Grown Folks Music » Usher

“Cover Me” Sundays – “That Girl”

Ivan Orr — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:19:22 +0000

Some might say that there is an unwritten rule in coverdom concerning the covering of Stevie Wonder songs. I might ask those folks to qualify that statement by asking which era Stevie, because there have been those who have successfully covered every Stevie era but to me there’s always been something special and different about “That Girl”. I think it has a lot to do with the sound and when this recording was released.

“That Girl” has always seemed like that bridge between analog and digital Stevie. Stevie had already started gradually incorporating drum machines etc., into his arsenal but something about this recording sounds like a great “synthesis” (pun intended) between the signature sound he carved out in the early 70′s and the new sounds of 1982. After this to me his recordings took a very noticeable digital turn, even though they were still using analog tape, those undeniable Yamaha digital synths that Stevie began to favor have a sound that is very unique to the 1980′s.

Again, if this clip doesn’t show what can happen when an artist has quality material to work with I don’t know what will.

Usher Performs Bobby Brown’s Play Book On AMAs

WestStyle Chronicles — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 19:44:23 +0000

Russ Einhorn for Splash News

The American Music Awards had some very “interesting” performances and winners this year. From Bon Jovi’s medley, Neyo’s sci-fy interpretation of love vs. power and Justin Beiber’s four time sweep, which I’m still scratching my head over. However, one thing stood out the most to me and that was Usher’s performance. While he definitely pulled off a highly energetic performance, it looked extremely similar to another known artist. If I think about it, Bobby Brown sure comes to mind. In this performance, it seems that Usher read Bobby Brown’s play book page by page, slipped in a few James Brown tips and ended with Michael Jackson’s signature stance at the end. Check out Bobby Brown’s Get Away video and Usher’s AMA performance to see the pointers he picked from his inspiraton!

[Video] Usher – There Goes My Baby

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 07:11:06 +0000

Ladies, here you go!

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Usher’s New Single, “Mars v. Venus”!!!

WestStyle Chronicles — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:37:29 +0000

Usher needs to get on his knees and thank Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for this song. I was getting a bit frustrated with the previous song releases on this album. They all felt like he was trying to woo a teenage audience instead of showing growth. Paraphrasing my man, Jay-Z, “You a grown man! What you trying to do date a 16-year-old?!?” Personally I think Usher needs to be coaching cats not copying them. I just hope this album shows growth, maturity and confidence - not an artist trying to find his audience. Anyway, this song is pretty hot in my opinion. Tell us whatchu think?

Should “Secret Garden” Be Remixed??

WestStyle Chronicles — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:15:31 +0000

Secret Garden from the "Back On The Block" album

Last week was quite the week for the remix. While I’m an advocate of creativity and stamping your own individuality to a song, I do have boundaries when it comes to certain songs. The other week I was glad to see artists coming together for the relief efforts in Haiti however the remake of “We Are the World” shouldn’t have been the song they rallied behind. I can’t say the remix didn’t have “any” hopeful moments but honestly the bad faded out the good efforts. I, like many fans, probably agree with Jay’s statement given to MTV about the remake efforts.

“I’m a fan of music. I know the plight and everything that’s going on in Haiti. … So I appreciate the efforts and everything, but We Are the World is [musically] untouchable like Thriller is untouchable. It was a valiant effort, but for me, it’s gonna be untouchable.”

Truthfully, there are some songs that just have a magic. Maybe the stars are perfectly aligned or Jupiter just happens to rise in Leo’s moon – hell, I don’t know, but they have a timeless, “Sistine Chapel” appeal to them. In this case, “We Are The World” happens to be one of those songs. Unfortunately, when you touch a song of that caliber, it can lose the magic and take an awful turn as we saw in that remake. Another song that’s been placed on the assembly line for a “spit shine” remix is Quincy Jones’ “Secret Garden”(see video on linked post). Now, when I heard this I was deeply troubled especially when I heard the artists they’re considering on the single. The artists that would replace Al B. Sure, El Debarge, and James Ingram would be Usher, Robin Thicke, Tyrese, and Trey Songz – Barry White will remain as the “Micheal Jackson” piece of the song. While I was cool with Robin Thicke, I didn’t understand why Maxwell wasn’t even included in the conversation!? It also amazed me that Barry White’s vocals are seen as “untouchable” but the idea of remaking the song isn’t seen in the same light. Now between the passing of Michael, the desecration of “We Are the World” and now possibly “Secret Garden”, I wonder if the “Musical Antichrist” is near. When it’s all said and done, I have to wonder what happens to the musical integrity of songs when more interest is in the amount of star power than the amount of your musical maturity and emotional depth in a song. In all truth, you can be a great star and not have musical maturity. Now, I’m not saying star power doesn’t hold any importance or the artists chosen have “no” talent. They are all successful in their own right. I just question whether they can humble themselves to respect the spirit of the song. Will they approach the song with the mindset of a “musician” or as a “star”? Will they see this as an opportunity to grow as a musician or just an opportunity to promote their star? This is the question that haunts me when popular artists of the moment are chosen for certain classics that require some range. It’s like giving an acting role of a complex character to someone who has box office appeal but can’t reach the emotional depth the role requires. Also, you have to consider whether the co-starring artists can rightly play against the pillar role, Barry White. So with all that said, what do you think? Do you think this song should be remade? Holla at ya girl.

