Who Did It Better? In The Name Of Love

Who Did It Better? 

In The Name Of Love

So, sorry to disappoint, but...

No, this is not the Thompson Twins song. 

Or the U2 song. 

Or the Earth, Wind & Fire song.

Or the Martin Garrix song.

Or that one by The Supremes... Stop!

This song... has a peculiar birth. 

It began life as instrumental created by two jazz-funk/jazz -soul legends, only to be altered with lyrics by a true soul legend. Then, before said soul legend could record it, an R&B songstress glided in with the ease that seems to have blessed her life like a breeze. All three artists recorded it, with two of them releasing as a single, and even though it didn't make that significant of an impact on the charts, it ended up with a Grammy nomination.

In The Name of Love was originally written  for saxophonist Grover Washington, Jr. by bassist William Salter, and percussionist Ralph MacDonald and recorded as an instrumental for Washington, Jr.'s 1981 Winelight album, which also featured MacDonald's best-known co-composition Just the Two of Us. That song, a single featuring vocals by Bill Withers, with a saxophone performance by Grover Washington, Jr., reached the #2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, and has since been covered and sampled by many artists, It should be noted Just The Two Of Us, also written by Bill Withers, William Salter, and Ralph MacDonald, would go on to win a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1981.

How did Withers get involved?

From 1977 to 1985, Withers, was at war with his label, Columbia Records who was interfering with the song selection and recording process for his next album. So, rather than continue fighting that battle, Withers found a different route for his creative output, concentrating on one-off projects, such as Just The Two Of Us. That collaboration was so successful, he decided to create lyrics for another track on the album, In The Name of Love. However, Washington, Jr. wanted to do the track as an instrumental, so the song, as most of us know it, languished, unrecorded.

Around this same time, Roberta Flack was finalizing song selection for her album, I'm The One, and it was decided that  In The Name Of Love would be included. It made sense. MacDonald had written Flack's Grammy winning song, Where Is The Love, back in 1972. So the two had quite a bit of history together.  

At this time, Flack found herself in a bit of a slump, not having had a Top 40 hit since 1978. That would change in 1982, when the theme song for the film Making Love, featured on this album, would climb all the way to #13. In The Name Of Love was chosen as the third single and while it failed to make the Hot 100, it did chart at #80 on the R&B Chart and #24 on the A/C chart. 

Two years later, Ralph MacDonald, one of the song's co-writers was working on his album, Universal Rhythm.  He and Withers got together with plans to finally record In the Name of Love, as they had conceived it, with vocals. They used the same arrangement in a rearranged form, minus Washington's saxophone track. This time, the song managed to nab #58 on the Hot 100, #13 on the R&B Chart and #6 on the A/C chart. In addition, it ended up being nominated for a Grammy for vocal performance of the year.

And that's the whole story.

Now, on to the competition!

The Song: In The Name Of Love

The Competitors: Grover Washington, Jr. vs. Flack vs. MacDonald feat. Withers

In The Name Of Love - Grover Washington, Jr.

In The Name of Love - Roberta Flack

In The Name of Love - Ralph MacDonald feat. Bill Withers

Grover Washington, Jr.

Initially, I was not going to include this version in the competition, but you know what? The man was there first... so let's see what he has to offer. 

Lovely and warm intro, courtesy of the Fender Rhodes. Once the Washington, Jr. appears its... kind of snoozy. This is jazz-lite at it's lightest. How does he keep it from becoming elevator music? Well, his phrasing helps, as does that muted horn. It's all very warm and fuzzy. 

The mix is a little dense, not getting a sense of space or air between the instruments.

Oh, he brings a lot to that little bridge into the key change... and then. Huh. I must say, I have to be in a certain setting and mood (preferably with a cocktail in hand) in order to enjoy this kind of thing. His mastery is clearly on display here, and there are moments of brightness, but overall this remains rather sleepy.  The instrumental break here, it's a lot to unpack. Suffice to say, it's entertaining with nothing unexpected served up. Starting at the 3:05 mark is some of his best playing. But by 3:44 we've returned to the actual song structure and... back to sleepy town. He plays saxophone with the phrasing typically reserved for a trumpet player. 

