jeudi 17 septembre 2009

Color Me Badd - Heartbreaker (1992)

Although I initially found this through the extremely respectable (but currently slightly dormant) Finest Def Mix blog, there were a thousand reasons to not like it:

1. Group name with deliberate spelling mistake, 'cos dey from da streets.
2. And it's gibberish (anybody care to explain?).
3. Obvious major label product with token black person to maximise sales over a wide demographic.
4. Shameless use of the word "sex" in their major (only?) hit.
5. This particular track took the UK charts by storm, shooting up as high as number 58.
6. Terrible lyrics, including the gem:

"I’ve got my eye on you / And I know just what you are / You’re just a user, girl / And you drive me like a car".

WTF?

Indeed, the Uncyclopedia article dedicated to the group (recommended) says "Color Me Badd was an R&B quartet that wrote songs during the early '90s, widely considered the low water mark of R&B. And Color Me Badd are the reason why."

And yet, even though the group's blatant intellectual bankruptcy earned them general ridicule and a thankfully rapid career nosedive, this particular track actually has quite a bit going for it:

1. A slew of remixes by Frankie Knuckles in his prime.
2. Stolen sample from the Bar-Kays (to distract your attention from a weedy rap).
3. An 'instrumental' version that actually has loads of great piano improv.
4. And most of all a surprisingly sweet groove. No wonder it didn't sell.

So, I took the vocal version and added the instrumental to the end to make a rather sweet version that lasts nearly 11 minutes. Not rocket science for sure, but a pleasant listen nonetheless. Check it out here...



Anyway, I liked the track so much, I bought a copy on the web so I could get a high-quality rip. Thankfully, once I tidy it away in my collection, I won't have to look at those pug ugly posers ever again!

You can download Color Me Badd - Heartbreaker
(Heart Attack / Instrumental mix Fist fusion) here (24MB)

3 commentaires:

Kevin a dit…

Jason, do you have the promo vinyl maxi and UK CD Maxi Part 2 of Kele Le Roc's "My Love", with the Mark Picchiotti mixes? Thanks! :)

Jason Fist a dit…

Unfortunately no. The 2nd CD single only had a 4-minute Pichiotti edit apparently, whereas the vinyl (here) had the full Pichiotti vocal and dub.

Not dear to buy on Discogs, but don't think it exists on CD.

Kevin a dit…

You are correct, it was never available on CD. I have both the promo vinyl maxi and the CD Maxi back home, so I would love to have them ripped. :( Thanks Jase!