Trombonist Floyd Miller teamed with Tom Lockett Jr. (sax, keyboards), Carter Bradley (keyboards), Mark Adams (bass), Mark Hicks (lead and rhythm guitar, lead and background vocals), Danny Webster (rhythm guitar, lead and background vocals), Orion Wilhoite (sax), and Tim Dozier (drums). Vocalists Steve Arrington, Starleana Young, then Curt Jones came aboard in 1978, with Arrington ultimately becoming lead vocalist. Their first big hit was the single "Slide" in 1977 for Cotillion Records, where they remained until 1984. Their best work was usually based on bass licks and the band's general arrangements emphasis on the rhythm section and soaring lead vocals.
Other Top Ten R&B hits were "Just a Touch of Love" in 1979, "Watching You" in 1980, and "Snap Shot" in 1981. They added Charles Carter on sax and brother William P Carter on keyboards. Young, Washington, Jones and Lockett departed to form Aurra in 1981. Slave added Roger Parker, Sam Carter, Delbert Taylor,JR., and Kevin Johnson as replacements. Arrington himself left in 1982 after the Showtime album. They continued on, though much less successfully, into the late 1980s.
They moved to Atlantic Records for one LP in 1984, then switched to the Atlanta-based Ichiban Records in 1986. Their most recent release was The Funk Strikes Back in 1992. Rhino issued Stellar Fungk: The Best of Slave Featuring Steve Arrington, an anthology of their finest cuts, in 1994.
Origin Dayton, Ohio, USA
Genres R&B, soul, funk
Occupations Singer-songwriter, producer, musician
Years active 1975 - 1996
Labels Cotillion, Atco, Ichiban
Website Steve Arrington
Mark L. "The Hansolor" Adams @ Bassplayer.com
Watching You
Slave feat. Steve Arrington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you
Watching you
Watching you
Watching you
Watching you
All of them so lovely, I can't make up my mind
But I'm lookin' at you from the corner of my eye
I can see you now, you're steppin' so high and I'm
Walking down the street watching ladies go by
Watching you (one look and I was hooked on you, baby, whoa)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (watching you)
Watching you
Watching you
There you go swayin', blowin' my mind
You've got everything groovin' in time
God gave her beauty, she carries it well
I'm staring at your heart, baby, hoping you can tell
Walking down the street watching ladies go by
Watching you (hope that you can tell that I'm watching you, love)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (with the naked eye, baby, whoa)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (you're far away, but I can still see you clearly, whoa)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (watching you)
Love at first sight oh, baby, you're blowin' my mind
I just got to let you know
Energy flowin'
I said it feels so good
I gotta tell you my name is stevie
What's yours, baby, whoa
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (I'm watching you and only you, baby, whoa ho)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (you're blowin' my mind)
Gonna do a little dance for you
Watching you
Watching you
The girl looks just right to me, ha
Combination smile, body, physique, whoa, ho
All the ladies I've seen are really fine but
Baby, I'm watching you, you're right down my line
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (oh baby)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (oh, you're right for me, you're right to the tee, baby)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (what must I do to let you know I'm checkin' you)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) watching you (whoa, ho, ho, yi, yi, yi)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by (whoa, whoa, ho) watching you (yi-yi-yi, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, oh, oh, oh)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by (la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, oh, oh, oh) watching you
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you
The song "Watching You" by Slave feat. Steve Arrington showcases a man's admiration for a woman he sees walking down the street. The lyrics depict him watching other ladies go by, but his attention is solely focused on the one he refers to as "baby." He describes her as a fine and lovely lady who carries her beauty well. The beauty he sees goes beyond just her physical appearance, as he says he's staring at her heart in hopes that she can tell. It's a song about love at first sight and the overwhelming feeling that comes with discovering someone who catches your eye.
The lyrics are also filled with Steve Arrington's signature falsetto, which brings an extra layer of emotion to the song. His vocal delivery perfectly captures the excitement and playful affection in the lyrics. The repeated chorus of "Watching You" emphasizes the man's fascination with this woman and how he just can't take his eyes off her. It's a classic soul/funk song that captures the essence of discovering a new love interest and being completely enamored by them.
Overall, "Watching You" is a song about love and admiration. It's about the feeling of being completely captivated by someone, to the point where you can't take your eyes off them. The lyrics and Steve Arrington's vocal performance perfectly capture the feeling of discovering a new attraction and feeling completely swept away by it.
Line by Line Meaning
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you
Observing the women around me, but my attention is focused solely on you
Watching you
My eyes are fixed on you, unable to look away
Looking at the ladies, all of them fine
All of them so lovely, I can't make up my mind
But I'm lookin' at you from the corner of my eye
I can see you now, you're steppin' so high and I'm
I notice many attractive women, but I cannot decide. However, I am sneakily watching you and your confident strides.
Watching you (one look and I was hooked on you, baby, whoa)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (watching you)
Watching you
Watching you
You captured my heart with one glance, and I am mesmerized as I walk and watch you. My gaze stays fixed on you.
There you go swayin', blowin' my mind
You've got everything groovin' in time
God gave her beauty, she carries it well
I'm staring at your heart, baby, hoping you can tell
You move so gracefully, and I can't help but admire your beauty. I'm looking beyond your outward appearance and into your heart, hoping you know how I feel.
Walking down the street watching ladies go by
Watching you (hope that you can tell that I'm watching you, love)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (with the naked eye, baby, whoa)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (you're far away, but I can still see you clearly, whoa)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (watching you)
I am walking down the street, surrounded by women, but I am fixated on you. I hope you're aware that I am watching you with both my naked eye and from far away.
Love at first sight oh, baby, you're blowin' my mind
I just got to let you know
Energy flowin'
I said it feels so good
I gotta tell you my name is stevie
What's yours, baby, whoa
I'm experiencing love at first sight, and my heart is racing. I need to tell you that my name is Stevie and ask for yours because the chemistry between us feels amazing.
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (I'm watching you and only you, baby, whoa ho)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (you're blowin' my mind)
As I walk, my eyes stay on you and only you. You continue to captivate me with your presence.
Gonna do a little dance for you
Watching you
Watching you
I am going to perform a small dance for you while still keeping my gaze on you.
The girl looks just right to me, ha
Combination smile, body, physique, whoa, ho
All the ladies I've seen are really fine but
Baby, I'm watching you, you're right down my line
I've seen many beautiful women, but you stand out to me with your perfect combination of looks and personality. You are exactly what I'm looking for, and I can't take my eyes off of you.
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (oh baby)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (oh, you're right for me, you're right to the tee, baby)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you (what must I do to let you know I'm checkin' you)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) watching you (whoa, ho, ho, yi, yi, yi)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by (whoa, whoa, ho) watching you (yi-yi-yi, la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, oh, oh, oh)
Walking down the street watching ladies go by (la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, oh, oh, oh) watching you
Walking down the street watching ladies go by watching you
As I stroll down the street and observe the women around me, my gaze remains focused on you. You're the one who's right for me, and I'm mentally checking you out to see how to make my move.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL WEBSTER, MARK L. ADAMS, RAYMOND GUY TURNER, STEVE ARRINGTON, STEVE WASHINGTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind