I'm 45 and this blew my mind. Bobby Caldwell has been to black cookouts and parties for years and we never knew. It's like when your aunt brings her new boyfriend to the reunion and you find out he's white. Goes to show you soul has no color!
i Said the same thing when I first saw this video like he knew he was doin lol cause i already found out he was white but he was older at the time with less facial hair and hair back then he look like Indiana Jones with Soul lol
😂🤣😭 It was beautiful. My mother was one of the people that bought a ticket to one of his NY shows. She said the crowd was absolutely stunned when he got on stage and started singing.
I’ve been listening to black music since a I was a little boy. It’s been the most amazing experience. It’s nice seeing a beautiful black women like you appreciating a bit of whiteness 😂. Bless you 👍🏼
Saddened by the passing of this supremely talented gentleman. This song is timeless. I'm a 66 year old white woman and I distinctly recall thinking for years that he was black. He has the beautiful tone and timbre heard from so many amazing black singers. In this video the reactions were delightful. Thank you for sharing. Love one another, always.
What's more - Bobby WROTE this song - as well as many others he wrote for famous Black R&B, Soul and Jazz artists. (Read his bio.). He was also a multi-instrumentalist and excellent Producer. (Read what Jon Benet had to say about him.) He was a lovely humble soul, and he left us far too soon. He will be so missed. 💔🎵💔
3:20 I'm laughing as an old white dude! Yeah, some of us got some of that soul too. This is old school for us, grew up on Motown and soul music since a kid. 😁 Still listening.
White dude! I graduated in the ‘70’s and missed this??….That’s what I said when his album came out. I lived it… white folks always connected to soul music. It’s pure!
I was 23 years old when I first heard this song in 1979, and when I heard Bobby Cadwell died I listen to the song and never in my dreamest mind think he was white. He even dances like a Trinidadian Calypsonion. I am still listening to his famous song. May he find favour without God.
That's why they wouldn't show his face on the album cover. Most black people thought he was black. Also no one can sing this song better than he.. You know he has been around black singers. I can't help it, even when I found out over 40 years ago it is still in my top 25 selection.
Speaking for myself and having grown up in Oakland, I know why black people are surprised, but you should not be. I have traveled and lived all over the world and the vast vast majority of people everywhere, especially white people love black people and love your vibe, spirit,. culture, families, style, and your past and ongoing contributions to everything. If you would please believe this simple statement from me and many others it may make your journeys through life calmer and happier. May God bless us all is all I can add.
I thought everybody knew he was white I knew he was white from day one he just could jam. He had more than just the one song people are talking about check out his library.
I still have this song on the original heart shapped album...got it for my birthday 1978...my favorite song in the whole world...RIL Bobby Caldwell!!!!
It's the voice, the type of song, the rhythm the sound, got so much soul, RIP BOBBY I was 18 when I heard this back in the late 70s, they didn't have videos and all the black stations played so we thought he was black, then it was revealed and we lost it, that is when we knew Bobby would be invited to all the black functions lmaoo
In 1978 when Bobby Caldwell came out with "What You Won't Do For Love" me and my dad were listening to it , I was 15 and my Dad said " You know that's a gray dude ( meaning white dude) singing like that " I have known Bobby Caldwell was white for 45 years now bc I still sing to his music to this day RIP My " Blue Eyed Soul Brother" 🙏❤️
Many people are influenced by others. During this period, music like this was popular among both black and white artists. White artists have been influenced by black artists and black artists have been influenced by white artists. It's not about the color of the people. It's about the music and the songs, and how they resonate with the audience!
@@shawnj1966 I think his point is we have Black Americans to thank for inventing jazz, soul, hip hop and to a great degree rock and roll. Then others intermingled and all got good at it as well.
Great video here Bernie.... Loved it....The first time I heard this song was in my car in 1979, I'm saying who is THIS...? Well, I did a U turn and headed to the record store on Torrence Ave I was so blown away by this jam....! Got to the store and looked up Bobby Caldwell and their it was, the album with a silhouette him sitting on a bench, flipped it over and this song is on it...! I couldn't pay for it soon enough so I could get home and play this bad boy over and over again....! Still love it....Yes, I thought he was a black singer (and I'm Italian American).... I didn't find out till much later that Bobby was a white guy...! What a great singer and this song is still in my top 5 all time songs...! What a song and everyone can relate ... WOW... Greg..IN
My music World is shaken! RIP to the greatest live entertainer. I was blown away after years of thinking he was the most awesome black singer in the World!!
Yeah, but after listening to Michael for years, (solo or with the Doobie Bros.) I could tell in his voice that he was just a soulful white dude,..which is cool because I've always loved his music. But I would have never suspected after hearing this song for years that Bobby was white. You just have to come across this video for the first time to know, lol!
You need to listen to the 20th anniversary remix of this song. I play it so often on my show. Bobby Caldwell…with a career that spanned 4 decades…was light years ahead of many black artists. He was a master at keyboards, drums and guitar. He was an amazing Artist
Same with me. Didn't find out he was white until he passed away. I got on RU-vid to listen to the song because I felt like it was one I should know. Turns out it was one I should know. I specifically remember it being on the radio. I loved it, and in my mind it was a black artist singing that song.
