UB Celebrates: New Edition’s ‘Candy Girl’ 40th Anniversary

The Group Continues to Go Strong 40 Years Later.

UrbanBridgez.com August 3, 2023

5 minutes read

This week in 1983, New Edition‘s debut album “Candy Girl” was released in the US. New Edition has been celebrating their 40th Anniversary this year.

Despite incorrect dates that have online from March of 1983, to the current one listed on Wiki as July 19, 1983. Which isn’t correct, for various reasons; the main being albums were not even released on Tuesdays until 1989.

The correct date is still unofficial in print, but the LP was released to retailers, the first week of August 1983, at that time, weekly release days fell on Friday.

The album debuted on “Billboards Black LPs” chart on August 13th, 1983 at #44 and on “Billboard’s Top LPs & Tape” chart September 3rd, 1983 at #184.

New Edition‘s first professional appearance as a group, was at Boston’s Strand Theatre. The event was called the “Hollywood Talent Night” contest, and although New Edition came in second, it sufficiently impressed producer Maurice Starr, who was in the audience.

Maurice Starr then took the embryonic group in the studio, and that’s when their debut single “Candy Girl” was recorded. The song would end up topping the charts in five countries, it was clear that New Edition was on their way!

The fellas then started working on their debut record for the Streetwise label, also entitled “Candy Girl.” The guys had been use to filling their days with basketball & roller-skating, but now New Edition was in full effect and the guys were too busy rehearsing material for their forthcoming LP.

“The practice is worth it,” stated Ralph Tresvant at the time to an industry trade. “I know the other guys think so, too. We know it’s going to lead to bigger things, and that’s our main goal.”

The “Candy Girl” melodic structure, was of the Jackson Five’s “ABC,” and Ralph‘s’ vocal delivery was of a young Michael Jackson falsetto, but the then 14-year old Rizz didn’t mind the comparisons. “It’s a good compliment. People liked them: they must like us. But we have our own personalities.”

Ricky Bell 15-years old, at the time stated, “As a group, our main influence was the Jackson Five and it’s a big compliment for us to be compared to them. We hope, though, that one day people will say someone else sounds like New Edition. We love to be on stage. There’s so much energy up there with people in the crowd cheering you on and showing their appreciation. It’s a great feeling.”

Their musical mates, Bobby Brown and Michael Bivins, were 14 at the time; while Ronnie DeVoe was 15. “We’re a young group trying to make it,” Ralph concluded with, “and everyone’s behind us. from our parents. who want us to have what they didn’t have, to our producers (Maurice Starr and Michael Jonzun), to our classmates, so they can tell people that they went to school with us!”

“We all grew up in the Boston area,” Ronnie DeVoe shared at the time, “And started singing in talent shows just to make small amounts of money. There was one big show called “Hollywood Talent Night,” and the first prize was a recording contract. We actually came in second, but producer Maurice Starr liked us and decided to take us into the studio.”

Michael Bivins explained the process, “There are certain things we have to listen to that we don’t know about, but as far as giving opinions, we do get a chance to contribute.” Ronnie continued by saying, “We hear a song and sit down and figure out the harmonies. We all have input when recording our songs.”

Ricky Bell added, “We were in the process of doing our first MCA album, and they were encouraging us to write songs for it. Once they gave us the word, we started to compose some tunes.” Two of the album’s songs were written by New Edition.

Ronnie described NE‘s sound at the time as “teen-bop,” he also recognized the limitations they’d inherent in sticking to only teen-related lyrics dealing primarily with new love and fragile relationships. As he put it, “Our music will mature with our age.” That statement would prove to be fact!

After the success of the first independent release, the guys then left Streetwise and signed to major label MCA. The group’s self-titled second album was released a year later after the debut, on September 28th, 1984. Streetwise had an ongoing battle with MCA over the control and name of New Edition.

Despite the drama with the business, the album delivered major hits; such as the Gold “Mr. Telephone Man”, “My Secret”, “Lost In Love”, and the #1 Gold single “Cool It Now.” The “My Secret” video had footage with the Lakers and NBA. The first video to use Pro Sports footage specifically for the video.

For their sophomore project, New Edition worked with producer and writers Ray Parker, Jr., Michael Sembello and Richard Rudolph.

At that time, New Edition was the most successful black teen group since the Jackson Five.

In 1985 New Edition lost their name, A Massachusetts Court of Appeals vacated an earlier decision against Streetwise Records that granted members of New Edition the exclusive rights to make records under that name. The group was going the change the name to The Edition. Brooke Payne later regained the name and it is now owned by New Edition members.

Over the years, the guys have spoken to UB, here are some of our favorite quotes.

UrbanBridgez.com: You clearly have very tough skin due to the fact that people always seem to have something negative to say about you, but yet you rarely respond and you just let them go with it.
Bobby Brown: Yeah that’s my mother man. My mother always told me, just stay down to earth and don’t let what people say bother you. You know, I just hold my head up despite of everything. I know who I am, so it makes no difference to me what people think.

UrbanBridgez.com: What has been NE’s biggest challenge and the biggest reward throughout the years?

“The challenges have been the right business deals and getting the respect we feel we deserve. We’ve never had an album sell over two million.”

Michael Bivins went on to say, everyday has been a lot of hard work and us trying to make sure NE stays true to who we are. The reward is to still be here after 20 years and inspiring other groups who have came out. When they come up to us and tell us they look up to us and we inspired them.
Ronnie DeVoe: Also being able to support our families has been a huge reward. We are able to put food in our families mouths and the respect that comes from that is a great reward.

UrbanBridgez.com: Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis once again contribute to this release, what makes you guys keep returning to them?
Michael Bivins: We keep going because we know we’re going to get hits. They have captured our signature sound and they always bring it to life unlike any other producers. They’ve worked with us for a long time and they bring out the adult NE, but without losing that sound. To not have them on an NE album isn’t heard of, there will always have to be a Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis record on our album.