Happy Valentine’s Day.

If this holiday means anything to you, you are probably stressed out from attempting to imagine the absolutely most perfect way to treat your loved one to a good time. You want your partner to know that he/she means something to you…means everything to you. Flowers, candy, jewelry, you’ll spare no expense.

Or so I’ve heard. I’ve never been in that type of situation.

If you’re a different type of person, you’re walking around your town or city, shooting dirty looks at every booed-up couple that walks by, wishing that they’d get splashed with puddle water by a passing SUV as they indulge in one of their many, gag inducing PDA sessions.

I used to be like that. Now, I don’t really care. It’s just another day to me.

Not too many people express how it feels to be in love better than Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds. As I’m sure you know, the Indiana native first broke through as a member of funk outfit The Deele. He began recording solo albums when he was still with the band, and his debut, Lovers, came out even before he and partner/bandmate Antonio “L.A.” Reid had broken through as songwriters/producers.

The first single, “I Love You Babe,” was a fairly sizable R&B hit, and it’s easy to see why. The sentiment is simple, it’s got a melody that’s super easy to remember, and it’s breezy and effortless in the way that much of ‘Face’s best work is to this day.

The video is fairly simple as well, with the only regrettable aspect being Babyface’s hair. It’s not a Jheri Curl, it’s sort of permed and wavy, and it looks like nothing I’ve seen before or since. Thankfully, ‘Face ditched the ‘do pretty quickly after he became a certified star in 1989 with the classic album Tender Lover.

Bad hair aside, though; “I Love You Babe” is a jam, and Lovers isn’t a bad album (although certainly not among ‘Face’s best.)

(Buy “I Love You Babe” on Amazon MP3)

 

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