Lil Louis & The World – Journey With The Lonely is much better than your average 4/5**** electronic album or house single. The sounds of acid house music meet dance music and jazz on this album. One thing is for sure is that this album is still ahead of its time today. The house music of today cannot hold a candle to this album. His sophisticated production stands the test of time even in today’s music and climate. Lil Louis is a genius and he is virtuoso at instrumentation arrangement and production. He sure has a unique eclectic taste in music. This is one of those Top 10 of all-time albums.

This album was a valid description of what the Chicago house scene sounded like during the 1990s. The Chicago house scene relied heavily on jazz influences and dance beats during that time period. That is evident and prevalent on songs such as Jazzmen, Thief, Do U Luv Me, New Dance Beat, and Club Lonely. Songs mentioned use a heavy element of acid house music and jazz house.

Lil Louis did not write this album for fame, fortune, or popularity. He believes success comes from one’s own hard work, energy, motivation, and effort. Success comes from within. He was clearly satisfied by the results of this album of his. Lil Louis had wrote this album for the lonely generation.

He wrote this message in the liner notes.:

“4 the lonely generation

I didn’t write this album 4 fame
I didn’t write this 4 fortune
I didn’t write this 4 popularity
I wrote this 4 U
Success comes from within”

Club Lonely was the international club hit which revived Lil Louis name into the 1990s which gave him popularity at the earlier end of the decade. It’s another song which made Lil Louis an international underground house music sensation.

This song defined Chicago house music back in the 1990s. The song is a mixture of house music and techno. It’s a perfect acid house jam. Acid jazz meets house music with sensuous melodies. The melodies are sensuous. Sensuous melodies are what made this song a dance hit for 1992. Club Lonely stayed at #1 on the BillBoard Charts for a few straight weeks in summer of 1992.

Club Lonely was a song written for the lonely people who were part of the lonely generation. Lil Louis was well aware of this when he wrote Club Lonely. The song is perfect for this lonely social outcasts of the world.

Club Lonely is the club that worldly people love. Club Lonely is the place for broken hearts is where players hang apart and the lonely people congregate. You’ll find happiness and love among the rest if you go to Club Lonely. Listen to the music and the sound. The beat makes you move in the groove. So work on in the groove down at Club Lonely. Listen to the laughter from the crowds. That will liven up your mood. So work on in the groove down at the lonely.

So let’s run away now. We’ll escape down to the place where your mind drifts out to space. You’ll use the rhythm to dance and sing along while you’re drowning in the song and your soul’s crying inside. So you come to laugh and hide. Down at the lonely.

Do you get lonely sometimes? When do you get lonely? I get lonely in different places. You get lonely in different places. We all get lonely in different places.

The lyrics tell all.

Say, are you happy
Have you been down to the club
That worldly people love
Hey, what you doin’
Come on and check it out
I know you heard about
The place for broken hearts
Where players hang apart
All at the lonely
Lonely people, lonely (lonely people)
Lonely people, lonely (people party)
Lonely people, lonely (lonely people)
Say, if you’re ready
Maybe we’ll find happiness
And love among the rest
So, you wanna listen
To the music and the sound
And the laughter from the crowds
And the beat that makes you move
So work on in the groove
Down at the lonely
Lonely…

Do U Love Me is a wonderful piece of house music which can be considered a classic deep house song with a bass line that will get you every time you listen to this song. The kick drum kicks in after the first verse and the snare drum that kicks in after the second verse. The bass and drums will have you bounce around. It is both hypnotic and melodic. The song is nothing short of emotionally tugging. Joi Caldwell’s vocals were sublime on this song. Do U Love Me samples Taana Gardner – HeartBeat and Freedom – Get Up And Dance.

The song explores regret in seeking confidence from a friend. Read Verse 2.:

[Verse 2]
In my soul I always knew
That I dared to ask of you
Who’s a friend, I would regret
So I live with my secret
Somewhere singing signs of spring
Whispering a melody
But before I’ll spread my wings
Will you answer candidly

[Chorus]
If you love me
Take me higher and higher (x2)

The fifth verse seeks for truthfulness. Read Verse 5.:

[Verse 5]
Hold me baby
Here’s what I say to you
From my soul (From your soul)
I’m asking you (Just be true)

The song Do U Love Me is also about taking love inside a relationship to a higher level. Lyrics to the chorus indicate that.

[Chorus]
If you love me
Take me higher and higher (x2)

Dancing In My Sleep is one of the lesser known songs from Lil Louis where he produced the beats himself. Joi Cardwell was the lead vocalist who wrote this song. Her vocals are sung in perfect harmony. Lil Louis himself did not write this song.

Dancing In My Sleep is about awakening to a new world with eyes wide in search of something new. Reaching for our dreams. The first verse highlights this at the very beginning. Take a look.:

[Verse 1]
Once upon a time
When things were new
Our eyes wide
We saw the world anew
We sang our songs and we danced along
Reaching for our dreams
Now it’s been so long since our view was clear
And our dance we walk through like sleep

Imagine dancing in your sleep. You toss and turn trying to break the mold. Someone lovingly reaches out to you. Pushing you to grow. Others tell you not to change and to stay the way you are. Now it’s time to ignore them and shake to a different dance or groove.

