Known primarily as a soul-pop crooner responsible for a handful of rather bland ballads popular during the '80s, long-time soul star Osborne delivered a genuine classic of the genre in this 1983 track. Despite a Top 10 performance on the R&B charts, this was one of those dated but still excellent singles that wasn't quite able to break through as a full-fledged, across-the-board pop megahit. Its No. 30 peak on this most mainstream of mainstream charts strikes me as an injustice, especially considering the glut of low-quality dance-pop that ultimately ruled the '80s charts. Anyway, the song serves as a near-perfect showcase for Osborne's precise but honestly emotional baritone, also providing one of the most infectiously melodic choruses of a decade filled with such confections. It probably won't surprise regular readers of this site to hear that I don't possess either encyclopedic knowledge or a widespread appreciation of soul music, but this is one of those tunes that is likely to bump many other songs I enjoy to claim a permanent slot on my iPod.

Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Universal