Classic R&B is a crowded field. You have the heavy hitters like Marvin Gaye or Stevie Wonder who usually suck up all the oxygen in the room when people talk about the greats. But if you talk to any serious musician—I’m talking about the people who actually spend their nights obsessed with chord progressions and vocal stacking—the conversation almost always turns to 1983. Specifically, it turns to the Motown masterpiece DeBarge In a Special Way.
It’s an odd record in a way. It’s polished, yet deeply emotional. It feels like a summer breeze, but it’s technically as complex as a jazz fusion project. Honestly, if you grew up in the 80s or 90s, this album is likely the soundtrack to your life, whether you realize it or not.
The Motown Dynasty That Wasn't Supposed to Happen
Most people forget that the DeBarge family was originally framed as the "next Jackson 5." That’s a heavy weight for any group to carry. By the time they got to their third studio album, they weren't just trying to be the next big thing; they were trying to define who they actually were. El DeBarge, the group’s focal point, really took the reins here. He produced the thing. He wrote most of it. He played the keyboards.
It wasn't just a family affair; it was a demonstration of absolute musical control.
You’ve got Bunny, El, James, Mark, and Randy. Each of them brought something, but El's falsetto was the glue. On DeBarge In a Special Way, that voice became a lead instrument. It wasn't just singing; it was storytelling.
Why "Stay With Me" Changed Everything
If we are being real, we have to talk about "Stay With Me." You know the piano riff. Even if you’ve never heard the original 1983 track, you know it because the Notorious B.I.G. sampled it for "One More Chance." You know it because Ashanti used it. You know it because it has been interpolated dozens of times.
But the original? It’s a masterclass.
The song starts with that iconic, melancholic piano line. It’s simple, right? Wrong. The way El DeBarge voices those chords creates a specific kind of yearning that is incredibly hard to replicate. The song doesn't have a massive, explosive chorus. It doesn't need one. It just floats. It’s about the spaces between the notes. When El sings about wanting someone to stay, you don't just hear the words—you feel the actual desperation.
The Technical Magic Behind the Smoothness
Musicians often point to the Rhodes piano work on this album. It’s warm. It’s "tubey." It’s that classic analog sound that modern digital VSTs try to mimic but usually fail to capture perfectly.
- The drum programming was tight but felt "human."
- The basslines provided a melodic counterpoint rather than just holding the root note.
- The vocal layering—the "DeBarge Sound"—involved stacking harmonies in a way that sounded like a single, massive choir of angels.
Taking a Closer Look at the Tracklist
"Time Will Reveal" is the other heavy hitter here. It’s a ballad that somehow manages to stay sweet without becoming saccharine. That’s a tough balance. Most 80s ballads fall into the trap of being "too much"—too much reverb, too much drama, too much cheese. This song avoids that by keeping the arrangement relatively sparse and letting the lead vocal carry the emotional weight.
Then you have "Love Me in a Special Way." The title track isn't just a filler song. It features a harmonica solo that most people assume is Stevie Wonder. It actually is Stevie Wonder. That’s the level of respect this family had at the time. When Stevie shows up to play a solo on your record, you’ve officially made it.
💡 You might also like: Charlie Sheen Scary Movie 4: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
- "Be My Lady" starts the album with an upbeat, almost pop-funk energy.
- "I'm Somebody" offers a bit of that self-empowerment vibe that was big in the early 80s.
- "A Dream" is a hidden gem that often gets overlooked because of the radio hits, but it features some of the best vocal arrangements on the entire project.
It’s a short album by today’s standards. It clocks in at around 38 minutes. But there isn't a single second of wasted space. In an era where albums are often 22 tracks long to game the streaming algorithms, the brevity of DeBarge In a Special Way is a reminder that quality always beats quantity.
The Cultural Impact and the "Sample" Era
You can't talk about this album without talking about Hip-Hop. In the mid-90s, producers like Sean "Puffy" Combs and Irv Gotti treated the DeBarge catalog like a gold mine.
Why? Because the melodies were already "pop" enough to be catchy but "soulful" enough to maintain street cred.
When Biggie Smalls used "Stay With Me," he wasn't just picking a cool beat. He was tapping into a collective memory. Everyone who grew up in Black households in the 80s knew that song. It was the music your mom played while cleaning the house on a Saturday morning. By sampling it, Hip-Hop artists were bridging the gap between the disco-soul era and the new urban landscape.
The Complexity of the DeBarge Legacy
It’s impossible to listen to this album without a tinge of sadness. We know what happened later. The family struggled with fame, addiction, and the pressures of the industry. The "In a Special Way" era represents the peak of their creative powers before the wheels started to come off.
It was a moment of pure potential.
El DeBarge was being hailed as the next Prince or Michael Jackson. And while he didn't reach those specific heights of global superstardom, the influence he left behind is arguably just as deep. You can hear his DNA in D'Angelo. You can hear it in Maxwell. You can definitely hear it in Bruno Mars.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Album
Some critics at the time dismissed it as "lightweight" R&B. They thought it was too pretty.
But "pretty" is actually very hard to do well. Making a song like "Time Will Reveal" requires a deep understanding of music theory and vocal control. It’s not "soft" music; it’s sophisticated music. If you strip away the 80s production, the core songs are essentially jazz standards. They have complex movements. They have bridge sections that actually go somewhere.
Honestly, the "lightweight" label was just a way to dismiss a group that didn't fit into the gritty funk mold of the time. They were doing something different. They were creating "Sophisti-pop" before that was even a recognized term.
Actionable Steps for the Modern Listener
If you’re just discovering this album, don't just put it on in the background while you’re doing dishes. Give it a real "deep listen."
Check the Harmonies
Listen to the final minute of "A Dream." Specifically, try to isolate the different vocal parts. You’ll notice that they aren't just singing the same notes at different pitches. They are weaving in and out of each other. It’s almost like a fugue.
Compare the Samples
Go find a playlist of songs that sample DeBarge. Listen to the original "Stay With Me" and then listen to "One More Chance" by Biggie. Notice how the producers changed the context of the music. It’s a fascinating look at how R&B evolves over decades.
Look for the Analog Warmth
If you have access to a turntable, try to find an original pressing of DeBarge In a Special Way. There is a certain "air" in the recording that gets flattened out in low-quality MP3s. The 1983 production was designed for vinyl, and you can really hear the depth of the bass and the crispness of the high-hats on a physical record.
Study El's Piano Style
If you play an instrument, look up the chord sheets for "Time Will Reveal." It’s a great way to learn about 7th and 9th chords. It’s essentially a masterclass in R&B songwriting.
This album isn't just a relic of the 80s. It’s a living document. It continues to influence how producers think about melody and how singers think about phrasing. It’s a reminder that even in the middle of a massive machine like Motown, true individual artistry can still shine through. If you want to understand where modern R&B comes from, you have to start here. There is no Usher without El DeBarge. There is no Drake "Certified Lover Boy" aesthetic without the groundwork laid by this family in 1983. It is, quite simply, essential listening.