This album showed Rick's versatilty as a under rated balladeer. Which he never got credit for.Rick's bad boy, drug,party animal image was what most cared about. But talent wise he was much more than the party hits... "Big Time" did get a LOT of airplay on RnB radio. But no one was ready for this quiet storm Rick..I remember him saying he recorded this album on a Island to regroup his life...

[Edited 1/12/14 8:54am]

Love the album and I was totally psyched when it was finally released on CD. And "Big Time" isn't the only jam, Mary-Go-Round is another excellen funky track. I also looove "Gettin' It On (In The Sunshine)".

By the way,the John Morales remix of Big Time included on the cd is fantastic!

Love this album, Rick was in a romantic mood when he recorded this one.

IMO its definitely an underrated album.

Because it is so ballad heavy, when i first heard it i did not really like it.

After the P funk of Come, Fire and Bustin, to my 13 year old ears, Garden was too smooth jazzy and "soft".


I didn't full appreciate Garden until i got older.

[Edited 1/12/14 19:58pm]

I wonder was this "Garden of Love" album made in awe of the woman he was making love to on "Summer Love" Teena Marie!!!? He was definitely in love with someone making this passionate album..

[img:$uid]http://pic80.picturetrail.com:80/VOL2084/9118410/23615037/394259817.jpg[/img:$uid]

In his autobiography,Rick made some interesting comments about this album...

Garden Of Love had only six songs on it.I usually put eight or nine songs on my albums...never less.This time,because I was angry with Motown,I only put on six.Garden Of Love barely went gold for me and I had to cancel the tour I'd planned for it.I found out with Garden Of Love that success could end any time and you're only as good as your last hit record.

I love this album. Definately in my top 4 of Rick James albums and probably the one I've listened to the most. When I wanna listen to the hard funk jams, there's a few records to choose from, but when I'm in the mood for the other side of Rick James, the beautifully crafted ballads, this record is the one to play.

Not exactly underrated to me...not many worthwile tunes.

Gettin It On is a jam though

I love Rick James but only the funk cuts, I hate ballads with a passion so I guess this album is not for me.

SoulAlive said:

I've always had mixed feelings about this album.After recording three explosive funk albums,I can understand why,in 1980,Rick felt that it was time to slow things down and try a different approach.Nothing wrong with that.However,for some reason,I can never really get into these songs."Big Time" is great,though.The other songs aren't terrible,but I think my problem is....I like to hear the crazy,outrageous,funky Rick! I think of this album as the calm before the storm.His next album was Street Songs.

The hell it is! It's that way of thinking that got funk killed a few years later. Don't NEVER do anything that could put funk in danger of going extinct.

.

For years, the only track I liked on this album was "Big Time". I like the entire album now but it took me years to like it all.

.

.

.

[Edited 1/15/14 19:48pm]

vainandy said:

SoulAlive said:

I've always had mixed feelings about this album.After recording three explosive funk albums,I can understand why,in 1980,Rick felt that it was time to slow things down and try a different approach.Nothing wrong with that.However,for some reason,I can never really get into these songs."Big Time" is great,though.The other songs aren't terrible,but I think my problem is....I like to hear the crazy,outrageous,funky Rick! I think of this album as the calm before the storm.His next album was Street Songs.

The hell it is! It's that way of thinking that got funk killed a few years later. Don't NEVER do anything that could put funk in danger of going extinct.

.

For years, the only track I liked on this album was "Big Time". I like the entire album now but it took me years to like it all.

I get what you're saying,but I think he probably just wanted to show a different side of his talent,at least for one album.

It's amazing how fast artists recorded and released albums back then....

Rick's debut album Come Get It was released in the late spring of 1978.

The next album Bustin Out Of L 7 arrived in stores in January 1979.

In October of that same year,he released Fire It Up (even Prince didn't release two albums in 1979!)

then,Garden Of Love arrived in the summer of 1980 (July,to be exact).

that's four albums in the span of two years!

many of today's artists could never keep up with that pace!

fun fact: Prince's debut album For You and Rick's debut album Come Get It were both released in April 1978

SoulAlive said:

It's amazing how fast artists recorded and released albums back then....

Rick's debut album Come Get It was released in the late spring of 1978.

The next album Bustin Out Of L 7 arrived in stores in January 1979.

In October of that same year,he released Fire It Up (even Prince didn't release two albums in 1979!)

then,Garden Of Love arrived in the summer of 1980 (July,to be exact).

that's four albums in the span of two years!

many of today's artists could never keep up with that pace!

Teena Marie did the same thing! in Febuary 1980, Motown released her second album Lady Tee. Then later that summer July 1980 her third album "Irons in ThE Fire" was released. I miss those days of muziq.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

SoulAlive said:

It's amazing how fast artists recorded and released albums back then....

Rick's debut album Come Get It was released in the late spring of 1978.

The next album Bustin Out Of L 7 arrived in stores in January 1979.

In October of that same year,he released Fire It Up (even Prince didn't release two albums in 1979!)

then,Garden Of Love arrived in the summer of 1980 (July,to be exact).

that's four albums in the span of two years!

many of today's artists could never keep up with that pace!

Teena Marie did the same thing! in Febuary 1980, Motown released her second album Lady Tee. Then later that summer July 1980 her third album "Irons in ThE Fire" was released. I miss those days of muziq.

yeah,those days were cool! You never had to wait very long for new music from your favorite artists.

SoulAlive said:

fun fact: Prince's debut album For You and Rick's debut album Come Get It were both released in April 1978

It's easy to forget that Rick was already 30 when he released his debut album.

He was wayyyy ahead of Prince as a funk / r&b artist at that point...

novabrkr said:

SoulAlive said:

fun fact: Prince's debut album For You and Rick's debut album Come Get It were both released in April 1978

It's easy to forget that Rick was already 30 when he released his debut album.

He was wayyyy ahead of Prince as a funk / r&b artist at that point...

SoulAlive said:

It's amazing how fast artists recorded and released albums back then....

Rick's debut album Come Get It was released in the late spring of 1978.

The next album Bustin Out Of L 7 arrived in stores in January 1979.

In October of that same year,he released Fire It Up (even Prince didn't release two albums in 1979!)

then,Garden Of Love arrived in the summer of 1980 (July,to be exact).

that's four albums in the span of two years!

many of today's artists could never keep up with that pace!

Indeed, Slick Rick was highly prolific at the outset of his solo career, so much so that some of his most influential funk songs ("Fire it Up", "Bustin' Out"] are often overlooked.