She’s Like – E Walter Smith

“She’s got a way of walking like I’ve never seen before!”

So many times, that’s exactly how it starts…

Then the next thing you notice is the certain way they talk. If things go well, their eyes will hypnotize you under moonlight after the glow of their skin has mesmerized you during a candlelight dinner.

Going all the way back to 5^th grade when my Language Arts teacher, Miss. Hudson, made sure that the stories I wrote were filled with “imagery and emotion, pulling the reader into my story,” I write my songs with that same thought in mind: Write as if you’re creating a mental music video! So, having the chance to put the lyrics in a video… Good times!

Having grown up in a very diverse community in the ’60s, ’70s, and early ’80s (Shaker Heights, Ohio), I’ve seen love displayed in thousands of different ways. So, I wanted to make sure that the people I knew and those whom they knew were represented. In fact, I’m pretty sure that at some point you’ll see somebody who reminds you of someone you know!

The wonderful thing about “She’s Like” is that while I write these liner notes in the Spring of 2025, I wrote this song in 2004. Even with the advent of AI and all the other ways relationships will begin, most will include many of the moments that I sing about in this song.

Just as most 20-year relationships have a lot of ups and downs during their journey, “She’s Like” is no different.

Initially, I had written this song as a duet with a popular male artist. I’d written songs with his music director and thought it could be our version of Luther Vandross and Gregory Hines’, “There’s Nothing Better Than Love,” or Michael Jackson and Paul McCarney’s, “The Girl Is Mine.”

However, God had another plan!

So, I called Reginald “Wizard” Jones, like I had so many times before, and luckily, he wasn’t booked or on the road. As one of the top Music Directors and keyboardists in the industry, it’s sometimes hard to get a hold of him. (TLC, Silk, New Edition, Usher, Justin Bieber, Tony Braxton, Layla Hathaway, SOS Band, Glenn Jones, Johnny Gill, etc.)

I sent him the a cappella version of the song, and a couple of days later, he sent me the track. He had totally flipped the vibe I was feeling as a smooth jazz/neo soul groove into a line dance/steppers/salsa groove.

The first thing I said was, “I’m not sharing this with anybody! This is no longer a duet!” We both started laughing and scheduled a time to start recording.

Now, since the theme had changed, I needed female background vocals. Once again, I called Tammy Harper (now affectionately known as the “La La” lady) and she added the “sugar and spice and everything nice” to the song.

After we finished recording the song, I got John’ J. Jonah’ Johnson to do the mix. It was wonderful, but as trends changed and hip hop and social media influenced a lot of the music trends… I got a couple of new ideas.

Now, it’s during the pandemic, and all kinds of “opportunities” to think and create were available. I got Wizard to put another bass line on the song and to redo the mix. I performed it for a few years but never released it because something was missing…

Then, in 2024, I noticed how many social media “models” posted videos of themselves walking to music. “Ahh ha!” That’s what’s missing! I needed a banging intro to the song, leading into the first line. I also needed new drums to really bring out that club sound element that hits you in the head when you press “Play!”

So, I called Andre Collins. He produced the second half of my remake of Kenny Loggins’ song, “Celebrate Me Home.” So, on “She’s Like” he added the 808 in the beginning, along with a horn blast, and added the melodic hip hop drums that keep your head bopping throughout the song.

Now that the music had been redone, I went to Jefari “Jarro Farro” Jeter’s studio to record the new beginning and ending of my vocals.

Jacques Richmond is a celebrated mix engineer who patiently allowed me to have him mix this song twelve times. Award-winning Grammy judge Earle Holder was patient enough to master it six times. (I’m sure they both have their version of the She’s Like journey called, “Working with E.’s Like..!!!!!!!” lolol

The beauty of this project is that, while it took twenty-one years, literally a generation to complete, I think its presentation will be able to tell the “boy meets girl” story for years to come.

Once again, thanks so much to those who made this possible

Reginald “Wizard” Jones – Writer/Producer/Music Director – @ReginaldWizardJones

Tammy Harper – Background Vocals – @TamTunes

Andre Collins – www.forestglenentertainment.com

John “J Jonah” Johnson – Mixing engineer – www.linkedin.com/in/john-henry-johnson-6a418132/