written by David Foster & Carole Bayer Sager

Dee Dee Bridgewater is an American jazz singer and three-time Grammy winner. Born Denise Eileen Garrett, this gifted vocalist married renowned trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater around 1969 and started a phenomenal career that lead her to become one of the world’s most praised jazz songbirds.

Ms. Bridgewater eventually won a Tony Award for her 1974 performance in the Broadway musical, The Wiz. She started a consistent recording career with many high-profile collaborations with jazz/fusion legends including Ray Charles, Jimmy Scott, Frank Foster, Roy Ayers, Michael Franks and Stanley Clarke. After her 1974 straight-ahead jazz debut album titled Afro Blue, Ms. Bridgewater jumped on the soul-disco bandwagon for her next four albums released between 1976 and 1980. The most solid of those efforts was Bad For Me, a 1979 creation produced by the late, great George Duke (January 12, 1946 to August 5, 2013).

Bad For Me was a collection of soul material that, under the direction of the soul/jazz maestro, reached high levels of sophistication. Bad For Me was comparable to the most refined works of such contemporaries as Earth, Wind & Fire or Quincy Jones. The tracklist presented material co-written by luminaries including Ashford & Simpson, Larry Dunn of EWF, Gene McDaniels and the Duke himself. Among the highlights of Bad For Me was a soulful rendition of Michael Jackson’s “It’s The Falling In Love.”
A mid-tempo jam, “It’s The Falling In Love” was co-written by David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager. Duke reworked the song to give it a stronger soul/jazzy vibe and enhanced the feel with Ms. Bridgewater’s jazz-infused vocals. Jerry Hey, who arranged the horns on Jackson’s original, lead the horn department again and delivered another of his world-class performances. Greg Phillinganes played the silky fender rhodes while another EWF alumni, guitarist Ronald Bautista, added his touch with the rhythm guitar’s licks. The all-star team was rounded-out by the late Ricky Lawson (November 8, 1954 to December 23, 2013) on drums, former Weather Report bassist Alphonso Johnson and star percussionist Sheila Escovedo (aka Sheila E). This was a fantastic re-reading of “It’s The Falling In Love” thanks to Duke’s craftsmanship, the stellar playing and Ms. Bridgewater’s amazing performance.
In the archives, read about other versions of the classic “It’s The Falling In Love.” They include Jackson’s, Smoove & Turrell’s and one by its co-writer, Ms. Bayer Sager’s, arranged by Foster.

Listen

Lead & Backing Vocals: Dee Dee Bridgewater
Drums: Ricky Lawson
Bass: Alphonso Johnson
Fender Rhodes: Greg Phillinganes
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitar: Roland Bautista
Percussion: Sheila Escovedo
Trumpet: Jerry Hey
Trombone: Bill Reichenbach
Tenor Saxophone: Larry Williams

Horn Arrangement: Jerry Hey
Produced, Arranged & Orchestrated by George Duke

Lyrics

It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
You got me falling in love, got me falling in love
You’re not like anybody I ever knew
But that don’t mean that I don’t know where we are
And though I find myself attracted to you
This time I’m trying not to go too far, cause
No matter how it starts it ends the same
Someone’s always doing someone more
Trading in the passion for that taste of pain
It’s only gonna happen again
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
All night, all night
And though I’m trying not to look in your eyes
Each time I do they kind of burn right through me
Don’t want to lay down in a bed full of lies
And yet my heart is saying come and do me
Now we’re just a web of mystery
A possibility of more to come
I’d rather leave the fantasy of what might be
But here I go falling again
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry
It’s the fallin’ in love that’s makin’ me high
It’s the being in love that makes me cry cry cry

written by David Foster & Dennis Lambert

This week, we pay tribute to gifted music-maker George Duke who passed away a few days ago. This jazz/R&B master was an incredible musician, singer, songwriter and producer. He has worked with numerous giants like Frank Zappa and Miles Davis plus produced countless hits for R&B stars including Deniece Williams, Philip Bailey, Jeffrey Osborne, Stephanie Mills and Anita Baker.

Duke has also had a remarkable career as a recording artist with several solo albums and a string of hit singles including “Reach For It,” “Sweet Baby” and “Shine On.” To remember this great musician, we choose “Could’ve Fooled Me.”

This is a sweet ballad that was co-written by David Foster and Dennis Lambert. Although Foster originally recorded this song in 1990 for Japanese singer Yukiko Ito on her album “Good Times, Bad Times,” “Could’ve Fooled Me” was also produced in 1992 by Duke for Rachelle Ferrell’s self-titled album. Given the names involved, both versions of “Could’ve Fooled Me” are obviously top notch with a slight preference for Ferrell’s gorgeous vocal performance. Duke’s elegant work on keyboards is also a plus on this little known Foster gem. If you want to listen to Ito’s Foster-produced version, look for it in the archives section of this website.

Listen

[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/could_ve_fooled_me.mp3|titles=Could’ve Fooled Me|artists=Rachelle Ferrell]

Lead Vocals: Rachelle Ferrell
Piano, Keyboards, Drums & Percussion: George Duke
Bass: Freddie Washington
Guitar: Paul Jackson, Jr
Backing Vocals: George Duke, Jim Gilstrap & Rachelle Ferrell

Produced & Arranged by George Duke

Lyrics

Don’t ask what am I gonna do
‘Cause it hasn’t even started sinking in
Need time, time to think it through
How am I supposed to know where I begin?

Suddenly, I’m alone here
Loving me isn’t in your plans
Since yesterday, you were mine
And my heart was in your hands

Could’ve fooled me
Turned out I was wrong
You knew all along
That one day you’d be leaving

Could’ve fooled me
I was so secure
Confident and sure we were meant to be
You could’ve fooled me

So sad, I’m the last to know
Would have bet my life we were going all the way
It’s too bad you didn’t let me go
If you were honest then I’d be over you, today

Now suddenly, I’m alone here
To loving me, doesn’t feel so right
Yesterday, you were mine
But we’re history tonight

Could’ve fooled me
Turned out I was wrong
You knew all along
Someday you’d be leaving me

Could’ve fooled me
I was so secure
Confident and sure we were meant to be
Could’ve fooled me

There was no indication
No warning, no signs
I guess you could say that I
I must have been blind

Could’ve fooled me
Turned out I was wrong
You must’ve known all along
Someday you’d be leaving

Could’ve fooled me
I was so secure
Confident and sure we were meant to be
Could’ve fooled me

Could’ve fooled me
Turned out I was wrong
You knew all along

Could’ve fooled me
Turned out I was wrong
You must’ve known all along