"Object of My Desire" by Starpoint

Song#:  2481
Date:  09/28/1985
Debut:  76
Peak:  25
Weeks:  24
Genre:  R&B, Electro-Funk, Dance-Pop



Pop Bits:  This Maryland band started to form sometime around 1969 when Kayode Adeyemo met up with the four Phillips brothers (George, Ernesto, Gregory, and Orlando). They developed their sound and skills over the next few years and along the way added lead vocalist Renée Diggs. By 1978 the band was ready for the big time and they signed on with Chocolate City, a subsidiary of Casablanca Records. Their self-titled debut appeared in 1980 and over the course of four albums, they were able to grab eight minor R&B chart entries. With the closure of Chocolate City, the band moved over to Casablanca for two albums with each one sporting a Top 20 R&B hit, but they weren't really breaking through in a big way. Then Casablanca folded and the band got pushed over to the parent company Elektra for their seventh album, Restless. This final label change seemed to make a difference as this first single finally got them a wider audience. The song would be their first R&B Top 10 getting to #8 while crossing over to the Pop Top 30 and #12 Dance. It would be their biggest hit and the LP would be the best selling of their career.

ReduxReview:  This song had a great beat, hot groove, top-notch production, hooky chorus, and excellent vocals by Diggs. So how in the world did this not get into the Pop Top 10? It's a true mystery as this song had "hit" written all over it. My guess is that if this had been released a year or two later, it would have done better. I think '85 was still a transition year for R&B tracks trying to get more into the mainstream, especially on MTV. Things were progressing and there were some solid hits crossing over, but there was no reason this tune should have stopped so early at Pop.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  The original name of the band was Licyndiana. Apparently, Ernesto Phillips came up with the moniker based on the names of his mother and two sisters. While the unique name was a nice tribute to his family, it didn't exactly roll off the tongue. When they got signed to Chocolate City, it was suggested by the keyboardist they were working with, Marvin Ennis, that a name change might be in order and he suggested Starpoint. The band members liked it and updated their name in time for their debut album. Although Licyndiana would no longer be the band's name, Phillips did use it for the name of his publishing company.

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