The DeBarges initially started out as a group composed of four of the ten Debarge siblings: Bunny--the eldest of them all (vocals, writer), Mark (trumpet, saxophone, vocals, writer), Randy (bass, vocals, writer), and Eldra (writer, producer, keyboards, vocals). While their brother Bobby was enjoying his success in the group Switch, his younger siblings flew out to California in hopes of starting their own careers in music. During a meeting Switch was having with Jermaine Jackson at Motown, El and Bunny were in another room playing the piano and singing. Jermaine heard them and immediately knew he had to share their talent with the world. With the help of their brother Bobby in the studio, The DeBarges began writing and producing songs. They released their first self titled album in 1981 featuring the single, "What's Your Name." Though the album had several well done tracks, neither the album nor the single charted.
Listen to: The Debarges - "What's Your Name"
After the first album didn't sell as expected, they shortened their stage name to Debarge and added younger brother James (keyboards, vocals) to the group's line up. The second album from DeBarge "All this Love" contained eight songs, all but one ("Can't Stop") were written and arranged by the siblings themselves.
Three songs were featured singles, the first "Stop! Don't Tease Me" showcases El on lead; the song peaked at Number 46 after a short eight weeks. The follow-up was "I Like It," a very danceable yet laid-back number in which Randy sings lead on the initial verse, and El brings up the rear. With impeccable penmanship and arrangement, it clocked in at Number Two on the R&B charts, and became the group's first pop Top 40 entry. The follow-up single was the title track, "All This Love." Solely led by El's convincing tenor, this composition, in its traditional arrangement, sails along like the winds of a cool summer night. The longevity of this number can be heard in every note, including a melodious acoustic guitar solo. The remaining songs fall closely behind the aforementioned numbers. (Craig Lytle, source)
Listen to: "All this Love"
Listen to: "I Like It"
The third album In A Special Way was, in short, a classic that was written and produced in total by Eldra (El) DeBarge, with Bobby DeBarge serving as associate producer.
The LP’s highlights were the two hit singles, as “Time Will Reveal” and “Love Me In a Special Way” (which featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica) seamlessly blend the high drama of the old school with the glam of nascent synth soul. As the group’s mastermind and lead vocalist, El was able to tease a dark underpinning out of his siblings’ blends in the same way Maurice White did with The Emotions, a tactic that makes their work much more intelligent than many realise. The harmonies and melodic climaxes of the two songs are so overwhelming that it’s easy to forget the group is singing about love that is in a sense imperfect. The other ballads are equally engaging, with “Queen of My Heart” (a selection co-produced by brother Bobby that first appeared on their debut), the dramatic “Stay With Me” and “A Dream” augmenting the album’s recurring theme of love and longing. The latter, which was penned and led by sister Bunny, has aged particularly well and was a perfect way to close the album.
Listen to: "Time Will Reveal"
Listen to: "Stay with Me"
Listen to: "A Dream"
The album earned them their second gold certification and scored a Grammy nomination for best R&B performance by a duo or group, an award they lost to Rufus and Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” It has been a constant source of inspiration to the black music community, as Tupac, Mary J. Blige, the Notorious B.I.G., Blackstreet, Tamia, Ashanti and Mariah Carey, among countless others, have all covered or sampled one of its nine cuts. It is easily one of the most sampled R&B albums of all time. (S.E. Fleming Jr, Source)
The fourth Debarge album was titled "Rhythm of the Night". Unlike the previous albums released by DeBarge, only three of the nine songs were written and/or Produced by the DeBarges: "You Wear It Well" (Chico & El DeBarge), "The Walls (Came Tumbling Down)" (E. DeBarge, Tony Redic), "Share My World" (Bunny & El DeBarge). It was seemingly an attempt by the label to increase the group's pop appeal. "Of the album's four releases, two were Top Ten singles on the Billboard pop charts: 'Rhythm of the Night' (Number Three), and 'Who's Holding Donna Now' (Number Six). The former, which is featured in the Berry Gordy movie The Last Dragon, conveys a grande fiesta ambience with its Caribbean rhythm. The single stayed on the Billboard R&B charts for 23 weeks, peaking at Number One. The latter is a mid-tempo number that stays nestled in its mellow pulse, kindled by El DeBarge's inquisitive vocals. The single held the Number Two spot on the charts for four consecutive weeks. While most of the album is pop-oriented, "You Wear It Wear" houses a soulful beat fueled by El's expedient delivery. With its catchy hook line and its female-commending lyrics, the single peaked at Number Seven. "The Heart Is Not so Smart" is clearly a pop tune, and it is no challenge to El's vocal talent; nonetheless, the single peaked at Number 39 after 14 weeks.(C.Lytle, Source)
Listen to: "You Wear it Well"
By the fifth studio album release by Debarge, El and Bunny had removed themselves from the group and eldest brother Bobby stepped in to fill the void. DeBarge left Motown Records after a seven-year tenure in 1986 and signed with the local Striped Horse label. With James and Bobby DeBarge now alternating as the lead vocalists, the group released the album in 1987 called Bad Boys and released two singles, "Dance All Night," which became the group's last R&B hit peaking at number 33 and the ballad "I Got You Babe," which fizzled at number 73. The group would later appear on the Punky Brewster show with brother Chico tagging along (Chico, then having a hit with "Talk to Me," opened for his brothers during a tour). Because of limited promotion from the little label and after Bobby and Chico were arrested for drug possession (eventually serving six years in prison), the remaining trio disbanded altogether in 1989. (Source)
Listen to: "You're a Big Boy"
Music Videos by Debarge:
Rhythm of the Night
Purchase DeBarge Music:
« Buy Best of Debarge on Amazon.com
« Buy The DeBarges CD on Amazon.com
« Buy All This Love CD or MP3 on Amazon.com
« Buy In A Special Way CD or MP3 on Amazon.com
« Buy Rhythm of The Night CD or MP3 on Amazon.com
« Buy Bad Boys CD on Amazon.com
