December 29, 2020 — My brother-in-law, Jason, a soul music fan who also is a musician and composer, likes to DJ for me at family gatherings. Fortunately, his tastes trend towards extremely well-produced and performed tracks, and his goal is usually to hit me hard with songs from my early years or others that trigger great depth of feeling as I quietly sip my bourbon. At our latest holiday get-together, he came out of the gate with a few Streisand/Barry Gibb classics that rocked me, but then he jabbed me with the glorious duet “With You I’m Born Again” featuring the late, great Billy Preston and Syreeta Wright. I didn’t see that one coming and was down for the count!
Released in 1979 as part of the movie soundtrack for the film Fast Break, the track eventually reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received considerable critical acclaim. The great film composer Marvin Hamlisch, who first heard the song while seated in a barber’s chair, is said to have immediately lept up in excitement, nearly getting his throat cut in the process! I understand why. Everything about this song is perfect: The melody is rich, deep and beautiful; Preston’s baritone voice nestles exquisitely beneath Wright’s angelic soprano; and the lush, supporting strings add just the right mood. These two aren’t simply making music here, they’re making magic. Enjoy.
By Robb Patryk
(Dedicated to Jason, my favorite DJ)
