"Heaven Knows" by Lalah Hathaway

"Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, HEAVEN!"

So begins "Heaven Knows," the 2nd track of Lalah Hathaway's self-titled debut album. Some people may be more familiar with her father, Donny Hathaway, but I grew up listening to Lalah. And this is the song that made me take notice in the first place!

There are so many elements to appreciate in this song. The bass that seems to drive the song more so than the beat. The beat which in turn follows the direction of the bass, complementing, embellishing, and then accentuating it with an extra kick. The kalimba-sounding notes that open the song and then revisit the listener later in the track. The way the music stops and restarts between the major movements of the song. Lalah's swift mouthing of the word, "Baby," and the way the beat hammers to a halt when she sings "I'm not ashamed to tell you of that tingle deep down inside... Baby" (stop; restart).

As I've mentioned before, I love a good ad lib, and this song is brimming with ad libs. I love the different ways she draws out her notes, particularly on the word "knows" and "ooh," but also on "yeah," "good," "free," and the "-ly" in "only."

Lalah's alto is phenomenal: powerful and acidic. Her voice has the kind of timbre that could cut through diamond if tested. This is particularly evident on her third track, "Baby Don't Cry" when she sings "Oh, boy. What you trying to do to me. Come and knock me off my feet. Uh...." (I can't get enough of that "Uh"!) Apparently, Angela Winbush lent both instrumentation and vocals to that track, which might explain the piercing Chaka Khan-esque timbre heard in the refrain.

Other tracks on Lalah Hathaway are also good. Lalah eases the listener into the album with the first track, the sultry "Somethin." She then follows up with the rhythmic "Heaven Knows," the arresting "Baby Don't Cry," and the jazzy "Smile," the latter of which she ends on an upbeat note proclaiming "Nothing makes me happy like you do!" I also love the breakdown in "I'm Coming Back," especially when she wails, "Hold on! HOLD on! I'm coming back."

Most of the tracks on Lalah Hathaway are solid, and in spite of the album's 1990 release, all but a few have a timeless quality that can be appreciated even today. If you haven't heard the album, it's definitely worth listening to. Who knows. You just might liken the experience to tasting a bit of: Heaven, Heaven, Heaven, HEAVEN! (Sorry. I couldn't resist.)

All corniness aside, if you like good music and good singing, this is definitely an album to check out!