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Our Top 10 Quincy Jones Songs list will take a look at a legendary music producer, songwriter, composer and film and television producer. He is someone who can do it all. He has been in the music industry for over 70 years. He has won an astonishing 28 Grammy Awards throughout his legendary career. He was the first African American to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. This is quite an achievement in his career.
Some people think that Quincy Jones is only known for working with Michael Jackson Quincy Jones actually got his start in the music business in the 1950s. He did jazz music before he switched to mainstream music. He switched to pop music when he worked with Lesley Gore. In addition to Lesley Gore, he has worked with Frank Sinatra, Count Basie, The Brothers Johnson, James Ingram, Patti Austin as well as countless others. He rose to fame when he worked with Michael Jackson on three of his hit albums.
Quincy Jones was born Quincy Delight Jones Jr. on March 14, 1933. He went to Berkeley College of Music and his life changed forever. He went on tour with Lionel Hampton and learned about arranging songs. He worked with Sarah Vaughn, Dinah Washington, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ray Charles and Gene Krupa. In the 60s, he worked with Ella Fitzgerald, Shirley Horn, Peggy Lee and Nana Mouskouri. In addition to writing for artists, he wrote for movie soundtracks. He produced four hit singles for Lesley Gore including “It’s My Party.” In 1975, he produced successful albums for Frank Sinatra as well as others.
In 1978, Quincy Jones produced the soundtrack to The Wiz. Working on this soundtrack would change his life forever. He went on to work with Michael Jackson on three of his most successful albums (Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad). He also produced the hit charity single “We Are the World.” He produced the Color Purple soundtrack in 1985. In the 1990s, Quincy Jones produced TV shows. He produced The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In the House, The Jenny Jones Show, and Mad TV. In the 90s, Quincy Jones discovered Tevin Campbell. Tevin Campbell was billed to be the next Michael Jackson. He also worked with Tamia.
Quincy Jones has a very long music career that expands for decades. We can go on and on about his history, but we have to stop somewhere. He is a gifted producer. He has helped launched the career of many artists. We hope you enjoy this Best Quincy Jones Songs And Productions article.
All The Songs From The Dude Album
We thought this was the perfect way to open up our Best Quincy Jones songs list. If you were around in the late 1970s and early 1980s and into music, you probably remember how big this album was when it was first released. While we know this isn’t an album’s list, we just had to open this Quincy Jones Songs list with nine perfect songs from Quincy Jones’ Grammy Award winning album The Dude.
The album was released in 1981. It featured just about everyone in the music business. Who could ever forget James Ingram’s breathtaking vocals performance on the songs “Just Once,” and “One Hundred Ways.” Of course, there were also the fabulous Patti Austin vocals on the songs “Razzamatazz” “Somethin’ Special” and Turn On The Action. Additionally, we pay high tribute to the album’s stunning album opener “Ai No Corrida.” This was such a magnificent album that we thought Quincy Jones would ever top in terms of success. Little did we know what record-breaking album was just around the corner.
Slow Jams ft. Babyface, Tamia, Portrait and Barry White
The first song on our Top 10 Quincy Jones Songs list is “Slow Jams” from the Q’s Jook Joint album. The tender song is about making love to slow jams. This is music for the grown and sexy. If you love making love to slow jams, this song is for you. Here is some trivia about the song. Coko from SWV originally recorded the song instead of Tamia. It was the right choice to have Tamia sing this song because she has a voice like an angel.
Tamia worked with Quincy Jones, so it was only natural that he added her to the track. Babyface is the king of romance, so it made sense that he sang a romantic song like this one. Anyone who is in a relationship can put this song on to get in the mood. There is a lot of passion in the song. Babyface and Tamia stay in character the entire time they are singing. They sing this as if they are singing it to each other.
They have vocal chemistry. Babyface and Tamia have a vocal battle towards the end that is not to be missed. Barry White does the spoken word part. His deep voice will send chills down your spine. He knows how to turn women on with his sexy voice. The musicians lower the music so that listeners can hear Barry White’s beautiful base tone. The original version of this song is just as good as this one with Tamia. If you get the chance, you should listen to both versions of the song. You will get the chance to decide which version you like better.
Strawberry Letter 22 – The Brothers Johnsons
The next song on our Top 10 Quincy Jones Songs list is “Strawberry Letter 23” from The Brothers Johnsons Right On Time album. The metaphoric song is about love letters being written between a man and a woman. They have written 22 letters to each other. He decides to make the 23 a song instead of a letter. This is a different way to talk about love. People sing about love all the time, so the topic is nothing new.
