Our Top 10 Patti Austin Songs list will take a look at a popular r&b, pop and jazz singer who has been one of the most cherished singers in the music industry. She got her start in show business by performing jingles. She also worked as a session singer. She is best known for working with Quincy Jones. Her biggest hit singles are “Baby, Come to Me” and “How Do You Keep the Music Playing.” They may have been her biggest hits, but they aren’t her only hit singles. Her hits include “Family Tree,” “Razzamatazz,” “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme,” “It’s Gonna Be Special,” “The Heat of Heat,” “Honey for the Bees,” “Every Home Should Have One,” “Love I Never Had It So Good,” “Any Other Fool” and “Through the Test of Time.”
Patti Austin was born on August 10, 1950. She knew at a young age that she wanted to be a singer. She performed at the Apollo Theater when she was four years old. She sang in the background of Paul Simon’s hit single “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.” She released her first album in 1976 called End of the Rainbow. It peaked at number 31 on the jazz charts. It features the singles “More Today Than Yesterday,” “Say You Love Me,” “In My Life” and “Give It Time.” She sang the song “The Closer I Get to You” for Tom Browne’s album Brown Sugar.
She released Havana Candy in 1977. It peaked at number 116 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “That’s Enough for Me,” “Lost in the Stars,” “Little Baby” and “I Just Want to Know.” In between her albums, she recorded a duet with Michael Jackson for his Off the Wall album. She also recorded a duet with George Benson. She sang on Quincy Jones’ The Dude album. She was signed to his label.
She released Every Home Should Have One in 1981. It peaked at number 16 on the r&b charts and 36 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Every Home Should Have One,” “Baby, Come to Me” and “Do You Love Me.” She released her self-titled album in 1984. It peaked at number 87 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “It’s Gonna Be Special,” “Rhythm of the Street,” “All Behind Us Now” and “I’ve Got My Heart Set On You.”
Gettin’ Away with Murder was released in 1985. It peaked at number 25 on the r&b charts and number 132 on Billboard 200. It features the singles “Honey for the Bees,” “The Heat of Heat,” “If I Believed” and “Anything Can Happen Here.” The Real Me was released in 1988. It peaked at number seven on the jazz charts and number 56 on the r&b charts. This is a standards album. It features the singles “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” “True Love,” “Love Letters” and “Cry Me A River.”
Love Is Gonna Getcha was released in 1990. It peaked at number four on the jazz charts. It features the singles “Through the Test of Time,” “Too Soon to Know.” “Love Is Gonna Getcha” and “Believe the Children.” A Secret Place was released in 1994. It peaked at number 12 on the jazz charts. It features the singles “That’s Enough for Me,” “Broken Dreams,” “Captivated” and “Hurry Home.” She would go on to release several other albums.
Patti Austin is a talented singer who got her start singing with other artists. She managed to make a name for herself in the r&b and jazz community. She has had several hits on her own as well as with others. This Top 10 Patti Austin Songs list will feature her best singles.
# 10 – Through the Test of Time
The first song on our Top 10 Patti Austin Songs list is “Through the Test of Time” from the Love Is Gonna Getcha album. The song has a jazz beat. The love song is about her being in love with someone. She doesn’t want him to be afraid to take the leap of being with her. She believes they could stand the test of time. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who is in love but is cautious about it. If you have doubts about the person you love, you should listen to this track. It will restore your faith in love. It will make you feel good. The song has a smooth jazz beat. There is a saxophone solo that is not to be missed. It is an incredible song to slow dance to with the one you love. It can also be a wedding song.
Patti Austin was singing since the 60s, but time didn’t affect her voice. Her vocals are a strong as ever. Her voice sounds amazing with the music. She has a beautiful tone to her voice. She has an alto voice that sounds great with music. She shows she can sing any genre of music. This isn’t one of her signature songs, but it is definitely worth checking out. It will show you how great of a singer Patti Austin is.
# 9 – Gimme, Gimme, Gimme ft. Patti Austin
The next song on our Top 10 Patti Austin Songs list is “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” from Narada Michael Walden’s The Nature of Things album. The song has a pop and r&b beat. The flirtatious song is about a singer who falls in love with someone. He is tired of one-night stands. He is ready to fall in love with someone. It is a love song with a twist. It is about a musician falling in the love instead of a regular person falling in love. Singers are used to having one-night stands, but he wants to be in a serious relationship. The music is upbeat and catchy. The melody sounds similar to Kenny Loggins “Footloose.” If you listen carefully, you may notice the similarities between the two songs. There is no way to sit still while listening to this song.