And to the new artists being considered for the “Secret Garden” remake, please take a loooong, hard look at this decision. Don’t take it lightly and pleeeeeese don’t let this be you……… :)

Usher “Papers” vs. Marvin “Here, My Dear”-The Main Event

Ivan Orr — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:26:46 +0000

This post is a special edition of our “Bridging the Gap Matchup Series” you can find out more about the series and read the inaugural post here.

Prelude

Every generation has its musical heroes and sheroes and as fans we often support the “home team” even through a “rebuilding season”. If an artist is fortunate enough to last beyond a couple of albums and carve out a body of work that spans almost two decades, you can best believe that some material of a very personal nature that chronicles the strife that is concomitant to life will be created.

When this phenomenon occurs: Art imitating life and life imitating art, we find a wide range of reaction from the audience as we should because art should be provocative. But what moves a piece of music from the generic casting of “art” into the realm of “great art”? How do we qualify or even quantify “great”? Is it possible? When we make statements about what we believe to be great how much bias do we bring to the table based on our love of nostalgia? These are some of the issues I would like for us to consider as we ring the bell for the “Main Event”.

The Scene

Neil Sedaka told you all not once but twice that “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do”, oh well I guess sometimes you just have to touch the stove. Suffice to say Usher and Marvin faced very public and very contentious endings to their respective marriages. By the same token, the millions who have or who will face divorce in their lifetime will not have access to a mass media outlet like a major record label to “vent”. In the triangle of “truth” who really knows the who, the what, the how or the why these relationships ended as they did. As a writer it’s not my job to play judge and jury and as an observer I realize that nothing is as simple as black and white, he did, she did. As we examine this music together I would like for all of us to consider the tension, drama and complexity that makes up this institution known as relationships.

Say What!?!?

“I’m losin my mind, cant figure out who’s wrong or right, I know it’s you I love, but then I also know it’s you I don’t like. You claim you hate who I was, but that’s the reason you here now.”-Usher “Papers”

“Hope you enjoy, reminisce, be happy, think about the kisses and the joy. But there were those other moments too, the times that were cloudy and grey. Bad.”-Marvin Gaye “Here, My Dear”

01 – Here, My Dear

I offer this section as an opportunity to analyze what is being said by these two authors devoid of the music. Love and hate are only separated by a period or a comma. Those are some very close quarters. It makes you wonder where the imaginary line of demarcation of married/divorced resides. The fact that Usher and Marvin both admit each side of the emotional coin displays a certain vulnerability that is often repressed in the machismo-laden rites of passage in this society. Translation: It would have been very easy for them to write the predictable “I hate that so and so” song and it probably would be equally predictable that going that route would prove to be quite commercially viable. I don’t make the rules I just report them.

Don’t bore us get to the chorus!

The central theme to just about every song resides in the chorus. Let’s see what these two have wrought:

“This is what you wanted. Here, dear, here it is. Here, my dear, here it is.”-Marvin

“I’m ready to sign them papers, papers, papers I done took all I can take but u leave me no options girl. I can’t deny how much I love you, I done gave up errthing I had to as hard as it is I’m afraid I gotta say, I’m ready to sign them papers, papers, papers. I done took all I can take but u leave me no options girl.”-Usher

01 – Papers

Marvin’s chorus is a very simple declaration that only appears as his closing statement. Usher’s chorus positions itself as an incantation obsessed with the symbolic representation of the “papers” as a panacea for his relationship woes.

In both instances heavy emphasis is placed on the token that is used as the rate of exchange for their respective impending freedom. Marvin’s subtle “here” as opposed to Usher’s not so subtle “papers”.