And by the 4:15 mark we embark on the play out and he's bringing in all sorts of colors we have not heard before. Very funky-lite. A bit shrill? Only in comparison with what came before it. 

It's a solid song and I can see why Withers was eager to put a human voice to it. 

Roberta Flack

Roberta can be so sleepy sounding... this can hardly be considered upbeat, but at least she's working with more of a groove. 

The intro is lovely and warm and exactly the same as the original version - a nice Fender Rhodes, manned by Richard Tee, who also played on Grover Washington, Jr.'s version.  She's pitched a bit high and her phrasing is too relaxed for my taste, but it's  a lovely, relaxed sound. 

Guess what? That's Grover Washington, Jr. on the sax! Roberta was not fooling around. 

This mix is very adult contemporary, lite-jazz. Not your thing? I understand. But at the time, it felt sophisticated and very urban. While I wish her vocals were a bit more focused, I am enjoying the interplay between Washington, Jr.'s sax and her voice. 

So, there are two ways of interpreting her phrasing. Is she being incredibly sly with the syncopation or is it simply lacking? There's a rhythmic component to the vocal lines in this song and she sure is muddying the waters. 

Oh, the instrumental break is nice. Love the subtlety of the rhythm section and, of course, Washington, Jr. has this down cold. 

Flack doesn't change it up one iota. Burning hot is not something the lady ever seems to do. Her emotional thermostat seems to only vary by a few degrees. Not that it's not warm and comforting.

Love Washington, Jr. into the play out, but not feeling those back up vocals. Heavy handed?

Huh. Two minutes and 35 seconds of song followed by one minute and 25 seconds of play out, during which the backing vocals carry the load and do become a bit more interesting, while Roberta opens up a tad, but not enough for me. When you bring in a choir that solid, you better be prepared to cut loose. Instead, Flack opts to occupy the corners, flitting about with her lovely voice, but with no intention of bringing anything home. 

Still, very pleasant. Love the groove. 

Ralph MacDonald feat. Bill Withers

That intro is abbreviated, but pretty much the same as Flack's. 

Withers voice is so powerful. And mixed a bit hot and high, here. I don't think this is his best vocal performance. I don't like all the scooping. I do like all the energy he brings to the table. The smile never leaves his voice. I find his phrasing to be succinct and filled with subtle syncopation. 

I don't like this mix. 

The interplay between the guitar and the keyboard (Richard Tee and a Fender Rhodes, again...) is fun. I like the way it lilts in and out in the backdrop. MacDonald makes his presence felt in the second verse. What is that piece of percussion? I can't name it. Maybe a woodblock?  No, a maraca followed up with some flat up cowbell. 

As this rolls on, Withers grows sassier and that's fun. He's loosened up considerably by the second bridge. The percussion is a bit much, but this is MacDonald's album. Oh, interesting. The bridge into the instrumental is little more than a pair of modulations. Necessary? Odd. And we get a trumpet. Huh. That's some nice blowing. Great phrasing, I wonder who's playing. I tried to find the album credits, and failed. 

Withers continues to stretch out and by the time the back up singers arrive (with a more concise sound than Flack's version and a bit of Hammond organ in tow), he's ready to see if he can get this thing to take flight. While he certainly brings more to it than Flack, and it's a good attempt, I don't think he quite makes it. 

Certainly a pleasant listen. I think I would have brought back in the trumpet on the play out and allowed them to filter in and out in the background. 

Listen to me... second guessing greatness.

The Verdict

As an instrumental? It's fine, but lacks distinction.

As a pop song? I don't know that it ever gets its feet off the ground in either version.

I am normally a total sucker for anything Withers breathes on, but the mix here is too harsh. His vocals never seem to find a pad to launch from. 

Flack can be so damn laid back. But I like the smile that is in her voice, just as much as I like the one found in Withers'. 

