D Train (music group): Difference between revisions

D Train
D Train
Origin	New York City
Genres	Post-disco, R&B, dance
Years active	1980–1985
Labels	Prelude, Columbia/CBS
Past members	James D-Train Williams; Hubert Eaves III;

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D Train was an American duo that had hits on the Billboard magazine Dance and R&B charts during the first half of the 1980s.^[1] Three of their singles also reached the top 30 in the UK Singles Chart.^[2]

Career

The project was a collaborative effort between the band's namesake, James D-Train Williams, who was featured as the lead vocalist and songwriter, and Hubert Eaves III, a keyboardist, who performed the instrumentation on the recordings.^[1] Hailing from Brooklyn, New York City, Williams himself was a R&B-dance producer as well. He and Eaves met during high school and began performing together. Eaves would spend most of the 1970s as a member of the R&B band Mtume. However, by the 1980s, he and Williams had teamed up again. The group named itself D-Train after a nickname Williams had acquired in high school.^[3]

D Train released its first single "You're the One for Me" in late 1981.^[1] The track became an instant success, hitting number 1 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart that year; it was remixed and re-released successfully several times since and was contemporaneously covered by Paul Hardcastle with vocalist Kevin Henry in the United Kingdom. The duo's self-titled debut album (which prominently featured the "You're the One for Me" title on the front cover, and the album became known by this name) followed in early 1982, and several additional singles from this effort were successful on both the R&B and Dance charts, although they were not as popular as the debut hit. Among these tracks were "Keep On", which reached number 2 on the Dance chart, and a cover version of the Burt Bacharach and Hal David-penned "Walk On By", which owed more to the Isaac Hayes version than to Dionne Warwick's original recording.

In 1983, the band released its follow-up album, Music.^[1] The title track became another dance-floor anthem and nearly equaled the success of the group's debut single. Several other singles from the album were moderately successful.

In 1984, D Train had its only Billboard Hot 100 entry with "Something's on Your Mind," which climbed to number 79 and was later covered by Miles Davis on his album You're Under Arrest. The single also cracked the top five on the R&B chart, becoming the group's biggest hit in that market as well. The accompanying album, also titled Something's on Your Mind, found the band branching out into new musical territory, incorporating elements of reggae and more adult-oriented R&B into their music.^[4] Williams himself played acoustic guitar on a cover of Carole King's "So Far Away".

A greatest hits album titled You're the One for Me - The Very Best Of was released in the U.K. in 1985.^[5] An equivalent compilation was not released in the U.S. until the following year.^[6]^[7] Featured on this compilation was a remixed version of "You're the One for Me" that charted in the U.K. that same year. This version was remixed by Paul Hardcastle, who had previously issued a cover version of the song and, by 1985, had become well known for his own hit "19". Despite this success, the group disbanded that same year.^[3]

D Train as a solo artist

Following the dissolution of the group, D Train continued on as a successful solo career. Although billed as a solo artist, however, he did continue to work with Eaves acting as a producer and key instrumentalist. In 1986, D Train released his debut album, Miracles of the Heart, which featured a top ten R&B single, "Misunderstanding". The follow-up single, "Oh, How I Love You, Girl" also performed well in the R&B market.^[1]

His second album, In Your Eyes followed in 1988. The title track narrowly missed the R&B top ten, and one other single was also released.^[8]

Legacy

D Train's albums were eventually re-released on CDs by Unidisc Music,^[9] which acquired Prelude Records and several other New York dance-music labels during the 1990s.^[10]

The song "You're the One for Me" exists in remixes by Larry Levan and Shep Pettibone, and most recently was sampled by DJ Kue in his 2006 hit "I Got Love". "You're the One for Me" is also sampled in the song "Girls" by the Prodigy from its album Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned.^[11]

D Train contributed to the Pokémon anime's "Pokérap" on the official television soundtrack, 2BA Master.^[12]

In 1999, D-Train did the backup vocal for "Eyes of a Child", a song written by Trey Parker and Performed by Michael McDonald for the film, South Park Bigger Longer & Uncut.

Williams was hired as a DJ for Heart & Soul Channel 51 on the Sirius Satellite Radio service based in New York City from 2001 to 2008.^[13] In 2007, his performances of "My Funny Valentine" and Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing" appeared on the soundtrack of the film Perfect Stranger.

