Grover Washington Jr. – “I Can’t Help It” (mp3)

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Each week I rip a song from vinyl and post it up here. This week’s song is “I Can’t Help It” performed by Grover Washington, Jr. He covered the Stevie Wonder & Susaye Greene (The Supremes) written track. It’s highly recognized however by Michael Jackson’s version of the song off of the 1979 Off the Wall album and on De La Soul’s “Breakadawn.” R.I.P. M.J. You are seriously missed.

Washington is actually acknowledged by a number of other recordings, but his collaboration with Bill Withers on “Just the Two of Us” is probably the most popular. Washington’s reach commercially may not have been as far and wide as, say Michael Jackson or maybe even Bill Withers, but he has largely shaped today’s musical landscape. I found it interesting that Washington’s “Mister Magic” had a hand in influencing Go-go music, as noted by Jeff Chang. The first time I heard the melodic groove of “Mister Magic” was on Heavy D & The Boyz’ “Nuttin’ But Love.” A number of other Hip-Hop songs have sampled Washington’s work as well. The one song that always immediately comes to mind for me is “Hydra,” highly recognizable on Black Moon’s “How Many M.C.’s.” A number of songs from A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, EPMD, LL Cool J, Notorious B.I.G. and more have taken something from this man as well. Thanks Mr. Washington.