![]() Pounding drums, percussion and a wash of synths open this dance track. It’s the way the track is mixed, plus the way various instruments sit in the mix. Straight away, on Get Over It, I hear Tom Moulton’s influence. However, what makes this such a special, moving and beautiful song, is the lyrics and Eddie’s delivery of them. It’s as if the song is a celebration of his two son’s and their lives.Eddie’s vocal is multi-tracked, so he contributes soulful, backing vocals, that provide a contrast to his powerful, impassioned vocal. They provide an arrangement that’s bright and uplifting. His voice is full of emotion, as keyboards, guitars and the rhythm section accompany him. Listening to the lyrics and Eddie’s vocal, you can hear the hurt and heartache in his voice. Opening I Still Have It is Last Man Standing, a song Eddie wrote about the loss of his two sons, Eddie and Gerald. That was Tom Moulton, who remixed the twelve tracks on I Still Have It, Eddie Levert’s debut album, which I’ll now tell you about. It’s was along with another musical legend that Eddie collaborated with in the making of I Still Have It. ![]() Strangely and modestly, Eddie feels he has to prove “worthy of being in their presence,” “that he’s an asset to what they’re doing” and that he’s still a “valuable artist.” Personally, I think it’s the other way around, with these artists worthy of working with the great Eddie Levert, a man whose a true legend of music. Unlike other artists, Eddie hasn’t collaborated with modern R&B artists. Each track features the unmistakable sound of Eddie’s vocals. They’re a combination of ballads and uptempo tracks. Like these two tracks, the other ten tracks on Last Man Standing were written and produced by Eddie. So, hopefully, writing and recording this track has proved cathartic, helping Eddie to come to terms with such tragic circumstances. Obviously, this must be the worst thing that can happen to a father, outliving his sons. On Last Man Standing, the title-track and first single released from the album, Eddie broaches one of the most heartbreaking aspects of his life, the death of his two sons Eddie and Gerald. It was during this time they were parted, that Eddie felt such loneliness, that made him realise just how strong his love for Rachel was. He wrote this track about being parted from Rachel for the first time ever, when she embarked upon an expedition to Africa, where she climbs Mount Kilimanjaro. This includes his love for his wife Raquel Capelton, which he sings about on Lonely. On the twelve songs on I Still Have It, Eddie reflects on various aspects of his life. In writing and recording the music on I Still Have It, it must have proved challenging and even cathartic. ![]() Before I tell you whether that’s the case, I’ll tell you about the background to the album.Īfter fifty-three years in the music business, Eddie Levert decided to record a solo album, which he’d never done before. This sees two colossuses of music unite with one common cause, ensuring that Eddie Levert’s debut solo album I Still Have It is a memorable one. Tom Moulton, the godfather of the remix and inventor of the twelve inch single mixes the album’s twelve tracks. Now, as if having Eddie Levert’s debut solo album released isn’t something to shout about from the rooftops, there’s an added bonus. His debut solo album is I Still Have It, released in May 2012. He hadn’t released a solo album…until now. However, there was one thing Eddie Levert hadn’t done in all his years as a singer. That’s not forgetting numerous classic singles, including the joyous Love Train, I Love Music, Livin’ For the Weekend, Darlin’ Darlin’ Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love) and Use Ta Be My Girl. This included Back Stabbers, Ship Ahoy, Survival, Family Reunion, Message In the Music and Full of Love. During their time on Philadelphia International Records, not only did The O’Jays become one of the label’s biggest acts and success stories, but released a string of classic album. Since then, The O’Jays have released album after album of classy, polished soul. After joining The O’Jays in 1958, Eddie’s spent over fifty years as lead singer of Canton, Ohio’s favorite sons. Eddie proves the maxim that form is temporary, but class is permanent. What Eddie Levert still has, is one of the best voices in R&B music. Never before, has an album title been more apt than Eddie Levert’s debut solo album I Still Have It.
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