I Feel for You

"I Feel for You" is a song written by Prince that originally appeared on his 1979 self-titled album, one of two songs on that album (along with "I Wanna Be Your Lover") written as demos for Patrice Rushen, though neither appeared on any Rushen album. The most successful and well known version was recorded by female R&B singer Chaka Khan, appearing on her 1984 album, I Feel for You. Prince, as songwriter, won the 1985 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

Khan's version featured an all-star supporting cast, with rapping from Melle Mel, keyboard and guitar by The System's David Frank, and chromatic harmonica playing by Stevie Wonder. The song also uses vocal samples from Wonder's "Fingertips". The repetition of Khan's name by Melle Mel at the beginning of the song was originally a mistake made by producer Arif Mardin (actually a sample of Melle Mel's song "Step Off"), who then decided to keep it.

This version of the song became a million-selling smash in the U.S. and UK, and it helped to relaunch Khan's career. The song hit No. 1 on the Cash Box singles chart and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in November-December 1984. The song remained on the Billboard Hot 100 for 26 weeks and became one of Billboard's five biggest pop songs of the year for 1985. The single reached No. 1 on both the U.S. dance and R&B charts in late 1984, remaining atop both for three weeks each. In addition, the song also reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. While touring with Prince in 1998 in support of her collaborative album, Come 2 My House, Khan and Prince performed "I Feel for You" as a duet.

I Feel for You (album)

I Feel for You is the Platinum certified fifth solo album by American R&B/funk singer Chaka Khan, released on the Warner Bros. Records label in 1984.

Overview

After having balanced her two simultaneous careers as a member of the band Rufus and a solo performer during the years 1978 to 1983, which culminated with the release of the final Rufus & Chaka Khan album Stompin' at the Savoy - Live after which the band dissolved, Khan recorded the album that was to make her a pop star with mainstream chart success; 1984's "I Feel for You".

The title track, "I Feel for You" was a cover of a 1979 Prince track, featuring Grandmaster Melle Mel on the classic Ch-ch-ch-chaka-chaka-chaka Khan rap intro and Stevie Wonder on chromatic harmonica (and also a sample from one of his first hits, "Fingertips") and saw Khan embracing high-tech funk, rap and hip hop and stands as one of her best known songs and her biggest commercial hit, reaching #3 on the US Pop Chart (and becoming Billboard's #5 song of the year in 1985), and was #1 US R&B, Dance, and UK singles. The song earned her a second Grammy Award in 1985 for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female.