A poll of Babyface's US top ten hits

Holy fuck, basically.

err, the Johnny Gill song should be "My, My, My"

fuck, and the Sheena Easton is "The Lover in Me"

How can I pick?

After 7 - Ready or Not (#7, 1990)
Babyface - Whip Appeal (#6, 1990)
Bobby Brown - On Our Own (#2, 1989)
Boyz II Men - End of the Road (#1, 1992)
Karyn White - Superwoman (#8, 1988)
Pebbles - Giving You the Benefit (#4, 1990)
Tevin Campbell - Can We Talk (#9, 1993)
TLC - Baby-Baby-Baby (#2, 1992)
The Whispers - Rock Steady (#7, 1987)
Whitney Houston - I'm Your Baby Tonight (#1, 1990)

Every Little Step for me, but damn did he own a decade of tunes.

My top 12 cause I couldn't in good faith narrow it to 10. The top 5 at least are 10/10 completely impeccable:

Toni Braxton - You're Making Me High (#1, 1996)
TLC - Baby-Baby-Baby (#2, 1992)
Babyface - Whip Appeal (#6, 1990)
TLC - Red Light Special (#2, 1995)
Bobby Brown - Every Little Step (#3, 1989)
Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel (#8, 1988)
The Deele - Two Occasions (#10, 1988)
TLC - Diggin' on You (#5, 1995)
Madonna - Take a Bow (#1, 1995)
Boyz II Men - Water Runs Dry (#2, 1995)
Brandy - Sittin' Up in My Room (#2, 1996)
Whitney Houston - I'm Your Baby Tonight (#1, 1990)

Heaps of amazingness here but my top 3 is:

1. Diggin' On You
2. Every Little Step
3. You're Making Me High

ready or not vs whip appeal vs roni

impossible tho

shit, water runs dry

so many good songs

glad to see he didn't actually WRITE "change the world," though. Fine enough production, but I can't believe they gave Grammy Of The Year to a sentiment as cosmically inane as "If I could change the world, I would be the sunlight of your universe." HOW DO YOU FIT THREE DIFFERENT SCOPES IN ONE COUPLET OMG

i mean arguably "sunlight" is part of "the world" but it's the "sunlight of your universe" omg it's a vortex

The sudden cut-off after '97 (with the fluke exception of "Some Girls"), makes it really clear he never caught up with Timbaland and his imitators. Even Toni abandoned him.

he did try though - there was that neptunes collabo.

voting for the whispers, as "song it would most bum me out to see with a goose-egg." Their Unsung episode is great.

I had no idea he was behind that song til I put this together!

Babyface did "Split Personality" on the first P!nk album as well - IMO it's a lot better (and a much better She'kspere swipe) than "Most Girls".

voted 'every little step' over 'girlfriend', 'you're making me high', 'superwoman', 'rock steady' - but it's a tight grouping

damn, I forgot how hawt stubbly Babyface was

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSN-aBuCMGw

Voted Whispers over "Don't Be Cruel", but really could have voted for many more.

"Superwomen" is a terrific adult ballad; it still sounds great.

His own solo material might be overlooked these days. I love the bridge and drum programs on "It's No Crime."

is the Sheena Easton #2 "The Lover in Me"?

Top five:

Superwoman
It's No Crime
You're Makin' Me High
Red Light Special
Not 'Gon Cry

all of the following are incredible (as opposed to merely good or, in two cases, laughably terrible)

Babyface - It's No Crime (#7, 1989)
Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel (#8, 1988)
Bobby Brown - On Our Own (#2, 1989)
Boyz II Men - End of the Road (#1, 1992)
Boyz II Men - Water Runs Dry (#2, 1995)
Brandy - Sittin' Up in My Room (#2, 1996)
Karyn White - Superwoman (#8, 1988)
Karyn White - Secret Rendezvous (#5, 1989)
Mary J. Blige - Not Gon Cry (#2, 1996)
Pebbles - Girlfriend (#5, 1987)
TLC - Baby-Baby-Baby (#2, 1992)
Toni Braxton - Another Sad Love Song (#7, 1993)
Toni Braxton - Breathe Again (#3, 1993)
Toni Braxton - You Mean the World to Me (#7, 1994)
Toni Braxton - You're Making Me High (#1, 1996)
The Whispers - Rock Steady (#7, 1987)
Whitney Houston - I'm Your Baby Tonight (#1, 1990)

No point making a shortlist cause it's always going to be Water Runs Dry. Guess these would bring up

Whip Appeal
Two Occasion
You're Making Me High
Someone To Love

*up the rear

it's no crime

goat

Toni Braxton rules

that IS an amazing string of Braxton singles.