What makes this song stand out is the fact that it’s about a couple who continue to write love letters to each other. Every woman wants a song dedicated to her. Here is some trivia about the song. The Brothers Johnson played the song for Quincy Jones, and he loved it. The lyrics are poetic and smooth. The lyrics of the song will take you back to a better place. This song put the Brothers Johnson back on the map again. The song has a cool and funky beat. It has the TSOP sound.
It’s My Party – Lesly Gore
The classic song is from Lesley Gore I’ll Cry If i Want To album. The song has a pop and r&b beat. The tearjerker is about a girl whose birthday party doesn’t go the way she wants it to. During the party, she finds out that her boyfriend left with another girl. Since it happened at her party, she feels as if she can cry if she wants to. The lyrics are unique and dramatic. It reads like a story from a soap opera or TV show.
Heartbreak is written about all of the time, but this is a different approach to it. Here is some trivia about the song. Lesley Gore was only 16 when she recorded this song. This is one of the songs that helped Quincy Jones break into mainstream music. The song is surprisingly upbeat considering it is a song about heartbreak. The music has a classic 50s sound. It is something that you could move around to. Lesley Gore wears her heart on her sleeve as she talks about her boyfriend betraying her.
She sings the song with a lot of passion. You could easily forget that she is a teenager because she sounds mature. She sounds as if she has been singing for years. At 16, she probably didn’t go through the pain, but she was very convincing while she was singing the song. Quincy Jones did the right thing by allowing her to record the song.
Angel – Aretha Franklin
The soulful song is from Aretha Franklin’s Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky) album. The song has an r&b beat. The romantic song is about being in love. The gorgeous and poignant song will grab your heart whenever you hear it. The song will bring tears to your eyes. It makes you realize that no matter how strong you are, you want someone to love you. We all need good people in our lives to love us. It can be hard to find true love so hearing a song like this will make you think. This song will definitely hit close to home for you if you are in love.
Aretha Franklin decided to go with a different producer with this track. She decided to work with Quincy Jones and the pair worked well together. He helped bring out the best in her. The music is soft and smooth. It is perfect for the theme of the song. There is a saxophone solo that is not to be missed. It has a classic r&b sound. It sounds like a slowed-down version of “Until You Come Back to Me.” Songs like this one is why Aretha Franklin was dubbed the “Queen of Soul.” Aretha Franklin sounds like an “angel” (no pun intended).
She sings the song with a lot of soul. She belts towards the end of the song which was a pleasant surprise. She sings the song as if it hits close to home for her. She sings this in a higher key than she usually sings her songs. When she holds the notes, you can feel the passion in her voice. She wants the world to know that she is in love. She will make you feel emotional.
State of Independence – Donna Summer
The anthemic song is from Donna Summer’s self-titled album. The song has r&b beat. The positive song is about freedom and independence in the world. This song inspired “We Are the World” because Quincy Jones included a string of singers in the choir. Some of the singers include Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Dionne Warwick, James Ingram, Kenny Loggins and Stevie Wonder.
The underrated song has a spiritual meaning. It has a deep message about freedom. The song will touch your heart and soul. Donna Summer was known as the disco queen. She stepped out of her comfort zone with this track. She showed that she could switch from disco to rock to calypso. She is a versatile artist. She proved she could make any song work. The music is rhythmic and will allow you to move in your seat. It is nothing you would expect to hear from Donna Summer.
Donna Summer’s voice is excellent. She sings in time with all of the beat changes. She sings the song with a lot of heart and soul. She sounds heavenly in the track. She doesn’t hold any big notes in the song, but they weren’t needed. This isn’t one of her signature songs, but it is a beautiful track. The background singers do an excellent job supporting her. You might find yourself tempted to see if you can hear the celebrities in the background.
Rock With You ft. Heavy D
The next song on our Top 10 Quincy Jones Songs list is “Rock With You” from the Q With Love album. The song has an r&b beat. The bouncy song is a remake of Michael Jackson’s hit track. Since it is a remake, it is time for the questions. Should Brandy have taken the risk of covering this song? Did she make it her own? The answer to the first question is no. This is one of Michael Jackson’s biggest hit singles, so Brandy took a huge risk covering this track. The answer to the second question is yes. She managed to make this song her own. She changed up the rhythm of the song. The beat is different from the original version. She kept elements of the music the same while making it her own.
