ReCall: Jermaine Stewart

OperatorNYC's brain is a repository for pop culture detritus, and often some nugget from the past worms its way to the surface, in this case it was the lyric "We don't have to take our clothes off/to have a good time." Where did it come from, why did it resurface? Who knows? More importantly, we couldn't remember who's song it was, which is where the sweet, sweet internet came in handy. A quick google revealed it to be the work of former backup singer turned one-hit wonder Jermaine Stewart.

Signed to Arista Records, Stewart recorded a couple of albums, but none brought him the success of Frantic Romantic's "We Don't Have to Take our Clothes Off."

Sadly, Stewart died of AIDS in the late nineties. The song however, lives on... Gym Class Heroes rework the track as "Clothes Off!" of their recent album.

We initially assumed the song as an ode to safe sex, but watching the video we picked up on something else; Jermaine clearly doesn't want to take his clothes off...at least not with the ladies anyway. Maybe the song was a subtle way of telling his lady friend he didn't want to get nekkid with her? Nothing worse than an agressive chick with no gaydar.




Jermaine Stewart [wikipedia]

Gym Class Heroes [myspace]


Jermaine Stewart ;One Hit Wonders ;Gym Class Heroes