Babyface is releasing his first album that will contain mostly covers of his favorite songs under re-launched Mercury Records.
- Jul 20, 2007
AceShowbiz - R&B icon Babyface has stepped back in the music scene with a new CD. The singer will release "Playlist" on September 18 under the revived Mercury Records.
Still attached with new materials, the album will mostly contain cover songs from his favorite musicians. Among the covered tracks are James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" and "Shower People", Dan Fogelberg's "Longer", Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle", Eric Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight", Bob Dylan's "Knocking' on Heaven's Door", Dave Loggins' "Please Come to Boston", and Bread's "Diary".
"These songs came from memories, and these songs helped shape who I am � and they�re still shaping who I am," said Babyface on the new record. "They shaped my past and now they�re shaping my future."
Coming to the idea of compiling the classics, Babyface based the play list on childhood memory. "Normally, I would listen to the R&B station, but they�d be playing church music, too," he said. "So I�d switch to the AM pop station, and that�s where I was introduced to James Taylor, Bread, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton. I was learning how to play guitar, it was acoustic music, and it talked to me. I loved it."
Even on his new materials, Babyface touches the very personal issue. For example "Not Going Nowhere" is the reassurance to his children that his divorce from their mom Tracey E. Edmonds will not change anything.�It�s part of a conversation that both Tracey and I had with our kids," Babyface explained. "We told them that we�re still the best of friends, and that nothing was going to change. We wanted to make them feel secure.�
"Playlist" is the follow up of 2005's "Grown and Sexy" that reached #10 in Billboard Hot 200 and #3 in Billboard�s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart. Beside working on this new album, Babyface also spent the past two years working with Ashanti on her new album "The Declaration" which is due October 23.
To have a sneak peek of "Fire and Rain" click here and for the brand new "Not Going Anywhere" click here. Also check out two Babyface's EPK video streams here and here.
