Dawkin’s adds flavour to Bread’s classic
Michael Dawkins was an ardent radio listener in the early 1970s when he first heard Bread’s monster ballad, Baby I’m A Want You. it became one of his favourite songs and he longed to cover the blue-eyed soul classic.
Dawkins finally recorded his reggae version this year for Big Scope Records, a company out of Queens, New York. Released in August, it is number one on the United States itunes Reggae Chart.
While the progression is similar to the original, Dawkins said he brought something different to the vocals.
“The melody in the bridge is different from the original. Also, I do a little slur at the intro which is not in Bread’s version,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
Dawkins recorded Baby I’m A Want You with seasoned New York session musicians: Kendoyle Simpson of Belize on drums, and Jamaican guitarist Albert Smith.
Raised in Duhaney Park, Dawkins has been recording for over 30 years. He was previously known as Micky D and had a hit song in 1988 with Don’t Give Me No Crack.
In recent years, he has enjoyed success on regional reggae charts in the United States with covers of The Hollies’ He Aint Heavy, He’s My Brother and Rain From The Sky, made popular in Jamaica by Delroy Wilson. He insists he is not a cover artiste.
“Covers are easier to promote ‘cause people are more familiar with them. But I write a lot of songs…my album Sojourn had 17 songs and 14 were originals,” he said. “When I give album to DJS they play the covers.”