Debuted August 2, 1986, Peaked #42, 13 Weeks on the Chart
It's unfortunate that Gwen Guthrie is mainly known for this song, which makes her appear to be a gold digger who's more interested in what a man has in his bank account than what is in his heart. Before this song was a #1 R&B and dance hit, Guthrie had enjoyed a decent career providing backing vocals for studio sessions and writing hit singles for artists like Ben E. King, Sister Sledge and Sly & Robbie.
The lyrics (written by Guthrie) express the reality that she has her own problems without wanting to add another's debt to her own, so she's letting it be known that "you've got to have a J-O-B if you want to be with me." While that seems a little shallow, it was a perfect expression of the go-go 1980s and probably has some validity today with the economic realities of the past few years.
Sadly, there won't be an updated version of the song by Guthrie. She died from uterine cancer at a young 48 in 1999.
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