Songoftheday 8/19/12 - No sleep last night, I've been dreamin' of you...


Evelyn "Champagne" King - "Love Come Down"
from the album Get Loose (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #17 (two weeks)
Weeks in the top-40: 8

Today's Song of the Day is by R&B/disco singer Evelyn "Champagne" King, who was discovered as an office cleaner at the Philadelphia International Records' offices in the 70s. Her first album in 1977, Smooth Talk, busted her out of the box, becoming a top-20 pop album in the US, selling over a million copies, and producing her biggest hit single, "Shame", which made the top-10 on the American pop, R&B, and dance charts. Three years later in 1981 the title track to her fourth album I'm In Love topped the R&B and dance charts as well as grazed the top-40, proving she her career had legs beyond the "passing" of disco.

For Evelyn's fifth album, she released the ultrasmooth "Love Come Down" as the first single, which returned her back into the top-20 on the pop chart.


Written by singer and producer Kashif, "Love Come Down" also was a #1 hit on the R&B and the dance chart as well. Her Get Loose record was her fourth top-40 album as well as her first and only R&B specific #1 album. But it would prove to be King's last top-40 pop hit (so far).

(Click below to see the rest of the post0


The British club legend Alison Limerick scored a top-40 hit in England with her house version of the song in 1994..



In 1983, reggae singer Barry Biggs slowed down the tempo for his Caribbean-flavored take on the song..


Christian dance artist Scott Blackwell incorporated the song into his production of the same name in 1992..


Sweet Sable (Ceybil Jeffries), released a new-jack-swing/Soul II Soul-ish version in 1994..


It was taken to the 'hood in 1997 by producer Tragedy Khadafi and rappers Nas and Noreaga on "Calm Down"..


Da Brat also cribbed the track for "High Come Down" in 2000...(NSFW)


Papa Reu and Lil' Keke grooved along with the music in 2000 with "Diamonds And Pearls"..


Current album charttopper Rick Ross sampled the song's melody on "All I Really Want" with The-Dream in 2009..


Finally, the Gym Class Heroes' Travie McCoy spun the song behind his "Let's Get It On" in 2009..


Up tomorrow: Southern rockers bring in the Special Forces.

Comments

John said…
Another one of my favorite jams from the 80s. Truly contagious.
twostepcub said…
I know I love this song. It never got overplayed so it remains as fresh and cool as before.
Ben said…
YES! I can't keep my golden hips still when this gets played! Never heard any of the remakes not sure I actually want to. I always like to play this back to back with "Never Knew Love Like This Before" by Stephanie Mills.
twostepcub said…
Actually, if you can't stand rap music you pretty much won't like any of the remakes save the Sweet Sable one, which admittedly does have a soul-ii-soul-ish vibe to it, but in no way comes close to the original