That came out my senior year of high school, played on soul stations and we still had no idea he was white. But we also had Wild Cherry singing "Play that Funkie Music White Boy" and The Average White Band with a killer instrumental featuring mostly saxophone. Oh, almost forgot that Canadian Gino Vannelli singing "I Just Wanna Stop". Y'all remember that album cover with that big, thick, curly afro? Yeap, another white man. At the time, I thought he was biracial. Anyway, he is still touring and selling out venues.
The funny thing is I was only like 5 when this song came out, so any kind of video would have been beyond me. Didn’t realize Bobby Caldwell was white until my teens. The funny thing is my black friends and I talk about it and they’re universally like “Yeah, *we* didn’t know he was white, either.” 🤣
Bobby was a good friend of mine. He passed a year ago. A lot of people thought he was black. I called him my “Vanilla Brother” he used to get a kick out of it. His wife, Mary, would be pleased to know that generations are not only discovering his music. The whole album is great, one of my favorites is “My Flame”. Thanks for reacting.
@juliearmfield2634 Yes he was. Billboard Magazine nominated him. His voice was so soulful, they ASSUMED he was black. He didnt win after they found out he was white.
@juliearmfield2634 If you looked at the Album cover, it was just a shadow. Just like the official music video he sat on the same bench as the Album cover, got up and walked into the light, people were shocked! ☺️The music video wasn't done until after '79. He did years later. He used to get a kick out of it, unknowing listeners and concert goers would find out he wasn't black.
I was living in another country when this came out on the radio. Loved it! It was the soundtrack of all of the parties I went to. Forty plus years later, I found out he was white. That blew my mind! What a great song.
Same thing happened with Tenna way back..At first I thought this was another Bill Withers track when it came out. Likewise, if a song hits you, the color of the artist becomes irrelevant. Still, I am glad that he got nothing but love from us.
Never thought about what color he was. It's a badass song. Just like Darryl Hall, that's just how he sings. Why is this amazing? It's the same flipped around. Living Colour is black? Black guys doing rock?😮 Lots of stereotypes that should die in the area of music. And yeah, I could see him looking like Chuck Mangione.🙂
RIP, Bobby. I came to laugh... when this came out way back in the day -- 78 or so -- Bobby is the only voice that fooled my ear... like -- alright, white boy... go 'head wit' yo' bad self!
I have been listening to Bobby Caldwell for years and I knew he was white person. It does not matter what color he was, he made great music while he was living. RIP Bobby Caldwell. One Smooth dude.
Straight blew my mind like 10-15 years ago. Never knew!!!! Always pictured a black guy singing this song. I just recently heard another song that he sang and did not know it was him. Wow!! RIP Bobby Caldwell. You will always have a place in my heart, soul, and ears.
I'm like you. When I heard this, and I was in radio during 80's and 90's, then off and on to 2003. I was certain this was a black dude singing this. Then made the shocking discovery here online. But the thing is, I'm a bit older than you and grew up on this when it came out in 1978. I was of the Led Zeppelin-Pink Floyd mode. I was born in 60 so you can do the math. But I got into smooth jazz as I got older and even got to work at a smooth jazz station in Portland. When this tune came up, I turned it up and sang along. It was one of those song you grew up with and it never leaves you. Trust me.
Yeah... I've always loved this song, and it was a favorite track my jazz dance teacher played in class in state college. Just so much soul. I always thought Caldwell was black. Blows me away. Now I've listened to some other stuff he's done and his interviews; he's very nice, cool, funny and so talented. Rip man. So sorry to find he just passed away...
Say black folks ain't never heard of Bobby Caldwell, you mean you young folks haven't heard about the Caldwell, his partner is Billy Billy Bobby Caldwell is an old man like me. He's a keyboard player for those who don't know and he does a little singing also.
Bobby Caldwell passed away March14, 2023 from an antibiotic reaction also known as floxed. The link below is from the Soul Train Awards around 2014. Dave Koz toured with Caldwell and other R&B artists. When this song came out in 1979 I had just graduated from college and I flipped my lid. The song was romantic and sexy and I assumed he was black. Caldwell knew he was "the white guy who sang R&B and jazz". BTW I am white! The link below is the Soul Train Awards in 2014 and cneck out the reaction: m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-NrtL-UWotxE.html
This is really interesting. I'm an English white guy, but i love black music. I didn't know if he was white or black either but when i found out that fact didn't really mean much to me. Like yeah so what? White folk get down funky too you know. I was a drummer in a soul funk band, we were all very white & English and we played almost exclusively "Black" soul & funk. In fact the only "White" song I remember playing was Elvis=little less conversation, that could easily have been Ray Charles doing that song instead. But then we all Know where Elvis found his songs. Anyway, peace, love and funk forever, we all brothers and sisters man. RIP Bobby. It's a shame it took me till my mid 20's to discover the funk etc, no matter now....I'm nearly 50
It appears, for many, Bobby was obviously a well-kept secret, perhaps? I always knew he was a White guy with a lot of soul and a very versatile artist. I aways enjoyed his duets with Vanessa Williams and other well known entertainers. You will be missed Bobby!
Bro You're Making It Seem Like They Was Singing Like That Before Us When They Got It From Us....We Have Always Been The Most Soulful Beings On The Face Of This Planet.And Don't You Forget It
We've had a few, Hall & Oates,The Righteous Brothers,and a few others those I mentioned were the most memorable! He was very big in the black communities at the time,but, we didn't care( he was dope)