The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Sky's the Limit" interpolates part of D Train's 1982 song "Keep On".^[14]

Rapper Yo-Yo's "Iz It Still All Good" sampled D-Train's "Something's on Your Mind," which featured Gerald LeVert, in 1998.^[15]

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album	Label	Format	Peak chart positions
Year	Album	Label	Format	US ^[16]	US R&B ^[17]^[18]	UK ^[2]
1982	You're the One for Me	Prelude, Unidisc Records	LP, CD	128	16	72
1983	Music			—	31	—
1984	Something's on Your Mind			—	—	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

You're the One for Me (The Very Best Of) (1985)^[5]
The Best of "D" Train (1986, 1990)^[6]^[7]
The Best of the 12" Mixes (1992)

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions				Album
Year	Single	US Dance ^[19]	US R&B ^[20]	US Pop ^[21]	UK ^[2]^[22]	Album
1981	"You're the One for Me"	1	13	―	30	You're the One for Me
1982	"Keep On"	2	15	―	―
	"Walk on By"	45	42	―	44
	"D" Train's Theme"	45	―	―	―
1983	"Music"	12	20	―	23	Music
	"Keep Giving Me Love"	24	55	―	65
	"The Shadow of Your Smile"	—	—	―	88
	"Something's on Your Mind"	―	5	79	―	Something's on Your Mind
1984	"You're the Reason"	―	43	—	―
1984	"Thank You"	―	―	—	―
1985	"Just Another Night (Without Your Love)"	―	59	―	―	Non-album singles
	"You're the One for Me" (remix)	―	―	―	15
	"Music" (remix)	―	―	―	62
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 141/2. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.
^ ^a ^b ^c "D TRAIN - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ ^a ^b Wynn, Ron. "James Williams: Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
^ Henderson, Alex. "Something's on Your Mind (1984): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
^ ^a ^b "D-Train - You're the One for Me - The Very Best Of". eil.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
^ ^a ^b "D Train - The Best of D Train (release year: 1986)". hi-fits.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Kellman, Andy. "The Best of D Train [Unidisc] (expanded version; re-released 1990) - Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
^ "James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
^ Kellman, Andy. "Music (1983): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "Prelude Records: One of THE DISCO labels..." Disco-Disco.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned - samples". The Prodigy Info. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ Thurm, Eric (May 29, 2014). "The untold story behind Pokémon's 'Pokérap'". The Week. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "JAMES D-TRAIN WILLIAMS Interview (2011)". UK Vibe. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ Shipley, Al (July 14, 2017). "Before He Met JAY-Z, No I.D. Made His Own 'Black Album'". Vice. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "Vibe, Vol. 6, No. 8". Vibe. Vibe Media Group. October 1998. p. 174. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "D Train - Billboard 200 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "'D-Train' - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
^ "James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
^ "D Train - DANCE CLUB SONGS". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "D Train - HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ "D Train - Billboard Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 133. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

D Train Discography at Discogs.
AllMusic Profile.

[Larkin80-1] Colin Larkin, ed. (2003). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Eighties Music (Third ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 141/2. ISBN 1-85227-969-9.

[UK-2] "D TRAIN - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[AllMusic-3] Wynn, Ron. "James Williams: Artist Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2020.

[4] Henderson, Alex. "Something's on Your Mind (1984): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved November 1, 2019.

[eil-5] "D-Train - You're the One for Me - The Very Best Of". eil.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.

[hi-fi-6] "D Train - The Best of D Train (release year: 1986)". hi-fits.com. Retrieved January 24, 2021.

[Kellman1990-7] Kellman, Andy. "The Best of D Train [Unidisc] (expanded version; re-released 1990) - Review". AllMusic. Retrieved October 17, 2020.

[BR&B-8] "James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2020.

[9] Kellman, Andy. "Music (1983): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[10] "Prelude Records: One of THE DISCO labels..." Disco-Disco.com. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[11] "Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned - samples". The Prodigy Info. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[12] Thurm, Eric (May 29, 2014). "The untold story behind Pokémon's 'Pokérap'". The Week. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[13] "JAMES D-TRAIN WILLIAMS Interview (2011)". UK Vibe. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[14] Shipley, Al (July 14, 2017). "Before He Met JAY-Z, No I.D. Made His Own 'Black Album'". Vice. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[15] "Vibe, Vol. 6, No. 8". Vibe. Vibe Media Group. October 1998. p. 174. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[16] "D Train - Billboard 200 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[17] "'D-Train' - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2020.

[AR&B-18] "James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS". Billboard. Retrieved October 20, 2020.

[19] "D Train - DANCE CLUB SONGS". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[20] "D Train - HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[21] "D Train - Billboard Hot 100 Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved September 5, 2020.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-22] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 133. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

