Remarks:
Ah, the 1980s: Jheri curls, cheap-sounding electronic music, all of it. I had completely forgotten about this song till I heard it the other day on AOL Radio. But because I had forgotten it, it brings up memories and feelings from that time more perfectly than better, more famous songs. Like a fly in amber. Like “Ice Cream Paint Job” in 22 years, no doubt.
I remember this line better than the song itself: “Those other girls don’t matter no they can’t spoil my view.”
The song went to #1 on the American R&B charts in 1987. It is used as period music in a great scene in “Love and Basketball” (2000).
Lyrics:
Hey lady let me tell you why,
Icant live my life without you,oh baby
everytime I see you walking by i get a thrill
you dont notice me but in time you will,I must make you
understand…..
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I do yeah,yeah)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
Better not pass me by,cause if you do you’ll lose a good
thing, (oh baby) Cause what I got to say is sealed with a kiss
and a wedding ring
(wedding ring)
My mind is blind at times
I can’t see any one but you
Those other girls don’t matter no they can’t spoil my view
I must make you understand…..
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I do yeah,yeah)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I do yeah,yeah)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
Words can never say what I feel, (it’s too intense)
oh oh oh oh. I tried I tried I tried I tried to tell you
how I feel,but I get mixed up (soo mixed up)
my mind is blind at times I cant see anyone but you,those other
girls dont matter no they cant spoil my view,I must make you
understand…..
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I do yeah,yeah)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
I wanna be your man (I wanna be your man)
…
Dual talk-boxing = awesome!
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C’mon, Aba.
“Cheap electronic music”? Roger Troutman is a legend!
“I Wanna Be Your Man” wasn’t his best song, but it was his lone crossover hit, hence why you remember it.
The first ZAPP albums belong in any funk aficionado’s collection. I know that they’re in mine. And they’re well studied!
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That was kind of tongue-in-check. I love this song but I know that my sons would see it as cheap electronic music, the way they see much of the 1980s. I do remember Zapp but off hand I could not tell you what they sang.
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Most of the stuff that litters pop/urban-formatted radio is cheap electronic music! Is it not?
I’d imagine your sons were born in the 1990s? If so, they’re probably not used to anything but digitally created music.
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Also Aba,
You think “Ice Cream Paint Job” will bring back memories in 22 years?
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LOL. Probably not.
My sons were born in 1995 and 1997. They are pretty good at telling if a song is from the 1980s. I asked them how they could tell and they said it was the electronic sound it has. But you are right: what they listen to is way more electronic, computerized even.
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This sounds more creative and artistic than T-pains’ music. Now his music sounds cheap, imo. Not much thought is put into it.
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Right: this song holds up after 22 years. I doubt the stuff that T-Pain, Akon and others put out will hold up so well.
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ahhhh.
wasn’t the voice box the precurser to Autotune?.
I think T-pain’s stuff will probably hold up just as well.
But dang, Roger was the man. Teddy Riley moved it to another gen and I think T-Pain is just moving it on to another gen.
All’s fair in love and music.
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I think the right term would be “Talk-Box”.
T-pain was indeed inspired by Teddy Riley and ultimately Roger Troutman.
Altough Teddy Riley mastered it well, no one can do it better than Roger!!!
… and for me, the Autotune just spoiled those classic effects that was the Talk-Box and the Vocoder.
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When you mention Roger… Well, it only takes two words to describe just how Roger was “the man”:
COMPUTER LOVE
My favorite. Perhaps the first Jeep-beat slow jam.
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Love this song! Thanks for posting.
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I really like this song this song was on Love&Basketball when Omar Epps (Q) and Sanna Lathan (Monica)was at prom and they were dancing with other compaions but wanted each other. AAAAAAAWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!
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This is a classic jam from my days! The talk box is actually not easy to handle at all and requires some proper technique. Especially for the intelligibility of the lyrics. The people who have played it know what I’m talking about…
More bounce to the ounce!
On the other hand, any non-talent or even non-musician can handle Autotune. There are enough examples on youtube. 😉
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Brandy:
I love that scene from “Love & Basketball’!!
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Thank you so much for posting “I Want to Be Your Man.” For me, that song was like deconstructing Prince’s late 1970s sound and then dipping it in some Deep-South-dark chocolate.
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More Bounce to the Ounce, AND Dance Floor
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