With some singers and songwriters, it is almost inevitable that they will become involved in the music world. Jeffrey Osborne is one of those, so I decided to take a look at the Top 50 Jeffrey Osborne songs from his fifty-year career.
Why was it inevitable? Some of his family were involved in music professionally in one way or another. His father was a jazz trumpet player of some repute, and he had a brother who was in the group L.T.D.
The Start Of His Career
Born in Rhode Island, it was no surprise when he joined his brother as a singer. He joined L.T.D in 1970, and together they had several hit singles and albums. Jeffrey and his brother stayed with the group until 1980, when they both left to pursue solo careers. Their last album with L.T.D. was Shine On.
He was able to produce some classic singles and albums. In the early days, he played drums for Luther Vandross and Billy Ocean. Later, he got involved in external projects outside of his own career. One such project was writing “All At Once” for Whitney Houston included on her first album.
However, it is his solo career and recording history we are looking at. So, let’s get started with my list of the best Jeffrey Osborne songs.
Top 50 Jeffrey Osborne Songs
1 The Shadow of Your Smile (feat. Paul Jackson Jr.)
“The Shadow of Your Smile” is a track from his A Time For Love album released in 2013. This is a good place to start, as it demonstrates the cool, smooth vocal delivery he was capable of.
The song is about two people who have seen hard times in their relationship. But they still believe in the love they have for each other. On saxophone is a guest musician, Kamasi Washington, who adds that slow sensual sound only a well-played saxophone can offer. The album didn’t make the main American chart but reached #34 on the R&B chart.
2 In Your Eyes
This is a cover of a song by George Benson included on Osborne’s album, Emotional, from 1985. The single was released in 1986 and peaked at #82 on the American R&B chart.
Was it dangerous to record a cover of a song previously released by one of the jazz greats? A song that had charted not only on the American AC chart but reached #7 in the UK?
Osbourne had to be confident in his approach to the song. He came up with a version that didn’t have the jazz influences of the Benson recording. It also includes backing singers, which the Benson version didn’t have. It’s a typical great George Benson song that Osbourne handles well and is one of Jeffrey Osborne’s most well-known songs.
3 She’s On The Left
This is a single that was taken from his album, One Love One Dream, released in 1988. It reached #48 on the American chart. Plenty of plastic drums, unfortunately, but that is good for those that like the sound of them. Whichever way you look at it, this is, in many ways, a Disco song similar to that which was so vilified ten years before.
4 Only Human
This song is from the album of the same name, released in 1990. The album reached #95 on the main American album chart. The single didn’t make the main chart but reached #3 on the R&B chart. Undoubtedly, one of the most-loved Jeffrey Osborne songs that’s driven mainly by a pleasant melody that he sings well.
This song has a different lyrical style from what we usually see. It is about a man talking to his partner and explaining that he is only human. Therefore, he is prone to mistakes. With plenty of synthesizer and programmed drums, the song was written by Osbourne and his produced Barry Eastmond.
5 Don’t You Get So Mad
Taken from the album Stay With Me Tonight, it reached #54 in the UK and #25 on the American chart. Osbourne wrote the song along with Michael Sembello and Don Freeman. Some powerful backing vocals give the song a big lift. It was released in 1983 and is very much a Pop/R&B song of its time.
6 Love Power
If you are going to collaborate with another singer in this field of music, it is hard to imagine a better option than Dionne Warwick. Released in 1987, “Love Power” achieved #12 in America and #63 in the UK. It was written by Dionne Warwick, Michael Masser, and Osbourne. The song was produced by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.
It was included in Warwick’s album Reservations For Two. The song is about how love can overcome obstacles if you work at it. Needless to say, Warwick’s performance is impeccable, as you might expect.
7 On The Wings Of Love
This will be his most well-known track for some people. It was included on his first album released in 1982, simply entitled Jeffrey Osborne.
A nice easy-tempo Pop/R&B song, it reached #11 in the UK, #29 in America, and #36 in Australia. This was one of his early songs after leaving L.T.D, and it had to be good to justify his decision.
