Top 10 D'Angelo Songs

When D’Angelo (born Michael Eugene Archer) released Brown Sugar, his debut album in 1995, it started something special in R&B music. While the likes of R.Kelly, Babyface and Teddy Riley had dominated the charts with their modern, pitch-perfect and shiny approach to R&B, D’Angelo’s decided to approach his album with a traditional style reminiscent of Al Green, Stevie Wonder and Prince. The substantial success of the album saw him receive universal acclaim from critics and hailed as the king of a new subgenre of music called neo soul, an R&B vintage that blends traditional elements with modern techniques. Unfortunately for true R&B fans, his musical contributions have not been in keeping with his immense talents – he’s only released two albums since his debut. But what D’Angelo’s discography lacks in quantity, it more than makes up for in quality. Brown Sugar, Voodoo and Black Messiah are standard bearers in R&B music and have helped establish him as one of the most revered musicians of his generation with fans including Beyoncé, Erykah Badu and John Mayer. As such, choosing my ten favorite D’Angelo songs was a bit of a challenge. An enjoyable challenge to be sure, but still a challenge.

Bonus

Brown Sugar (Brown Sugar)

The title track from D’Angelo’s first album served as his first single as a solo artist and his coming out party. The track not only showed what he was about as an artist, but it served as a perfect album opener. It opens with strokes of an organ, strums of an infectious bass line and D’Angelo’s crooning falsetto. But the question remains over 20 years later, just what was D’Angelo referring to in this song? Is the titular Brown Sugar a brown-skinned lady or a metaphor for marijuana? Maybe it was a little bit of one and the other. All that matters is that this was the song that introduced him to the world and helped establish him as a generational talent.

Ten

Another Life (Black Messiah)

D’Angelo has often drawn comparisons with Prince, and for good reason. He writes and produces all his music. He plays multiple instruments expertly. His stage performances are always electrifying. It also helps that he frequently cites the late icon as one of his biggest influences. Prince’s influence is conspicuous in “Another Life”, a gorgeously executed ballad that served as a closer for the Black Messiah album. It features a relatively minimalist production mostly driven by the piano, drum and bass line. But D’Angelo’s voice is the key element here as he shows off a falsetto reminiscent of classic Prince. The final two minutes is nothing short of a rapturous experience as D’Angelo and his background singers engage in a heavenly call and response. You just know Prince would have approved.

Nine

1000 Deaths (Black Messiah)

While each one of D’Angelo’s three albums enjoyed critical acclaim and mainstream success, it is worth examining the differences between them. If Brown Sugar was about a young man organically blending hip hop sensibilities with R&B flavor, and Voodoo was about creating a soul album emphasizing black spirituality with a jazzy vibe, then Black Messiah was about using organic soul music to articulate black protest. The 2014 album is easily the most political in D’s career and tracks like “The Charade”, “Till It’s Done” and “1000 Deaths” wouldn’t look out of place in seminal works like Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On? and Sly and the Family Stone’s There’s A Riot Going On. The first minute is a rousing sermon from Fred Hampton that helps set the tone for the incessantly hard funk that comes after. The message is simple – in the fight for justice and racial equality, you can either die once as a soldier or die a thousand deaths as a coward. Choose wisely.

Eight

Greatdayndamorning/ Booty (Voodoo)

When Voodoo was released in 2000, it inevitably drew comparisons to 1995’s Brown Sugar. While D’Angelo’s debut was a unique album in terms of its sound for its time, its sequencing and formatting was akin to standard R&B albums. Voodoo on the other hand played like a long jam session reminiscent of great jazz albums. The tracks had extended running times and the musicians had room to explore with their accompanying instruments. No track encapsulates this more than “Greatdayndamorning/Booty”. With Questlove’s sparse drums accompanying a steady bass line from Pino Palladino, D’Angelo extols his listeners - and maybe himself – to take strength from the possibilities each new day promises. Then almost without warning, the song segues into an even more minimalist second half featuring only Questlove’s drums and D’Angelo’s chant. It’s loose, it’s free-form and it’s a fantastic listen.

Seven

Spanish Joint (Voodoo)

On this aptly titled track, D’Angelo did something he hadn’t done before or since – delve into Latin jazz. On what was a very jazzy album already, “Spanish Joint” stands out for its Spanish and Brazilian musical elements. The usual suspects are all here – Questlove on the drums, Pino Palladino on the bass, D’Angelo on the vocals – but the guest appearance by the legendary Roy Hargove is the biggest influence on the track. His trumpets drive the song’s infectious high tempo and bookend D’Angelo’s chorus triumphantly. I like to think of this song as D’Angelo’s version of Stevie Wonder’s “Don’t You Worry about a Thing”. It’s just a shame he didn’t experiment with this sound more often.

