Written By Anthony Feggans
Posted on September 14th, 2007
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Since I covered a song and an artist very well known last time, this week I thought I might hit you with something you may not have heard since it was popular more than a decade ago, Shanice’s 1991 hit “I Love Your Smile.”

During a time when New Jack Swing, a new type of R&B pioneered by Teddy Riley (from “Blackstreet” Fame) which made almost all songs danceable (see “New Jack City”, “House Party” and “Boomerang” soundtracks for proof of that), this little catchy ditty came out and really soared.

The artist, Shanice, had only one previous single before this one in 1988 called “This Time,” but it went no where. Then this came out 3 year later and proved to be her most successful and best known single to date.

The song is catchy as hell and is just a breath of fresh air, no matter which era you listen to it in, with an effortless dreamy quality to Shanice’s voice, and a simple and easily recognizable melody and chorus.

The video for the song, well, I’ll just say it’s the quintessential early 90’s music video, from the clothes, to the “we’re cool” ethnic quota, to the dancing style, to the style of the video. And for us more satirical viewers, the simplicity of the video is easily transformed into a hilarious example of what “Stalkers” are. Yes, I know he is her photographer, but DAMN, the man was EVERYWHERE! OMG @ him most likely snapping pictures of her in the shower!

Now, the song, in my mind, is just as perfect as any pop-ish R&B song can be. I only have one small problem with it, about halfway into the song, well into her “rap” verse, Shanice sounds like a fucking psycho. I mean, the entire song has been so light and so carefree to this point, then out of no where, she starts to doubt her relationship and the lyrics and sound just gets fucking creepy. And it’s not like she was building up to it so we knew what to expect, we are talking completely bipolar mannerisms here. And as quickly as she went dark, she goes right back to being light again. Psycho.

Alas, after this joyous and wonderful single, most people would completely forget she even existed. But she is far from being a “starving singer” and seems to have found a very content life after musical success. She released a few more albums, most recently “Every Woman Dreams” in 2006, even doing a duet with the man with a million talents (each more irritating than the last) Justin Timberlake in 1999 called “Yesterday.” She also married Flex Alexander, the dad from that atrocious UPN show “One on One” (the theme song for the show is sung by Tonex and Shanice herself). Unlike the woman I covered last time, Shanice’s voice has not hindered, faltered, or diminished in any way, being even more impressive than it was in 1991.

So, enjoy. I’m off to whistle the melody.

Damn thing won’t leave my brain.

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