This is a hard one. So it goes to the instrumentalists. And there... I have to say, I prefer Flack's choice of saxophone (Grover Washington, Jr.!) over that of  MacDonald's trumpet player. 

So, I give this one to Flack - although it might as well be a tie. 

(Imagine if all four of them had come together and recorded this!)

--- ---

Still awake? Enough to offer up an opinion? 

Leave your thoughts in the comments section. You know I love to hear what you're thinking. 

That's all for now. 

Until next time...

Thanks for reading... and listening. 

 

My Evening With a Rude Girl: Janis Ian Live At the Stoughton Opera House

 Janis Ian is a national treasure.  She recently won another Grammy: for Best Spoken Word Recording; a ten CD set she created reading her autobiography, “Society’s Child”.  Michelle Obama even reached out and called her to congratulate her on her achievement; that demonstrates the reach and breadth of this woman’s contribution to music.

Most of you will remember her as the woman who sang “At Seventeen”; a tender, introspective ballad detailing the angst, isolation, and guarded wisdom of an unpopular, ugly duckling teen.   The song was nominated for a Grammy as Song of the Year and also won her a Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  The song is now in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Prior to that, she’d been written off as a one-hit wonder who had spurned the music industry after her initial success, causing quite a bit of controversy in the process.  Her first hit, “Society’s Child” told the haunting story of a young, interracial relationship in the face of prejudice.  It was a record of its time.  She was only 15 years old when it became a hit and had to endure being repeatedly, publically berated by members of her audience, to say nothing of the hate-filled fan mail that came her way.  In spite of the controversy and, in part, because of it, the single eventually landed in the top 20.  She was the toast of the liberal elite and the scourge of the still somewhat segregated South.   She continued to record in order to fulfill her recording contract, but turned her back on the industry itself – giving away the money she earned to friends and worthy causes. 

After a failed marriage, she returned to the music scene in 1971 and was met with incredible indifference.  Undeterred, she kept at it, eventually recording three stellar works: ‘Stars’ (1974), ‘Between The Lines’ (1975), and ‘Aftertones’(1975) - works whose beauty still astounds me personally to this day and recordings I urge anyone with an interest in great songwriting to discover for themselves. 

Battling industry and label indifference and interference for the remainder of her major label contract, she found herself adrift once more in the mid-eighties.  After nine years in seclusion, she returned once more with the controversial ‘Breaking Silence’, which was nominated for Folk Album of the Year.

She continues to record, tour, and write, and currently resides in Nashville with Pat; her partner and wife of 24 years.  Her songs have been recorded by Bette Midler, John Cougar Mellencamp, Joan Baez, Roberta Flack, Mel Tormé, Dusty Springfield, Amy Grant, Nina Simone, Kathy Mattea, and Sheena Easton, to name just a few.   A favorite cause (besides gay marriage)?  The Pearl Foundation.  Named after her mother, the organization provides scholarship money for women who wish to go to college.

So, I happen to have the opportunity to see her at the intimate Stoughton Opera House while on vacation this week.  It was a blessed event.  I can’t think of a better environment in which to experience this woman and her music.  She is a musician’s musician, in amazing voice, at turns witty and charming, political, savvy, and wise.  The evening surpassed my wildest dreams.  I even got to shake her hand and speak with her briefly after the show. 

You see, I’d been waiting to meet her since 1976.  That was the year I discovered ‘Stars’ and ‘Aftertones’ at my small town’s tiny public library.  I checked those albums out dozens of times and listened to them non-stop, pouring over the words, searching for clues to the meaning of life and how I was to navigate the world.  Something about her world-weary, cryptic lyrics spoke to me very deeply and I have been a life-long fan ever since.  She’s one of the reasons I’m still alive – that is the power of music and that is the power of her music, for me.  She remains one of the greatest songwriters of all time.

I encourage you to check out her music, much of which can be heard for free (and purchased) at her website: http://www.janisian.com/ , along with her incredible biography, which she was kind enough to sign for me.  In fact, she was very generous with her time and music that evening;  a performance that will live in my heart forever.