If Only For One Night
written by 4Bars
“I WON'T TELL A SOUL /NO ONE HAS TO KNOW IF YOU WANT TO BE TOTALLY DISCREET/I'LL BE AT YOUR SIDE IF ONLY FOR ONE NIGHT LET ME TAKE YOU HOME/TO KEEP YOU SAFE AND WARM TILL THE EARLY DAWN/WARMS UP TO THE SUN IT WOULD BE SO NICE IF ONLY FOR ONE NIGHT”written by 4Bars
Now those lyrics are about what? A one night stand right? I mean, the title of the song has “Only for One Night” in it, so I’m sayin', it’s essentially about him tryna' beat, skeet, and hit the street. Now, this song was performed by arguably the greatest male vocal artist of his time and certainly a timeless musical figure: Luther Vandross. As I was driving (I drive a lot) and this song came on my iPod, I found myself listening to the lyrics of the song instead of just singing them and I realized what he was talking about and I thought, “this song is so creative yet talking about something pretty simple and primitive: a one night stand, where is this artistry today?”
“secret lovers undercover on the DL gettin' busy in the back of his Mercedes every night answers the phone when he goes home and let him know that everything is A Okay ooh baby damn this shit is tight passin' blunts to one another on 35th street as you reminisce and tell me what he used to do for you you makin' plans to be with me while he's at home meet you at college baby this is where we do”
If you don’t recognize the author of these lyrics, you should. He (like Vandross) is arguably the greatest song writer/maker of our time and truly is a musical genius, even if he does have a hard time finding women in his age bracket (haha, had to take a shot): R Kelly aka The Pied Piper of R&B aka Kells aka Ya Boyfriend aka, well you get where I’m going. This verse (and song) is essentially saying the same thing as Luther’s song except the lyrics are a tad more “direct” if you will. “getting busy in the back of his Mercedes every night”, “ooh baby damn this shit is tight?” word?
I mean, correct me if I’m wrong but I see glaring similarities in subject matter yet the delivery and word choice are mind blowing. During my drive I just found myself wondering how and why things had “evolved” into such a raunchy and direct packaging. Is this a reflection of our culture taste changing? Is it that we have lowered our standard for what is acceptable? A combination of both? Or something completely different? We all talked about and heard talks about the language that’s used now and I’m curious to know how ya’ll feel about it.
4 comments:
"Is this a reflection of our culture taste changing? Is it that we have lowered our standard for what is acceptable? A combination of both? Or something completely different?"
I don't think we are necessarily lowering our standards.I think the times have changed and the audience appreciates artist who keep it REALISTIC. Yes its nice to hear songs about how much in love you and I can't breathe and if I don't have you I don't want anyone else...And if loving you is wrong I don't want to be right. BUT DAMN IT, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME BEING IN LOVE CAUSED ANYONE TO HAVE AN ASTHMA ATTACK? But that shit has made you pissed off to the point where you want to call "YOUR SO CALLED LOVE OF YOUR LIFE" out of their name and drive over their house when they don't answer the phone and wile out... (I KNOW ITS NOT JUST ME) I think times has changed and the audience appreciates all sides to Love. The break ups, the wrong thoughts, the court cases, and all the drama that comes with it. (All the above mentioned situations were just examples people.)
I think with every generation there's a different language. So our parents might have said if only for one night and we say lets get up on a room girl. You're right Four Bars it is essentially the same thing. But even back then they got a little gully with the language, i.e. Between the Sheets (or anything from the Isley Bros. for that matter), Sexual Healing. And now we're sampling that stuff and addig the way we speak to it. It's known that Generation Y (anyone born between roughly 1980 and 2002) are known to need constant stimulation and want things fast. Baby Boomers (probably most of our parents, Luther Vandross and the like) lived in a less technological era. Everything around us in changing on a continuum so the music has no choice to follow suit. So maybe we're more "raw" with the words because we need that stimulation or because if the music can't keep your attention then the artist won't sell. And two genenrations from now it'll be the same message with totally new words and we might not understand or appreciate what the hell they're saying.
And K Storm said this like two weeks ago but so true, what the f happened to Midnight Love Dedications?! That was when you could see a Luther video and some Jodeci. That show would get you through a break up or a love affair.
Great post, but I have to laugh at the picture of R. Kelly singing with a picture on his shirt of himself singing. LMFAO.
you know I try to find the best pictures jus. Haha
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