Where is some dude?

Braxton might just be my very biggest R&Blind-spot.

This is a stunning collection, really. Most of these were favorites of mine in middle and high school.

I think nothing beats the sheer sexiness of "Red Light Special" for me. That guitar lead, the bridge. So I'm leaning that way.

but Brandy's "Sittin Up in my Room", BIIM "End of the Road", the Bobby Brown tunes. the only ones I'm not really into are some of the schmaltzier Whitney songs, and Pink's average "Most Girls".

Strongest artist pairings: TLC, Bobby, Toni in that order imo

Obv he didn't do as much with TLC but every song he did with them is THE ENTIRE BEAUTY OF THE UNIVERSE/10

oh man, forgot "Breathe Again". I still play that tune a lot. fairly depressing but so hooky, such a great vocal performance.

love Diggin' On You so much. probably my favorite next to RLS

he gave a whole bunch of great songs to Bobby Brown, but he also gave him "Humpin' Around" (which is terrible) and "Roni" (which is redeemed by being hilarious)

nothing on the list is as bad/embarrassing as "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" though

^^^ I said I loved you (but I lied)

couldn't resist making a playlist of this http://open.spotify.com/user/unbornwhiskey/playlist/6vi57BdEx4PK6I75pp3Doo

"Two Occasions" was the surprise. So was not wanting to listen to Brown's hits.

ty brad

If anything is redeemed by being hilarious, it's "Humpin' Around"

that's a fair argument, actually

it's up there with Billy Joel's "That's Not Her Style" in the 'Newlywed Singer Doth Protest Too Much' department.

these songs are so good but i don't understand why everyone in the world isn't bumping "sittin up in my room" 94/7 so i will vote for that

wait that's not even an option

>:[

okay this has been an inessential series of posts. i am sorry and will learn how to read.

<3 horseshoe

lol hs

lol

I forgot about that Jon B song. good tune. "Take a Bow" also amazing - mostly cuz of his backing vocals.

that Az Yet cover of "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" was a forgettable mess though.

The Braxton sequence washes away the stench of those Boyz II Men tunes.

I'll rep for End of the Road, terrible crepey lyrics aside.

'roni's fucking awesome

hard not to vote for "you're making me high". going through these on youtube is a trip.

1. you're making me high
2. i'll make love to you
3. red light special
4. breathe again
5. diggin on you

xp it's also hard to not sing along to "end of the road"

I'll stand for all the non-"Mama" Boyz II Men songs (fun fact: they were my first ever favorite music act as a kid!).

My favorite moment on "I'll Make Love to You": The way the muscular "THROW YOUR CLOTHES! ON THE FLOOR!" dissolves into the vulnerable "I'm gonna take...my clothes...off too..."

Where is some dude?

― The Reverend, Tuesday, October 1, 2013 12:49 PM (10 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

frozen w/ indecision mostly

"I'll Make Love to You" is awesome. though there's something funny about the double entendre "tonight is your night, and I will do you right" coming at the climax of the song.

"Exhale," unless I'm allowed a write-in vote for Toni's "There's No Me Without You," which was never a single, let alone a Top 10 one.

Damn, this is gonna hurt

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

"Can We Talk"

I really don't understand how anyone can like "Exhale"

I don't either. Top five Whitney.

zing?

So poised.

What's so terrible about it?

- Musically, it is Babyface-on-autopilot.
- Lyrically, it is horribly banal and cliched from beginning to end.
- The shoehorning of "exhale" into every verse regardless of whether it makes metaphorical sense increases the banality and reinforces the movie tie-in origins of the song.
- They couldn't actually be bothered to write a chorus for it.
- Whitney's adlibs highlight and bring attention to the fact that they didn't bother to write a chorus.
- The song attempts to rhyme "exhale" with "well" TWICE.

It is a deeply stupid, half-assed effort from a bunch of people who really did know better, as evidenced by the majority of their work.

yeah, when that song came out I kept thinking "oh, this verse is building to something", and then feeling ripped off. I prefer the other tie-in song, the "I'll be there through thick and thin" song, no matter how cliched that one was too.

"Not Gon Cry" is also from the movie soundtrack and that is one of my favorite songs/performances on this list.

weird, that song has been on my mind a lot lately, forgot it was on this list.

aw man, don't cry

not gon shed one tear

unless of course that shitty Az Yet cover wins

Can't really disagree with any of that yet I still love the song

- Musically, it is Babyface-on-autopilot.
(Yet I think that's more than enough considering what the song is trying to achieve. Its trite and lachrymose but I don't get why that can't be effective.)

