I have been listening to Jam & Lewis productions a lot lately and can't get enough of SOS Band's Tell Me If You Still Care.

I generally quite dislike ballads, but this one really hits the spot for me. It's got that smooth 80's production style, with the 808 used to great effect, and I can't stop listening to that fabulous synth bass. Also the vocals are just perfect, full of yearning and vulnerability, speaking of insecurity within a love relationship. One of their very best IMHO!

My question to you is to post your favorite Jam & Lewis ballad and explain why you like it so much?

someday is tonight-janet

its just perfect to me, its like being ear fucked.

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TELL ME IF YOU STILL CARE is one of my alltime favorites as well. Actually, I like ME AND YOU FOREVER from CHARLIE WILSON's new album quite a bit .....

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Then there is A BROKEN HEART CAN MEND by ALEXANDER O'NEAL or CHERRELLE's EVERYTHING I MISS AT HOME & WHO'S IT GONNA BE ....

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Um..."Tell Me If You Still Care" is a classic, but it isn't a ballad.

Lonely - Janet Jackson

One of my favorites. I love the vocal layering and Janet's harmonies. The production is smooth and not overproduced, imo.

SamSamba said:

Um..."Tell Me If You Still Care" is a classic, but it isn't a ballad.

Sounds like a ballad to me, I would find it hard to jam to on a dancefloor other than slow and close dancing with an attractive female. What would you call it then?

SamSamba said:

Um..."Tell Me If You Still Care" is a classic, but it isn't a ballad.

TMIYSC is a mid tempo BALLAD.

Weekend Girl - SOS Band

Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun) - Janet Jackson

4 Seasons of Loneliness - Boyz II Men

Can You Stand The Rain - New Edition

Everything I Miss At Home - Cherrelle

I'd consider it a ballad, the light tempo, the tender drums. You know it's not even midtempo when rappers speed it UP to rap over it.

Wait

Thats where you'll find me "deja" actuyally i think it was just Monte who did

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFVp_vMczS8

New Edition "Helplessly In Love"


and that bug in my arse/ is for youuuu

Force MD's "Tender Love"

Cinny said:

I'd consider it a ballad, the light tempo, the tender drums. You know it's not even midtempo when rappers speed it UP to rap over it.

Thanks for the 'backup' on my 'ballad' qualification (getxxxx too), it is not just me perceiving the song as a ballad!

You forgot "Take Care" from 20 Y.O.!

Cinny said:

Force MD's "Tender Love"

Easily.

I can't pick just one either, so here are a few of my favorites:

Making Love In The Rain- Herb Alpert feat. Lisa Keith & Janet Jackson

No One's Gonna Love You, Weekend End Girl- S.O.S. Band

Everything I Miss At Home, Where Do I Run To- Cherelle

UnderMySun said:

No One's Gonna Love You

THAT is not a ballad. In fact, it had to be slowed down to be rhymed over:

Cinny said:

Wait

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Nice one

Can't pick one lol

Janet - Anytime, Any Place, Funny How Time Flies, Anything, Lonely, Living In A World They Didn't Make

Force MD's - Tender Love

Alexander O'neal - If You Were Here Tonight

Cherrelle - Everything I Miss At Home

Usher - Can U Help Me

Ralph Tresvant - Do What I Gotta Do

Boyz II Men - 4 Seasons Of Loneliness, On Bended Knee

Morris Day - Love Is A Game

New Edition - Helplessly In Love, Can You Stand The Rain, I'm Coming Home

scorp84 said:

Alexander O'neal - If You Were Here Tonight

ooh... I actually like that one more than other ones I posted.

Cinny said:

scorp84 said:

Alexander O'neal - If You Were Here Tonight

ooh... I actually like that one more than other ones I posted.

Wasn't this Monte?

As for the duo's ballads, their catalog is vast and darn near peerless. I've picked just a few for my list.


Chante Moore - "Chante's Got a Man"
Deborah Cox - "Hurt So Much"
Heather Headley - "I Wish I Wasn't"
Isley Brothers - "Settle Down"
Barry White - "Come On"
Cherelle - "Everything I Miss At Home"
Alexander O'Neal - "Crying Overtime"
Johnny Gill - "Lady Dujour"
Mariah Carey - "Thank God I Found You"

Janet Jackson - "Twenty Foreplay"
Janet Jackson - "Let's Wait Awhile"

MickyDolenz said:

Cinny said:

ooh... I actually like that one more than other ones I posted.

Wasn't this Monte?

It's such a standout track and you're right: Monte wrote it.

Impossible for me to list one. Here's some that come to mind:

Alex:

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"If You Were Here Tonight"

"Sunshine"

"Crying Overtime"

Honorable Mention: "The Morning After" (Nice album cut from his "All True Man" album)

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Herb Alpert:

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

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Usher:

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"Can You Help Me" - I'm not big on sad ballads but this thing is gorgeous. It contains one of Jimmy's most beautiful melodies as far as I can recall. Plus, Jam & Lewis revisited the same chords at the vamp for Janet's "Take Care". Check it out....

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"Mars vs. Venus"

"Seduction"

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Pretty much all of their ballads for SOS

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Janet:

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"Funny How Time Flies (When You're Having Fun)"

"Lonely" - Great song. Probably one of her best ballads in her discography. Beautifully written, beautifully played/produced. Often overlooked by, "Come Back To Me".

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"The Body That Loves You" - Here's another song I think got overshadowed by the huge hit, "Anytime, Anyplace" was. Afterall, it was an official single. But for the smooth bossanova groove, classic layering of Janet's harmonies, plus the subtlety of it all won me over. I believe I recall Jimmy saying they referenced Karen Carpenter's vocal harmonies on "Close To You" for Janet's on this tune. (Don't ask where I read this because I haven't the slightest clue. This was mad years ago.)

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"Twenty Foreplay"

"Take Care" - Such a shame this was on Jermaine Durpi's failed fantasy project.

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N.E.

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"Can You Stand The Rain"

"Boys To Men" (May not qualify)

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Cherrelle

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"Everything I Miss At Home" (Seems to be popular here )

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I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch of stuff. That's all for now....

MickyDolenz said:

Cinny said:

ooh... I actually like that one more than other ones I posted.

Wasn't this Monte?

Then that is my favorite by him for sure.