Greatest hiphop love songs in R&B, Hip Hop & Rap Music

"Love Songs" (01/13/2004) R&B Temptations (R&B) (The), Motown RecordsThe Temptations include: David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Dennis Edwards, Damon Harris, Paul Williams, Richard Street (vocals). Producers include: Smokey Robinson, Ronnie White, Norman Whitfield, Terry Woodford, Clayton Ivey. Compilation producer: Harry Weinger. Recorded between 1965 & 1975. Includes liner notes by Tom Terrell. This is part of Motown's "Love Songs" series. Among the several romantically themed Motown collections Universal compiled during the early 2000s, the Temptations' Love Songs is certainly one of the standout titles. It's furthermore one of the standout collections amid the Temptations' vast and dizzying catalog. Granted, it's a bit short on quantity (clocking in at only 46 minutes and 14 songs when Universal could have easily multiplied that sum many times over, given the depths of the Temptations' peerless catalog), but it's certainly not short on quality. Every song here is an absolute gem -- every single one. Several of the inclusions are universally known ("My Girl," "The Girl's Alright With Me," "Since I Lost My Baby," and "Just My Imagination [Running Away With Me]," in particular), yet even those songs here that aren't quite as widely recognized nonetheless deserve to be (namely, early-'70s recordings like "Love Woke Me Up This Morning," "Hey Girl [I Like Your Style]," and "Heavenly"). A few of the inclusions appear here in alternate mixes, but chances are you won't notice the alterations -- they're subtle revisions and not really worth going out of your way to hear. In the end, you'll somewhat wish Universal would have filled this disc to the brim (another 30 minutes of music could have been added easily without diluting any of the disc's overall quality or listenability), but that's a very particular complaint. By and large, Love Songs is a wonderful listen from beginning to end, especially for those listeners who aren't fully versed in the Temptations' greater catalog, not to mention those listeners who simply would like a collection of sentimental love songs. Few soul groups to this day have done it better than the Temptations did during their heyday. ~ Jason Birchmeier

"Say the Word: Their Greatest Love Songs, Vol. 2" (01/26/1999) R&B Dramatics (The), Hip-O RecordsProducers: Tony Hester, Don Davis, Jimmy Roach, Larry J. Reynolds, Ron Banks. Compilation producer: Dana G. Smart. Includes liner notes by Steven Ivory. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (MCA Music Studios, No. Hollywood, California). Liner Note Author: Steven Ivory. Arrangers: Rudy Robinson; John Perry; Jimmy Roach; Johnny Allen; Paul Riser; Tony Hester. A second helping of the Dramatics love ballads. Omissions from the first volume are included, yet the excellent "I Cried All the Way Home" remains a no-show, although many listeners would have preferred it to "Yo' Love (Can Only Bring Me Happiness)," "Me Myself & I," or "Call Me." "Love Birds" would have been a nice inclusion too, but oh well. It's nice to see "She's a Rainmaker" getting some recognition, the excellent Tony Hester composition languished on Drama V, it's as teary as "In the Rain," and just as painful. Original lead William "Wee Gee" Howard leads "Thank You for Your Love," an exquisite floating ballad where he humbly gives praise to the women in his life. The backing harmonies weave in and out, complemented by a tasty string section. The Dells are featured with them on "I'm in Love," a lovely number that features Ron Banks' delightful falsetto. Their version of "Love Is Here," originally done by the Futures, is a treat. A good remake though not as tight as the original, it never escaped their 10 1/2 LP. "Toast to the Fool" and "My Ship Won't Sail Without You" are winners, but the title track, "Say the Word," is overblown and too slick. Most of these cuts were album tracks, a long version of "Stop Your Weeping" and "Toast" are the only real hits. ~ Andrew Hamilton

