Top Ten Songs by Luther Vandross
And for further introduction, One of my all time favorite song artists is Luther Vandross. His soft voice crooning to me at night, candles glowing in a dark room, got me in just the right mode to relax, kick up my feet. Luther has more than a “top ten” under his belt, but in my world, I can tell you what I think his top ten songs are. He hip hopped, R&Bed and sang the Blues like nobody’s business and made many a happy woman when their man became the romantic and played him in the background. Ahhh. I can hear him now.
A chair is still a chair
Even when there’s no one sitting there
But a chair is not a house and a house is not a home
When there’s no one there to hold you tight
And no one there you can kiss goodnight
Remember that song? It’s called “A House is Not A Home.” That is my all time favorite in a list of “Top-Tens.”
What about those “make-up” songs like “Until You Come Back to Me.” That’s number two in my book. Have you ever called the radio station one night just to make a request to play this for that special someone who you know you did wrong.
Don’t you remember you told me you loved me, baby
You said you’d be comin’ back this way again, baby
Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, oh, baby
I love you
Yeah…I really do
Oh man, and remember that song “Always and Forever?” I was just a little lady when this song came out, but it has stood the test of time. That’s what makes Luther so special! That’s right Luther. This one is for you…
Always and forever
Each moment with you
Is just like a dream to me
That somehow came true, yeah
“Going in Circles” was right up my alley a few years back when I broke up with my “long-distance sweetie.” The relationship felt so right to me, but he was so wrong for me and no matter how much I thought he was going to propose or start feeling like he loved me, it just never panned out. He would always tell me how “into me” he was and then would turn around and use that infamous word that made me know for sure that this wasn’t right. He would say, “I love you, but…” Yeah, you all know what I’m talking about. This is what I use to say to him until I got my head back on straight:
Oh, but what am I to do
My mind is in a whirlpool
Give me a little hope
One small thing to cling to
Then there’s number five on the list of top-tens – “So Amazing.” This is a song that you can take to heaven and back. It is so true. It’s a song that makes you remember why you fell in love in the first place. It’s “so amazing” to be loved by you.
Got to tell you how you thrill me
I’m happy as I can be
You have come and it’s changed my whole world
Bye-bye sadness, hello mellow
What a wonderful day
Now I know this next one hits home to all you ladies out there who’s man, husband, boyfriend always seems so busy. They’re so busy that you seem to be living almost like roomates instead of lovers, partners. That’s right, it’s called “Stop to Love.”
It’s the first verse in this song that brings it home, especially the last line. It goes,
Lately love keeps keeping up at night
Tossing and turning, my love
Wanna kiss you, wanna hold you real tight
Ooo but I wonder love whether you know or not
You just hurry away, leaving me laying there in shock
That’s right! He said, “shock.” Has that happened to you?
What about “She Won’t Talk to Me” for you men out there. That song is classic. You try to get a girl to show you some love and she doesn’t even notice you. She won’t even talk to you, not even a “Hi.” Luther sings,
I started waving my hands, my arms, my head
Got the nerve; found the words to say
But to my surprise she was passing
I mean it was strange `cause she just walked away
She won’t talk to me, she won’t talk to me
You know you’ve been there, done that. Even the ladies go through this.
So I gave you six of my all time favorite songs, and here is number seven from one of his newer albums – Dance With My Father. No matter what health battle he was going through and he had several battles, Luther always came out with a song that just struck home. They went right to the heart of the matter and that’s what this song did for me. It brings tears to my eyes when I hear it. I really don’t remember when, if ever, I felt that way about my father since home wasn’t always a happy place when I was growing up. I guess the feeling that comes out of this song speaks to something in me that wished I could feel this way about my father.
Back when I was a child
Before life removed all the innocence
My father would lift me high
And dance with my mother and me and then
Spin me around ’till I fell asleep
And up the stairs he would carry me
And I knew for sure, I was loved
If I could get another chance, another walk, another dance with him
I’d play a song the would never, ever end
How I’d love, love, love, to dance with my father, again
Doesn’t that bring tears to your eyes? I know I’m not the only one whose heart this song speaks to. Can I get a witness?
Now for number eight on the list, Here and Now. “Here and Now I promise to love faithfully.”.. I know you remember that one. Luther reached so many audiences with this Top Ten hit and now it has become a staple at weddings. I bet you haven’t attended a wedding reception where this song wasn’t played, even when the spoken language wasn’t English.
Here and now
I promise to love faithfully – Faithfully
You’re all I need
Here and now
I vow to be one with thee – You and me, hey
Your love is all I need
And what about “Never Too Much.” That songs jazzy tunes bring about memories in my head that make me sing “I just don’t wanna stop” when I think about all these songs. He sings,
Well, who needs to go to work to hustle for another dollar
I’d rather be with you ’cause you make my heart scream and holler
Love is a gamble and I’m so glad that I’m winnin’
We’ve come a long way and yet this is only the beginnin’
And so I feel like I’ve just started, but in fact this next song is the last of my top ten down memory lane. You must remember the ever popular “The Power of Love.” Yes, you could feel the power of his love for music in every beat, every tune, every word in his works of art. As a tribute to his memory, here is a taste of The Power of Love –
When I say goodbye it is never for long
‘Cause I know our love still lives on
It will be again exactly like it was
‘Cause I believe in the power of love
Luther said, “I’d like to be remembered as a premier singer of songs,” he offered, “not just a popular act of a given period.” Well, he accomplished that and more. Although he died at the young age of 54, his songs make him immortal. He’s Luther!