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@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 ==D Train as a solo artist==
-Following the dissolution of the group, D Train continued on as a successful solo career. Although billed as a solo artist, however, he did continue to work with Eaves acting as a producer and key instrumentalist. In 1986, D Train released his debut album, ''[[Miracles of the Heart]]'', which featured a [[Top 40|Top Ten]] R&B single, "Misunderstanding". The follow-up single, "Oh, How I Love You, Girl" also performed well in the R&B market.<ref name="Larkin80"/>
+Following the dissolution of the group, D Train continued on as a successful solo career. Although billed as a solo artist, however, he did continue to work with Eaves acting as a producer and key instrumentalist. In 1986, D Train released his debut album, ''[[Miracles of the Heart]]'', which featured a [[Top 40|top ten]] R&B single, "Misunderstanding". The follow-up single, "Oh, How I Love You, Girl" also performed well in the R&B market.<ref name="Larkin80"/>
-His second album, ''[[In Your Eyes (D. Train album)|In Your Eyes]]'' followed in 1988. The title track narrowly missed the R&B Top Ten, and one other single was also released.<ref name="BR&B">{{cite magazine|title=James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/james-d-train-williams-2/chart-history/bsi/|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
+His second album, ''[[In Your Eyes (D. Train album)|In Your Eyes]]'' followed in 1988. The title track narrowly missed the R&B top ten, and one other single was also released.<ref name="BR&B">{{cite magazine|title=James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/james-d-train-williams-2/chart-history/bsi/|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
 ==Legacy==
@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 ! scope="col" colspan="3"|Peak chart positions
 |-
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Billboard 200|US]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/tlp/|title=D Train - Billboard 200 Chart History|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[Billboard 200|US]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/tlp/|title=D Train - Billboard 200 Chart History|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US R&B]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|title='D-Train' - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/blp/|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="AR&B">{{cite magazine|title=James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/james-d-train-williams-2/chart-history/blp/|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|US R&B]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|title='D-Train' - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/blp/|magazine=Billboard |accessdate=October 20, 2020}}</ref><ref name="AR&B">{{cite magazine|title=James 'D-Train' Williams - Chart History: TOP R&B/HIP-HOP ALBUMS|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/james-d-train-williams-2/chart-history/blp/|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=October 20, 2020}}</ref>
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[UK Albums Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref name="UK"/>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[UK Albums Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref name="UK"/>
 |-
 | 1982
@@ Line 94: / Line 94: @@
 ! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Single
 ! scope="col" colspan="4"|Peak chart positions
+! scope="col" rowspan="2"|Album
 |-
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Hot Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/dsi/|title=D Train - DANCE CLUB SONGS|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[Hot Dance Club Songs|US Dance]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/dsi/|title=D Train - DANCE CLUB SONGS|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/bsi/|title=D Train - HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|US R&B]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/bsi/|title=D Train - HOT R&B/HIP-HOP SONGS|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US Pop]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/hsi/|title=D Train - Billboard Hot 100 Chart History|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US Pop]]</small><br><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/d-train/chart-history/hsi/|title=D Train - Billboard Hot 100 Chart History|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=September 5, 2020}}</ref>
-! style="width:45px;"|<small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref name="UK"/><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=133}}</ref>
+! style="width:40px;"|<small>[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]</small><br><ref name="UK"/><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book|first=David|last=Roberts|year=2006|title=British Hit Singles & Albums|edition=19th|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|location=London|isbn=1-904994-10-5|page=133}}</ref>
 |-
+| 1981
-| rowspan="4"| 1982
 | "[[You're the One for Me (D. Train song)|You're the One for Me]]"
 | align=center | 1
@@ Line 106: / Line 107: @@
 | align=center | ―
 | align=center | 30
+| rowspan="4"| ''You're the One for Me''
 |-
+| rowspan="3"| 1982
 | "[[Keep On (song)|Keep On]]"
 | align=center | 2
@@ Line 125: / Line 128: @@
 |-
 | rowspan="4"| 1983
-| "Keep Giving Me Love"
-| align=center | 24
-| align=center | 55
-| align=center | ―
-| align=center | 65
-|-
 | "Music"
 | align=center | 12
@@ Line 136: / Line 133: @@
 | align=center | ―
 | align=center | 23
+| rowspan="3"| ''Music''
+|-
+| "Keep Giving Me Love"
+| align=center | 24
+| align=center | 55
+| align=center | ―
+| align=center | 65
 |-
 | "The Shadow of Your Smile"
@@ Line 148: / Line 152: @@
 | align=center | 79
 | align=center | ―
+| rowspan="3"| ''Something's on Your Mind''
 |-
-| rowspan="1"| 1984
+| rowspan="2"| 1984
 | "You're the Reason"
 | align=center | ―
 | align=center | 43
+| align=center | —
+| align=center | ―
+|-
+| "Thank You"
+| align=center | ―
+| align=center | ―
 | align=center | —
 | align=center | ―
@@ Line 162: / Line 173: @@
 | align=center | ―
 | align=center | ―
+| rowspan="3"| Non-album singles
 |-
 | "You're the One for Me" <small>(remix)</small>
@@ Line 175: / Line 187: @@
 | align=center | 62
 |-
-| colspan="6" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
+| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; font-size:9pt;"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory.
 |}

v t e D Train
Hubert Eaves III James D-Train Williams
Studio albums	D. Train (1982) Music (1983) Something's On Your Mind (1984)
Singles	"You're the One for Me" "Keep On" "Walk on By" "D" Train's Theme" "Music" "Keep Giving Me Love" "The Shadow of Your Smile" "Something's on Your Mind" "You're the Reason" "Thank You" "Just Another Night (Without Your Love)" "You're the One for Me" (remix)" "Music" (remix)

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
Artists	MusicBrainz