Let's go back to the fall of 1983.Breakdancers are everywhere.Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is selling a million copies a week.Madonna has just burst onto the scene.Music videos are all the rage,and MTV is more popular than ever.It's a thrilling,exciting time for pop music.Somewhere,in the middle of all the madness,DeBarge comes out of nowhere with the year's most beautiful slow jam."Time Will Reveal" is dreamy and hypnotic,the type of mellow ballad that had all the young girls going crazy.This charming little song is arguably DeBarge's best single,and I don't think they ever came up with anything half this good on subsequent albums.


"Time Will Reveal"

(written by El and Bunny DeBarge)

What can I do
to make you feel secure
remove all your doubts
so that you'll know for sure
that you're the apple of my eye,girl
Fulfillment of my dreams

Time will show the value
of just what you mean to me
more precious than silver
more precious than diamond rings

or anything that I could give you
it wouldn't mean a thing
If you didn't have my love beside you,there to guide you through
but ain't it good to know you do


(chorus)
I know just how you feel
but this time love's for real
in time it will reveal
the special love that's deep inside of us
will all reveal in time

Oh


I tell you I love you
but you won't believe it's true
more precious than silver
more precious than diamond rings
or anything that I could give you
it wouldn't mean a thing
if you didn't have my love beside you,there to guide you through
but ain't it good to know you do

(chorus)
I know just how you feel
but this time love's for real
in time it will reveal
the special love that's deep inside of us
will all reveal in time

I know just how you feel
but this time love's for real
in time it will reveal
the special love that's deep inside of us
will all reveal in time

Say baby,yeah,babe

Or anything that I could give you
it wouldn't mean a thing
if you didn't have my love beside you,there to guide you through
but ain't it good to know you do

(repeat chorus)

DavidEye said:

Had to comment on your intro, David . Your description is where my memory of my life begins, and that's how I remember it. (Culture Club has to be in there somewhere too, hehe.)

My family had a cassette of Debarge, but it was when the labels just scanned the cover and listed the Program One and Two underneath so I had no idea that El and Bunny wrote that! "Time Will Reveal" is probably second only to "Stay With Me" imho.

Thanks for the reminder - I haven't listened to this one in a couple years!

Great song from one of the best R&B albums of the decade In A Special Way. Great stuff....but I don't know which one I like better this one or "All This Love"....Both of them were great 1983 ballads.....
[This message was edited Mon Mar 1 5:48:56 2004 by BRO915]

BRO915 said:

maaaaan DeBarge had a helluva good run with Motown..but somethin got lost

CinisterCee said:

1983 was one of the last outstanding years for music,as I'm sure Bro915 would agree with.So much good music came out that year.

DavidEye said:

.....Pop music historians always say that 1984 was one of the best years of pop music....But I think 1983 beats that year!!!! That was an incredible year for music on pop and R&B front.

BRO915 said:

I heard "All This Love" the other day and it made me wonder why I've never been a big fan of Debarge? My favorite song is "You Wear It Well." Weird, right?
[This message was edited Mon Mar 1 6:31:39 2004 by UptownDeb]

After the 'In A Special Way' album in 1983,DeBarge's music was never the same.I remember being very disappointed with the 'Rhythm Of The Night' album in 1985.It was too "poppy" with alot of synths and other annoying mid-80s studio tricks.And this time around,they were relying on outside songwriters (previous hits were mostly written and produced by El).The magic was gone and not surprisingly,El left the group to start his solo career.

I looooved Debarge and of course Time will reveal is one of their best!! but All This Love and I Like It are right there up with it, I can't really decide between those for my personal fave... and gladly I don't have to, hehe

I still listen to DeBarge and Switch to this very day!El had soo much potential.What happened?I do that the beginning of the end was when they were perceived as trying to challenge the crown of The Jacksons and James married Janet.The Jacksons were furious and outraged and forced an anullment.

I think Joe put some pressure on Motown and made the De Barges know that they weren't in the same class.Then,all of a sudden,you get all these rape allegations,failed cocaine deals,broken probations,and a joke about a bomb threat on a plane.

El will always be,in my belief,one of the most talented people ever in music.Something is wrong,though.He should be bigger now and more of a presence.He writes,sings,produces,and can play many instruments.It must be something in his personality.I know I was disappointed in one of his lyrics,years ago,on The Storm,where he sang about putting"his love in yo eye so you can see me cumming".I thought that was beneath him and crass.And that coming from a guy who was raised in a baptist family.

Anyway,I will never understand the mystery of why he flamed out.Where is he and the family today?I went to Motown Records years ago and it was clear that they sold a hell of a lot of records and were once Motown royalty.

I love DeBarge and El has a very underrated falsetto. I have all their albums(sad, I know) and they were my very first concert back in '83.

I've always been a big Debarge fan. The list of great songs goes on: I Like It, All This Love, Stay With Me, Time Will Reveal, Love Me In A Special Way, A Dream, Who's Loving Donna Now, and Share My World. I even liked his solo album Heart, Mind, and Soul.

whodknee said:

The Heart, Mind and Soul album is one of my favorites. They really should have marketed it better cuz it is really wonderful.

Hey, all you DeBarge fans should check out some of the songs James and El have done with DJ Quik in the near past!! Some of them are REALLY HOT!! Especially "The divorce song" by James and produced by Quik, or "Keepin it strong" by Warren G featuring El.

This tune makes a brother cry.

I wonder what Bunny is up to these days?

Bunny wasn't much of a singer.

2freaky4church1 said:

Yeah, I think she was more of a songwriter. She and El.

okaypimpn said:

She did a solo album in 1987 but it flopped.It contained the minor hit "Save The Best For Me".You are right,she wasn't much of a singer.

2freaky4church1 said:

I hear it alot more on the radio. I would get teary-eyed or vehklempt (sp?) from time to time, and not know why.

DavidEye said:

Gotta give my vote to "All This Love". It's definitely been covered more.