If you are a fan of 80s music, you will enjoy this track. It has a classic 80s sound. Narada Michael Walden was a relative unknown when this song was released. He became more famous for his songwriting, so most people probably won’t recognize his voice. He has a smooth baritone voice. Patti Austin delivers as always with her beautiful vocals. Her beautiful tone was just what the song needed to sound even better. We aren’t sure if anyone else could have done the job she did on this track. She helped bring the song to life. Narada Michael Walden and Patti Austin weren’t going to be the next James Ingram and Patti Austin, but they did a great job on this track.
# 8 – Honey For The Bees
The electrifying song is from the Gettin’ Away with Murder album. The song has a funk beat. The desirable song is about her being attracted to someone and not being able to control her feelings. This is a cover of Alison Moyet’s song. Since this is a cover song, it is time to ask a question. Did Patti Austin make this song her own? The answer to that question is yes. This isn’t Patti Austin’s style of music. She is an r&b and jazz singer, but this song has more of a funk and rock beat.
Patti Austin made the music a little edgier than Alison Moyet’s version. The bass and the drums are spectacular. There is something extra special in Patti Austin’s version. This is the kind of music that is great for the club scene. You can picture people dancing in the club to this music.
It has a classic 80s beat that never gets old. If you grew up in the 80s, this will bring back memories for you. Alison Moyet is more laid back on her original recording. Patti Austin doesn’t usually sing dance songs, but she was right at home with this song. Patti Austin sounds similar to Chaka Khan on this track. Both versions of this song are worth listening to. It is up to you to decide which one is the better version. This song may be hard to find. You may have to find it on a streaming service, but it is worth checking out.
# 7 – Razzamatazz ft. Patti Austin
The energetic song is from Quincy Jones’ The Dude album. The song has an r&b beat. The novelty song is about having fun. If you feel as if your life isn’t the way it is supposed to be, you can make it better. The song has an unusual title, but the lyrics will open your eyes. It will make you realize that you should try to have fun in your life. The song is similar in nature to Michael Jackson’s “Off the Wall” song. The lyrics may seem unusual, but they work with a song like this. The music is infectious and will yank you out of your seat. The melody is similar to the Brothers Johnson’s “Stomp” song.
The music features a full orchestra with the violin and horns. There is also a thumping drum beat as well as piano chords. There is a sizzling guitar solo that is worth checking out. The music is very energizing. Patti Austin sings this song with her heart and soul. She sounds as if she is having a good time with the song. She sounds like she is smiling throughout the song. Her voice is so captivating that she practically reels you in.
She sings the song with a lot of attitude. The chorus will stay in your head long after the song is finished. The chorus is the best part of the song. The bridge is awesome. Patti Austin and the background singer repeats one line over and over. She harmonizes with the background singer while they are repeating the line.
# 6 – Do You Love Me
The longing song is from the Every Home Should Have One album. The song has an r&b and jazz beat. The heartbreaking song is about her wanting to know if the man she loves returns her feelings. She wants him to realize the love they had before. She doesn’t want him to give up on their love. Haven’t we all been in this situation before? We try to hold on to a relationship that we don’t want to end. We will do anything to get the person we love back in our lives. Patti Austin describes the end of a relationship perfectly. She is saying exactly what most of us are thinking when we don’t want a relationship to end. Listening to this song will make you feel as if you aren’t alone while dealing with heartbreak.
The music is surprisingly uplifting considering it is about heartbreak. The bass and guitars help carry the beat. The guitars give the song the funky edge that it needs to work. The guitar solo is fire. Patti Austin sounds amazing in this song. Her singing style is similar to Michael Jackson’s. You may notice similarities in their tones. She also sounds like a combination of Valerie Simpson and Chaka Khan. She sounds like Valerie Simpson in the verses and Chaka Khan in the chorus. Her vocals are top-notch. She knew exactly what to do to sell this song. Everything about the song works tremendously.
# 5 – Every Home Should Have One
The next song on our Top 10 Patti Austin Songs list is “Every Home Should Have One” from the album of the same name. The song has an r&b, post disco and soul beat. The pleading song is about a man who has everything except a good woman. She wants to be the woman in his life. She feels she can make him happy, and he won’t be alone. She feels every home should have a good love. The lyrics are deep and magical. If you are someone who has everything except love in your life, you should listen to this song. The title may mislead you into thinking it is about something else.