"Be My Girl: Their Greatest Love Songs" (01/27/1998) R&B Dramatics (The), Hip-O RecordsIncludes liner notes by DJ Rodger C and Andy McKaie. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson at MCA Music Media Studios, N. Hollywood, California. Audio Remasterer: Erick Labson. Liner Note Author: Andy McKaie. During the 1970s, the Dramatics were one of the smoothest purveyors of romantic ballads, and this 16-track collection brings together some of their best moments in that genre. Highlights include "In the Rain," "Fall In Love, Lady Love," "The Stars In Your Eyes," "Door to Your Heart," "Do What You Want to Do," "Ocean of Thoughts and Dreams" and "You're the Best Thing In My Life." The Dramatics are hard to beat for romantic ambience, and this collection brings together some of their very best work. ~ Cub Koda

"Greatest Love Songs *" (01/14/2003) R&B Winbush, Angela, Hip-O RecordsPersonnel includes: Angela Winbush. Rene Moore, Ronald Isley (vocals). Compilation producers: Angela Winbush, Pat Lawrence. Photographer: Harry Langdon. Arranger: Angela Winbush. A surprisingly long and comprehensive collection, Hip-O's Greatest Love Songs features nearly 80 minutes' worth of Angela Winbush's work, ranging from songs by Ren? & Angela, duets with Ronald Isley, and her solo material. The album spans the early '80s to the mid-'90s, with Ren? & Angela tracks like "Come My Way," "My First Love," "Your Smile," and "Imaginary Playmates" representing the earlier part of her career, while "I'm the Kind of Woman," "Too Good to Let You Go," and "Baby Hold On" -- a duet with her husband, Ronald Isley, and orchestrated by Thom Bell -- reflect her later work. In between are songs like "Sensual Lover," "I've Learned to Respect the Power of Love," and "You Had a Good Girl," all of which also define the sophisticated sensuality of Winbush's style. While most of her work has been romantically inclined -- as a quick glance at the track listing of her Ultimate Collection will confirm -- Greatest Love Songs has enough unique song selections and a flowing groove that makes it work as either an alternative Winbush retrospective or a fine collection of urban and quiet storm ballads. ~ Heather Phares

"Love Songs: Greatest Duets" (01/14/2003) R&B Gaye, Marvin, Motown RecordsPersonnel includes: Marvin Gaye (vocals); Betty Wright, Tammi Terrell, Mary Wells, Oma Page, Kim Weston, Diana Ross (vocals). Producers include: Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Nikolas Ashford, Johnny Bristol, Smokey Robinson. Compilation producer: Harry Weinger. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Audio Mixers: Suha Gur; Ellen Fitton. Arrangers: Angelo Morris; Betty Wright. Marvin Gaye's Love Songs: Greatest Duets gathers most of his best-known duets, organizing them by singing partner. After getting off to a poor, but well-meaning start with a 1994 version of "Distant Lover" that pairs Gaye's original vocals with re-recorded vocals by Betty Wright and tinny-sounding production, the album does a 180 by offering up some of the best work Gaye did with his ultimate duet partner, Tammi Terrell. Along with definitive songs like "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and "You're All I Need to Get By," the collection also includes lesser-known gems such as the lovely "If This World Were Mine." Gaye's duet with Kim Weston, "It Takes Two," is another of the album's essential tracks, while most of the rest of Love Songs consists of pleasant but relatively obscure duets such as "Once Upon a Time" and "What's the Matter With You Baby" with Mary Wells and "So Good to Be Loved by You" with Oma Page. "Pledging My Love," Gaye's duet with Diana Ross, rounds out this enjoyable collection. While this album doesn't have quite the impact of the Love Songs collection of his solo work or Love Songs: Bedroom Ballads, it's still effortlessly soulful and romantic. ~ Heather Phares

