Ain’t Nobody was written by the group’s keyboard player, David ‘ Hawk’ Wolinski, while he was experimenting with early versions of sequencers and Linn drums. It’s as if the whole live show is an overture for one of the greatest songs ever recorded, housed on the contract-fulfilling studio-only side four. She is fully in control and although her stage patter is largely clichéd – "Hi New York, how ya doin’?" – it is delivered with such joie de vivre that you feel nobody had ever addressed a crowd that way before. Khan is the star of the show, electrifying the band’s occasionally generic grooving. A beautiful, high-powered rendition of At Midnight from Ask Rufus (My Love Will Lift You Up) is a highlight, as is Khan’s duet with guitarist Tony Maiden on a version of Marvin Gaye’s Ain’t That Peculiar later, the encore of Do You Love What You Feel is all exuberance and audience participation. The album cherry-picks cuts from across the band’s career. This set, their final album, changed all that – with three sides live, recorded in New York in February 1982, and four new studio songs, it acted, albeit too late, as a perfect introduction to the group’s smooth sound. Although lead singer Chaka Khan was no stranger to the British charts, thanks to her enormous 1978 hit I’m Every Woman, her parent band was something of a mysterious delicacy. For many in the UK, Stompin’ at the Savoy was the first time they heard the potent rock/soul/jazz hybrid of Rufus. "Sweet Thing - Boney James | Songs, Reviews, Credits". ^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs – Year-End 1993".Blige Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". What's the 411? (Liner Notes) (Compact Disc). Blige's Debut Album 'What's the 411?' Turns 25: Anniversary Retrospective". ^ "Rufus Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)".Knight has since been invited to perform the song at Khan's London O2 Arena date on her UK tour, after collaborating with the singer on her Blige duet "Disrespectful" at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Due to the popularity of Knight's version with her fans, it was later included on her Voice - The Best of Beverley Knight (2006) compilation. Knight's version was recorded for a BBC Radio 2 session and was included as the B-side to her 2004 single " Not Too Late for Love". UK soul singer Beverley Knight has also recorded a version of the song. The album's title track included background vocals by original co-writer Tony Maiden. In 1997, contemporary jazz saxophonist Boney James did another remake of the song it was included on the album titled Sweet Thing. Sean "Puffy" Combs – executive producer.Credits and personnel Ĭredits adapted from the What's the 411? liner notes. It's another love song and Blige softens her tone a little to keep everything sweet." Havelock Nelson from Entertainment Weekly called it "a jazzy remake". A shoulder-swaying rhythm base firmly supports an appealing, diva-style vocal and familiar funk guitar chords." He added, "Watch this one glide onto pop and urban playlists within seconds." The Daily Vault's Mark Millan noted that "Sweet Thing" "is probably the most "pop" of all the songs on offer here. Larry Flick from Billboard said that the singer's version is "a faithful rendition of the Chaka Khan & Rufus classic. Stanton Swihart from AllMusic described it as " gospel-thrusted", stating that songs like "Sweet Thing" "are and will remain timeless slices of soul even after their trendiness has worn off". Blige also performed the song live on the eighteenth season of Saturday Night Live on March 13, 1993.ĭaryl McIntosh from Albumism stated that Blige's "savory rendition" of the Rufus song "helped provide depth to her groundbreaking album". In addition, it marked Blige's first entry on the New Zealand Singles Chart. It became Blige's third top 40 on the US Billboard Hot 100, reaching number 28. Blige recorded a rendition for her debut album What's the 411? (1992). In 2009, Essence magazine included the song in their list of the "25 Best Slow Jams of All Time". Khan re-recorded it for the 1998 soundtrack New York Undercover: A Night at Natalie's. The record appears on the band's fourth album Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (1975).
The song was co-written by Khan and Rufus bandmate Tony Maiden and became one of the band and Khan's signature songs. Initially recorded and released a single in late 1975, it was first a hit with Rufus featuring Chaka Khan when they recorded the song in 1975, eventually reaching number-one on the R&B singles chart and number five on the pop chart.