Sydney Youngblood

Sydney Youngblood
Background information
Birth name Sydney Ford
Born December 2, 1960
Origin San Antonio, Texas, United States
Genres Dance, funk
Occupation(s) Singer
Years active 1989–present
Labels Circa Records
Virgin Records
Arista Records

Sydney Youngblood (born Sydney Ford, 2 December 1960, San Antonio, Texas) is an American singer, who had several successful dance/funk hits during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Career

Youngblood had four Top 40 hits in the UK and Europe in 1988 and 1989, including "Sit and Wait", "I'd Rather Go Blind" and his debut "If Only I Could". "If Only I Could" used the bassline and drumbeat from the Raze track "Break 4 Love", and reached number three on the UK Singles Chart.[1]

In the U.S., the song "I'd Rather Go Blind" (originally sung by Etta James) enjoyed heavy rotation on the dance scene and made the Top 10 in the "Billboard Dance Charts". "Sit and Wait" reached number 16 in the UK in early 1990.[1]

Youngblood continued his success with the album, Feeling Free, which also contained his earlier single, "Ain't No Sunshine".

Sydney Youngblood vs Soul II Soul

Minor controversy ensued during Youngblood's chart reign. Due to his musical style of soul vocals over hip-hop rhythms, he had been accused by some in the music press of copying the sound of Soul II Soul, an influential British black music group who had reached number one with their hit "Back To Life". Youngblood responded by releasing a remix of his earlier hit "Feeling Free" (featuring Elaine Hudson) called "The Jazzy Who? remix" in reference to Soul II Soul's Jazzie B. The track featured piano lead that sounded similar to "Happiness" by Soul II Soul, and used a beat identical to "Jazzies Groove".[2]

Discography

Year Single Peak positions Album
UK
[3]
IRE NED BEL
(FLA)
FRA GER
[4]
AUT SWI SWE NZ US
[5]
1988 "Ain't No Sunshine" 78 Feeling Free
"Congratulations"
1989 "If Only I Could" 3 2 2 1 8 3 3 3 9 28
"Sit and Wait" 16 15 7 2 21 2 2 6 2
1990 "I'd Rather Go Blind" 44 34 23 46
"Ain't No Sunshine" (FRA only) 35
1991 "Hooked On You" 72 35 36 27 34 Passion, Grace And Serious Bass...
"Wherever You Go"
1993 "Anything" 48 27 51 Just The Way It Is
"No Big Deal"
1994 "So Good So Right (All I Can Do)" 91 The Hat Won't Fit
1999 "Christmas Song" singles only
2007 "If Only I Could" (Tom Pulse vs. Sydney Youngblood) 89
2013 "Sit And Wait 2013" (with Jesse Ritch)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 616. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. "Sydney Youngblood - Sit And Wait / Feeling Free (Vinyl) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-04-30.
  3. "Official Charts Company: Sydney Youngblood". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  4. "Sydney Youngblood - German Chart". charts.de. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  5. "US Hot 100 - Sydney Youngblood". billboard.com. Retrieved 2014-04-05.

External links