"Their Greatest Love Songs" (03/23/1999) R&B Four Tops (The), Hip-O RecordsThe Four Tops: Levi Stubbs, Lawrence Payton, Obie Benson, Duke Fakir. Producers include: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Steve Barri, Dennis Lambert, Brian Potter. Compilation producer: Dana G. Smart, Cary E. Mansfield. Includes liner notes by A. Scott Galloway. Liner Note Author: A. Scott Galloway. Arrangers: Jerry Long; Dennis Lambert; Gil Aksey; Donald Hackett; Jimmy Roach; Lawrence Payton; Michael Omartian. A concept album that's different. Hip-O Records thoughtfully compiled love songs by the Four Tops recorded at Motown and ABC Records. The only gripe is with the selections, but you have to applaud the idea. Representing Motown is their national anthem "Baby I Need Your Loving," as well as "Without the One You Love," a brilliant rendition of Tommy Edwards' "It's All In the Game," ("It's the Way) Nature Planned It" and "Still Water (Love)." Their ABC Records stint gave us firestarters like "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I Got)," the melodic "Love Music," "Midnight Flower" (a song about a prostitute from a satisfied customer), "When She Was My Girl" and five others. Of the 14 tracks, five are Motown cuts. A few of the ABC cuts were ill-chosen and interrupt the flow, as with "I Believe in You and Me." ~ Andrew Hamilton

"Love Songs: Bedroom Ballads" (01/15/2002) R&B Gaye, Marvin, Motown RecordsPersonnel includes: Marvin Gaye (vocals); Bobby Scott (arranger). Producers include: Bobby Scott, Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware, T-Boy Ross. Compilation producers: David Ritz, Harry Weinger. Recorded between 1967 & 1981. Includes liner notes by David Ritz. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Audio Mixers: Calvin Harris ; Marvin Gaye; Art Stewart; Bill Schnee. Liner Note Author: David Ritz. Recording information: Detroit, MI (01/31/1967-01/15/1981); Los Angeles, CA (01/31/1967-01/15/1981); New York, NY (01/31/1967-01/15/1981). Arrangers: Bobby Scott ; Marvin Gaye. If the midline-priced Marvin Gaye compilation Love Songs: Bedroom Ballads seems to have two titles grafted together, that's not inappropriate to the album's contents. The album's love songs are the seven romantic standards Gaye labored over for more than a decade and never released during his lifetime, tracks that finally were issued in 1997 under the title Vulnerable. Working with lush string arrangements arranged by Bobby Scott, Gaye rewrites the melodies of familiar songs like "The Shadow of Your Smile" (heard here with a previously unreleased alternate vocal), rendering the material fresh and claiming it for his own. The "bedroom ballads" portion of the album, interspersed with the other songs, consists of six tracks that appeared originally on Gaye's albums Let's Get It On, I Want You, In Our Lifetime, and Here, My Dear. Written or co-written by Gaye himself, these songs employ the singer's mixture of romance with blunt eroticism, notably on tunes with titles like "You Sure Love to Ball" and "Funk Me," and on "Since I Had You," which contains an orgasmic background vocal track that couldn't be bettered by Donna Summer. Gaye collaborator and biographer David Ritz conceived this compilation, which is true to Gaye's romantic sensibility, a combination of sophistication and physicality. ~ William Ruhlmann

"Love Songs-20 Classic Hits" (08/02/2005) R&B Warwick, Dionne, Motown RecordsHighlighting Dionne Warwick's quiet and more contemplative moments, Love Songs is a solid overview covering not only her later years on Arista, but also material from various other labels and her collaborations with Burt Bacharach. Many of the moments remain untarnished with the passage of time, with the original recordings of "Walk On By," "Alfie," and "I Say a Little Prayer" cleaned up and sounding clearer than ever. While "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and other earlier performances would have been ideal for inclusion, later songs like "That's What Friends Are For" and "Heartbreaker" help to bring things into the later years nicely. And though the song sequencing is a bit erratic, that's something easily overlooked and can be manually corrected. Love Songs is not a collection for the die-hard fan, but casual listeners will find it immediately accessible and an enjoyable listen from start to finish. ~ Rob Theakston In the absence of the superb three-volume set Looking Back, Motown keeps playing games with its fans by repackaging and recycling hits in numerous gimmick packages. This one features 20 Stevie Wonder love numbers, all certified classics. There's absolutely nothing wrong with them; they're wonderful. But instead of Motown constantly reissuing them, they should either reissue the three-record set, or prepare a new multi-disc box set. Instead, they're content to parcel out these partial sets that only rip off novices, gullible types, and knowledgeable fans anxious to get all the Wonder available. ~ Ron Wynn While some of the volumes in Legacy's LOVE SONGS series are limited to a particular (often latter-day) period of the artist's recording career, the label's Dionne Warwick collection is far more definitive, spanning eras in a cross-licensing coup. So you get not only Warwick's late-1970s/early-'80s MOR hits, but also the '60s Bacharach-David tunes that made her a pop icon. Such stellar examples of the latter as the transcendent "Alfie" and the breezy, bossa nova-tinged "Walk on By" share space with the Bee Gees-penned '80s hit "Heartbreaker" and the bombs-away epic ballad "I'll Never Love This Way Again" (produced by Barry Manilow, appropriately enough). Even a '90s take on the supple Sting composition "Fragile" is offered up here. By cobbling together tracks from disparate stretches of Warwick's career, LOVE SONGS presents a pretty effective snapshot of the singer's multi-faceted musical personality.

