Looking For A New Love

Album: Jody Watley (1987)
Charted: 13 2
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Songfacts®:

  • Contrary to popular belief, the catchphrase "Hasta la vista, baby" did not originate from Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day - it originated as a lyric from this song, released four years prior to T2.

    Watley says the phrase just came to her. "I wanted to say 'go away, see ya,' and I do have Latino friends, so it was maybe something that stuck with me, that attitude of 'hasta la vista,'" she said in a Songfacts interview. "Arnold Schwarzenegger obviously liked the line, because he then made it even more famous. But it has just the right amount of attitude and sassiness to go with what the song is about, and that's a send-off, like, 'Hasta la vista, baby... bye.'"
  • Jody Watley was indeed looking for a new love when she wrote this song, having recently gone through a breakup. "It was one of the easiest songs I wrote because the lyrics were straight off the top of my head," she told Songfacts. "I sat down with my recorder and sang:

    Gave you love, you did me wrong
    Didn't know what to do
    But baby, I'm strong...


    It was a breakup song, but I definitely wanted to, as a woman and a writer, not be weak about it. I wanted it to be very empowering for girls and women. I love the line, 'Baby I'm strong, I'm gonna get over you. A new love I'm gonna choose.' That's the strength that I love."
  • This was Jody Watley's first single, launching a solo career that earned her the Grammy for Best New Artist. She started out as a Soul Train dancer, and in 1977 joined Shalamar, a group signed to Soul Train Records. Shalamar did very well, landing hit after hit on the R&B chart and several songs that made the pop charts as well, including "The Second Time Around" and "A Night To Remember." But Watley used mostly as a dancer and backup singer, when she wanted to write songs and sing leads. Frustrated, she left in 1983 while the group was still red hot. She moved to London and ended up singing on "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - she and members of Kool & the Gang were the only Americans on the song. She released two singles with Mercury Records, but they didn't pan out and she ended up at MCA, where label executive Jheryl Busby gave her lots of support and creative freedom.

    "Looking For A New Love" went to #1 on the R&B chart and spent four weeks at #2 on the Hot 100, first behind "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" by Cutting Crew and then "With Or Without You" by U2. Four more singles from the album followed, all chart hits: "Still a Thrill," "Don't You Want Me," "Some Kind of Lover," and "Most of All."
  • Watley wrote the lyrics and melody, and the track came from Andre Cymone, known for his work with Prince. Cymone, à la Prince, played all the instruments, giving the song a fresh, funky sound that meshed with Watley's voice. He produced the song with David Z, another Prince associate.

    Watley and Simone got romantically involved and were married from 1991 to 1994. In 1992, they had a son named Arie.
  • The music video was directed by Brian Grant, who did the MTV classics "Physical" (Olivia Newton-John), "How Will I Know" (Whitney Houston), and "Saved By Zero" (The Fixx). Watley was very fashionable, and Grant took advantage by presenting her in several different outfits. It earned two MTV Video Music Award nominations: Best Female Video and Best New Artist in a Video.
  • Don Cornelius, who chose Watley for Shalimar, gave her a very nice introduction when she returned to Soul Train for the first time as a solo artist to perform this song. "She has now embarked on what promises to be an exciting solo career," he said.
  • This song was a #1 hit on the Dance chart when it was first released in 1987, then a 2005 remix took it back to the top spot.

Comments: 4

  • Ann from CanadaWoah! The voice, The dancing, The clothes. She's like a Black Madonna. Wonder what happened to her.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn this day in 1987 {April 26th} "Looking For A New Love" by Jody Watley peaked at #2 {for 4 weeks} on Billboard's Top 100* chart, for it's first two weeks at #2, the #1 record for both those weeks was "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" by the Cutting Crew, and for it's 3rd and 4th week at #2, "Without Or Without You" by U2 was in the top spot...
    "Looking For A New Love" peaked at #1 on both the Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart and the Canadian RPM Singles chart...
    Between 1987 and 1998 the Chicago, Illinois native had fourteen records on the Top 100 chart, seven made the Top 10 with her two biggest hits both peaking at #2, the above "Looking For A New Love" and "Real Love" for two weeks in May of 1989...
    One of her fourteen charted was a duet with Eric B. and Rakim, "Friends", it peaked at #9 in 1989...
    Jody Vanessa Watley celebrated her 61st birthday three months ago on January 30th, 2020...
    * And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the Billboard's Top 10 on April 26th, 1987:
    At #1. "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" by the Cutting Crew
    #2. the above "Looking For A New Love"
    #3. "Don't Dream It's Over" by Crowded House
    #4. "La Isla Bonita" by Madonna
    #5. "Sign 'O' The Times" by Prince
    #6. "With Or Without You" by U2
    #7. "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me" by Aretha Franklin & George Michael
    #8. "The Finer Things" by Steve Winwood
    #9. "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship
    #10. "Stone Love" by Kool & The Gang
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 3, 1987, Jody Watley was a guest on the American syndicated musical television program 'Solid Gold'...
    At the time Ms. Watley didn't have a record on Billboard's Top 100 chart, during the calendar year of 1987 she had three charted records, "Looking For A New Love" {#2*}, "Still A Thrill" {#56}, and "Don't You Want Me" {#6}...
    Jody Vanessa Watley will celebrate her 59th birthday this coming January 30th {2018}...
    * "Looking For A New Love" was #2 for four weeks; for it's first two weeks at #2, the #1 record was "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" by the Cutting Crew, and for weeks 3 and 4, "With Or Without You" by U2 was in the top spot.
  • John from Nashville, TnCo-writer Andre Cymone was the bass player for Prince from 1979 to 1981. He released three solo albums on Columbia (1981's LIVIN' IN THE NEW WAVE, 1983's SURVIVING IN THE 80s, and 1985's AC). The Prince written and produced track "The Dance Electric" was Cymone's biggest hit.
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