From Ruth Brown’s Midnight-Sweet R&B to Shanice’s No-Nonsense Dance Floor
Saturday Come Thru Vocals brings two women who knew how to make their voices the main event: Ruth Brown with “It’s Love Baby (24 Hours of the Day)” and Shanice with “No 1/2 Steppin’.” One wraps all-day devotion in a bluesy 1950s groove; the other puts her foot down over a punchy, late-eighties dance beat. Different eras, same irresistible conviction.
Two tracks. Two discoveries. One daily detour.
Come Thru Vocals is INYIM’s long-running daily music discovery series spotlighting voices and songs worth hearing. Selections may also move into Musique Dig’s Weekly Playlist and rotation on INYIM Radio.
Ruth Brown
Tune: It’s Love Baby (24 Hours of the Day)
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EAR
Miss Rhythm never needed a grand entrance: that unmistakable, teasing authority was enough. On her 1955 recording of Ted Jarrett’s tune, Brown makes a round-the-clock love declaration feel playful, grounded and gloriously assured, riding a swinging rhythm-and-blues pulse that still sounds alive. Released on Atlantic, it’s a reminder of just how much attitude can fit inside a short single.
Shanice
Tune: No 1/2 Steppin’
WHY IT CAUGHT OUR EAR
Long before “I Love Your Smile” became her calling card, Shanice was already sounding wonderfully certain of herself. Her 1987 Discovery standout pairs a crisp, synth-driven dance groove with an elastic, confident lead vocal that refuses to settle for half measures. The hook is direct, the bounce is undeniable, and the teenager at the microphone sounds fully in command.
Come back for the next daily detour. Keep discovering in the Come Thru Vocals archive, hear the week’s six strongest finds in Musique Dig’s Weekly Playlist, and keep the music moving on INYIM Radio.
Have a track for Come Thru Vocals or Musique Dig’s Weekly Playlist? Send it for consideration.
