Barry White

Of course, what celebration of love week and Valentine's Day could be complete without the man, the maestro, Barry White.

He's no longer with us, but his music is forever. And wow, what a collection we have to enjoy.

Now, as I was thinking about what music I think is most fun to get romantic to/by... I mulled over Anita Baker music (which is on THAT iPod playlist) and I mulled over Sade music (which is also on the Get Busy iPod playlist). But it was Barry White's music that I put on top of that list.

My Barry White music affair really began in the mid-90s when his comeback song, Practice What You Preach, came out and was a huge hit across all the charts. It wasn't just the music that got me. It was that talking Barry White did in between verses that fascinated me... the story he was telling, the rap he was making, the wooing he was doing.

I think I headed over to the closest used CD store (grad school, no money, we bought used and saved for new beer) to find everything Barry White. I liked the music, but it was those talking parts that really floated my boat. Not like I was going to ever be able to imitate or anything. To this day, I don't know if my voice has changed, lol, but it'll never get to the Barry White bass level.

My Barry faves... for either the song, or the rap...

Love Serenade (Take it off... take it ALL off...)

There It Is (Don't say one word... just lay here...)

It's Ecstacy When You Lay Down Next To Me (no rap, just love the title... and the music which has been samples by EVERYone)

Staying Power (I believe his last single before passing on... with the line "I'm not going anywhere", along with another line I don't want to print here... but it involves the word lotion)

Long live the Maestro of Romantic Soul Music!
fs