"You Are My Lady" by Freddie Jackson

Song#:  2452
Date:  09/07/1985
Debut:  85
Peak:  12
Weeks:  20
Genre:  R&B, Quiet Storm, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Jackson's very first single, "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)" was a major hit for him getting to #1 at R&B and #18 Pop. This follow-up single would do even better by reaching #1 at R&B, #3 AC, and nearly nicking the Pop Top 10. It would be Jackson's biggest career hit and easily became his signature tune. The two singles helped propel his debut album to #1 R&B/#10 Pop and would end up being a platinum seller.

ReduxReview:  This is just a lovely song wonderfully delivered by Jackson. It should have easily slid into the Pop Top 10, but it stalled just shy. While "Rock Me Tonight" certainly put Jackson on the map, this was the song that truly made him a star. Grammy folks took notice and handed him a nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male, for this song. Frankly, he should have won but he got aced out by Grammy fave Stevie Wonder for his less-than-stellar album In Square Circle. Regardless, this song remains one of the best R&B slow jams of the decade.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  This song was written and produced by Barry Eastmond. Eastmond started out doing some arranging and production work for artists like The O'Jays and Teddy Pendergrass in the early 80s. His songwriting skills came into play soon after and his songs began to get picked up by a few artists including Billy Ocean, who recorded Eastmond's "Dancefloor" for his hit album Suddenly. Melba Moore also recorded one of Eastmond's songs. That connection came in handy later when Moore was helping one of her backup singers, Freddie Jackson, get his career going. Eastmond and Jackson got hooked up and the pair began work on Jackson's debut album. Eastmond would write/co-write and produce six tracks for the album. One of those tracks was this song which Eastmond had written as a tribute to his wife. The song and album were hits and helped to solidify Eastmond's career as a writer/producer.

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