Glenn Jones - Revisited

I did a post on Glenn Jones back in April highlighting 3 of his best tracks from the 80s (I Am Somebody, Keep On Doin' & Meet Me Halfway There).  I forgot about a track by Norman Connors on which he featured as vocalist on Connors' 1980 Take It To The Limit album before Jones went solo - 'Melancholy Fire' ... and what a classic it is! This has led me to look deeper into his recordings.  Far from a 'household name', (certainly in the UK) but he was a fantastic singer.

By the way Take It To The Limit is a superb album if you're not already familiar with it, which featured several guest vocalists, one of which has been criminally neglected Miss Adaritha (Ada Dyer) who I will also feature soon. She was lead on the title track, Justify and what I presume is the original of David Lasley's classic You Bring Me Joy (which later appeared on Anita Baker's seminal album 'Rapture' in 1986) and also You've Been On My Mind.  She debuted as featured vocalist on Connor's previous album 'Invitations' in 1979.

Glenn Jones has recorded 10 solo studio albums to date between his debut in 1983 up to 2006.  Prior to going solo in 1983 Jones was a member of a gospel group from Jacksonville, Florida, The Modulations (which is not the group with the same name from Durham. Carolina who recorded on Buddah) who recorded a couple of albums in 1978 and 1980, the latter billed as Glenn Jones & The Modulations.

Much of his 80s material was 'quiet storm'. He reached US R&B top 10 with 5 songs: 

Here I Go Again #1

We've Only Just Begun #2

Show Me #3

Stay #6 (1990 version which UK girl group Eternal covered and had a huge UK top 10 pop hit with) 

I've Been Searchin' (Nobody Like You) #8

I've been through his complete singles catalogue and selected another trio of tracks.  The first one is the aforementioned Melancholy Fire and the other two are from the list above.

1980 Melancholy Fire [Arista #AS 0581]

Forty years on and still sounds fresh - and oh so soulful! Now this is my kinda music! An 'anthemic'  lush production and smooth soulful vocals - 4 minutes but still ends too soon.  Reached #20 US R&B.

1987 We've Only Just Begun (The Romance Is Not Over) [Jive #1049-7-J]

Reached #2 US R&B and his only record (so far) to cross over to the pop charts  US #66 UK #85. In parts, this reminds me of Isley Jasper Isleys's Caravan Of Love from 1985!

1990 Stay [Jive #344-1-JD]

The original version of Eternal's UK hit.

In the UK only the 'Brixton Bass Mix' was released as a single with a new jack swing beat in vogue at the time(in UK at least).

Eternal [1993] - Stay [EMI #EM 283]

.... and finally for comparison, here's Eternals #4 UK hit version:

Eternal consisted of Easther Bennett, Vernett Bennett, Kéllé Bryan, Louise Nurding who married England footballer Jamie Redknapp in 1998 and left the group in 1997 to pursue a solo career as Louise.

Lulu & Bobby Womack [1993] - I'm Back For More [DOME #1002]

Mentioning Lulu in the previous post reminded me of her 'new jack swing' version of the 1980 Al Johnson & Jena Carn modern soul classic 'I'm Back For More' recorded in 1993 with soul legend Bobby Womack.  

The original version was recorded by Leo's Sunshipp on their sought after album 'We Need Each Other' in 1978 - it was written by band member Kenny Stovar.  

Marlena Shaw also recorded  a version on her 'Acting Up' album in 1978.

Tavares released it on their 'Madame Butterfly' album in 1978

Quite a few hip-hop artists have sampled the track:

Red Hot Lover Tone - BMW from #1 Player 1995

Will Smith - Just Cruisin'  single from1997

Faith Evans - Sunny Days from 'Keep The Faith' 1998

113 - Jack-Potes  EP 1998

Johnson & Jonson - Wow from Johnson & Jonson 2008

Oddisee - Wow from Oddisee West Coast Beats - Hosted by Trek Life 2010

Fiend & Cookin' Soul Feat. Curren$y's - Champagne from Iron Chef 2012

Action Bronson - The Choreographer from Blue Chips 7000 2017

Please leave a comment if you know of any other versions.

Al Johnson with Jean Carn [1980] - I'm Back For More [Columbia #1-11207]

Leo's Sunshipp [1978] - I'm Back For More [Lyons #L-1000]

From 'We Need Each Other'

Marlena Shaw [1978] - I'm Back For More [Columbia #JC 35073]

From 'Acting Up'

Tavares [1978] - I'm Back For More [Capitol #SW-11874]

From 'Madam Butterfly'.

Incidentally the title track 'Madam Butterfly' from this album is an underrated gem - album only - never saw a 45 release.

Melba Moore [1980] - I Could Never Miss You More [Epic #JE 36412]

Earlier this year Mather released a version of this 'classic' Lulu recording from 1979 written be Neil Harrison, which, as I said at the time, has always been a 'guilty pleasure'.  Lulu's original was released on her 'Don't Take Love For Granted' album in 1979 but wasn't released as a single until 1981 and reached #61 on UK Pop Chart. I've only just discovered that Melba Moore recorded it on her 1980 album 'Closer'. As far as I can ascertain she never released it on a 45.

The song did better in US than UK, and has even got it's own Wiki page, it was Top 20 and reached #2 in Adult Contemporary chart.

Whilst searching for the Mather version I also came across a couple of other versions, one a Carolina beach version from 2015 by Lakeside Drive Band and another (blue-eyed disco version) from Sep 2016 by Lucy Gayle. Bobbi Walker also recorded it in 1980 on 'Diamond In The Rough'. Shirley Bassey even did a Spanish version on her 1989 album 'La Mujer'!