Scribbler's Borrowers & Lenders of the Week: Jay-Z, "No Hook"

So the resident Jay-Z fan posted a Jay-Z song on his revamped series.  Surprise, surprise.  Ah well...deal with it because there will be more to come.  Anyway, the original Mr. Carter has been the beneficiary of "borrowing" many times throughout his storied career, and like last week's "Borrower" in Big K.R.I.T., he proves over and over again that he possesses quite the superb musical ear.  When he put out the super-dope American Gangster album and unoffical soundtrack (2007, Roc-A-Fella), "No Hook" immediately stood out.  (ASIDE: the song has a bit of sentimental value for me because whenever I think about riding around Philly with Mrs. Scribbler before she became the Mrs. and listening to this CD for the first time with her, "No Hook" is the first song that comes to mind.  That's enough of that sentimental ish...back to biz, kids.)  With Sean C & LV bringing the sample and Diddy calling upon the assistance of live musicians, the end result is a match made in heaven and the perfect platform for Jay to spit one of his many signature tales about the highs and lows of the streets:

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: The Manhattans, "Wish That You Were Mine"

I remember first hearing this song and thinking, "Dang, are all their best songs about messing around?!?!"  (Think "Kiss and Say Goodbye".)  However, that thought was quickly erased as I pressed repeat another two times.  The ever-so-smooth Winfred "Blue" Lovett opens up as always, asking his object of affection, "Baby, can we have the same table like we had yesterday?" Complementing his deep voice as the song moves along musically are the lush and melodic sounds delivered straight from Philly--which is funny since "The Manhattans" actually formed in Jersey City, New Jersey.  Led by the equally smooth Gerald Alston, the quartet delivers beautiful four-part harmony that you don't often hear from R&B groups anymore--especially considering that there aren't many of which to speak.  Taken from their 1973 album, There's No Me Without You, those who are familiar with Bronx rapper Fat Joe's catalog may recognize this sample from one of his often slept-on singles,  "All I Need" featuring Tony Sunshine & Armageddon.  (Ironic that Fat Joe made more of a rap love song that mentions coming home and staying true to one woman, but The Manhattans' song talks about wanting someone that you know you can't have when you already have somebody at home.)  Although I don't condone infidelity, "Wish That You Were Mine" is one song that makes creeping sound oh so good...but also ultimately hopeless.

Scribbler's Throwback of the Week: Roy Ayers Ubiquity, "Everybody Loves the Sunshine"

Yes indeed...everybody loves the sunshine, and there aren't too many R&B aficionados and overall music lovers who don't love this song.  This is just one of many dope songs from the catalog of Los Angeles native Roy Ayers--this being his most popular song from his 1976 album of the same name.  Of course, 80s and 90s babies are familiar with it as the springboard sample for the title track to one of the best R&B albums of the past 20 years from Mary J. Blige's 1994 My Life album--although hip-hop acts like Brand Nubian, Common and Mos Def have borrowed it as well.  However, with distinct vocals and a beautiful musical marriage of jazz and R&B, it's just a smooth song that makes you want to lay out in a field somewhere on a hill and be one of the "folks gettin' brown in the sunshine".  Shout-out to mom (Mrs. Scribbler's mother) for throwing this one out there on my Facebook page, and I'll be plugging some of the album tracks in the near future.