Michael Jackson’s was more of a disco version while Brandy’s is an r&b version. She sings the song in a similar flow to Michael Jackson. She sings it from a female’s point of view, so she changed the gender of the person in the song. She did this song for the ladies. She was coined the vocal bible for a reason. Her voice is outstanding. She sings in her upper and lower registers. She was 16 when she recorded it. She sounds as if she is in between a woman and a girl.
Brandy’s version also includes a rap. Heavy D has a verse in the song. He did a good job with his rhymes, but he wasn’t needed. The song is perfect on its own and didn’t need a rap. Quincy Jones made the right decision by having Brandy cover this track. She is probably one of the only people who could have done the song justice. Fans of the original version should check it out.
Brand New Day – Diana Ross
The festive song is from the Wiz movie soundtrack. The song has an r&b beat. The celebratory song is about celebrating freedom. If you are familiar with The Wiz, then you know what the song is about. You can also use it in your everyday life. This song is about African American struggle with civil rights and the end of segregation.
It has a deeper meaning than just killing off an evil witch. The music is infectious. There is no way to sit still while you are listening to it. You won’t be able to resist the urge to move around. Quincy Jones did an excellent job at production. He allowed all of the musicians a chance to shine. Here is a fun fact about the song. Luther Vandross wrote this song. He can also be heard singing the first line of the song. Diana Ross is giving this song her all. She sings the song like she is singing on stage instead of a movie.
She belts and projects her voice throughout the song. Michael Jackson has a small part in the song, but it made an impact. He does an amazing job with what he has. His voice will give you chills. This is the soundtrack Quincy Jones was working on when they started collaborating with each other.
We Are the World ft. USA for Africa
This charity single was done to raise money for the victims in Africa. Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie wrote this track. Quincy Jones produced the track. The three artists were perfect for the song. Quincy Jones was one of the most popular producers in music and he gathered a lot of big names for this song. Michael Jackson was one of the biggest stars on the planet when this song was recorded.
Lionel Richie was a popular singer at the time. This combination created magic. Here is some trivia about the charity single. Harry Belafonte came up with the idea of writing a song for the victims of Africa. His agent asked Quincy Jones to produce the song. Quincy Jones asked Michael Jackson to write the song as well as sing the song. Lionel Richie asked Stevie Wonder to do the song. This song was inspired by Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” Prince was asked to be in the song but refused to show up to record. He did donate to the cause.
The single was one of the biggest hit singles of that year. They raised millions of dollars for the single. This single featured some of the hottest singers at the time. It is a beautiful song that has a moving message. The message can still resonate today. There are a lot of problems going on in the world and people can use a song like this to feel better. Every artist on the track gave this song their all.
Give Me The Night. George Benson
The cool song is from the album of the same name. The song has a jazz and r&b beat. The bouncy song is about having a good time out on the town. He is looking for some romance while he is out on the town. He wants a night with wine, music and romance. This song is for the grown and sexy. Quincy Jones produced the track and wanted the best musicians to play on it. Quincy Jones picked Herbie Hancock, Abraham Laboriel, Lee Ritenour (Brothers Johnson) as well as other to play in the song.
The musicians did a fabulous job with the music. You can get lost listening to the music. It can hypnotize you while you are listening to. The second you hear the first musical note, you know what the song is. The song is perfect for chilling or when you’re out on the town. The music is well paced and full of life. There is no way you can avoid dancing while listening to the music. This is George Benson’s biggest hit song and it’s easy to see why. George Benson sounds amazing. His voice is silky and smooth. He smooth vocals are just what the song needs. This song helped George Benson cross over on the pop charts. Everything about the song is flawless. The music and his vocals are superb.
All The Songs From the Thriller, Off The Wall and Bad Albums.
Yes, we know this is a top 10 songs list, but how could we pick just any one song from Michael Jackson’s iconic Thriller album without mentioning all the others. Yes, of course, hands down Michael Jackson is the main reason that the Thriller album became the biggest selling album of all time. Yet an album that scored a record amount of hit singles and sales that were out of this world has to give big-time credit to the man that produced the entire thing. If you don’t know who that was, well then you owe an apology to Quincy Jones for not recognizing how important he was in producing the songs and the sounds of the biggest selling single studio album of all time.
We also can’t forget the other two Michael Jackson albums that Quincy Jones bookend Thriller with. Off The Wall is probably the most underrated and Bad was a fabulous follow up to an album that really had no chance of being followed up. Three albums of pop perfection cemented Quincy Jones as one of the greatest producers of all time.
Top 10 Quincy Jones Songsarticle published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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