Released: February 1976
Barry White’s first four solo albums all reached #1 on the R&B charts and the top 20 of the pop charts (including a #1 there too). Shockingly, Let the Music Play barely reached into the R&B top 10 (#8) and made a paltry pop showing (#42).
The only explanation must have been Barry White fatigue because the music on this album as a whole was better than two of his previous efforts; just as good as another; and only behind Just Another Way To Say I Love You, which was this LP’s most immediate predecessor.
Although, White did scale back his ambition by once again recording a 30-minute album (which he did on his first three albums) instead of providing 40-minutes of great music like he did on just Just Another Way
This reduction was likely to the album’s benefit. All six songs are between 3:30 and 7:00 long, so nothing gets too out of balance here like it sometimes did on other LPs.
A final note before we get to the individual songs: this album is a whole let less about love, happiness, and sex than his previous albums.
All the songs here invoke heartache and longing in some form. Maybe that’s what the public didn’t like?
“I Don't Know Where Love Has Gone” is the most hard-hitting disco song White had yet recorded. In fact, I don’t think he ever recorded another song where the drums are so loud and thudding. And as you can tell from the title, this is a heartache song.
“If You Know, Won't You Tell Me” is a breezy, mid-tempo ballad where White begs to understand what’s gone wrong with his relationship. The pain continues on “I'm So Blue And You Are Too”, which starts off with White lamenting: “Has it come to this?” And this one is a completely slow-paced ballad without the hint of danceability. Can’t even two-step to this like you could with “If You Know, Won’t You Tell Me”.
The most depressing side of music from Barry White yet seen.
Side Two kicks off with the banger “Baby, We Better Try to Get It Together”, which is built in the mode of a Motown song transformed into disco. White sings the song well, but the stars here are the drummer and the backing vocals from Love Unlimited, who are keen giving this song their girl group best.
Guitarist Ray Parker, Jr. co-wrote the next song, “You See the Trouble With Me”, with White. It’s a pretty simple soul-pop song, but simple ain’t bad. After failing to “get it together” with his lady, White just remarks on his all around patheticness. He simply can’t do nothing without his baby. And it’s plain as can be, it’s gonna drive him cray-zay….
The album concludes with “Let the Music Play”. It’s the magnum opus here and showed how things had changed for White. Magnum opii (is that plural of magnum opus? I dunno) on previous albums often stretched past eight and even 10 minutes for White. And they were typically about the joy of love and/or sex.
Well, this opus clocks in at only 6:30 and is filled with more heartache for poor Barry.
After failing to “get it together” and having “trouble”, White decides to stroll down to the local disco and dance his troubles away. The song actually does just that. The introduction isn’t music, but instead has White walking and talking to himself on the street passing by happy people. Car horns honk and there’s general street ambience giving a nice Saturday night vibe.
Finally, White nears the disco and music clearly coming from inside the club becomes audible. White steps up to the counter, pays the cover charge, and steps into a world where he can “let the music play” because all he wants to do is “just dance the night away” to obscure his pain.
One of the better disco songs about going to the disco; and a good bit of self-awareness of the genre’s and venue’s purpose. If you can’t solve life’s problems at least you can evade them for a few hours every weekend at the club.
Unfortunately for White, the three singles from this album failed to light the US charts on fire, but they did steamroll the UK charts!
Let the Music Play: #4 R&B, #32 pop, #9 UK
You See the Trouble With Me: #14 R&B, #2 UK
Baby, We Better Try to Get It Together: #29 R&B, #92 pop, #15 UK
ALBUM GRADE: B
The first side is good, the second side is really good to great. Sounds like a B album to me. And praise be to Barry for trying something new lyrically. It didn’t sell as well as his previous stuff, though.
So on the next album, he returned to the sex and love-making motif to less than stellar results.
Song Scores
I Don't Know Where Love Has Gone: 7/10
If You Know, Won't You Tell Me: 7.5/10
I'm So Blue And You Are Too: 6/10
Baby, We Better Try to Get It Together: 8.5/10
You See the Trouble With Me: 8/10
Let the Music Play: 8.5/10