 Starchild, It Must Be Magic When I Listen To The Irons You Placed In The Fire
At that time, I was still buying virtually anything released on Motown. It was the late ‘70s and the burning, blistering funk of “I’m a Sucker for Your Love” got into my system automatically. I cheered on the hot pairing of two new Motown acts, Rick James and Teena Marie, as the label was soon to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The artistry displayed on both “Deja Vu (I’ve Been Here Before)” and “I’m Gonna Have My Cake” took Teena’s debut to another level. Motown wanted to insure that the music industry and the public did not judge a book by its cover. Here was a white female artist that had a stunningly soulful voice, but, physically deceived that important fact. So taking a cue from the ole Jim Crow days of “race records”, Motown released her debut, “Wild and Peaceful” with only a photo of an ominous sky.
“Lady T”, the 2nd album, produced by Richard Rudolph (Minnie Riperton’s husband) kept the hits evolving. A song like “Now That I Have You” indicated continued growth and understanding of a gorgeous melody and declarative lyric.
But it was the gorgeous, classic soul of “Irons in the Fire” that erased any doubt that Mary Christine Brockert, “Lady T”, was a force to be reckoned with forever. The bass line of “I Need Your Lovin’” was immediately infectious. The emotional sweep from the heart-fluttering “You Make Love Like Springtime” to the heartbreaking “Tune in Tomorrow” was episodic. She followed that up with the genre bending, revolutionary “Square Biz” on “It Must Be Magic” displaying an impressive flow, every bit as contemporary as the best of its day. That remains one of the best blends of R&B and hip hop to this day. Dropping schools of knowledge on the clever “Revolution” paying homage to John Lennon, “It Must Be Magic” also took you on another romantic journey from the renowned, “Portuguese Love” to the arresting, melancholy beauty of “Yes, Indeed”. There was no doubt that Teena commanded a huge portion of my deep passion for stirring music.
It was hard to see her leave Motown. However, it was revealed that she was being unfairly compensated. She unexpectedly gained tremendous respect for winning a case against the label, in the now famous “Brockert Initiative” that prevented artists from being treated like indentured servants. She left Motown with mixed emotions because to her final day she kept strong emotional ties to Berry, Smokey, Diana and many in the Motown family.
Her Epic era was filled with continued growth. “Robbery” was once again a deep, emotional experience. The album artwork humorously showed Teena handing an admirer a phone number, “777-9311”, from The Time semi-classic. It was her subtle way of stating that she was au courant. Songs like “Shadow Boxing”, “Dear Lover” and “Stop the World” were filled with sensual, romantic passion. “Casanova Brown” had to be the most memorable however. Closing out the album with a very vivid portrait of the ultimate, strung out “Casanova Brown”. She seemed to be peering inside one’s deepest thoughts. It moves this listener still today.
She would gain her most commercial success to date with “Starchild”. It featured the MTV-ready “Lovergirl” and gave Teena her taste of crossover success without sacrificing her soul, if you will. She paid homage to the late Marvin Gaye with “Dear, Mr. Gaye” replicating some of Marvin’s most famous chords. But the vocal, emotional sparring on the dramatic “We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This” stood heads and shoulders above and is hard to deny. It earned her a 2nd platinum album.
Both “Emerald City” with “Sunny Skies” and “Naked to the World” with the title track, kept her fan base well sated. In a rather interesting twist, “Emerald City” won “Hard Rock Album of the Year” from Kreem magazine. But it was the aforementioned ballads that are most memorable.
1990’s “Ivory” remains a minor masterpiece for me. The album flows methodically while introducing different styles of music. The songwriting takes center stage. Classic Teena Marie ballads like “Just Us Two” and “If I Were a Bell” interspersed with the lite reggae of “Mr. Ice Cream Man” or the grandiose “Miracles Need Wings to Fly” underscored this album’s versatility. It was contemporary while still being a classic Teena Marie album.
She took a ten year hiatus from the major label game and released “Passion Play” independently. “Passion Play” had highs like “Parking Music....The Babymaker” and “Wild Horses,” ranked with some of her best. But without the major label support, the album struggled to find an audience outside of Teena’s hardcore base.
When she returned, she was embraced by the hip hop community as “La Dona”. It was a surprisingly pleasing return with just enough hipness to a appeal to a younger demo while maintaining her classic sound. The first single, “Still In Love” was vintage Teena. Tracks like the follow-up, “A Rose by Any Other Name” featuring the late Gerald Levert, “My Body’s Hungry” and “I Love Him Too” seem to pick up where she had left off a decade ago. While her hip hop audience gravitated to “Off the Chain” and “The Mackin’ Game,” it was a very satisfying album that seem to get better with each listening.
A few years later, she returned with the equally compelling “Sapphire”. “The Way You Love Me” brought the old and the new together. Her tribute to Rick James, “You Blow Me Away” and two great duets with former labelmate, Smokey Robinson resonated instantly. Once again, she had created a satisfying collection that aged beautifully.
I’m still living with her last recording, “Congo Square”. It was released on a renewed Stax Records, as she made history recording for that classic ‘60s label, as well as having recorded for Motown. That album is still brewing with me. It’s as if I have tried to make it stay fresh as long as possible.
To say that she will be missed sounds trite. The connection, I and many have to her music insures that her voice will last eternally. “Irons in the Fire” can still move me to this day. “Robbery” and “Starchild” got me through some heavy emotional trauma. My digital library includes 160 tracks from Teena that plays for nearly 14 hours. It somehow doesn’t feel like quite enough, on one hand and and yet, on the other hand, it lives with me a lifetime. She sang “I am a white dove, unconditional, the air that floats your dreams” in her gorgeous duet with her daughter, Alia” on “Resilient” from “Sapphire”. “She sings “I’m coming home today, my home is just around the bend.....”. Teena, your music will always be close by. The heavens sing an even more beautiful song today.......as we all try and reconcile your farewell.
About the Writer
K. Bonin has worked in the music industry for the last three decades. He describes himself as "a child of Motown and the classic rock era." Having spent the balance of his career at Arista Records, his experience and passion gives him a unique perspective on music and the music industry.
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