"Every Home Should Have One" by Patti Austin

Song#:  0847
Date:  12/12/1981
Debut:  93
Peak:  62
Weeks:  8
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  Throughout the 60s and 70s, Austin was an in-demand session vocalist who sang on hundreds of recordings by major artists like James Brown, Paul Simon, Bette Midler, and many others. Along the way she launched a solo career as an R&B/Jazz vocalist and was able to get a few minor singles to hit the R&B chart. Her albums found their way on both the R&B and Jazz charts as well. But it wasn't until she signed with Quincy Jones' Qwest label that she finally started to break through to the mainstream. This title track to her 1981 album was her first to reach the pop chart. It wasn't a huge hit, only managing a #55 showing at R&B and #24 AC, but it set her up for her next single which would be the biggest of her career.

ReduxReview:  While it is not a forceful single contender, this is really a nice R&B tune. Written by Rod Temperton* (who wrote songs for Michael Jackson and others), it's better than a lot of other pop/R&B songs that were hitting the chart and doing better. This really should have at least made the Top 40.

*As one reader nicely commented - I got the songwriter incorrect. I must have looked at the wrong song on the liner notes when researching. That'll teach me! Information on the real songwriters is in the comment below. Thanks for the correction!

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  In addition to her session work, Austin at one point was considered the "queen of jingles" because she sang on so many advertisements. Even if you didn't think you had heard her sing at all, you probably did due to her commercial work - you just didn't know it. From McDonald's to the US Army, her voice was all over TV and radio.

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