“On The Wings Of Love” was written by Osbourne with some help from Peter Schless. Even today, over 40 years later, it is still one of Jeffrey Osborne’s most popular songs.
8 I Really Don’t Need No Light
Staying with the first 1982 album, this is a song tinged with a lot of bitterness. It was written by Osbourne and David Wolinski. This was the first single he released as a solo artist, and it reached #39 on the American chart.
If anyone is dealing with a relationship breakup, then this is a song that will sympathize with how you feel. The narrator in the song finds out his ex-partner is getting married. It is obvious that he still has some feelings for her, hence the bitter lyrics. And, as the song says, he doesn’t need a light to see the situation clearly.
“I really don’t need no light to see through you – I really don’t need your love to see me through, no – I really don’t need your heart to set me free – I really don’t need the way it used to be.” Very much an 80s-style song with a nice bass line.
9 You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)
This is a track taken from Emotional. The single was released in 1986 and reached #13 on the American chart. It is a playful song in many respects, the “Woo Woo” referring to wooing a lady. An easy-paced R&B song that feels like it was made for dancing, albeit at a slow pace.
It was his best-selling single. Interestingly, his young daughter came up with the title when she didn’t know what the real title was. As is often the case with his songs, the backing singers are excellent and give the song some extra impetus.
10 Stay With Me Tonight
And so, we move on to the last song on the list of the Top 50 Jeffrey Osborne songs taken from the album of the same name. This does sound very Disco and, in some ways, a little dated. However, at the time of its release in 1983, it was a sound that was very in vogue.
This was the second single from the album, and it had some success, reaching #30 in America and #18 in the UK. That made it the second-highest placing in the UK after “On The Wings Of Love.”
We have heard quite a few ballads on this list…
So, it is good to finish with something a little uptempo. As you listen, it might sound very Disco, but watch out for the guitar solo in the middle.
You could argue it is rather out of character with the rest of the song. And maybe the idea of putting a Rock guitar solo in a Disco song wasn’t new. Although the solos were vastly different, Eddie Van Halen’s solo on “Beat It” had already used the idea the year before. Whatever the reason, they chose to include it, and it works.
11Don’t Stop
12I Really Don’t Need No Light
13On the Wings of Love
14Stay With Me Tonight
15You Should Be Mine (The Woo Woo Song)
16Only Human
17All the Way
18Ain’t Nothin’ Missin’
19Love Ballad
20We’re Going All the Way
21Baby, Wait a Minute
22Eenie Meenie
23She’s on the Left
24Plane Love
25All Because of You
26She’s on the Left (12-Inch Remix)
27What Would James Brown Do?
28That’s for Sure
29We Both Deserve Each Other’s Love
30Yes I’m Ready
31When You Loved Me
32The Shadow of Your Smile
33Don’t You Get So Mad
34You Can’t Be Serious
35You Should Be Mine (Extended Remix)
36Emotional
37I’ll Make Believe
38Morning, Noon & Night
39She’s a Woman
40That’s All
41Home
42Stranger
43Share My Love
44The Family
45One Love – One Dream
46You Should Be Mine (Instrumental)
47Our Love
48Back in Love Again
49I’ll Be Around
50Call My Name
Want More Easy-Listening and Soulful Music?
If so, check out our thoughts on the Top 10 Barry White Songs, the Top 10 Aaron Neville Songs, the Top 10 Richard Marx Songs, the Best John Legend Songs of All Time, the Best Tina Turner Songs of All Time, and the Best R&B Songs of All Time for more great song selections.
Top 50 Jeffrey Osborne Songs – Final Thoughts
Have we taken you back to another time and maybe, another place? That is what music can do when you reflect on songs from the past. Looking back on these songs now, some do feel like they are stuck in another age. Though others have carried the test of time quite well.
If we have put you in the mood, you can hear some more of Jeffrey Osborne’s best songs in the album Ultimate Collection. In some circles, it is music that is going to live forever.
Until next time, happy listening.
