"Don't Look Any Further" by Dennis Edwards featuring Siedah Garrett

Song#:  1881
Date:  04/28/1984
Debut:  81
Peak:  72
Weeks:  6
Genre:  R&B



Pop Bits:  In 1967, Edwards became the lead singer of The Temptations after original member David Ruffin departed. Edwards would front the group for some of their biggest hits including 1972's #1 "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." He would spend about fifteen years with the Temps, but it was not always smooth sailing. On three different occasions, Edwards was fired from the group. The first time was in 1977. Edwards then attempted a solo career, but a recorded album ended up shelved and he was back with the Temps by 1980. The second firing came a few years later, which again prompted Edwards to try for a solo career. This time around he was able to get it kicked off the ground with this first single, the title track to his debut album. Featuring a guest vocal by Siedah Garrett (see below), the song became a hit at R&B reaching #2. It did well enough to get some crossover play at Pop, but it mainly stayed in the lower reaches of the chart. A second single hit #15 at R&B and it made Edwards ripe for solo stardom. Unfortunately, his second album couldn't produce a hit and it disappeared rather quickly. By 1987, he was back with the Temps once again. His final firing from the group came two years later. Edwards then spent time touring and eventually developed a Temptations Review act that has continued performing even as of this posting date.

ReduxReview:  I've seen it mentioned in several places that this is considered a soul classic. I don't think I'd go that far. It's a good song and I like its slinky groove, but a classic? Not in my book. The tune does improve upon repeated listens and I can easily hear how this single grooved it's way to #2 at R&B. Pop didn't catch on and I'm not surprised. It was definitely more soul-leaning, which was still being ignored at Pop at the time. I don't mind the tune, but it's nothing that I'd classify as a classic.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Siedah Garrett had been getting established in music circles via her songwriting and background vocal work for several artists. Along the way she did demo work for other songwriters and performed that task for this song. Initially, the song was to feature Chaka Khan with Edwards, but that ended up not happening and Garrett's demo work got her the job instead. It became her first single and her first hit. She would later score a major #1 hit in 1987 with "I Just Can't Stop Loving You," her duet with the King of Pop Michael Jackson.

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