Or do a lot of The Gap Band's up-tempo hits from the 80s all sound alike?

"You Dropped A Bomb On Me"
"Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)"
"Early in the Morning"
"Party Train"

They all have that same bassline and wind-up beat in them. What's up with the lack of creativity that they just kept re-creating the same songs?

Nope it's not you. I love the Gap Band but I usually have to wait for the chorus before i know which song it is I think 'Outstanding' is one of their few distinguishable uptempo tracks.

no it's not you!! lol!! I always wondred why they were recyclin' the same song over and over....

Thank you!

Yes, psykosoul, "Outstanding" and "Yearning For Your Love" are like the only two that sound nothing alike!

That recycled sound is something else ain't it, paligap!

okaypimpn said:

It isn't you honey. Sometimes I would have a flashback of my childhood when I used to get into trouble and my step mother would play Burn Rubber while she whooped my a$$. So everytime I here one of those songs I quickly turn the station.

bwnladybug said:

Of course not! They were from the school of "If It Ain't Broke..."

I love the Gap Band. I saw them in concert last year and they brought the house DOWN!

Having said that, you do have a point. I cringe whenever I hear "I Found My Baby"... direct rip off, of "Outstanding." I was like... WHY?

okaypimpn said:

They are great live, no doubt. Playing the songs in my head, the only theory I can come up with is that they loved the bassline and beat so much that they want to be able to play it as much and long as possible so how do you do that? Break it down, change it just a bit and build lyrics around them. Makes it easier, still fun and funky. What always cracks me up are the sounds that I hear in the songs, what they are I'm not sure. For instance in "Outstanding" I always thought I heard someone's tongue clucking, and in "You Dropped a Bomb On Me," Charlie says "Hehehe" or whistles. Does anybody else notice that in some of those songs? Also it's prevalent in "Humpin."

I love the Gap Band,but I have to admit,I didn't really care for their 1984 hit "Party Train".That song sounds really contrived and uninspired,as if they were running out of ideas.After such great singles like "Burn Rubber,"Outstanding",etc,it's like they said "Hey,let's just do a 'train song',about partying and having fun".This concept had been used several times before (ie,Heatwave's superior "The Groove Line") and it seems as if The Gap Band just jumped on that bandwagon.


but that's probably my ONLY criticism of these guys,lol.I like most of their other singles.