The Brand New Heavies is an acid jazz and funk group formed in 1985 in Ealing in west London. Centered around songwriters/multi-instrumentalists Simon Bartholomew and Andrew Levy, the core members of the group since its founding, Brand New Heavies are best known for a string of successful singles in the early 1990s featuring N'Dea Davenport as lead vocalist. They are currently on tour with a best of set, incorporating a string section and 70’s influenced sequinned trousers.
"You've Got a Friend" is a 1971 song written by American singer-songwriter Carole King. It was first recorded by King and included on her second studio album, Tapestry (1971). Another well-known version is by James Taylor from his album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon. His was released as a single in 1971, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the UK Singles Chart. The two versions were recorded simultaneously in 1971 with shared musicians.
"Discothèque" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the opening track on their 1997 album, Pop, and was released as its lead single on 3 February 1997 by Island Records. The song exhibits influences from electronic dance music, characteristic of the band's musical direction in the 1990s. The music video, directed by Stéphane Sednaoui, was set inside of a mirrorball and featured the band members dressed as members of the disco group the Village People.
Deborah Christine "Siedah" Garrett is an American singer and songwriter who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry, such as Michael Jackson, the Pointer Sisters, Brand New Heavies, Quincy Jones, Tevin Campbell, Donna Summer, Madonna, Jennifer Hudson among others. Garrett has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song, and won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards for co-writing "Love You I Do" for the 2006 musical film, Dreamgirls.
"I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a 1987 duet ballad by American singers Michael Jackson and Siedah Garrett, and was released as the first single on July 20, 1987, by Epic Records from his seventh album, Bad. The song was written by Jackson, and co-produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. The presence of Garrett on the track was a last-minute decision by Jackson and Jones, after Jackson's first two choices for the duet both decided against participating. Garrett, a protégé of Jones's who co-wrote another song on Bad, "Man in the Mirror", did not know that she would be singing the song until the day of the recording session. It became her first hit since Dennis Edwards' 1984 song "Don't Look Any Further". Garrett remains known primarily for her work with Jackson to this day.
"Man in the Mirror" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was written by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett and produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones. It was released on February 6, 1988, as the fourth single from Jackson's seventh solo album, Bad (1987).
"Blood on the Dance Floor" is a song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released as the first single from the remix album Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1997). Jackson and Teddy Riley created the track in time for the 1991 release of Dangerous. However, it did not appear on that record and was worked on further for its commercial release in 1997. One interpretation of the song describes a predatory woman named Susie who seduces Jackson before plotting to stab him with a knife. The composition explores a variety of genres ranging from funk to new jack swing.
"HIStory" is a 1995 song by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson. It was composed by Jackson, James Harris III and Terry Lewis, and was included on his album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I. Although the original version of "HIStory" was not released as a single, it was later remixed in 1997 as part of Jackson's remix album project Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix. These remixes would be released as part of "HIStory/Ghosts", a double A-side single with the newly recorded song "Ghosts" as the second single from that album.
"Midnight at the Oasis" is a song by the American singer Maria Muldaur from her debut album, Maria Muldaur (1973). Written by David Nichtern, it is her best-known recording.
"Fallin' In Love" is a song by American music trio Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. The song was written by band member Dan Hamilton.
"Stay" is a song written by Bob Khozouri and Mark Stevens, originally recorded by American singer Glenn Jones and released in 1990. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. The song became a worldwide hit for British girl group Eternal in 1993 and 1994.
"Don't Look Any Further" is a song by American singer Dennis Edwards featuring American singer-songwriter Siedah Garrett, released in April 1984 from the singer's debut album by the same name (1984). The song is written by Franne Golde, Dennis Lambert and Duane Hitchings. It peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Black Singles chart and No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the UK, the song peaked at No. 45.
Shelter is an album by The Brand New Heavies, released in 1997 on the Delicious Vinyl record label. It is the only album by the Brand New Heavies to feature singer-songwriter Siedah Garrett as a member of the band, joining them in 1996 and leaving in early 1998 to concentrate on her own songwriting.
Following a 10-year tenure with their record labels, funk band the Brand New Heavies released two greatest hits albums titled Trunk Funk, a wordplay on the band's long standing elephant logo.
"K.I.S.S.I.N.G." is a 1988 single by singer/songwriter Siedah Garrett, taken from her album Kiss of Life. The single was her most successful release as a solo artist, hitting number one on the dance chart for one week. On the soul chart, "K.I.S.S.I.N.G." peaked at number sixteen and on the Billboard Hot 100, it went to number ninety-seven.
"You Are the Universe" is a song by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies, released in June 1997. The composition was issued as the third single taken from their fourth album, Shelter (1997), which remains the only Brand New Heavies album recorded with American singer Siedah Garrett, who afterwards left the group to concentrate on her own songwriting. The song charted at number twenty-one in UK, and at number eleven within the British Chart-Track.
"You Might Need Somebody" is a song written by Tom Snow and Nan O'Byrne, and first recorded in 1980 by American singer and guitarist Turley Richards. The following year, American jazz and R&B singer and songwriter Randy Crawford released her version which charted well in the United Kingdom and was a modest hit in Flanders (Belgium) and New Zealand. In 1997, English singer Shola Ama's version charted well throughout Europe and New Zealand.
"Do You Want It Right Now" is a song by American singer Siedah Garrett from the 1985 film Fast Forward. It was a bigger hit for Degrees of Motion in 1991. It has also been recorded by Taylor Dayne for her debut studio album, Tell It to My Heart (1988). A lyric sample of it was also used in Gat Decor's song "Passion", as well as in Armand Van Helden's 2007 hit "I Want Your Soul".
"Dream On Dreamer" is a song by British acid jazz and funk group the Brand New Heavies, released in March 1994 by FFRR as the lead single from the group's third album, Brother Sister (1994). The song is also featured on their remix album, Excursions: Remixes & Rare Grooves (1995), that was released in the US. It remains one of their most successful hits, peaking at number 15 in the UK and number 19 in Scotland. In the US, it reached number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100, while in Canada, it hit number 47 on the RPM Top Singles chart. The accompanying music video for "Dream On Dreamer" was directed by American director Josh Taft.
"Joy" is a song by British musical collective Soul II Soul, released on 23 March 1992 by Virgin as the first single from their third album, Volume III Just Right (1992). The song, co-written and produced by Jazzie B, features Jamaican singer and producer Richie Stephens and was a hit in Europe. It peaked within the top-10 in Greece and the UK, and also became a top-20 hit in Ireland, Italy and the Netherlands. Outside Europe, it reached number four in Zimbabwe, number 18 in New Zealand, and number 41 in Australia. A music video was produced to promote the single.
