Continuing my look at the albums of 1986…
My biggest blindspot for any musical year is invariably the R&B releases. It’s just not a genre I enjoy enough to dive in very deep.
The biggest R&B/soul release of 1986 was Anita Baker’s Rapture. This was the singer-songwriter’s sophomore effort, following a modestly received debut a few years earlier. It rode the success of top ten single ‘Sweet Love’ to 5X Platinum status, easily becoming the biggest success of her career.
I knew ‘Sweet Love,’ of course. It’s a hell of a song, delivered beautifully. But I was surprised at how familiar I found the rest of this album. Perhaps it was something my parents played?
‘Caught Up in the Rapture’ was a minor hit but sounds like a lost classic. ‘No One in the World,’ previously released by Dionne Warwick, is a lovely fit for Baker. Closing track ‘Watch Your Step’ is a giddily upbeat kiss-off song.
This album goes down very easy, and makes me wonder why “easy listening” has such a negative connotation. I’m not a big “play it in the background” guy, but if I was, Rapture would make fine background music.
With all my heart, I love you, baby
Stay with me, and you will see
My arms will hold you, baby
Never leave ’cause I believe
[Chorus]
I’m in love, sweet love
Hear me calling out your name — I feel no shame
I’m in love, sweet love
Don’t you ever go away, it’ll always be this way
[Verse 2]
Your heart has called me closer to you
I will be all that you need
Just trust in what we’re feelin’
Never leave ’cause, baby, I believe
[Chorus]
In this love, sweet love
Hear me callin’ out your name — I feel no shame
I’m in love, sweet love
Don’t you ever go away, it’ll always be this way
[Bridge]
There’s no stronger love in this world — oh, baby, no
You’re my man, I’m your girl — I’ll never go
Wait and see, can’t be wrong
Don’t you know this is where you belong?
[Verse 3]
Oh, the sweetest dream, a lovely baby
Stay right here, never fear
I will be all that you need
Never leave ’cause, baby, I believe
[Chorus]
In this love, sweet love
Hear me calling out your name — I feel no shame
I’m in love, sweet love
Don’t you ever go away, it’ll always be this way
[Outro]
(Sweet love)
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no
(Sweet love) Oh no, no
(Ooh) Uh-huh, huh, huh
(With all my heart, I love you) So sweet, so sweet
(Ooh) So sweet, oh, oh, love
(Sweet love) Your love
Oh, baby, no sweeter love
(Sweet love) Oh, sweeter love
Oh, no, no, no, no-no, no, no, no
(Sweet love) Don’t nobody know
Don’t nobody know how sweet it is
Ah, how sweet it is
(Sweet love) Love me sweetly, baby
Just leave me sweetly, baby
(Sweet love)
Don’t nobody know
(Sweet love)
Meet Me In Montauk 
This album was in heavy rotation for me in college and then with Amy and me during law school/graduate school and our first few years of marriage. Admittedly, it was sometimes relegated to background music during a romantic dinner, but was high quality background music.
we loved Anita Baker and listened to her frequently so that’s where you probably heard her.