"Songs of Faith & Inspiration/What the World Needs Now Is Love" (05/21/2002) R&B Sweet Inspirations (The), Spy Records2 LPs on 1 CD: SONGS OF FAITH & INSPIRATION (1968)/WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE (1968). All tracks have been digitally remastered. Personnel: Myrna Smith, Sylvia Shemwell (vocals). Recording information: Atlantic Studios, New York, NY (04/25/1967-05/24/1968); Memphis (04/25/1967-05/24/1968). Arrangers: Myrna Smith; Estelle Brown; Sylvia Shemwell; Tom Dowd. In 2002, Spy released Songs of Faith & Inspiration/What the World Needs Now Is Love, which contained two albums -- Songs of Faith & Inspiration (1968, originally released on Atlantic) and What the World Needs Now Is Love (1969, also originally released on Atlantic) -- by soulful trio the Sweet Inspirations on one compact disc. ~ Tim Sendra

"30 Greatest Hits" (01/14/1997) R&B Franklin, Aretha, Atlantic & Atco RemastersPersonnel includes: Aretha Franklin (vocals, piano); Chips Moman, Jimmy Johnson, Eddie Hinton, Jerry Weaver, Charlie Freeman, Hugh McCracken, Cornell Dupree, Don Arnone, David Spinozza (guitar); Joe Farrell (flute, tenor saxophone); Hubert Laws (flute); The Memphis Horns (horns); Spooner Oldham (electric piano, organ); Richard Tee, Ken Lupper (organ); Barry Beckett, Jim Dickinson, Mike Utley, Donny Hathaway (keyboards); Kenneth Bichel (synthesizer); Tommy Cogbill, David Hood, Tommy McClure, Eric Gale, Chuck Rainey (bass), Roger Hawkins, Sammy Creason, Al Jackson, Ray Lucas, Bernard Purdie, Rick Marotta (drums); Pancho Morales (congas); Robert Popwell, Doctor John, Ralph MacDonald (percussion); Erma Franklin, Carolyn Franklin, The Sweet Inspirations, The Sweethearts Of Soul, The Southern California Community Choir (background vocals); Joe South. Producers: Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones. Compilation producer: Kim Cooke. Producers: Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd, Arif Mardin, Aretha Franklin, Curtis Mayfield. Compilation producers: Norma Edwards, David Nathan. Includes liner notes by Norma Edwards. 30 Greatest Hits zeroes in on Aretha Franklin's prime recording period for Atlantic, from her breakout in 1967 with "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" through the end of 1974, during which the Queen of Soul truly reigned over the charts -- she averaged over one pop hit every two months. This two-disc set delivers all of her classics ("Respect," "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man," "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," "Chain of Fools," "Think," "Spanish Harlem," "Rock Steady"), plus much more excellent material for those who won't recognize much more than the songs (and there are quite a few) that have entered the cultural consciousness ("I Say a Little Prayer," "The Weight," "Spirit in the Dark," "Day Dreaming"). It's a great foundation to any collection that has yet to be equaled by a pair of Rhino sets, the two-volume Very Best of Aretha Franklin from 1994 and Aretha's Best from 2001. ~ John Bush Musically, Love Songs is hard to fault -- 16 romantic tunes from Aretha Franklin's 1967-1976 Atlantic years, including such hits as "Baby I Love You," "I Say a Little Prayer," "A Natural Woman," and "Call Me." Whether you want to add this to your collection depends very much on the way you assemble records. If you want to get these tunes, many of them are heard in better contexts on a number of greatest-hits anthologies. Its appeal is principally for the casual Franklin fan who prefers her softer side. ~ Richie Unterberger The title may not be 100-percent accurate, since the songs here are culled from Franklin's soul years, roughly between 1967 and 1974, and she's had lots more hits since then. That nit picked, however, this is a genuine embarrassment of riches, with Aretha's soaring voice and under-appreciated piano decorating one wonderful genre-defining song ("Respect," "Chain of Fools," "Natural Woman," "Since You've Been Gone") after another. The most revelatory cut is probably "I Say a Little Prayer," in which Franklin imbues the song with a spine-tingling gospel flavor without ever losing the pop delicacy of the original Dionne Warwick version. But just about everything else here is essential listening. This compilation spans the late-'60s to the mid-'70s. Aretha's impassioned voice soars with unbridled spirit through each classic performance. This release opens with "Baby I Love You," an R&B hit from the summer of 1967. From 1972's Grammy-winning YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK comes "Day Dreaming," featuring gospel maven Cissy Houston providing ethereal backing vocals. Other gems include the Bacharach/David song Franklin made famous in 1968, "I Say A Little Prayer." The strength and energy behind Aretha's performance in "(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman" make it an anthem. On her own "You Don't Think," her voice evokes tears as she pleads for the faith of her true love. Franklin's 1974 version of Ashford and Simpson's "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" is arranged as a ballad, a brilliant

