Customer Reviews

What You Won't Do for Love

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a re-release of the album originally titled, simply, "Bobby Caldwell." It was released with little fanfare on the Clouds label. But the album had a major crossover success on board. Thus, the change in title. "What You Won't Do..." was like a bolt out of the blue. No one had really heard of Bobby Caldwell before that (just as no one had heard of Boz Scaggs before "Silk Degrees"). The song became a staple of Old Skool and Quiet Storm radio stations. What's really nice about this album is that all of its songs are of high quality. "My Flame" was a fine follow-up, which deserves to be played during Quiet Storm hours, but is sadly overlooked. I also really liked "Take Me Back" and "Love Won't Wait" especially, but as noted, these are all quality efforts. There is a lot of soul in Bobby's voice. On this album I could clearly hear the influence of both Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. He can really sing. And that's the other refreshing thing about him: Bobby Caldwell is a singer's singer. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the magic of "What You Won't Do..." would be hard to duplicate, especially for a singer without major label support. It was not Bobby's style to rest on his laurels in this fashion. He has continued to grow as an artist, expanding his approach and his reach, as he's gone. Today, Bobby Caldwell is a jazz-styled singer of pop standards. He packs them in at his concerts, and he has become such a good singer, he doesn't even have to perform his biggest song, anymore. That is what I'd call success: when you have gained the freedom to sing what you want to sing (as opposed to what you are MADE to sing). This album was his first big step. For Bobby Caldwell (and his fans), the romantic journey continues.

What You Won't Do For Love is arguably one of the most memorable and slickest slow jams to have come out of the 70's. Heaven knows it's been the subject of countless remakes from hip-hop to mindless elevator muzak for a number of years.

I always pictured Bobby Caldwell as a jingle singer with a novelty voice - meaning, that other people could probably do a far better treatment of his songs than he could. But, somehow the original still remains the best. The vocals are very simple, the melody is tight and the refrain is so haunting that you find yourself lost in it long after the last "What I Would Not Do" is sung.

I always wondered why this song never made it to number one on the R&B charts. People speculated it was due in large part to the Blue Eyed Soul syndrome, a similar fate that stifled Hall & Oates' "Sarah Smile".... The real reason is; a great album had the misfortune of being released on a tiny label (Clouds) with more than likely, an equally diminutive marketing budget.

Clouds did release a heart shaped 45 of the song on red vinyl - I guess to coincide with Valentine's Day.

Unrequited love can't get the best of you lovers out there -- that is, not if this sublime CD is part of your pop/R&B collection. I have the original CD of this set of songs, titled "Bobby Caldwell," and I love kicking back to listen to it when I'm feeling a bit haunted by ghosts, uh, lovers of the past.

My first time hearing "What You Won't Do for Love" was the morning of Valentine's Day on a Top 40 radio station. The DJ announced Bobby Caldwell's name excitedly, and I remember being puzzled because I had never heard of the singer before that day. I probably was late for school because Bobby Caldwell's smooth, soulful vocals blending with the Earth, Wind & Fire-influenced groove had me hypnotized in the middle of my room. Not since Deniece Williams' "Free," released the previous year, had I received such an exquisite lesson in adult-themed romance and intimacy.

As an adult, I love to imagine that Caldwell is crooning to me when I listen to slow cuts like "My Flame" and "Down for the Third Time." I also admire his fast-tempo tracks, but on the slow songs Caldwell gives a nod to Sinatra in his ability to transport the listener to a cozy jazz club setting. It's just Bobby and I, and he's onstage leaning down with the microphone toward me while I sit there blushing at the table-for-one -- ahem, sorry, I guess I got caught up in the moment.

While "What You Won't Do for Love" holds a special place in my memory, "My Flame" has become my favorite in recent years. On that track, the wistful kalimba and guitar pluck on the heartstrings while Caldwell interprets what could be any of our romantic experiences. For example, how many of us still have that "picture on the shelf" (or in the attic or closet -- but not buried there)? And how many of us wish we had a personal time machine that would allow us to demand to that former lover: "Tell me you still want me"? Just listen to the way Bobby Caldwell turns mellifluous on the word "flame" in the last refrain and you'll understand why he's a master of the torch song.

A final word about "My Flame": It has endurance not only in the minds of Caldwell's longtime fans but also in the music industry. Only a few years back, I got chills upon hearing Vanessa L. Williams' alluring cover of the song. (Only one of her greatest-hits collections includes "My Flame," so check out the track listing carefully.) It doesn't matter whether it was her decision or her record label's to record it, but she personified Desire in a way that probably made Caldwell proud -- royalties aside.

As for the midtempo "Down for the Third Time," Caldwell sounds as hip as ever singing about love and independence. The song's melodic ending, with its descending chord progression and Caldwell's undulating "oohs" and "ohs," is so infectious that you'll regret not having programmed the track back-to-back on your CD player.

