What You Won't Do For Love by Bobby Caldwell

What You Won't Do For Love

1978

Bobby Caldwell

Back in the Mid Seventies, a sub-genre of music called 'Quiet Storm' was created just about specifically for those either heading home after a night of clubbing or working the graveyard shift. One of Smokey Robinson's hits gave the genre it's name, and it was introduced to the late-night radio listening world by a DJ at Washington DC's WHUR-FM. The music was soft, extra-smooth soothing, and mellow, and it was just about the exclusive domain of artists such as Smokie Robinson, and his many mega-talented contemporaries, all of whom African-American artists. Except for one...see, one of these songs was 1979's first Top 20 One Hit Wonder...but there was a catch.

You see, The 70's final First One Hit Wonder Of The Year was an uber-popular Quiet Storm hit, recorded by a white Jazz musician...did I mention that his label tried to hide the fact that he was white?

Bobby Caldwell was a very popular and extremely talented singer on the club circuit in Miami during the Mid-Seventies, talented enough that the brass at Miami's TK records took note and the label's president, Henry Stone, offered him an exclusive contract. Needless to say , Bobby C. jumped at it and work on his first, self titled album began...the album was finished...Henry Stone took a listen...liked what he was hearing...but...

He didn't hear anything that yelled 'Massive Mega Breakout Hit' to him. Nada. As in Zilch. And, as record labels, like any other business, exist to make money, an album without a hit was useless to them, no matter how good it sounded. So Bobby Caldwell and Company headed back into the studio, and began playing around with rhythms and Bobby himself worked with the melody and penned some lyrics, and they got hold of renowned Miami music arrangement guru Mike Lewis and asked him to take a look and see what magic he could work on their Hopeful Hit In Progress.

He looked at what Caldwell and crew had done, possibly squinted meaningfully, tilted his head, and equally possibly said something to the effect of 'The Tune Needs Horns...lots and lots of horns...so he added horns to the arrangement, in the process creating one of the more memorable horn accompaniments of just about any song during the Seventies,and definitely during the Disco era. Those horns, by the way, would be one of the things 'What You Won't Do For Love' is remembered most for, and were a huge part of it's success. One of the things everyone remembers about the tune...and recognizes instantly when they hear it...is that intro.

Henry Stone felt like he finally had his hit...and again, but... Bobby Caldwell wanted to make 'What You Won't Do For Love' the album's sixth track, and make a tune called 'My Flame' Side 1's lead-off track, figuring that would be the album's hit (The fact that he had a lengthy guitar solo in it may have had something to do with this as well)...but TK Records had different ideas when they heard 'What You Won't Do For Love'. They knew they had their hit. Annnnd...they nailed it. Instead of releasing 'My Flame' as the albums first single, they released 'What You Won't Do For Love', which not only made it into the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, it cracked the Top 10, peaking at #9 on March 24^th, 1979.

Like all of our 'First One Hit Wonders' it was actually released during the latter part of the previous year...1978, in this case...and hit it off immediately, especially with African American record buyers who bought the great majority of the R&B and Jazz records. Thus TK Records panicked mildly and said 'We cannot let them know he's (GASP) white!!!!' So, if you find copy of the album...ultimately re-released and renamed after the hit single when 'What You Won't Do For Love' took off and started climbing the charts...note the cover art, specifically the photo of Bobby Caldwell. He was photographed in silhouette, and also shown only in silhouette in advertisements for the album, and the single. OF course this charade was blown slam out of the water when he began appearing live, and other than the probability that a few guys noted that 'Hey, Bobby C's a white dude!!!!' it didn't distract from the songs popularity at all...'What You Won't Do For Love' was a bona fide hit, and is considered by many to be a bona fide classic.

The song's been covered by dozens of R&B and Jazz grops and artists over the years, but the original's the run-away favorite among musicophiles...and it's also another classic that you'll still hear now and then on the Oldies stations. Usually late at night, just as it was meant to be played. Nothing like hearing those smooth, smooth horns and rhythms and Bobby C's equally smooth vocals at Oh Dark Hundred when you're at work.

Hopefully this one'll last forever, too...as true classics should.

So Enjoy. What You Won't Do For Love', by Bobby Caldwell.

An interesting little note on 'What You Won't Do For Love...when the single was released it was pressed on special bright red heart shaped records...the grooves, of course, were in the normal circle in the center of the record so it could be played. Fifty thousand of them were pressed for Valentines Day 1979, and all were sold. These singles are collectors items now...so if you have one, or get hold of one, hang on to it!

Interesting Note Numero Dos. WHUR...the D.C. Station that introduced the Quiet Storm genre...is still on the air, and is now an Urban Adult Contemporary Music station.