Sydney Youngblood
Encyclopedia
Sydney Youngblood is an American
born German
singer, who had several successful dance
/funk
hits
during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
in the UK
and Europe
in 1988 and 1989
, including "Sit and Wait
", "I'd Rather Go Blind
" and his debut "If Only I Could
". "If Only I Could" used the bassline
and drumbeat from the Raze
track, "Break For Love", and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart
.
In the U.S.
, the song
"I'd Rather Go Blind" (originally sung by Etta James
) enjoyed heavy rotation on the dance scene and made the Top 10 in the "Billboard Dance Charts". "Sit and Wait" reached number 16 in the UK early in 1990.
Youngblood continued his success with the album
, Feeling Free, which also contained his earlier single, "Ain't No Sunshine
".
reign. Due to his musical style of soul
vocals
over hip-hop rhythm
s, he had been accused by some in the music press
of copying the sound of Soul II Soul
, an influential British black music group who had reached number one with their hit "Back To Life". Youngblood responded by releasing a remix
of his earlier hit "Feeling Free" (featuring Elaine Hudson) called "The Jazzy Who? remix" in reference to Soul II Soul's Jazzie B
. The track featured piano
lead that sounded similar to "Happiness" by Soul II Soul, and used a beat identical to "Jazzies Groove".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
born German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
singer, who had several successful dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
/funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Career
He had four Top 40 hitsHit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1988 and 1989
1989 in British music
This is a summary of 1989 in music in the United Kingdom, including the official charts from that year.-Summary:The very beginning of the year saw compilation albums excluded from the UK Albums Chart, and spun off into the new UK Compilations Chart from the week ending 14 January 1989...
, including "Sit and Wait
Sit and Wait
"Sit and Wait" is a 1989 song recorded by German singer Sydney Youngblood. It was his second single off his debut album Feeling Free and was released in late 1989 and early 1990 in European countries...
", "I'd Rather Go Blind
I'd Rather Go Blind
"I'd Rather Go Blind" is a Blues song written by Ellington Jordan and co-credited to Billy Foster. It was first recorded by Etta James in 1968, and has subsequently become regarded as a blues and soul classic.-Original version by Etta James:...
" and his debut "If Only I Could
If Only I Could
If Only I Could is the debut single from artist Sydney Youngblood and became his biggest hit. Released as a single from his album Feeling Free in 1989, the song was composed by Claus Zundel, a producer of multi-million selling projects Sacred Spirit and B-Tribe. It is now considered Youngblood's...
". "If Only I Could" used the bassline
Bassline
A bassline is the term used in many styles of popular music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic music for the low-pitched instrumental part or line played by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, tuba or keyboard...
and drumbeat from the Raze
Raze (house music group)
Raze was an American electronic dance music group, assembled by the multi-instrumentalist and producer, Vaughan Mason. Mason had previously released the hit single, "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll", for Brunswick Records in 1979. Raze also contained the vocalist, Keith Thompson...
track, "Break For Love", and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
.
In the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
"I'd Rather Go Blind" (originally sung by Etta James
Etta James
Etta James is an American blues, soul, rhythm and blues , rock and roll, gospel and jazz singer. In the 1950s and 1960s, she had her biggest success as a blues and R&B singer...
) enjoyed heavy rotation on the dance scene and made the Top 10 in the "Billboard Dance Charts". "Sit and Wait" reached number 16 in the UK early in 1990.
Youngblood continued his success with the album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Feeling Free, which also contained his earlier single, "Ain't No Sunshine
Ain't No Sunshine
"Ain't No Sunshine" is a song by Bill Withers from his 1971 album Just as I Am, produced by Booker T. Jones. The record featured musicians Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass guitar and Al Jackson, Jr. on drums, as well as Withers on lead vocals and guitar. The song was released as a single in September...
".
Sydney Youngblood vs Soul II Soul
Minor controversy ensued during Youngblood's chartRecord chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
reign. Due to his musical style of soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
vocals
Human voice
The human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Its frequency ranges from about 60 to 7000 Hz. The human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary...
over hip-hop rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
s, he had been accused by some in the music press
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
of copying the sound of Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul
Soul II Soul are a British group that was created in London in 1988. They are best known for their 1989 UK chart-topper and U.S. Top 5 hit, "Back to Life ".-Career:...
, an influential British black music group who had reached number one with their hit "Back To Life". Youngblood responded by releasing a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
of his earlier hit "Feeling Free" (featuring Elaine Hudson) called "The Jazzy Who? remix" in reference to Soul II Soul's Jazzie B
Jazzie B
Trevor Beresford Romeo OBE , better known by his stage name Jazzie B, is a British DJ, music producer, and entrepreneur. He is a founding member of Soul II Soul.-Life and career:...
. The track featured piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
lead that sounded similar to "Happiness" by Soul II Soul, and used a beat identical to "Jazzies Groove".
Discography
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "If Only I Could If Only I Could If Only I Could is the debut single from artist Sydney Youngblood and became his biggest hit. Released as a single from his album Feeling Free in 1989, the song was composed by Claus Zundel, a producer of multi-million selling projects Sacred Spirit and B-Tribe. It is now considered Youngblood's... " |
1989 | Feeling Free |
| "Sit and Wait Sit and Wait "Sit and Wait" is a 1989 song recorded by German singer Sydney Youngblood. It was his second single off his debut album Feeling Free and was released in late 1989 and early 1990 in European countries... " |
1989 | |
| "I'd Rather Go Blind I'd Rather Go Blind "I'd Rather Go Blind" is a Blues song written by Ellington Jordan and co-credited to Billy Foster. It was first recorded by Etta James in 1968, and has subsequently become regarded as a blues and soul classic.-Original version by Etta James:... " |
1989 | |
| "Hooked on You" | 1991 | Passion, Grace And Serious Bass |
| "Anything" | 1993 | Just the Way It Is |
| "So Good So Right (All I Can Do)" | 1994 | The Hat Won't Fit |
| "Christmas Song" | 1999 | |
| "If Only I Could" (Tom Pulse Vs. Sydney Youngblood) | 2007 | - |