Six

Devil’s Pie (Voodoo)

Spirituality has always been a key element in D’Angelo’s music. Considering that he started out playing the piano and organ at a Baptist church in Virginia, this is not surprising. If you watch him in interviews, you will notice he still refers to God as Jehovah or Yahweh. So while he may never release a straight gospel album like R. Kelly, Snoop Dogg or Kem, his spirituality is evident in his music. “Devil’s Pie” is perhaps the most overt example of this. In this song, D’Angelo laments the state of the industry he exists in – or could it be the world at large? – and wonders why people are so keen to eschew long-term peace and joy for the short term traps. DJ Premier’s production is typically sample heavy as he helps add color to the vivid imagery of D’Angelo’s lyrics. His lyrics are urgent, furious and most of all sincere. So when he cries, “I don’t give a f*&%, I’m not going out for a slice of the devil’s pie!”, you know he means it.

Five

Lady (Brown Sugar)

Despite his prodigious talents, it is fair to say D’Angelo isn’t as popular as several of his peers. Why? I think it’s partly due to his reticence and partly due to some of his personal struggles over the years. But in my opinion, it’s mostly due to the nature of the songs he makes. He’s never chased awards or Billboard success and because of this, his popularity isn’t what it could have been. As such, “Lady” stands out in his discography – it is his biggest single ever. It not only charted in the Billboard Hot 100, but it also got D’Angelo a Grammy Award nomination. It’s not hard to see why as it’s arguably the most conventional song he’s ever done. It’s a standard love song. But it’s also a gorgeously crafted, warm delight for the ears.

Four

The Charade (Black Messiah)

D’Angelo’s original intent was to release Black Messiah, his comeback album, sometime in 2015. But according to him, the state of affairs in America – police killings, the Black Lives Matter movement, and unrest in Ferguson – made him reconsider. The album was released in 2014, and it was unsurprisingly well-received as it seemed especially tailored to the times. “The Charade” sounds like an anthem in the same vein as Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” – a catchy, defiant tune for African-Americans in the face of the weighty troubles of the times. It’s his version of Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care about Us”, Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues” and Stevie Wonder’s “Living for the City”. The only slight criticism I have of the song is that the album version is far too short. To feel the full impact of the song, you need to see him perform it live.

Three

When We Get By (Brown Sugar)

For me, the most underrated track of D’Angelo’s career. It may not immediately stand out in the way a “Spanish Joint”, “Devil’s Pie” or “The Charade” might, and it’s not a staple in his live performances. It didn’t bring him any awards. Heck, it wasn’t even released as a single. But I would defy anyone to pick a more joyous D’Angelo song. Like most of the songs on his debut album, it’s an uncomplicated love song with a warm and intricate backdrop. But what a backdrop! It’s light, snappy and uncharacteristically (for D’Angelo) cheery. While his music is certainly more Marvin than Stevie in terms of mood, this track shows that when he’s in the right mood, he can get you to bob your head with the best of them.

Two

The Root (Voodoo)

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that R&B music is supposed to incorporate Rhythm AND Blues. In other words, it’s not just supposed to be about dancing, grooving and catchy hooks. It’s not just about sex or unrealistic declarations of love. Sometimes it’s supposed to be messy, moody and strange. That’s why breakup songs have traditionally been a staple in R&B. How does one process all the emotions and feelings from a dissolved relationship? In this song, D’Angelo uses spiritual, military and archaic imagery interchangeably to try and express the depths of his sorrow. Yes, his lyrics will come across as esoteric, but in a way, that’s the point. When you’ve experienced a heartbreak, it’s hard to express the full range of emotions you feel and it’s hard not to feel lost. But that’s why the Blues is crucial in R&B. When you listen to “The Root”, Erykah Badu’s “Out my Mind, Just in Time” or Bilal’s “Sometimes”, you know that underneath the relatively unclear lyrics is a sentiment. A sentiment that you can relate to. That’s great R&B.

One

Really Love (Black Messiah)

It’s all in the buildup. Like a cinematic showpiece or a literary masterpiece, no element is wasted. The string section is elegant and seductive all at once. Even more seductive is Gina Figueroa’s spoken-word segment in the beginning. D’Angelo’s vocals don’t even come in until almost the second minute of the song but chances are you won’t notice – the composition reels you in and eventually envelopes you. Considering that Black Messiah is notable for its political content, it’s remarkable that the album’s showpiece is a love song. But what a love song! It not only got him a Grammy nomination for Record of the Year, but it won him an award for Best R&B song. He may have written more popular songs, more impactful songs and maybe even more important songs. But he has never written a more beautiful song than this.

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