So a little preamble before the backstory….the writing bug bit me again..I don’t know how long this will last….and (hopefully) this won’t be too specific to any one person or situation….this CD collection was in the works waaaaaay back when I was in college….so, I mean…yeah….it wasn’t subliminal at the time, even if some of the songs have taken on new meaning now that I’m older….
Anyway to the backstory. So I’ve always had a pretty competitive spirit. Back in the day when me and the homie OJ used to be on various message boards and what not, we would compare our music libraries and I would always brag about how my slow jam playlist couldn’t be touched, and invariably OJ would mention how his “waxxion collection” could get the draws off of any chick…and so on and so forth.
Well the talk went on for a few years, literally. I’d talk about my collection and he’d talk about his until one day on one of our message boards we mentioned it to someone who was a “put your money where your mouth is” type person (I honestly forget who exactly it was) and they basically forced us to make actual playlists. It helped that iTunes had come out around then for PC’s and that made it ALOT easier.
The finished product ended up becoming a 5 (or 6) disc collection called “Challange!!!” yes I meant to spell it that way, based on that scene on the Cosby Show when Cliff and Sandman Sims had that tap dance “contest”. The theme of the collection was that it would set the scene for en episode of love. The first disc would set the mood, the next three would be the actual act of love making, and the last disc, the aftermath. The collection ended up being so popular (at least on our small scale) that out of demand I created a 6th disc that consisted of “kinkier” songs.
I’ve actually posted the songlisting before on this facebook note format, but I haven’t really annotated it, so that’s my intention now.
Anyway enough preamble rambling….I present my thoughts on the first disc: The Seduction…
Track 1: Feenin’ by Jodeci - I thought this was a fitting song to open with. I love the intro to the song, with a high sounding Devante saying, “…all the chronic in the world couldn’t mess with you…”. Knowing what we know now, I mean, that’s a bold statement. It always starts out with that feeling of craving, needing, wanting….feenin…..so away we go….
Track 2: Bonita Applebaum by A Tribe Called Quest - I remember wanting to establish fairly early on that I wasn’t afraid to put a hip hop song in the mix. Hip hop songs can be love songs, they can be sensual, they can be seductive….and no hip hop song outside of the occassional LL song is as seductive as ATCQ’s ode to Miss Bonita…the seduction is officially on and popping now…
Track 3: Tonight Is The Night by Betty Wright - Let me digress for a moment and muse on the topic of “raunch”. Back in the day, this song was considered raunchy. I can actually LAUGH out loud at that now. I think it says alot about our standards and values though. Enough of my moral high horse though, as to the actual song. The anticipation she speaks of, the tense moments, the unknown, that’s all apart of the seduction. The nerves and the trembling make it all worth it when the moment happens.
Track 4: Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton - This song holds special meaning to me now and I’ll leave it at that for now….At any rate. This is a perfect song for at the end of the evening with your love, your main squeeze who you are so proud to be out and be seen with, and you play this song just for her as you are about to both lay down…and maybe you are rubbing her shoulder and back, and this song says everything you feel about her…and then you get some….hahaha…nah seriously, this song speaks so much to how it feels to be deeply in love with someone you consider beautiful inside and out.
Track 5: I Want You by Marvin Gaye -…because at some point the being coy and pussyfooting around the topic has to end. You have to drop the pretense and just put it out there, I want you…and I want you to want me to. It’s STILL a part of the seduction, but now the feeling is there. I put it pretty early on because sometimes you have to put it out there early to set the tone that you are serious about what you are feeling, and I was serious about this CD collection!
Track 6: Close To You by Maxi Priest - I feel like the beats per minute on this joint are somewhere near that of I Want You. By this point you should really be making out, necking, or something….you should be close to someone and showing them the way you feel. The seduction is in full swing. I told you I wasn’t playing around.
Track 7: Sometimes by Mint Condition - If you thought it wasn’t serious then check the hook to this song, “won’t you spend the night and stop playing with me”. This song speaks to the frustration of the hot and cold nature of some relationships. I’ve had it both ways to be honest, where it was always on 10, and where I couldn’t get a read one way or the other. I personally prefer always on, as opposed to hot and cold, I have enough roller coasters in my life and dealings as it is. But I love the fact that someone has a song that just lays it all out on the line like this. And it’s a rare “modern” R&B song with SERIOUS rock and roll elements…and you know I love Rock and Roll.
Track 8: Soon As I Get Home by Faith Evans - There is something about Faith Evan’s voice to me that puts me in the mood for love. The sweet dulcet sounds along with the crisp production from the days when Puff Daddy actually gave a damn about making good music. This song basically says, “forget whatever else is going on in our lives, when I get home I’m putting it down” and if that isn’t seduction, then….well….
Track 9: After The Dance by Fourplay ft. El Debarge - Allow me to say that this version of the song is not only superior to Marvin’s original, it completely blows it out of the water. Between Bob James on the keys and Nathan East on bass and Lee Ritnour on Guitar it’s a murderer’s row. Throw El Debarge at the absolute top of his game into the mix and you have one of the most seductive songs of the quiet storm era. This is “smooth jazz” done right. It’s what Kenny G and Boney James wish they could do.
Track 10: Let’s Chill by Guy - This seduction is more of the seduction of an old flame variety. When you make that comeback attempt and are ready to settle down and make a life of it. This is high level seduction, masters level, maybe even PhD level! Guy really left it on the field on this joint. It’s also good to sing if you have a halfway decent singing voice….which I may or may not know from experience.
Track 11: Love Won’t Let Me Wait - Luther Vandross - Two things. One - I spoke of covers being far superior to the originals in regards to track 9, the same holds here. Luther put his stamp on this one so indelibly that this song now belongs to him totally. Two - you can tell by this point when I was making the CD I was becoming impatient with the theme. The seduction is almost over…love won’t let me wait….but we’ll have to wait at least 4 more tracks….
Track 12: Seems Like You’re Ready by R. Kelly - Okay putting aside that this song was probably written for a 15 year old Aaliyah, Robert was really at the top of his game on this album, which HAS to be considered as one of the top overall “seduction” albums of all time if you can manage to keep your biases about his pedophilia out of the equation. This was probably the most seductive (i.e. least overt and raunchy) songs on the CD (or tape if you are as old as me).
Track 13: So Anxious by Ginuwine - So I have regrets about certain songs, this is one of them. Time hasn’t been good to ole Elgin Lumpkin and his discography. His songs just don’t hold up. If I had to do this list over again I’d leave this song off, though I do agree with the sentiment. Anyway I hope this doesn’t disturb the groove, so to speak.
Track 14: Lose Control by Silk - One of the first slow dances I ever had was to this song, at my eighth grade dance. I of course didn’t have a date, but one of my friends I guess took mercy on me and danced with me on this joint. I won’t put her out there bad, but yeah, I still feel a certain way about this song. It’s also a fun song to sing at the top of your lungs in your car in stand still traffic while rednecks stare at you on 440…you’ll just have to take my word for that one. Anyway, we are about to lose control and delve into the lovemaking….we’re almost there…I promise….
Track 15: Say Yes by Floetry - Finally…I thought this was a good song to end the seduction with…All you have to do is say yes….how many times have I uttered those words? This song is the perfect segue into the lovemaking because once you say yes…well….it won’t be the last time.
Coming soon: Disc Two - Making Love 1
