Songoftheday 8/27/21 - I've finally found the nerve to say I'm gonna make a change in my life, starting here today I surrender all my love...

 

 

"You" - Jesse Powell

from the album 'Bout It (1998)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10 (one week)

Weeks in the Top-40: 14

 

Today's song comes from R&B singer Jesse Powell, who grew up in Gary, Indiana, and like the Jacksons, came from a musical family (sisters Trina & Tamara were featured singers on the top ten pop hit from Somethin' For The People "My Love Is The Shhhh!" in the autumn of 1997).  Signed to MCA Records on the Silas imprint (ran by producer Louis Silas Jr.), Powell released his self-titled debut album in 1996. The lead single, "All I Need", climbed to #32 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart, and "bubbled under" the pop Hot 100 at #113. 

In 1998, Powell returned with his sophomore effort 'Bout It. The lead single from the set, "I Wasn't With It", climbed to #25 on the R&B chart, and was Jesse's first to crack the pop Hot 100 at #85. But the follow-up would prove to be Powell's big break, and the biggest hit of his career. "You", written by Powell with producer Carl Rowland, originally appeared on his debut. Featuring saxophonist Gerald Albright, the song starts out pretty textbook soul love ballad, but when Jesse opens up towards the end, his soaring vocals are damn impressive, taking me back to the days of Tevin Campbell in the early 1990s. In fact, his performance is really what saves this song from being mediocre...

"You" climbed all the way into the top ten on the American pop chart in March of 1999. The song spent a week at #2 on Billboard's R&B chart as well. The 'Bout It album, released in September of 1998, peaked at #63 on the Billboard 200 sales tally, and #15 on their R&B Albums list, going on to move over a half million copies.

Despite the success of "You", Jesse's follow-up "Bout It Bout It", which sounded like a watered down Bone Thugs-N-Harmony track, failed to chart at either pop or R&B, even with his vocals on point. In 2001, Powell returned with his third disc JP. Two songs from the set were minor hits, with "If I" reaching #58, but neither reached the Hot 100 or even the "bubbling" list. With the album getting to #71 on the Billboard 200, Powell and MCA parted ways for him to go indie. In 2003, on the Riviera label, Powell came back with his most recent studio set Jesse. The first single from the album, "By The Way", spent a single week at #99 on Billboard's R&B chart. This will be Jesse's last time in the series.

(6/10)

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There was a more uptempo remix of "You" done by producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jenkins that featured sisters Trina & Tamara on backup vocals...

and lastly, Powell singing "You" at Live At The Apollo in 1999...

Up tomorrow: Another hunky soul singer serenades the women.