There has been no one like Sade on the pop music scene in the last 25 years.
With hits like Smooth Operator, Your Love is King, The Sweetest Taboo, Love is Stronger than Pride, Paradise, No Ordinary Love, Cherish the Day, By Your Side, and her most recent hit, Solider of Love, Sade has blazed her own trail in modern music.
I will write I’m one of her biggest fans. I know there are some of you that will dispute my claim. I’m okay with that. But, she has been my favorite female singer hands down.
Unlike most pop stars, Sade has only released 6 recorded CDs in 26 years on the music scene. The music industry usually wants their stars to put out a CD every year or two because they think the audience would forget about them and go on to the next pop sensation.
However, Sade has managed to have a large and devoted audience for all these years despite her relative low output. For example, her latest CD, Soldier of Love, released earlier this year made it the first for her in ten years.
What pop star could wait released to a new CD ten years after their previous one? I could probably count on one hand on how many artists could get away with doing that.
Okay, I some of you reading are asking why I do I like her so much?
Sade’s music has this laid-back, jazzy appeal that makes her easy to listen to. Her voice, while not a big voice like Mary J. Blige or Mariah Carey or Patti LaBelle, is distinctive and unique and fits the music. When you listen to her, you know it’s Sade and it’s original.
Also, she sings about love with such depth and heartache that I actually feel for her.
In Heaven’s name
why are you walking away
Hang on to your love
In Heaven’s name
why are you playing games
Hang on to your love
Take time
If you are down on love
It’s so easy to walk out on love
Take your time
If the going gets gets tough
Its so precious
So if you want it to get stronger
You better not let go
You go to hold on longer
If you want your love to grow
You got to stick together like hand and glove
Hold tight
Don’t fight
Hang on to your Love
That was from Hang On To Your Love (my favorite Sade song) on the Promise CD and Sade sings this with such earnestness and heartfelt emotion unlike anybody else in pop music.
I may be showing my age in this review…however I believe Sade’s music is timeless and we will still be writing or talking about her music 25 years from now.
yea I believe she is in a class of her own, especially with the live band she has been playing with over the decades. I hope to see that she’ll be honored for continuance of good and soulful music through the years.
Thanks for the comment, Lonnie. She is definitely in a class of her own.