Long before I was old enough to chase boys, I had an expectation of how they’d treat me thanks to the incomparable Luther Vandross.
Unfortunately, relationships are rarely what Luther made them out to be, but one of the first outside influences to instill in me a sense that I deserved to be treated like a queen wasn’t modern day feminism or some Instagrammable quote; it was Luther.
Of course, my parents, amazing teachers, and a deep circle of wise women took every opportunity to teach me my worth. But when Luther came on at a family or church function, I’d watch the old fellas saunter up to their wives with a Crown and Coke in one hand and the other outstretched asking for a dance, all along sing every word to those ladies. Black families didn’t just like Luther, they LIVED Luther. He symbolized Black wholesomeness, Black sincerity, and Black love when every mainstream image of us was the polar opposite. (Ironically, after Luther passed without ever having married or fathered children, several of his confidantes, including Patti LaBelle, confirmed he was gay, a revelation that if made at the height of his career, sadly but surely would have demolished the conservative family-friendly pedestal our culture put him on.)
For better or worse, Luther himself is also emblematic of his time. Though his career spanned 25 years, his prime work was through the 80s and mid-90s when he created hits like “Here and Now” and “Power of Love,” and duets with Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson. “Never Too Much” was Luther’s first solo single in 1981, and is a GEM of a video that’s almost a literal capsule, chock full of every bit of 80s ephemera you could think of: silly silk tracksuits, gigantic boomboxes and Walkmans, Swiss dot pantyhose, it’s all here for your throwback enjoyment. If you weren’t born until the 90s or later, “Never Too Much” is a must-watch.
Even today though, as dated as everything about this is, it holds up. Luther is a literal joy to watch with his occasionally ridiculous but always heartfelt facial expressions, and the music, despite that obnoxious funk synth loop, is so danceable and so snappable Luther’ll have you on your feet in no time. Just like the good old days.
𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗢 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘:
“I can’t fool myself, I don’t want nobody else to ever love me
You are my shining star, my guiding light, my love fantasy”