This 1978 album was Bobby Caldwell's first--I believe it was originally a self-titled effort, and that the title was changed to "What You Won't Do for Love" when the song of the same name became a hit. There is some great stuff here, but unfortunately, it seems that Caldwell just didn't have enough material and/ or was in a hurry to meet a deadline, because there is a considerable amount of blatant filler, including overlong fades, & the album runs less than 35 minutes in the first place. Also, the lyrics are often very slight. He's clearly in disco territory on a couple songs--the album opening "Special To Me" is way too sugary, but the wonderfully melodic "Love Won't Wait" is an irresistible, somewhat jazz-flavored tune. The smooth, wistful soft rock ballad "My Flame" is captivating with great hooks, but there are a couple really weak ballads as well with the ridiculously sappy "Come To Me", and "Take Me Back To Then" which is a song about wanting to be a kid again and has a very annoyingly overblown lead vocal. Plus, the funk-flavored love ballad "Can't Say Goodbye" is really let down by the overwrought vocals, lame lyrics, & the excessive, overlong fade. The super mellow album closer "Down For The Third Time" has cool, jazzy guitar, & it's an infectiously catchy tune, but it has a fade that's really long, really repetitive, and really dull. He also slips in an instrumental fragment "Kalimba Song"--it's less than a minute & 1/2 long & fades out so abruptly that it leaves you with an undeniable "What, that's it?" feeling. There's no denying though that the soulful title track is a classic--it's got a great horn riff, cool orchestration, an ultra-catchy melody, & Caldwell's vocals on it are terrific--he sounds quite similar to Stevie Wonder, but without the annoyingly overdone 'show-biz' mannerisms that Wonder has a tendency to indulge in; this song also has a very long fade, but this time it's to nice effect--it's got a nice contemplative, atmospheric feel to it. In the end, the album is a heck of a mixed bag--it's a shame, because the best stuff demonstrates that Caldwell was capable of a masterpiece. As it is, this is still worth getting if you see it for a low price--there is some must-have material on here that makes the album worth having.

This one that made it big for Bobby Caldwell. It's orignally titled "Bobby Caldwell" but was forced to change it due 2 total reasons. Can't say much about it, this is a good album that anybody who wants to hear good music 'cuz my dad said he's was once discovered by Barry White. Everybody should know that the title song to this CD is a all-time favorite slow jam one that would go on years to come.

I recommend u should buy this instead of a hip-hop/rap album I used to buy all the time.

No one should live without this!

Bobby's What You Won't Do For Love is an oldie but goodie. Who can't fall in love with the song, What You Won't Do For Love. I also enjoy the tune, My Flame and Love Won't Wait. Can't Say Goodbye has a Disco beat to it that takes me back to the 70's.

Perfect sing-along-track "What you won't do for love" . Had the vinyl for over 10 years - time I invested in the CD version - so I can protect this masterpiece of a track/ album .

First of all, in the context of the time that this was recorded, it was a pleasant departure from what was dominating the airwaves. At that time most of the record chart hits had a disco beat and were heavily produced. Then comes this recording heralded by the tender R&B influenced "What You Won't Do For Love" which instantly became etched in just about everyone's memory. The song had a directness, a tenderness, with a simple horn chart and spare accompaniment. The song is timeless.

Bobby has very clear tenor voice with an excellent range and he knows how to use it. This simplicity and directness carries through the whole of this recording. They songs all have the "heart on the sleeve" feeling. There's a bit of heartbreak with all the sentimentality. So much so that it's almost borne of that early sixties innocence.

The songs are diverse in influence. Jazzy, with Carribean, World, Pop and in one case Disco influences. Although the Disco tune is not as heavy handed as that genre could be. That being the first cut on this recording.

Throughout Bobby delivers with a grace and maturity, if a little tortured in the lost-love or scenarios of some of the songs.

It's good simple pop music, which as I said was a refreshing departure from the heavy production values and arena rock recordings of the time. Bobby has since had a good career both as a songwriter, session singer and headliner in his own right. He has tackled some diverse material and has even outdone the Michael Bubles and Harry Connicks of the world with two popular standard recordings.

It all begins here.

Much to his despair, Bobby Caldwell is mainly known for "What you won't do for love". Although it is a gem, he has many more five star songs and albums. On this cd, listen to the Kalimba tunes (made popular by EWF) on the romantic "My flame", the Lou Rawls like "Love won't wait", or the rythmic "Down for the third time", where Bobby plays the guitar like so many artists play it today, 20 years later...

Bobby Caldwell's What you won't do for love is one of the best love songs of the 1970's. This album should have gotten more exposure.