Whenever Party City runs their annual Happy Halloween advertisements featuring "Thriller", the man responsible for the original musical arrangement and lyrics to one of pop's most iconic songs is Rod Temperton. When I heard about him succumbing to a battle with cancer weeks before his 67th birthday, I was befuddled after I was singing Temperton's praises for his work with Quincy Jones on Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album a day before hearing of his death. He was part of the reason why I was excited to get a copy of the Thriller album because the liner notes put me front and center with his genius. Making his claim to fame as the keyboardist and songwriter for British R&B band Heatwave, Temperton's pen has part of hits like "Stomp!" by The Brothers Johnson, "Baby, Come to Me" by Patti Austin with James Ingram, "Yah Mo B There" by James Ingram featuring Michael McDonald, the Oscar-nominated "Miss Celie's Blues" from The Color Purple (co-written with Jones and Lionel Richie) and the original lyrics for "You Put a Move on My Heart" by Quincy Jones featuring Tamia (originally recorded by Mica Paris in 1993). The rest of his impressive resume includes work for Rufus, Bob James, Herbie Hancock, Klymaxx, Jeffrey Osborne, Aretha Franklin, The Manhattan Transfer, Siedah Garrett and Stephanie Mills. So although 2016 continues to be the worst year ever, New Problem Tuesdays takes this opportunity to do what we've done all year long: celebrate the best from our fallen heroes. If you knew nothing about "The Invisible Man" before, then get ready to sing along...
#5 GEORGE BENSON, "Give Me the Night" (Give Me the Night, Warner Bros., 1980). Leave it to the combination of Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton to not only give one of the greatest jazz guitarists in George Benson the first major hit of his career (#1 R&B, #4 Pop), but also gave the disco genre one of its last great major successes before its unceremonious demise. Many experts in making hits will tell you a song is only as huge as its first ten seconds and what has always drawn me to "Give Me the Night" is how the groove of Benson's guitar lays down the gauntlet within the first second. Combined with Jones' propensity for infusing the right amount of musicianship into commercially-viable tracks, Temperton uses Benson's silky smooth voice to his advantage: "Whenever dark has fallen/You know the spirit of the party starts to come alive/Until the day is dawning/You can throw out all your blues and hit the city lights/'Cause there's music in the air and lots of lovin' everywhere, so gimme the night..." In a whimsical escapism similar to many of Michael Jackson's smashes, "Give Me the Night" transports the listener to the allure of the nightlife without ever having to set foot in a club. Speaking of The King of Pop...
#4 MICHAEL JACKSON, "Rock with You" (Off the Wall, Epic/CBS, 1979). As another one of the last across-the-board chart toppers of the disco era--although some music folks don't consider this a disco song--you can hear how singers like Justin Timberlake and Ne-Yo and producing/songwriting teams like The Neptunes drew the lion's share of their artistic inspiration and swagger from "Rock with You" alone. Separate from my creative side, the music fan in me has always appreciated the match made in heaven between MJ's vocal sway, Jones' pairing of steady rhythm and magical melodies and Temperton's way with words. Anytime I've ever thought about tuning out due to the umpteen hundred times I've heard this song in my life, the second verse always brings me back to life:Out on the floor/There ain't nobody there but us/Girl, when you dance/There's a magic that must be love/Just take it slow/'Cause we got so far to go/When you feel that heat/And we're gonna ride the boogie/Share that beat of love...More and more, I realize this is my unofficial theme song, especially when I've danced with someone with whom 1) I move in concerted rhythm and 2) I either could potentially be in love or have loved sincerely. Along with the sentiment of "Kisses Don't Lie" by Evelyn "Champagne" King, Temperton's lyrics from "Rock with You" perhaps form the other half of my long-standing philosophy about how you can gauge the strength of your potential connection with someone through a kiss and a dance...
I know a melody that we could sing together/I've got the secret key to you, baby/Let's make music, harmonizing ecstasy/Come on, come on, come on/Come on and sing it to me/Here in the garden/Where temptation feels so right/Passion can make you fall for what you feel/In the garden, we can make it come alive...Again...I was in the fifth grade when this song came out and if it weren't for the fact I was too young to be doing any of this, then quite a few babies would've been made listening to this. Truth be told, this should be No. 1 on the strength of the lyrics alone and, at one point, this was one of my favorite songs ever made. Nevertheless, I began to appreciate more of Temperton's greatest work with like the next entry in the countdown...
#2 HEATWAVE, "Always and Forever" (Too Hot to Handle, GTO/Epic, 1977). Although "Always and Forever" has been part of my consciousness since I've been alive, I didn't appreciate it as much until making its way into a movie targeted toward New Jack Swing and hip hop lovers: House Party. As the soundtrack for Bilal a.k.a. "Dragon Breath" (Martin Lawrence) attempting to finally get some play, this is one of the songs which made me appreciate the art of the slow dance after working up a sweat all night--that and ensuring I always had stock in breath mints. Nostalgia aside, "Always and Forever" is in an elite class of indelible ballads as well as being vintage Temperton, especially considering how these are arguably the simplest lyrics out of every song on this countdown:Always and forever, each moment with you/Is just like a dream to me that somehow came true/And I know tomorrow will still be the same/'Cause we've got a life of love that won't ever change and/Everyday, love me your own special way/Melt all my heart away with a smile/Take time to tell me you really care/And we'll share tomorrow, together/I'll always love you, forever...Outside of Barry Blue's gorgeous production, one of its best aspects has always been the late Johnnie Wilder, Jr.'s euphoric infusion of tenderness into Temperton's lyrics to bring them to life. Let me tell it, it's hard for anyone to operate in "Pimp or Die" mode after listening to something as endearing as this. So if "Always and Forever" is so fantastic, then why isn't it the top dawg on this countdown? Simple: it's my list and y'all should never expect typical with me, especially given what song is No. 1...
There'll be no darkness tonight/Lady our love will shine (lighting the night)/Just put your trust in my heart and meet me in paradise (now is the time)/Girl, you're every wonder in this world to me/A treasure time won't steal away...and I will keep you warm through the shadows of the night/Let me touch you with my love/I can make you feel so right/And baby through the years, even when we're old and gray/I will love you more each day/'Cause you will always be the lady in my life...Whereas "The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite)" drives you to make the most passionate love of all time and "Always and Forever" is a simple declaration of undying love, "The Lady in My Life" is more of a one-stop shop for passion, romance and everlasting love. Although I'm all for differences in opinion, especially when it comes to something as fluid as music, I don't know how anyone can even remotely dislike this. This is what prolific arranging and songwriting sounds like. Rest in Paradise, Rod Temperton...
(BTW...if you love discovering alternate versions of songs, then check out the full version of "The Lady in My Life" before it was shortened for Thriller.)
If you're familiar with the legendary Rod Temperton and his work, then PLEASE share some of your favorite songs in the comments. Be on the lookout for the next edition of "Scribbler's Rave & Favorite Five"!!!
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