This is the Chapter 8 | “I Just Wanna Be Your Girl” (Anita Baker’s First Appearances) Appreciation Post.

Man. You dont know how much I love this song.

When it plays, I’m overwhelmed by the vivid memories of waking up early sunday mornings… that soft yellow morning light breaking through the shades in my room, the sounds and smells of a focused Mom in the kitchen handling pancakes, turkey sausages cooking, the vinyl player already active and alive with Chapter 8 on the stereo speakers. Along with being a certified Soul Music Classic, theres a certain comforting feeling I associate with this song that expands far outside of its lyrical topic (which just happens to be beautiful, by the way).

Soul, Funk and Disco influenced, Chapter 8 was Anita’s first band and foray into the music industry back in 1979. Unfortunately, some moron at Ariola Records (which was their label at the time), dropped the band after one album, citing that the times and music had changed, and that Anita Baker could not sing (slap them). The label eventually folded. Funny though… Anita eventually rebounded with a new label and her first Solo Record, the legendary “Songstress.” I love how she won in the long run. With all the issues behind the Chapter 8 album, it made physical copies of the record, especially in vinyl (we got that though), very hard to find. Until I got incredibly lucky one day at amoeba. Thank you, Music Jebus.

If you’re interested in some classic soul | old school love music… or if you just need some good Sunday Morning Music (trust me), go ahead and listen to Chapter 8 | Anita Baker – I Just Want To Be Your Girl.

Later kids.