"Last night I,
I saw you standing,
And I started,
Started pretending,
I knew you and you knew me too,
And just like a roni,
You were too shy,
But you weren't the only,
Cause so was I,
And I've dreamed of you ever since,
Now I've built up my confidence,
Girl next,
Next time you come my way,
I'll know just what to say
Can we talk for a minute
Girl I want to know your name"
I'll never forget getting in a cab a few years ago. The driver was in his 40's and had big curly headbanger hair, still frosted as if it was 1988. He was wearing an old RATT concert tee that blended in with his sleeves of tattoos. He was on the phone at first trying to figure out who was going to get the Motley Crue tickets for him and his friends once they went on sale the next day and Instantly liked him. He was like a fossil left over from the 80's but the thing was, he was the real deal. He stayed true to the music that he was raised on and had no desire to change any of that. Or it least that was my first impression. I've since learned never to think for certain that I have someone all figured out in a quick glance or three.
As the cab finally started to move he asked if I minded the radio and of course I didn't. Then he told me he didn't like what was on so he was switching over to a CD. The CD was Tevin Campbell and my jaw hit the floor. As "Can We Talk" started to play I told him I never expected to hear that in any cab, because years later most people don't seem to remember him let alone play his stuff. The driver loved him as much as I always have and we totally bonded over 3.5 songs before I got out of the cab.
Tevin first broke through in 1991 with his album T.E.V.I.N. but I wasn't hooked until he dropped I'm Ready in 1993. I think he was the artist that really convinced me to pay more attention to some of the slow jams peppering the charts, in between my Hole and Nirvana listening parties. The video for "Can We Talk" was shot in NYC's Central Park and I love it to this day. Check it out below.