The title of the song stands out in a positive way. You may not realize that it is about finding love until you listen to it. The music is rhythmic and catchy. The music features the tenor sax, bass, drums, guitars, keyboards and synthesizers. It all combines for flawless music. The musicians are maestros at their craft. They do an excellent job with the music. The song was released in the early 80s, but it sounds just as fresh today. Patti Austin’s vocals are phenomenal. She starts the song softly and then gets louder when the music gets louder. Her vocals are really strong on this track. When you listen to this song, it may make you wonder why it didn’t do better on the charts. It is an amazing song. The title of this song could refer to this song because everyone should have this song playing in their homes.
# 4 – Love I Never Had It So Good ft. Patti Austin
The affectionate song is from Quincy Jones Sounds and Stuff Like That album. The song has an r&b beat. The alluring song is about her getting together with the person she loves. She realizes how good she has it. She is expressing her appreciation for having a good man in her life. A lot of women sing songs about putting men down, but she chose to sing a song about lifting men up. It is always a good thing to see a woman cherish a relationship with the man she loves. The music has a 70s vibe, but it can still be appreciated today. The song has a funky beat.
The music features the piano, drums, orchestral swells and guitars. The horn section is smoking hot. The saxophone and bass synth are on another planet. This is a song you can hear in a club. Patti Austin sounds like Valerie Simpson in this track. She sings with a double throughout the bulk of the song. Patti Austin and the background singers have incredible harmony with each other. If you listen closely, you can hear someone who sounds like Luther Vandross in the background. The music dominates the lyrics. It gives you a chance to enjoy the musicians. It does need more vocals, but the song is still great.
# 3 – Any Other Fool ft. Patti Austin
The tearjerker song is from Sada Watanabe’s Front Seat album. The song has an r&b and jazz beat. This is a very special collaboration between Patti Austin and Sada Watanabe. The regretful song is about her walking away from the person she loves. She questions why she would have walked away. This powerful and moving song will teach you to appreciate love while you have it. She is pouring her heart out about the regret she feels because she lost the man she loves. She is not alone in this situation. We have all been there before. We have all walked away from a good love and regretted it as soon as we left. This song will teach you to try to make love work no matter what. If you are dealing with this situation, this song will bring out all of your emotions. If you are not in this situation, it will make you value the love you have.
Sadao Watanabe is an incredible saxophone player. You can get lost listening to his saxophone solo. He is a genius when it comes to playing the saxophone. He will make you feel emotional as he is playing the saxophone. He manages not to drown out Patti Austin while she is singing. Speaking of Patti Austin, she sounds like Chaka Khan in this track. Patti Austin has great range, power and delivery. She has incredible control over her voice. She sings this with a lot of heart and soul. She belts towards the end of the song. This is the type of song you will enjoy singing along with her.
# 2 – It’s Gonna Be Special
The loving song is from the Two of a Kind soundtrack. The song has an r&b and funk beat. The cheerful song is about her being in love. The lyrics will make you want to fall in love if you’re not in love. The song is for the movie, but you don’t have to watch the movie in order to enjoy the song. You can use the song to relate to your life as well. The music is smooth and funky. It has a great beat that will have you moving around on the dance floor. The song will bring back nostalgic memories for anyone who listened to music in the 80s. It has a classic 80s vibe, but you can still appreciate it. The music is very synth-heavy. It also has a great bass that sells the music.
Patti Austin sings this song flawlessly. She sings the lead vocals with such passion. She sounds like Chaka Khan in the lead vocals. There will be a lot of comparisons to Chaka Khan because she sounds very similar to her. Patti Austin’s musicianship and preciseness are matchless on this track. She is at the top of her game vocally in this song. She even sings the background with perfection. There aren’t too many people who sound just as good in the lead vocals as they do in the background vocals. The song is special because of Patti Austin’s wonderful voice.
# 1 – Tie Baby Come To Me / How Do You Keep The Music Playing
In 1981, Patti Austin and James Ingram delivered one of the greatest r&b ballads of the decade with the killer song “Baby Come To Me.” The song was released on Patti Austin’s best album entitled Do You Love Me. The song was produced by Quincy Jones who could just do no wrong in the 1980s. The song features the impeccable vocals of Patti Austin meeting perhaps the most sensational r&b singer of the decade in James Ingram. They just blended so well together. How could they not with those voices?
As amazing as the song “Baby Come To Me Was,” there was another Patti Austin song that was equally stunning. The hit single “How Do You Keep The Music Playing,” ties “Baby Come To Me,” for the number one spot on our top 10 Patti Austin songs list. The song was also released as the theme to the motion picture Best Friends which starred Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds.
Feature Photo: RadulePerisic / Shutterstock.com
Updated April 20, 2023
Top 10 Patti Austin Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain creative commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article.
