Soul music changed in 1992. It got sharper. It got sleeker. When people talk about En Vogue giving him something he can feel, they aren't just talking about a cover song; they’re talking about the moment four women from Oakland redefined the girl group aesthetic for the modern era. You’ve heard the song. That heavy, thumping bassline. The finger snaps. That "looking at my watch" attitude that made every other R&B act at the time look like they were trying too hard.
It was effortless.
But here’s the thing: "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" wasn't actually their song. It belonged to Sparkle. Or rather, it belonged to Curtis Mayfield, the genius who wrote it for the 1976 soundtrack of the film Sparkle. Most people don't realize that the En Vogue version—the one that lived on the Funky Divas album—was a calculated risk. It shouldn't have worked. Taking a classic associated with Aretha Franklin and trying to make it "new" is usually a recipe for a critical drubbing.
Somehow, Dawn Robinson, Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron, and Maxine Jones didn't just cover it. They owned it.
Why the Sparkle Connection Matters
If you want to understand why this track hit so hard, you have to look at the source material. Curtis Mayfield wrote the original for the Sparkle soundtrack, performed by Aretha Franklin. It was a gospel-infused, slow-burning plea. Aretha’s version is incredible, obviously. It’s Aretha. But by the early 90s, R&B was moving toward "New Jack Swing" and sophisticated pop-soul.
Enter Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.
These were the architects behind En Vogue. They were looking for a way to show that the group wasn't just a collection of pretty faces with catchy hooks. They needed "prestige." By selecting a Mayfield composition, they were tapping into the lineage of Black excellence. They weren't just singing a pop song. They were positioning themselves as the heirs to the Supremes and the Emotions.
Funny enough, the music video for the song didn't feature them in 90s streetwear. It went full retro. Red dresses. Bare shoulders. It looked like a 1950s lounge. That visual contrast—seeing 90s stars dressed like old-school sirens—is part of why the song stayed in the cultural zeitgeist. It felt timeless because it was timeless.
The Vocal Breakdown: How They Did It
A lot of groups have a lead singer and three backups. Not En Vogue. That was their whole "thing." Each member was a powerhouse.
In "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," the lead vocals are shared, but Dawn Robinson’s gritty, soulful delivery often takes center stage during the most intense riffs. Listen to the way she handles the "give it up, give it up" section. It isn't just singing; it's a demand.
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The harmonies are tight. Scary tight.
- They used "close harmony" techniques usually reserved for jazz ensembles.
- The production stripped away the 80s synthesizers.
- It relied on a "walking" bassline that felt organic and live.
- The vocal layering was dense, sometimes involving dozens of tracks to get that "wall of sound" effect.
Honestly, the sheer technical difficulty of those harmonies is why you don't see many people covering this version on singing competitions. It’s a trap. If your timing is off by a millisecond, the whole thing falls apart. You’ve gotta have that Oakland church-choir precision.
The 1992 R&B Landscape
To understand why En Vogue giving him something he could feel was such a massive pivot, you have to remember what else was on the radio. TLC was just arriving with Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip. They were loud, colorful, and wore condoms on their clothes. SWV was coming up with a more "around the way girl" vibe.
En Vogue went the opposite direction. They went high-fashion.
They were the "Funky Divas." That wasn't just an album title; it was a brand. By taking a song from 1976 and making it the centerpiece of their 1992 campaign, they proved that "urban" music (as the industry called it back then) didn't have to be trendy to be successful.
It worked. The song hit Number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts. It crossed over to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at Number 6. For a slow-burn ballad in an era of high-energy dance tracks, that’s almost unheard of. It stayed on the charts for months. People couldn't get enough of that bassline.
The Controversy and the Legacy
Not everyone was a fan of the remake at first. Purists felt that Mayfield’s work was sacred. There’s always that one critic who thinks you shouldn't touch the classics. But Mayfield himself reportedly enjoyed the version. It breathed new life into his publishing catalog and introduced a whole generation of Gen X and Millennials to his songwriting genius.
Then there was the internal stuff. As time went on, the "perfect" image of En Vogue started to crack. Dawn Robinson eventually left. There were lawsuits. There were "he said, she said" stories in the press about contracts and money.
But when that song comes on? None of that matters.
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The track has a weirdly specific power. It’s been sampled, referenced, and played at every wedding and cookout for the last thirty years. It’s one of those rare instances where a cover might actually be more famous than the original—at least to anyone born after 1975.
Why It Still Ranks High on Playlists
- The Intro: Those finger snaps are iconic. You know the song within two seconds.
- The Fashion: The red dress aesthetic from the video is still a go-to reference for stylists today.
- The Message: It’s a song about vulnerability and demand. "Many say that I'm too young / To let you know just where I'm coming from." That’s a powerful sentiment for young women.
Most people don't know that the group actually recorded several "oldies" during those sessions. They were experimenting with the idea of a full covers album before deciding to mix them in with original hits like "Free Your Mind" and "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)."
It was a smart move. If they had done just covers, they would have been a novelty act. By mixing the old with the new, they became legends.
What Most People Get Wrong
People often think "Something He Can Feel" was the lead single from Funky Divas. It wasn't. "My Lovin'" came first. "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" was the second single, released in May 1992.
The success of the second single actually propelled the album to multi-platinum status. It showed the group had "legs." They weren't just a one-hit-wonder with a catchy hook about "never gonna get it." They had soul. They had range.
If you look at the credits, you'll see Foster and McElroy handled almost everything. They were the "fifth and sixth members." Their ability to blend the gritty Oakland sound with high-gloss pop production is what made the song a crossover hit.
Technical Mastery in the Studio
Recording those vocals wasn't easy.
In interviews, the members have mentioned that the recording process was grueling. They didn't just sing the song through. They recorded line by line, sometimes word by word, to ensure the blend was flawless. In an era before Auto-Tune was a standard studio tool, that meant singing it until it was perfect.
If one person was flat, everyone had to go again.
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That dedication to the craft is why the song doesn't sound dated. When you listen to a lot of 90s R&B, the drum machines sound "thin" or the synths sound "cheesy." Because this track used a more classic arrangement based on the Mayfield original, it has an analog warmth that holds up against modern Spotify masters.
Actionable Insights for R&B Fans and Creators
If you’re a singer or a producer looking at why this worked, there are a few takeaways.
First, don’t be afraid of the "past." Sampling is one thing, but a full-blown re-imagining of a classic can redefine your career if you bring a new perspective to it. En Vogue brought "sisterhood" to a song that was originally a solo plea.
Second, focus on the "pockets." The reason this song works isn't the high notes. It’s the space between the notes. The "pocket" of the bass and the snaps creates a tension that makes the listener lean in.
Finally, study the arrangement. Notice how the instruments drop out during certain vocal flourishes. That’s "dynamic mixing." It allows the human voice to be the star, which is exactly what a soul song should do.
To truly appreciate the impact of the track, go back and watch the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards performance. It’s a masterclass in stage presence. No pyrotechnics. No backup dancers. Just four women, four microphones, and a whole lot of soul.
Next Steps for the Listener:
- Compare the 1976 Aretha Franklin version with the 1992 En Vogue version to hear how R&B production evolved over 15 years.
- Listen to the full Funky Divas album to see how the group balanced rock, hip-hop, and classic soul.
- Look up the lyrics to the second verse—many people realize they've been singing the wrong words for decades.
The legacy of En Vogue isn't just about the charts. It's about a specific standard of excellence. They proved that you could be "funky" and "divine" at the same time, and they gave us something we could feel in the process.