If you close your eyes and listen to the opening notes of a classic DeBarge track, you aren't just hearing a song. You're basically stepping into a time machine fueled by glitter, heartbreak, and some of the most insanely high tenors to ever grace a recording booth. But when we talk about DeBarge Share My World, we aren't just talking about a random entry in the Motown catalog. We’re talking about the 1981 debut that set the stage for one of the most talented—and ultimately tragic—dynasties in R&B history.
Most people today know "Rhythm of the Night." Maybe they’ve heard "I Like It" sampled in a dozen hip-hop songs. But The DeBarges (as they were originally billed) started with a sound that was much more grounded in jazz-funk and pure soul. Honestly, the album is a bit of a miracle when you think about the pressure of being the "next" Jackson 5.
The Motown Gamble and the Debut Sound
By the early 80s, Berry Gordy was looking for a spark. He found it in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The DeBarge family—Bunny, Mark, Randy, and El—weren't just a vocal group; they were multi-instrumentalists who wrote their own material. That’s a huge distinction. While many Motown acts were fed songs by the legendary songwriting teams, the DeBarge siblings were crafting their own vibes from the jump.
DeBarge Share My World is the fourth track on that self-titled debut album. It’s a mid-tempo groove that captures that specific "California soul" transition of the era. You’ve got those light, airy synths and a bassline that doesn't try too hard but keeps your head nodding. It’s effortless.
El DeBarge’s voice on this record is something else. It’s fragile. It’s crystalline. It’s also surprisingly technically proficient for a kid who was barely out of his teens. When he sings the hook on "Share My World," he isn't just asking for a date; he's inviting you into the specific, slightly sheltered, deeply musical universe the family lived in.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Early Years
There is this common misconception that DeBarge was a manufactured pop group. People see the hair and the matching outfits and assume they were just puppets. That couldn't be further from the truth. If you actually sit down and listen to the arrangement of DeBarge Share My World, you'll notice the complexities. The vocal stacking is dense. The bridge doesn't go where you expect it to.
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Bobby DeBarge and Tommy DeBarge had already tasted success with the funk band Switch. They basically paved the way for the younger siblings, teaching them the ropes of production. This wasn't a group of amateurs. They were seasoned by the church and the strict, often difficult, upbringing under their father, Robert DeBarge Sr. That tension—that need to create something beautiful to mask the chaos at home—is baked into every note of the 1981 sessions.
Why "Share My World" Is the Sleepy Classic
While "Hesitated" or "Stop! Don't Tease Me" might get more play on classic R&B radio, the title track "Share My World" holds a special place for the die-hards. Why? Because it’s the blueprint.
It’s the first time we see El really leaning into that romantic lead persona. He wasn't the "macho" singer of the 70s. He was something new. He was vulnerable. The lyrics are straightforward: "Share my world / And you will see / That I'm the one who loves you / Honestly." It’s simple, sure. But the delivery makes it feel like a secret.
The production on the album was handled by the group along with Bobby DeBarge and Eldra DeBarge (El). Motown took a risk letting them produce so much of their own stuff so early. Usually, Gordy wanted the "Hit Factory" guys in the room. But the DeBarges had a specific "Grand Rapids Sound"—a mix of gospel-inflected harmonies and smooth, jazz-lite instrumentation—that worked.
The Technical Brilliance of the 1981 Sessions
If you’re a gear-head or a producer, listening to DeBarge Share My World is a lesson in early 80s analog warmth. This was before the Yamaha DX7 took over the world and made everything sound like a digital bell. The keyboards here are warm. They’re "fat."
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- Vocal Layering: They didn't use Auto-Tune. Obviously. But the way Bunny and El’s voices blend is almost scientific. It’s that "family harmony" DNA that you can’t fake.
- The Drum Pocket: The drumming is crisp but pulled back. It leaves room for the bass to breathe.
- The Composition: Most tracks on the debut clock in around four to five minutes. They weren't just writing radio jingles; they were writing songs.