The Music

“Here My Dear” is equal parts 50′s street corner harmonizing, 70′s “rapp” and “I’m about to take my seat” sanctified minister’s whoop. The mostly spoken lead vocal is supported by an amen chorus of drums, synthesized strings, electric piano, guitar and bass with the aforementioned doo wop backing vocals. Marvin chooses to use triple meter for his sermon which ironically enough is a Sunday morning favorite. The vocal is delivered in an almost lethargic, declarative style that seems it could have been fueled by Marvin’s stress reliever of choice. What is undeniably certain about this song is that Marvin had something to say and he uses just about all of the allotted 2:52 to say it.

“Here, My Dear” was not a single so it seems that it may have not been under the same “I need hits” microscope as Usher’s “Papers”. When the Here, My Dear double album set was released in 1978 it was a critical and commercial flop. Over time as it has been rediscovered and re-imagined it is now held in a much higher regard with fans and critics a like. Often, when it comes to great art, only time will tell.

“Papers” by contrast has all the trappings of a song demanding attention. Musically the song stays in the shallow end of the pool, never wanting to stray too far from the concrete edge. Certainly my expectation in not the Rite of Spring (this is pop music) but if lyrically you are going to pelt me with the same words over and over again, please have some contrast musically that creates a sense of balance. True to form there are gimmicky keyboard riffs galore throughout the track designed to distract you from the fact that it’s pretty much the same 2 bar phrase throughout the entire 4:24. 2 bar phrases over extended periods of time can be quite effective in the hands of a skillful arranger who understands how to create tension and release. Another thought that crossed my mind is that if you reach a point where you have nothing else to say, just stop talking or playing, singing or even sequencing. It can be very effective, as Miles Davis observed “Music is the space between the notes”.

Postlude

Folks (ok, Grown Folks of all ages), we really have to demand more of ourselves across the musical board. I view all of us as a collective: Artist, Writer, Producer, Consumer etc.,. It seems that we have reached an era where music in the main is essentially automated. The reason that music has become automated is not the fault of technology, there’s always an option to turn the power button off. It’s not the fault of the television that children don’t know how to read, it is the responsibility of those given charge over those children to strike a balance between the proxy of television and the productivity of reading. The same thing holds true for music. It is the responsibility of those who understand how to create a more informed musical product to teach those who can’t. Notice, I didn’t say better product because that’s a silly argument to have in the first place(beauty is in the eye of the beholder after all). The person who can only speak their thoughts is called a storyteller, the person who can write their thoughts down and speak them is called an author. There’s a big difference between the two. We need more authors.

Now, I don’t want anyone reading this to misconstrue what I’m saying. I’m not advocating for creating a generation of just conservatory-trained musicians. Quite the contrary, I’m simply advocating for developing informed musicians. You could be a well-informed musician and not be able to read or write a note of music. The informed part comes from knowing the why and how of what you are doing, and it has been shown over time that often if you know better you do better. Not always, but more often than not.

Is 2009 that different from 1978? As far as relationships go probably not. As far as the world that affects those relationships much has changed, but that’s the nature of time. Whose corner do you stand in? Do you believe that thirty years from now we will have Usher’s music in a head to head matchup with the crooner of 2039? Or does the buck stop here? Will the music of 2009 endure or is it just a disposable commodity? We would to hear from you! Please let us know who you have ahead on points!

Never can say goodbye: The Michael Jackson Memorial

Mista C — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 03:39:28 +0000

Jermaine Jackson tossed a rose after singing in front of his brother's casket during the memorial service on Tuesday. Source: Monica Almeida/The New York Times

Earlier today at the Staples Center, AEG and Ken Ehrlich produced a very respectful and honorable tribute to the greatest entertainer of all times, Michael Joseph Jackson. There were great performances from Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, John Mayer, Usher and many others. Of course, hearing his daughter Paris speak at the end of the ceremony was the ultimate tear jerker for all.

It’s been a long day, and an emotional roller coaster. You can check out clips of all the performances after the jump. Once again, I’d just like to say thank you to Michael Jackson for sharing your gifts of love, creativity and music with the world. Thank you to Katherine and Joe Jackson, as well as the entire Jackson family for sharing your son/brother/family with the world. R.I.P. MJ.

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Let’s Straighten It Out

GFM — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:39:58 +0000

Which version do you prefer?

Gwen McCrae & Latimore vs. Usher & Monica.

Millie Jackson? Etta James? B.B. King?

Or is it the Latimore solo original??

Gwen McCrae & Latimore

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Usher & Monica

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Millie Jackson

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Latimore

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Usher – Trading Places

GFM — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:47:34 +0000

Good look for Usher in this video.

Usher – Trading Places from PN on Vimeo.

Album: Here I Stand
Songwriter/Producer:McKinney, C., Nash, T., Raymond, U.
Label: LaFace
Year: 2008