- Lyrically, it is horribly banal and cliched from beginning to end.
(Always felt the song makes the most sense when viewed as gospel pop. The repetition, the simple but emphatic sentiments, the ad libs, [the cliche!] I think it works for what it is.)[b]

- The shoehorning of "exhale" into every verse regardless of whether it makes metaphorical sense increases the banality and reinforces the movie tie-in origins of the song.
[b](Can't think of a point at which the line doesn't make sense.)

- They couldn't actually be bothered to write a chorus for it.
(Didn't really need one. Just do what I do and tell yourself she's speaking in tongues. But really its pretty clear what they were trying to do with that and yes if you make a shoop sound when you exhale you should probably consult your doctor but it ain't thaat much of a stretch.)

- Whitney's adlibs highlight and bring attention to the fact that they didn't bother to write a chorus.
(I could listen to Whitney ad libs all day. A voice as good as hers deserves at least a few songs that really give it room to breathe. *no*)

- The song attempts to rhyme "exhale" with "well" TWICE.
(Ok now you're just being petty)

It is a deeply stupid, half-assed effort from a bunch of people who really did know better, as evidenced by the majority of their work.
(Plenty of pop music is deeply stupid and half-assed. Some of the best of it even. Maybe they should have known better but I'm glad they didn't.)

― Bitch Fantastic (DJP), Wednesday, 9 October 2013 19:31 (47 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Casting bland smooth jazz as "gospel pop" and "speaking in tongues" is the most ridiculous thing

Also, "half-assed" is never a positive description from me and never will be. There's a difference between being so good at something that you make it seem effortless and not caring about something to the point where sound bored and predictable.

Have you listened to much gospel pop in the last two decades? Smooth jazz is a more than accurate description. The speaking in tongues thing was clearly a joke.

I'd imagine that can be a pretty fine line to walk and where you fall as a listener would probably depend to some degree on how much the song appeals to you viscerally.

Have you listened to much gospel pop in the last two decades?

look at the login ID of who you just posted that to!

Jesus Christ this guy is just monstrously talented and versatile. I got on board with "It's No Crime" which in my neck of the woods didn't really blow up the radio and I was like "wtf is wrong with you all, this song fucking kills it." Want to vote it sentimentally but realistically it's not the best jam here. I'm a huge "Water Runs Dry" fan, what a great arrangement; Bobby Brown's run with Babyface there was amazing; fuckin', "Rock Steady," God damn what a quality jam...but..."Sittin' Up in My Room"...I think it's kinda minor next to something like "On Our Own" but it's just the best damn thing

this is a tough call

DJP otm though, "exhale/well" is just weak and bad, I get that not everybody is taken out of the moment by a shitty rhyme like that but my whole life it's just instinctive. Shitty rhymes fuck songs up and that's one for sure

also I saw Boyz II Men a couple months back quit hating on them Alfred they sing fuckin' awesome

they sometimes suffered from weakly written material, but they could sing their asses off.

they have this song called "I Do" from an album they released in the 00s, which is almost acapella (save for drums and some background instrumentation), and it's just insanely hooky. I've wanted to arrange it for a singing group for years (but do not have the skillz).

the way the "thank you falettinme be mice elf agin" bassline is imported into "sittin' up in my room" is just regularly stunning to me

earlier this year i listened to "take a bow" on repeat for a period of i think three days and i'm sort of sorry i didn't vote for it here, everything in that song is a hook

also thanks to this poll i've had "two occasions" in my head for about a week now

xpost Babyface's background vocals really elevate that song. Not that the central melody and songwriting aren't strong enough on their own, but I can't not listen to the awesome counterpoint shit Babyface does in the background on that song.

it's already a devastating song and then his voice just adds these extra perfect dimensions of regret

my favorite is where he does that ascending "why, oh why WHYYYYYYYYYYY-YYYYYYYYYYYYYY" part right before the end of the chorus

O_O

but 'Good Enough'

Wonder what would win a poll here for best Boyz II Men Acapella..

i cannot believe alfred hates boyz ii men. i just can't

why?

otm about Babyface's harmonies and vocals generally: "Two Occasions," "Take a Bow," "When Can I See You" (which no one has much mentioned!).

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

lol

AWESOME

I like "change the world" but uh what just happened

Ken Edmonds payola.

First time Eric Clapton is the only white musician in an ilx poll and wins without exclusively joke votes?

why?

idk dude they're great. you like great things

weeeelll...I love Jake Gyllenhaal, and that's like loving KFC.

to add to aero's points about "It's No Crime." I'm glad R&B radio still plays it. It came on the other day and I loved how intricately it's put together: the standard verses, the urgent bridge ("You were runnin' fast/I was runnin' slow") and the odd conceit of the lyric, dropped conversationally ("If I'm guilty of love/let me do my time") capped by that basso voice going SO DO I at the end.