The Shadow of the Jacksons
It’s impossible to talk about this era without mentioning the Jacksons. Every black family group in the 80s was compared to them. It’s a lazy comparison, honestly. Where the Jacksons were high-energy, theatrical, and increasingly disco-pop, DeBarge was more introspective.
DeBarge Share My World doesn't sound like Off the Wall. It sounds like a Sunday afternoon in a house where the windows are open and someone is playing a Fender Rhodes in the living room. It’s intimate. That intimacy is what kept them relevant even as the industry shifted toward the aggressive sounds of New Jack Swing later in the decade.
The Tragedy and the Legacy
We can't ignore the darker side. The story of DeBarge is often told through the lens of addiction and the "VH1 Behind the Music" tropes. And yeah, those things happened. The pressures of the industry and the trauma of their childhood eventually tore the group apart. El went solo. Chico had his own run. Bunny struggled.
But when you strip away the tabloid headlines, the music remains untouched.
When modern artists like Drake or Bryson Tiller look for a "vibe" to sample, they often turn to this era of DeBarge. They’re looking for that specific mixture of luxury and longing. "Share My World" embodies that perfectly. It sounds expensive, but it feels lonely. That’s a hard balance to strike.
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A Track-by-Track Vibe Check (The Highlights)
If you’re revisiting the DeBarge album for the first time in years, don't just skip to the hits.
- "Stop! Don't Tease Me": This is the fun one. It shows they could do the upbeat Motown thing while still keeping their jazz roots.
- "Share My World": The heart of the record. It's the slow dance at the end of the night when the lights are low and the floor is nearly empty.
- "Hesitated": A showcase for the group's tighter-than-tight harmonies. The way they move through the chord changes is masterclass level.
- "Queen of My Heart": A bit more of a traditional ballad, but El’s vocal performance elevates it above the standard R&B fare of the time.
How to Listen to DeBarge Today
You shouldn't just stream this on low-quality earbuds. If you can find the original 1981 vinyl pressing (Gordy G8-955M1), grab it. There is a specific shimmer on the high end of the cymbals and the vocal transients that gets lost in heavy digital compression.
Also, listen to it in the context of what else was happening in 1981. Rick James was dropping Street Songs. Prince was putting out Controversy. Amidst all that funk and rebellion, DeBarge arrived with this incredibly polite, incredibly sophisticated sound. They were the "good kids" who could out-sing everyone on the block.
Practical Steps for the Modern R&B Fan
If you want to truly appreciate the impact of DeBarge Share My World, don't let it be a one-off listen. The influence of this specific record stretches across decades, affecting how we perceive the "male falsetto" in pop music.
- Compare the Samples: Go listen to the 1981 debut, then listen to how Neo-Soul artists in the late 90s used those same chord progressions. You'll hear the DNA of Maxwell and D'Angelo in the "Share My World" arrangements.
- Dig Into the Credits: Look at the names. You’ll see the DeBarges were doing the heavy lifting. They weren't just the faces on the cover; they were the architects in the studio.
- Watch the Live Clips: Hunt down the early Soul Train performances. Even with the "mime" tracks typical of TV at the time, the charisma is undeniable. You can see El’s discomfort with being a "star" and his absolute comfort with being a musician.
- Contextualize the Family: Research the work of Bobby and Tommy in Switch. Understanding where the younger siblings got their training makes the polish of the debut album make way more sense.
The story of DeBarge is a long one, filled with incredible highs and devastating lows. But it all started here. It started with a family from Michigan trying to find their place in the world by inviting us to share theirs. Forty-five years later, that world still sounds like a place worth visiting.
Next Steps for Discovery
To get the full experience of this era, your next move should be tracking down the All This Love album released the following year. While the self-titled debut gave us "Share My World," the follow-up is where they truly refined the "sophisti-soul" sound that defined the 1980s. Pay close attention to the track "I'm in Love with You"—it serves as a direct sonic sequel to the vibes established on their first record. For those interested in the technical side, researching the production techniques used at Motown's Hitsville West in Los Angeles during the early 80s will provide a lot of clarity on how they achieved that specific, airy vocal texture.