Girl, i been watching you...

The title of the blog forms the opening line of one of the greatest pop ballads, r'n'b slow smooch numbers of all time, Gregory Abbott's 1986 smash "Shake You Down". I hadn't heard this tune in years and years, until the magic of youtube and a similarly musically disposed friend combined to provide a reminder of the hugeness of this tune, and all in ready to view video format. Youtube has become such a relatively instant smash it seems odd now to even think of life without it, and for the crate-digging music fan, or even the ironic cheesy pop searcher, it is a godsend. But what of the tune itself? Well it is simply a great example of its type, cheesy as a Frenchman's larder but with that soulful core that stops it from verging into complete ridicule. I first heard it on a compilation I had as a younster. Back in 1988 the summer album charts in the UK were topped by a soul compilation called Nite Flite, and it is still one of the most brilliant compilations I have ever owned.

Sadly now long lost to the annals of history, this album was my introduction to so many amazing artists. I already knew and loved Luther, but this album brought me into contact for the first time with Minnie Ripperton, Randy Crawford (how incredible is Sweet Love by the way, or Almaz for that matter!?!), Atlantic Starr, SOS Band, George Benson and Champagne. In many ways it was the beginnings of a love affair with the cheesier side of r'n'b that I am never too ashamed to admit that I love. But bizarrely, given that it was my favourite amongst the assembled tunes, I never looked more into Gregory Abbott. And so here I am full circle, utilising the Internet to track down more information on this oft-overlooked soul man. I'm not sure at this point whether he ever topped "Shake You Down", even in the multi-platinum and well-lauded album of the same name, but I'm going to enjoy finding out!