There were some great male R&B groups born in the late '80s and early '90s. Whether it was New Jack Swing, new-jack swagger, well-made love songs or incredible harmonies, they all brought something different to the table. And then there was Mint Condition, a true band in every sense of the word that brought that missing element to the table--instrumentation--and could go from New Jack to smooth jazz to R&B to rock with ease. I always talk about Mint Condition as one of the baddest bands in all the land.
After signing with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to their Perspective Records label, the band's debut album, Meant to be Mint, was released in 1991 and went platinum on the strength of today's countdown entry, the ballad "Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)"--the ultimate "girl, you betta get right" song. Lead singer Stokely Williams let his lady know that she could play games if she wanted to, but there was gonna be a point when he wouldn't let her continue to break his heart. Besides his incredible runs that close the song, my favorite part is the intro, where once he whispered the word "pretty," you knew it was time to grab your partner and slow dance for the next four minutes and change. The song was certified gold, staying on the charts for 34 weeks, entering the top five (#3) on the R&B charts and #6 on the Pop list. And now here it is on our countdown as we turn the corner toward #1. Certified classic.
