New topic
PrintableVoicesCarry said: Because he turned into the Kenny G. of R&B music.
And I don't think people hate his earlier stuff, just what he's become. [This message was edited Wed May 12 19:37:24 2004 by VoicesCarry]  OH MY GOD I swear I was thinking the EXACT first sentence in your post when I clicked on this thread!!!!! Spooky. But true notheless  . | |
- E-mail - orgNote -  Report post to moderator |
Dancelot said: DavidEye said: I love his first two solo albums,especially 'Can't Slow Down' which I consider to be one of the defining albums of the 80s and the 2-CD Deluxe Edition is fantastic.Early 80s singles like "You Are","Penny Lover","All Night Long (All Night)" and my favorite "Stuck On You" are great.("Stuck on You" is his finest moment as a solo artist,imo).But in 1986,when he released the crappy 'Dancing On The Ceiling',that's when I lost interest.The title track is one of the worst songs of all time and "Say You Say Me" is atrocious.When I heard this album for the first time,I remember thinking "Where is the Lionel Richie that used to make great songs??".I never really bought anything after that,but I did like his 1992 slow jam "Do It To Me",which was probably the last decent single he released.He just released a new CD but I wasn't impressed with the samples I heard.
co-sign on every word you said  after Can't slow down he headed for R&B crossover and selling-out like no other artist ever did, before or after
but make no doubt: he's still a legend, just for what he acomplished before loading "You Are" in my CD right away....  And in addition to what Voices Carry said earlier, you two guys are definitely right on with your comments as well. I think about a month ago he was here in Europe doing a kind of press junket for his new release (he was on TV every 5 minutes, including being a judge for the German Eurovision semi-finals) and every time he was onstage singing, I just felt like "Damn Lionel, it's just not as good as it used to be...it hasn't even in fact, EVOLVED into anything that's going to keep me from changing the channel on you right----" CLICK---- And that would be it. Watching him on TV was the metaphorical eqivalent of gargling with 97% water and 3% Scope. It was completely watered down with no zing or freshness AT ALL  | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
BRO915 said: mochalox said: i liked him. He was a great songwriter. I think America lost respect for him when he became a battered husband.
 Nahhh....what did it was that hideous "Dancing On The Ceiling" single and video..... That "Dancing On The Ceiling" video is outrageously cheesy,isn't it? I was actually embarassed for him when he released it,lol. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
There was some good stuff on Dancing on the Ceiling. Try "Ballerina Girl," "Deep River Woman," and "Love Will Conquer All". Those are amongst his best. I think the thing with Lionel is, after 1985, his uptempo stuff is laughable, but a lot of his ballads were still good. Then, he had that small comeback in '92 with "Do It to Me" and "My Destiny" which were both really good singles.
And check out his 1996 album (the title aludes me now), but that was a really solid album almost on the level of Can't Slow Down- probably because he had spent years on it. And the production was a lot of Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis and Babyface sounding stuff with good songwriting. Ever since then, the production in his music has sounded more like Matchbox 20ish- crap. He definitely had his last hurrah in 1996. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
I don't hate Lionel, but I admit I haven't kept up with his work over the last several years. I respect just about anyone that can write, play and sing. He may not have hits, but neither has Prince since Musicology. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
He crossed over so far he can't get black!  | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
Thumparello said: He crossed over so far he can't get black!
That was a good one. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
As the joke goes: In the Commodores he sang "Aw Gurl."
When Truly came out it was "Girl, tell me only this...." Seriously, if you can tune out the beginning of the "Dancing On The Ceiling" video and the "Running With The Pepsi" commericials and check out a CD he did called "Time" it has some excellent songs on it. It's a little like listening to older MJ stuff you just have to enjoy the music and separate the real life stuff from it. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |
jtgillia said: There was some good stuff on Dancing on the Ceiling.
Try "Ballerina Girl," "Deep River Woman," and "Love Will Conquer All". Those are amongst his best. I think the thing with Lionel is, after 1985, his uptempo stuff is laughable, but a lot of his ballads were still good. Then, he had that small comeback in '92 with "Do It to Me" and "My Destiny" which were both really good singles. I like a few of the 'Dancing On The Ceiling' songs...."Love Will Conquer All" is great,even though it's basically a rewrite of the superior "Love Will Find A Way" from 'Can't Slow Down'....the exotic-sounding "Se La" is nice and yes,"Ballerina Girl" is gorgeous,if a little schmaltzy.But I didn't find too many other great tunes on that album.Much of it suffers from bland mid-80s production gimmicks.I recently bought the remaster,but that's mainly for completion purposes,since I also own the first two solo albums. His 1992 hit "Do It To Me" is wonderfully soulful,a welcome return to form.It's too bad that he couldn't follow it up with equally impressive songs.I wonder what would happen if Lionel were to reunite with the Commodores,and record a new album.Maybe it would force Lionel to get funky again,lol.The results could be interesting. | |
| - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator |