The Jamaica Observer’s Enter tainment Desk continues its month-long feature titled ‘Cover Me Good’. It will look at songs covered by Jamaican artistes which became hits.

My Love , a 1988 collaboration between Julio Iglesias and Stevie Wonder, made such an impression on Thriller U that he covered it.

“I decided to cover the song, because at the time Stevie Wonder was like a mentor and that song was a huge song. The song’s melody was catchy and soulful, and growing up in the ghetto, soulful songs were what we listened to,” said the singer.

Thriller U’s cover of My Love was recorded at King Jammy’s studio in Waterhouse and produced by Lloyd “King Jammy’s” James.

“I went to the studio to record an album for Jammy’s and that’s how that song got produced. While recording the song, I had no idea it would have become a hit. For me, it wasn’t about making a hit song, it was about singing a song because I love music,” he recalled.

My Love was recorded on a hot rhythm that featured two massive hit songs — End of The World by Sanchez and I Know The Score by Frankie Paul.

“ I Know the Score was one of the big ‘riddims’ of the 1980s and the energy came from the producer. Back then, the radio disc jocks were genuine people and they put their energy behind the song. In those days, from the song good, it ah go buss,” Thriller U shared.

My Love made the Top 20 on the JBC Radio Top 30 Chart. It also made the top 10 of the RJR Top 40 Chart.

“I didn’t even know that the song would’ve been a major hit in England. The song was featured on my album Waiting For You and based on its success, I got to tour England. I was just humbled by all of this and I was glad that people accepted the song,” said Thriller U.

He continued, “The success of My Love opened a lot of doors to my career. People knew me because of that song. I also sang a lot of dub plates for sound systems. Stone Love even made it a big dub plate hit, it was like an anthem for them. All sound men wanted that song on dub.”

Born Eustace Hamilton, Thriller U was raised in Mount Moreland, Sligoville, St Catherine. He has had hits with covers of Michael Bolton’s Back on My Feet Again, Gregory Abbott’s I’ll Prove it to You, Billy Ocean’s There’ll be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry) and George Michael’s Careless Whisper.

The original version of My Love was a hit in Europe for Iglesias and Stevie Wonder, reaching the Top Five in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was a minor hit in the United States, peaking at number 14 on Billboard‘s Adult Contemporary, 80 on the Hot 100, and number 88 on Hot Soul Singles charts.