"Greatest Love Songs" (01/15/2002) R&B LaBelle, Patti, Hip-O RecordsPersonnel includes: Patti LaBelle (vocals); Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Dexter Wansel (arranger); Grover Washington, Jr. (saxophone). Producers include: Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, David Rubinson, Kenneth Gamble, Stewart Levine. Compilation producers: Pat Lawrence, JoAnn Fredrick, Dana G. Smart. Recorded between 1977 and 1997. Includes liner notes by Steven Ivory. All tracks have been digitally remastered. Liner Note Author: Steven Ivory. Photographer: Keith Major. Arrangers: Dexter Wansel; Grover Washington, Jr.; David Rubinson & Friends; John R. Faith; Jimmy Jam; Jimmy Sigler; Terry Lewis; David Foster. Patti Labelle's Greatest Love Songs collection draws from a broad selection of her solo albums, beginning with her 1977 debut for Epic and extending all the way to her 1997 Flame album for MCA. As you can imagine, Labelle's music went through quite a few changes over that 20-year period -- from disco and quiet storm to adult contemporary R&B and urban -- and though her vocals don't necessarily reflect these changing times, the music backing her vocals certainly does. Here's what you get on his well-rounded best-of: a few tracks from her late-'70s flirtation with lite disco, most notably "Joy to Have Your Love"; a few of her quiet storm recordings on Philadelphia International with Kenny Gamble and Bunny Sigler at the helm, most notably "Love, Need and Want You" and "If You Only Knew"; a late-'80s Diane Warren-penned song, "If You Asked Me To"; and quite a few of her adult contemporary '90s hits, most notably the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis-produced "Someone Like You" and "The Right Kinda Lover," the Teddy Riley-produced "This Word Is All," and the post-Philadelphia International Bunny Sigler-produced "Somebody Loves You Baby (You Know Who It Is)." As you can see, there's no shortage of highlights here -- every song on this collection is a career highlight for Labelle. However, there's a glaring shortage of her '80s material and an overemphasis on her '90s work with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. And though this is arguably an appropriate bias on the part of Hip-O, those who aren't familiar with Labelle's pre-'90s work are a bit cheated with this collection's contemporary focus. Still, this is a petty complaint; for the most part, there's nothing to complain about here -- this collection is filled to the brim with great love songs. You shouldn't be disappointed. ~ Jason Birchmeier