Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It

Raphael Saadiq | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 16, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B001CY2EL6
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,022 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #48 in Music > R&B > Contemporary R&B

Track Listings

1. Sure Hope You Mean It

2. 100 Yard Dash

3. Keep Marchin'

4. Big Easy featuring The Infamous Young Spodie and the Rebirth Brass Band

5. Just One Kiss featuring Joss Stone

6. Love That Girl

7. Calling

8. Staying In Love

9. Oh Girl

10. Let's Take A Walk

11. Never Give You Up featuring Stevie Wonder and CJ

12. Sometimes

13. Oh Girl (Remix featuring Jay-Z)

Editorial Reviews

Raphael Saadiq's The Way I See It album is satisfying for both old school heads and today's hip music buyers: his background as a musician, singer and songwriter is steeped in a love for R&B married with a commitment to making his own brand of expressive soul music. The Way I See It has the kind of smooth musical flow associated with great records made by pioneering producers at famous R&B companies like Motown, Invictus and Brunswick. From the foot-tapping opening track, "Sure Hope You Mean It" to the head-shaking reflective closer "Sometimes," Raphael delivers a present day potent ode to a bygone era. Loyal Tony! Toni! Toné! fans will particularly appreciate "100 Yard Dash," which Raphael describes as "a juke joint, Booker T.-type groove. I reflected back to my first T!T!T! albums when I was singing in a high tenor voice." Raphael grins when talking about the hypnotic "Love That Girl": "Man, that's all about the swing...the way girls swing their hips! It's the type of song that will make people move and that shuffle beat reminds me of those ladies I used to see playing drums in church!" With its Motown-flavored tambourine-featured beat, "Never Give You Up" is what Raphael calls "my three generations song. It includes C.J., this youngster from Baltimore that I'm working with and Stevie Wonder. Now comes The Way I See It, a masterful collection of new material that speaks to Raphael Saadiq's deep love for rhythm and blues.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Motown classics that never were..., September 16, 2008

By 

Nse Ette (Lagos, Nigeria) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It (Audio CD)

Ok, Michael McDonald did it, as did Boyz II Men. Released albums of Motown standards, I mean.

Raphael Saadiq returns on his third solo studio disc with a similar principle, but with a twist; "The way I see it" comprises 12 original songs which were clearly inspired by Motown, they sound like Motown classics that never were. Right down to the length of most of the songs (about 3 minutes each), the harmonies, to the use of live instrumentation, he's got everything down to a "T"! It never sounds like pastiche.

Opening cut "Sure hope you love me" is an upbeat song that The Temptations or The Miracles could have done, and that sets the tone for most of the upbeat songs. "100 yard dash" (groovy with excellent harmonies), "Keep marchin'" (very Miracles-like), the sunny and bouncy "Big easy" (which takes a clever look at Katrina's effect on New Orleans - The Big Easy - using a story of a search for his girl who went missing), "Love that girl", and "Staying in love".

However, where he excels is the ballads; The all too brief "Just one kiss" features Joss Stone duetting (he did some production on her last CD) and reminds me of "I second that emotion". Saadiq admits this song was inspired by Smokey Robinson.

"Calling" is a stunning Doo Wop ballad with some Spanish guitar and vocals. It sounds like something Anthony & The Imperials would have done.

The piano/organ ballad "Oh girl" is awesome. Sweeping, and sung in a youthful falsetto, with crooning harmonies. "Let's take a walk" reminds me of Little Stevie Wonder (you bet Stevie would have been too young to sing about THAT though, lol!).

"Never give you up" features additional vocals by CJ Hilton, and a harmonica solo by Motown legend Stevie Wonder. It sounds like something from the Diana & Marvin duets album.

The groovy "Something" is the only thing that comes close to the Neo Soul stylings of his other 2 albums. The lyrics are autobiographical.

Closing is another version of "Oh girl" with an utterly unneccessary rap by Jay-Z. I guess it was done to get some airplay as I'm sure most stations would pass up this album for the manufactured pap that crowd their playlists.

Looking for real music? look no further!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sounds Of The 60's (Rating: 9 out of 10- -4.5 stars), September 23, 2008

By 

Chandler "Infamous" (Atlanta (College Park), Georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It (Audio CD)

I was kind of skeptical of buying this since I read in a few reviews of Raphael Saadiq taking his new album, The Way I See It, back into the 60's. I admit, I had to let this concept grow on me a little bit, only because I was not familiar with that kind of music. Thankfully it did, because the whole vibe does remind me of old 60's soul music. My dad, who grew up around the early/mid 60's, always played that kind of music during long road trips. So hearing something like this clicked in my head, as memories of those times.

Raphael Saadiq always had a great voice, all the way from his Tony Toni Tone days (they always loved that kind of music), so his vocals just flows with the vibe (on "Oh Girl" is vocals sounds like the lead singer from The Spinners). With upbeat songs such as "Sure Hope You Mean It" and "Keep Marchin'" has an old vibe to it. Love songs don't fail like the swingy (I guess I can make up a word too) "Big Easy", and the great sounding "Just One Kiss" with the help of Joss Stone. My favorite on here is "Oh Girl", and even the second take with Jay-Z is a bonus. Another favorite is "Never Give You Up" with CJ Hilton background vocals and legend Stevie Wonder playing his signature harmonica. Love it.

The Way I See It is a very conceptual album that is great. The music is sort of a time machine to bring back nostalgic memories for me (and if you were around that time, it does a lot more for you). With the nice sounding vocals and swell production, this is one that I will keep in heavy rotation for a while, and that's "the way I see it". Peace.

Lyrics: A
Production: A
Guest Appearances: A-
Musical Vibes: A+

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Oh Girl [2nd take] (featuring Jay-Z)
2. Never Give You Up (featuring CJ Hilton and Stevie Wonder)
3. Big Easy
4. Sure Hope You Mean It
5. Keep Marchin'

Honorable Mention:
1. 100 Yard Dash
2. Just One Kiss (featuring Joss Stone)
3. Calling

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lost 1965 Classic, September 20, 2008

By 

B. Wilson "Neosoul maven" (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Raphael Saadiq The Way I See It (Audio CD)

If the 60s Motown sounds is not your thing you probably will not like this cd. In my humble opinion, Saadiq knocks it out of the ballpark with this one, in terms of the musical arrangements, aching emotions, and sweet lyrics. He pours his heart and soul into every song - you would be hard-pressed to find any filler here. You cannot tell that the album was created in 2008! Yea, it is retro and breaks little to no new ground but damn Saadiq can craft mighty fine tunes. With so many production credits and quality albums under his belt Saadiq is heading towards legendary status. Ignore the hater reviews!