Have You Heard? Norma Jean Wright's "I LIKE LOVE" [1979]

Norma Jean Wright was the first female lead vocalist of the group Chic. She can be heard on their self-titled debut album [1977] but is not featured on the cover - those two whistle-wielding women are merely models.

The deal Wright had made with Chic's Nile and 'Nard upon joining the group included her pursuing her solo career along with singing for Chic. Record label politics of the time put the kibosh on that deal toot suite and Ms. Wright officially left the group after that first album although she continued working with them on both her own solo album [1978] and Sister Sledge's We Are Family [1979]. Wright went on to sing on records by Luther Vandross, C+C Music Factory, and Madonna's first album as well as dozens of others. On May 13, 1978, Chic (with a bare-shouldered Norma Jean up front) appeared on American Bandstand:

Two months after that appearance aired, Norma Jean's album was released in July 1978. Three singles released were from the album in the US: "Saturday", "Sorcerer", and a cover of Sam Cooke's classic "Having A Party". The album was a full-on Chic production with all members playing on most tracks, Nile and 'Nard writing four of seven tracks and producing the whole album. Norma performed two of her singles on Soul Train in the episode that aired November 4, 1978. By that time, Chic had already recorded and released their second album (C'est Chic) without her and it eclipsed her solo work.

Yet buried deep on her solo album - the very last track on Side II - is "I Like Love", one of HERC's All-Time Top Three Chic Productions. Like all the best Chic Productions it is a brief slogan or exhortation (a la "Freak Out!" or "Dance, Dance, Dance!" or "I'm Coming Out!" or "We Are Family!") atop an unstoppable MONSTER rhythm (courtesy of 'Nard and drummer Tony Thompson). "I Like Love" goes one step beyond the formula with an absolutely stunning Nile Rodgers guitar solo that just builds and builds and builds until his partner 'Nard (Bernard Edwards) pops back in on bass. For the record, HERC counted more than 50 occurrences of the song's title phrase within the lyrics. It's a play on words, an affirmation delivered with sensuous joyful passion by Norma Jean; a slightly more innocent version of Donna Summer's wonderfully lascivious "Love To Love You Baby".

I am HERC and I, too, like love.

Bonus cover version

HERC's All-Time Top Three Chic Productions (the other two)