Computer Love (Zapp & Roger song)

"Computer Love"
Single by Zapp & Roger featuring Charlie Wilson and Shirley Murdock
from the album The New Zapp IV U
Released	September 27, 1985
Format	CD single
Recorded	1984
Genre	Funk, R&B
Length	4:44
Label	Warner Bros.

Computer Love is a song by the group Zapp & Roger featuring vocals by Shirley Murdock and Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band. Zapp frontman Roger Troutman used his trademark talk box on this song, which would go on to become one of the group's many songs that appeared in the top ten (Billboard Chart). The song peaked at #8 on the U.S. Hot 100.

Samples/Remixes

In 1994, the original song was re-released to radio on a promotional CD with a remake. 'Computer Love ('94 Mix)' also featured Murdock and Wilson on vocals, but Wilson sings most of the lead vocals, the arrangement is in a lower key, and includes a saxophone solo. A similar saxophone solo can be heard in the extended version of the original 1985 song, in which only Murdock is heard.

This song was clearly sampled in 1993's Piru Love off of the Bangin' on Wax album by the Bloods & Crips and the song "Scandalous" by E-40 & the Click from the album Game Related. In 1995, R&B Group Xscape's "What Can I Do" was sampled "Computer Love" on their second album Off The Hook. This song is also used in 2Pac's 1993 song I Get Around, and his 1996 song "Thug Passion" and some of the original song's Larenz Tate lyrics were used in Temptations from 2Pac's third album, Me Against The World.

The beat and layout for the track "Wanna Make Love" from R&B group Blackstreet's eponymous debut album, was clearly sampled by "Computer Love". Donell Jones also used the background beat on his 1996 track "In the Hood" from his debut album My Heart. The beat was used on Smooth's 1998 album, Strawberries, featuring Shaquille O'Neal and Roger Troutman, once again doing his famous voice box. In addition, rapper Fabolous has a song titled 'Computer Love' featured on one of his mixtapes which samples this beat. His version got positive reviews from fans. In 2002, Zapp made a song titled "You've Got Mail" on their album Zapp VI: Back By Popular Demand which is clearly a sequel to "Computer Love".

In 2009, rapper Lil' Kim released a interpolation of the song called "Download." The song features T-Pain and Charlie Wilson. A music video was shot in March 2009 in Los Angeles.

At the 2009 BET Awards, Jamie Foxx samples "Computer Love" in the intro of "Blame It" featuring T-Pain which was a tribute to Michael Jackson.

The song was also used in the 1993 hood film Menace II Society featuring Tyrin Turner and Larenz Tate.

Mann (rapper) (Def Jam/Beluga Heights) also sampled the song for his song "Me N My Bros" off his first mixtape "Vintage Cuts (Hosted By The LA Leakers)"

Rapper Lil Boosie Sampled Computer Love on a mixtape the song was intitled Boosie Love.

Blazin' Squad's 2003 single "Reminisce" contains a sample from Zapp's 1985 single "Computer Love".

Brian McKnight sampled "Computer Love" and 2Pac's "I Get Around" on the track, "Hold Me" off his 1997 third album, Anytime.