Song#: 1692
Date: 11/12/1983
Debut: 81
Peak: 12
Weeks: 19
Genre: R&B
Pop Bits: Parker, Jr.'s first solo album, The Other Woman, was a #11 Pop/#1 R&B gold record thanks mainly to the title track hit (#4 Pop/#2 R&B). After a stop-gap Greatest Hits LP that showcased his new solo songs along with singles from his former group Raydio, Parker, Jr. was ready to issue his second solo disc. Titled Woman Out of Control, it was preceded by this first single that would peak at the same position at both Pop and R&B. AC would take it two notches higher to #10, but it wasn't a major hit like his first solo single. Two follow-up singles failed to make the Pop chart while barely getting out of the basement of the R&B chart. Without a significant Top 10 at Pop or R&B, the album faltered and could only get to #14 at R&B and a lowly #45 at Pop. It was his first real miss after five consecutive gold studio albums - four with Raydio and one solo.
ReduxReview: I like this song better now, but I was kind of pissed at it back in the day. I thought it was copying other songs. The rolling synth drums seemed to be an imitation of "Chariots of Fire" and the lines "every breath you take, I'll be watching you" and even the meaning of the song were lifted from The Police's "Every Breath You Take." It wasn't enough to call for a lawsuit, but it sure seemed like he was taking liberties and getting "inspiration" from other people's songs. It irritated me, so I pretty much skipped this song. It doesn't bother me as much today and the rolling mid-tempo groove is kind of nice. However, I think he still copped stuff from other composers for this tune. He'd get in trouble for that on his next big hit.
ReduxRating: 6/10
Trivia: In addition to his music career, Parker, Jr. tried to branch out into acting. He made appearances in few TV shows and films, but hit biggest role was in the 1987 action flick Enemy Territory. Co-starring Gary Frank and Jan Michael Vincent, the film centered on an insurance guy who gets trapped and terrorized in an NYC housing project building by a street gang called the Vampires. Parker, Jr. plays the building's handyman who helps the salesman through the nightmare. The small indie film came and went quickly as did Parker, Jr.'s acting career. Over the years he would end up making several cameo appearances as himself on various TV programs.
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It's actually a little more subtle than you imply. Parker slips in the Police quotation rather seamlessly at the end, both the words and melody, and it fits perfectly. You recognize it, but it isn't jarring. The song itself starts like a simple lost love lament but becomes gradually darker and then downright sinister at the end. I think it shows that Parker actually understood the meaning of "Every Breath You Take" at a time few people did. As for a potential lawsuit, it's a direct and obvious quotation, not a stylistic ripoff. Baroque and classical composers did this all the time, as you know. Generally, explicit quotation is fair game if it is obvious that's what you're doing.
ReplyDeleteInteresting observation and yes, it could be more of an homage of sorts or a sly side wink saying "I getcha!" Although she didn't use the melody, Madonna inserted lyrics from The Association's "Cherish" into her own "Cherish." That practice is different from directly lifting music/lyrics from another song and passing it off as your own. However, I just didn't think it was necessary for Parker to make the reference and I kind of thought it cheapened the song a bit.
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