I swear all my favorites got 1 vote each

BURN IT DOWN, BURN IT ALL DOWN

NOTHING NICE FOR ANY OF YOU EVER AGAIN

This is like some alternate reality where Spinks ko'ed Tyson

wtf

30-day timeouts in order imo

If I could cha-yee-ee-yaange this poll...

I have to assume either seven people haven't bothered to think about the phrase "If I could change the world/I would be the sunlight in your universe" or there are seven people who would vote for Enoch Powell.

and seven people who could imagine his singing this to Patti Harrison twenty years earlier.

If Babyface wrote a song when he was 7 about how it was grown-up to use the potty it'd be better than Change the World

scalia was right - he exists!

also in the song eric talks about wishing he was king ("even for a day") so he could force you to be his queen ("I'd have it no other way"), which puts the song right behind Clay Aiken's "Invisible" as far as creep fantasies go

and his next song was about looking into his father's eyes

Dude the first LINE in the song is "if i could reach the stars/pull one down for you", setting the bar low from the jump

ha i like 'my fathers eyes', top ten solo clapton for me maybe

"Change The World" basically goes from the corniest of cliches in the first verse to astronomical incoherency in the chorus to domination fantasy in the second verse before going to back to the gibberish. Admittedly that it's at all listenable owes a lot to Babyface (who didn't write it) but OMG YOU HORRIBLE PEOPLE

Also reminds me of terrible movie "Phenomenon"

T-Pains autotune interpolation of it so much better...even with that shitty Hersheys Kiss line

Toni Braxton - You Mean the World to Me (#7, 1994) 0

it occurs to me that this is bullshit

haha the Phenomenon soundtrack has a Bryan Ferry song with lyrics by Bernie Taupin.

Is there some sort of 78 board where joek voters commiserate?

Nas - The Lost Tapes poll

TLC - Baby-Baby-Baby (#2, 1992) 0
Toni Braxton - You Mean the World to Me (#7, 1994) 0
Toni Braxton - Breathe Again (#3, 1993) 0

what the actual fuck here people

YOU FUCKERS RUINED MY BEAUTIFUL POLL

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

― System, Wednesday, October 9, 2013 8:01 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

feel like System was copping attitude w/this post

beyond depressing. :/

Forgot to vote, but would've given a nod to "End of the Road" - greatest childhood memory was my brother playing Boyz II Men in the car on repeat on a four-hour family roadtrip.

Also, AZ Yet's "Last Night" is still amazing in its ridiculousness.

Now I understand why Nas did a song with his pops.

btw the new record rules, especially the collabs with el debarge and after 7

I loved your review.

thank you!

wtf at this poll

My top five;

1. Diggin' On You
2. Not Gon' Cry
3. You're Making Me High
4. Giving You the Benefit
5. Exhale (Shoop)

so happy last year's album was so wonderful

I slapped together twenty-five of my favorites.

I have conflicting feelings about Babyface. I never really cared for him as a performer, and while I do like a lot of the songs you listed, most of them feel a little tepid and MOR compared to the best work from those artists. Like, I don't think any of the eligible tracks among those you mention will wind up making it onto my '80s R&B ballot. I think you're onto something wrt his popular appeal though (something similar to what Carl Wilson posits wrt Celine Dion's appeal).

it's no crime

He's a more interesting performer than Dion.

I'll certainly grant you that much.

Like, I don't think any of the eligible tracks among those you mention will wind up making it onto my '80s R&B ballot.

no absolutely everyone should vote for "rock steady"

Yeah, I would've figured it was a shoo-in, but I've found easily 100+ songs I prefer.

Classic results

Yeah, I would've figured it was a shoo-in, but I've found easily 100+ songs I prefer.

― How many gigabyte is in trilobites (Old Lunch),

I found easily 100+ posters I prefer

j/k

Keep on whippin' on me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eHc0Xz_Hio

babyface tiny desk! this rules so much ahhh

Beautiful (lol @ the Fall Out Boy song)

oh hell yeah

Lmao at this poll's results, never seen this thread before

whoa sweet

haha yeah I love change the world but what garbage poll results, Babyface for president

i had no idea there was ever a babyface/claptop collab, somehow even weirder than when i found out he produced "thnks fr th mmrs"

Could’ve watched hours of that, thanks for posting!

"Whip Appeal" still smooth as a motherfucker

“I’m not your Superwoman…”
“Yes you are!”

"Whip Appeal" as secret sequel to "Venus in Furs."

Lol, redo this poll without Clapton please