Lou Rawls, RIP -Where Have All The Crooners Gone?

Respect - Lou Rawls, 1935-2006

There aren't too many smooth operators left in the world of music these days.

Forget Diddy/Sean Combs/Puff Daddy/Whatever. Michael Bublé is too much of a Sinatra copycat - and if it were not for his performance at Caroline Mulroney's wedding (she being the daughter of a certain ex-PM), he would've remained as another lounge-lizard poseur. And R Kelly is too damn creepy nowadays - video or no video.

Nobody could touch Lou Rawls. Of course, Frank Sinatra was above everyone else in the Old School department, Mob connections and beatdowns notwithstanding, but for me, Lou's hit "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine" ranks up there with Barry White's "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" as prime Chickie-Bait.

(...)You'll never find another love like mine
Someone who needs you like I do
You'll never see what you've found in me
You'll keep searching and searching your whole life through

Whoa, I don't wish you no bad luck, baby
But there's no ifs and buts or maybes

(You're gonna) You're gonna miss (miss my lovin')
You're gonna miss my lovin' (you're gonna miss my lovin')
I know you're gonna my lovin' (you're gonna miss my lovin')
You're gonna miss, you're gonna miss my lo-o-ove

We're gonna miss Lou. My condolences to all the ones left behind.

Respect.