"Making Love in the Rain" by Herb Alpert

Song#:  3193
Date:  07/18/1987
Debut:  90
Peak:  35
Weeks:  14
Genre:  R&B, Adult Contemporary, Quiet Storm



Pop Bits:  Alpert's second single from his album Keep Your Eye on Me, "Diamonds," became his first Pop Top 10 hit since his 1979 #1 instrumental "Rise." The song also got to #1 at both R&B and Dance. It helped that he had a bit of star power behind it with Jam & Lewis writing/producing and Janet Jackson supplying vocals along with Lisa Keith. For a follow-up, this quiet storm ballad was released. Like the previous single, it was a Jam & Lewis creation that also featured Jackson and Keith (this time around Keith took on lead vocals while Jackson did background vocals). While the track would do well at R&B reaching #7, it did only medium business at AC (#21) and Pop where it just eked out a Top 40 showing. Still, it helped sell a few more copies of the album, which had just reached the gold mark a month earlier. The song would be Alpert's last to reach the Pop and AC chart.

ReduxReview:  I think this quiet storm track was just a little too sleepy for pop radio, but it flourished at R&B where the moody tune was a fit for the format. Jam & Lewis created a nice 80s vibe with their production and Keith's vocals fit the song well. Of course all that Alpert had to do was put some tooting noises around in places and provide a solo section. He got sole top billing, but then again it was his project and his label (A&M). I like the track, but almost wish it would have gone to another Jam & Lewis produced artist. It might have turned out better. Still, this was a good selection for Alpert's foray into modern 80s music; however, I prefer Alpert's 60s LPs with his Tijuana Brass.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Alpert would continue to release albums over the years experimenting with various styles. His 1988 album Under a Spanish Moon would lean towards Latin music and even featured a trumpet concerto he commissioned. He returned to pop/R&B with 1989's My Abstract Heart and got a #59 R&B entry with the instrumental "3 O'Clock Jump." Hip-hop and techno was explored on 1991's North on South St., which generated another R&B chart instrumental with the Grammy-nominated title track (#40). In 1992, he recorded a jazz album called Midnight Sun. It was his last album on his own A&M label, which he had sold and finally left soon after releasing the LP. Alpert continued to push out albums and along the way added five more Grammy nominations to his total. He would win his eighth Grammy in 2013 for his album Steppin' Out, on which he collaborated with his wife, Brazil '66 vocalist Lani Hall. The LP won for Best Pop Instrumental Album.

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