Ginuwine’s The Bachelor is the debut studio album from R&B artist Ginuwine. Released October 8, 1996 on 550 Music it was distributed through Epic Records. It featured the hit single Pony, When Doves Cry and Holler. It’s certified double Platinum by RIAA.
So I got the history lesson out the way. It’s a lazy Tuesday here in New York a rainy cold day. So, I got home and decided to play some music while I read. The song So Anxious played on my IPhone . So Anxious was a top ten hit from Ginuwine second album 100 percent.This put me in the mood to listen to his first album The Bachelor. The Bachelor is my personal favorite album of all time but I hadn’t listen to it in a few years. I remember the first time I heard Pony in summer of 1996 .
It was a hot summer song that played in every house party and club me and my boy Shervin Springer went to that summer. I remember thinking ‘ok this dude’s just going to be a one hit wonder’. I thought I was right when the Pony remix hit the airwaves . The next hit video off the Album would be a soulful hit titled –Tell Me Do You Wanna. It was mostly played on BET and R&B stations like New York Hot 97 & 98.7.
I was like ‘ok cool he had another good song’. It wasn’t until the third track I took notice. I’ll Do Anything / I’m Sorry video came on BET one day as I was home from work the video and song spoke to me.
At the time I was just broken up with my girlfriend. I was in my early 20s and I was just having fun I really didn’t take the relationship seriously. So, she broke up with me and, being a young dude, I didn’t think much of it. But something about this song and video really got to me. Shervin said ‘well its because the girl in the video looks like your ex’ and I was like shit – I think you right. This was 1996 y’all so I said lets go get this CD!! Which means we had to go to the Wiz on Fordham in the Bronx. Lol man, kids got it easy now the hear a song and BOOM – download it on iTunes. Anyway, I got the album, put it in my old-school, huge-ass disc man and I was a instant fan of what I was hearing. 15 tracks of pure electronic infused soul with a hip hop influence .
I would buy Ginuwine’s next four albums but only his second album 100 Percent could match The Bachelor ‘s sound because super producer Timbaland Produced both albums. Ginuwine would continue to have hits through the late 90s & early 2000s but not so much lately. He formed a group with Tank & Tyrese Gibson TGT titled Three Kings but I just let it go. All artist have their time – their moment. For me Ginuwine’s moment was the summer of 96. It’s funny how something like a song or a smell can bring back a memory I’m 37 now but I defiantly can remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard Pony.So here’s to you Ginuwine I’m tipping my scones to you and your amazing debut album – The Bachelor.