Verse 2 highlights the encouragement of growth. Take a look.:

[Verse 2]
Oh
Fitfully
I toss and turn trying to break the mold
Lovingly you reach out to me
Pushing me to grow
Others tell me not to change
to stay the way I am
But I’m itching to move
Time to groove
Time to shake to a different dance

Now the chorus explains how to shake this mood by watching for something new. Read the chorus to find exact details.:

[Chorus]
I’m dancing in my sleep
Waiting for something new
Im dancing in my sleep
Waiting for just for you
I’m dancing in my sleep
Waiting for something new
I’m dancing in my sleep
Waiting for just for you
I’m just dancing
Trying to shake this mood

New Dance Beat is a futuristic jazzy electronic dance song where the sounds of jazz meet deep house which turns into a jazz house song. The jazziness is what makes this song so wonderful. This is pure classic house here. This is what pure jazz house is. New Dance Beat is one of the best songs off this album! You definitely do not want to skip this song or miss out on listening to it.

New Dance Beat was produced by Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez and Louie Vega. They are the masters at work here on this classic. This one of Louie Vega’s most underrated songs that he produced.

Lil Louis predicted the future of music when he said, “They used to laugh at me, but I saw the future. Record company recession. Dance floor boredom. Copy machines spitting out song after song.” And when he said, “They used to laugh at me, but I see the future.” and “They used to laugh at me, but I saw the future.” His message couldn’t be more accurate than now. The message is more truer than ever.

Lil Louis was ahead of the times given that New Dance Beat was written during the golden age of house music. He did see the future! Because look at what happened to today’s music. Music is now electronically processed garbage. House music was beautiful at one time and now it is just processed garbage.

You’re My Reason came from the 1992 album Journey With The Lonely. The song is a mellow tune since the pace is very mid tempo. The song is Chicago house music at its finest. You’re My Reason is one of the lesser known songs from Lil Louis. The instrumentation uses a mellow piano, bongos, and a small shaker selection. The bongos are what give the song a soothing mellow vibe along with the piano that is used. This song is perfect for a wedding.

The first part of this song explain how this woman is yearning for a kiss and be closer to her man. She wants him to be by her side so she can desire him more. Read the lyrics below to get a better understanding.

In the morning when I wake hope I’ll overstay from your loving
One kiss is just for crying and my soul is true to fire from your loving
From your loving
you know there’ll always be somethings I want to get I want to give
A special a special kind of harmony for your love I want to be
Wanna be close to you baby
Cause you’re my reason
Wanna be close to you boy
You’re my reason to believe
If I strive to survive but I will to realize
Close to you boy
Cause you’re my reason
You’re my reason

Share is a love song which has a calming subtle nature and feeling. Calm and subtle are two words that can be used to describe Share. This song has a trance-like vibe that will take you into the zone. Share is one of those songs which brings back the best memories. Think about those memories of a loved one or a previous lover or significant other.

Notice how the guitar, synths, and piano go hand-in-hand on this Lil Louis song. Lil Louis is a virtuoso at instrumentation arrangement and production. That makes sense given the fact that he is a DJ. That is no coincidence. The piano freestyle is incredibly, classy, and jazzy. The piano solo/freestyle uses 18 bars total. Overall the song is a nice slow jam.

Lil Louis explains how he is never going to let his lover down even thought love can be demanding throughout the song.

The love that Lil Louis share with his significant other is calling him and is demanding. He needs to explain a greater understanding through confession and pain. His pain appears.

Lil Louis tell his lover that he is never going to let her down. And though the seasons change, his heart will remain the same. His love will always be around for her. The rose will bloom and go. Love from the rose will never die.

[Hook]
The love that we share is calling me demanding
Confess how we feel no tear
I need to explain a greater understanding
Thru confession and pain appear

[Verse 1]
I snap a rose a day
And with this song I’m trying to say
That I’ll never gonna let you down
And though the seasons change
My heart will be remains
My love will always be around

[Verse 2]
The perfect silhouette
The picture that I can’t forget
Inside you are the shadow spot
The rose will bloom and go
Will infinite you gotta know
Love from the rose will never die

Thief is a slow tempo jazz house song backed by infectious finger snaps, thin upright bass, eclectic live bongos, and a beautiful keyboard piano.

Funny How U Luv is also another one of the lesser known songs from Lil Louis. The song uses a dreamy soundscape with a touch of smooth jazz. A funky guitar adds into the layers of instruments used on this song. The guitar gives the song an edge of funkiness. Not many people know this but Lil Louis is the person who you can hear whistling in the background. The song has that Lakeshore Drive groove. Incidentally the song samples snippets of a Lakeside song.

Aahhhh! is French Kiss revisited with a funk twist. The twangy guitar and upbeat fast paced beats are what make the song funky. The song is most notable for its upbeat tempo and quick brusque nature. The orgasmic parts of the song are the best part. Those are the parts with the female moaning over the funky guitar. Those are the most sexually explicit parts of the record and is considered to be the most memorable part of the song which leaves a long lasting memory in people’s minds.

Jazzmen is a Lil Louis song where the sounds of jazz music meet acid house music. The song is an instrumental for the most part. The saxophone solo is on point and so is the trumpet solo. Jazzmen is the track only available on the CD version of Journey With The Lonely and not on vinyl or cassette.

I rate this album 5/5*****!!