The MARK’S VINTAGE VINYL page features something from Mark’s collection of recordings from over the years. Most of it is on vinyl – hence the name – though there will be a few entries from his CDs (remember those?).
Cooleyhighharmony by Boyz II Men
- Debut album released in 1991 by R&B group Boyz II Men.
- While not a fan (at all!) of 90’s formulaic R&B, I am a huge fan of harmony, and when I heard the harmonies of Boyz II Men on this album, I picked up the CD.
- Fresh out of high school, the boys of Boyz II Men sounded like seasoned vocalists on the record. And they were – Nathan and Wanya Morris had been singing in the group since 1987, Shawn Stockman joined in 1988, and Michael McCary joined in 1990.
- Cooley Vocational High School was in Chicago – it closed in 1979 and it was demolished in 1981. The members of Boyz II Men went to high school at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Cooley High was mentioned in songs by rap artists Nas and the Wu-Tang Clan before Boyz II Men referenced it in their album. Notorious serial killer John Wayne Gacy attended school there.
- The album topped the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200 album chart. It was certified 9x platinum and it won the 1992 Grammy award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Four singles charted, with It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday reaching #2 on the Hot 100 and #1 on the R&B chart. Motownphilly reached #3 and #4 on the same charts, and Uhh Ahh topped the R&B chart.
- To learn more about the group, see my blog post from October 29, 2017. Here’s their video for It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday, one of the few songs from the album that they did not write themselves. Their version is a cover of the song first recorded in 1975 and used in the film Cooley High. Ahh…now I see the Cooley High connection!