June 7, 1988 – New Edition releases “If It Isn’t Love”
They had been through tribulations, personnel changes, and the always difficult transition from child musical stars to grown men in the business, but New Edition handled every challenge, sometimes in painful ways, even as they moved forward with their craft.
One can argue as to when Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ronnie DeVoe, Ralph Tresvant and then newcomer Johnny Gill (replacing Bobby Brown) hit their Imperial Period, but for me a great place to stop and pause is June 7, 1988, when New Edition released the Jam & Lewis-produced single, “If It Isn’t Love.” The song was a perfect entry into the New Jack Swing era, but if there was something even hotter than the top 5 hit, it was the accompanying video.
In the video, group members strut their stuff, giving a glimpse at the painstaking choreography of Brooke Payne and the physical challenges involved. But it is tough not to smile as they do their thing in a way that we took for granted in the 1980s, but don’t see much in current vocal acts.
So today we take a loving look at the fantastic music video for “If It Isn’t Love.” Enjoy it one more time.
By Chris Rizik
