"Have You Ever Loved Somebody" by Freddie Jackson

Song#:  3009
Date:  02/07/1987
Debut:  96
Peak:  69
Weeks:  9
Genre:  R&B, Quiet Storm



Pop Bits:  Jackson's second album, Just Like the First Time, lived up to its title. Like his debut, it would be a #1 R&B album and its first two singles would also reach #1 at R&B. "Tasty Love" would hit the top spot to kick things off and then this follow-up would also do the trick. Unfortunately, Pop didn't embrace these two singles as well. The first two singles from his debut LP made the Pop Top 20, but both "Tasty Love" and this one failed to even reach the Top 40. Still, Jackson retained enough crossover appeal to make the album get to #23 and become his second platinum seller.

ReduxReview:  This is a sleek ballad that is well-crafted and showcases Jackson's terrific voice. But like Luther Vandross at the time, Jackson was having trouble breaking through to a larger, more mainstream audience. His first album started to get him noticed with a pair of Pop Top 20's, but the material on his second album didn't expand his sound and there wasn't much that was going to play well on pop radio. Still, it didn't really matter because his star continued to rise with R&B fans who handed him a fifth #1 with this single.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  In addition to his two Grammy and one American Music Awards nominations generated by his first two albums, Jackson also grabbed two nominations at the inaugural Soul Train Music Awards. He was up for Album of the Year, Male, and Single of the Year, Male. The awards show began in 1987 and has grown in popularity over the years. The makers of the successful Soul Train music program developed the awards to honor achievement in black music. In addition to R&B, the awards have also included categories for jazz, gospel, and hip-hop/rap. The hosts for the very first awards show were Dionne Warwick and Luther Vandross, who would go on to win the Album of the Year, Male, award for Give Me the Reason. Janet Jackson's Control would win Album of the Year, Female.

_________________________________________________________________________________