Track Listing

1. Sure Hope You Mean It
2. 100 Yard Dash
3. Keep Marchin'
4. Big Easy
5. Just One Kiss
6. Love That Girl
7. Calling
8. Staying In Love
9. Oh Girl
10. Let's Take A Walk
11. Never Give You Up
12. Sometimes
13. Oh Girl
14. Big Easy (Euro version)- Bonus track
15. Come On Home - Bonus track

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1460 in Music
• Released on: 2009-04-27
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: CD
• Dimensions: .11 pounds

CD Description
Listening to Raphael, with his blend of old school 60s and 70s soul, you can imagine his songs being recorded 30 years ago with tracks that are as musically cohesive as soul music was, recorded back in the day. Raphael brings with him real emotion, real feeling and production values that are simply, right on. Influenced by a range of musical greats such as Sam Cooke, The Temptations, The Four Tops and Al Green, Raphael’s third solo album, The Way I See It is a masterful collection of new material that speaks to his love for rhythm and blues. It showcases the rich diversity of funky grooves and smooth balladry that is Saadiq’s calling card and is most definitely a present day potent ode to a bygone era.
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Raphael learned to play guitar, drums and bass at the age of six. Singing with a professional gospel group by the time he was nine, his musical education encompassed classical music, ‘40’s spirituals, hymns, jazz and, of course, R&B. As the lead vocalist and bass player with Tony! Toni! Toné!, Raphael experienced his first taste of mega-success. After leaving the group he went on to create the "supergroup" Lucy Pearl (with En Vogue’s Dawn Robinson and A Tribe Called Quest’s Ali Shaheed Muhammed) and following that gained production credits for artists such as Macy Gray, TLC and The Roots along with a prestigious Grammy for the song ‘Untitled’ from D’Angelo’s ‘Voodoo’. His much anticipated first solo album Instant Vintage  made history when Raphael became the first artist nominated for no less than five Grammy Awards without having a major record deal. He followed this with the live album All Hits at the House of Blues and then with the critically acclaimed Ray Ray.
In demand as a producer, songwriter and musician, Raphael’s impressive list of credits include Whitney Houston, Mary J. Blige, Anthony Hamilton, Kelis, Q-Tip and The Bee Gees to name a few. He was also the main producer and co-writer of seven songs for the Introducing Joss Stone project; with Joss Stone also featuring on the track "Just One Kiss" on The Way I See It.

Customer Reviews

The Way We Like It
In 'The Way I See It' Raphael Saadiq goes back to the Motown era - except, unlike other artists who have covered existing material, Saadiq has written 12 ORIGINAL tracks inspired by the era - complete with the vinyl-limited track lengths of the period (which is why the album is short). The result is a stunning, live instrument-driven album that pops with echoes of Curtis Mayfield (Love That Girl), Smokey Robinson (Just One Kiss), Stevie Wonder (Let's Take a Walk) and the Temptations. Some of the stand-out tracks on the album are 'Never Give You Up', which (even in the title) has echoes of Marvin Gaye and features a lovely harmonica solo by Stevie Wonder and 'Sometimes', which actually reminds me of some of the work Ali Tennant did on his album Bitter Honey, which bristles with Al Green's edgy soul. The version of 'Oh Girl' featuring a rap by Jay-Z is totally unnecessary, but it won't stop me from giving 'The Way I See It' five funky stars!

The Way You Should See IT!
When the music industry is desperatly trying to manufacture a plethory of Winehouse-esque retro soul/pop music and generally failing; we find a genuine album created out of true love and understanding of the musical genre.
Everything about this album has been planned and executed perfectly from the album cover, the length of the album/tracks-you could buy it on vinyl and relish its delicate black grooves as the stylus vibrates in aural delight which is something I did many years ago to Motown records.
I agree this is one of the best albums of the year and the best track is the one that features a fine performance from Josh Stone (Just One Kiss)who has unfortunately been crucufied in the UK music press over the last few years.No wonder she has deserted her home country!Saadiq and her deserved a christmas number one but sadly this music no longer reaches mainstream playlists which is a great shame.
Buy this album it will make you smile if you have any appreciation of sixties/seventes soul/pop!

The best album of 2008
Big statement BUT.....

This is an album of exceptional quality.

The album is an appropiate length, not too long and too short.

Considering it's a rectro feel album this has the great mix of milleninums new music and the old sound of 60's Motown, Doo wop, Sam Cooke and others all wrapped up into this.

In my opinion this album is better then Amy Winehouses Back to Black, it won't sell the units, but this album is heartfelt and Raphael Saadiq has nailed the feel, and essence of this music.

It is not contrived either, which for along time alot of music trying to replicate this has become i.e Duffy.

If you are into Motown msuic or soul as a general genre, i would highly recommend this album as their is not a weak song on it.

Apart from the unneccessary feat on 'Oh Girl' with Jay Z as a bonus track sorry this was not needed.

If only other artists such as Beyonce, Mary J Blige, worked with Raphael to make their albums better, and Raphael in my opinion redeemed himself as a producer and musician after Joss Stones last flop of an album.

The duet on here is a delight in itself, Just a Kiss.

Buy this album you will not be disappointed, it is worth every penny.