R&b has changed a lot in the past few decades. Each generation the lyrics change, but the tone mostly stays the same. Love, wanting love, and being so in love with someone, heartbreak, sorrow or a break up or reminiscing of past love. And of course sex. Sex is the main topic in a lot of genres. Rap, pop, r&b , alternative music, and rock&roll. In the past, you had a feeling most songs you loved were either talking about sex or being in love. There were undertones and catchy lyrics nowadays that has all changed its not subtle anymore. It’s right in front of you the sexy outfits and raunchy music videos and the dances and the lyrics.I grew up listening Marvin Gaye , Earth Wind and Fire, Diana Ross, Patti Labelle, Michael Jackson, Prince, Luther Vandross. Lyrics such as “do you know where your going to do you like the things that life is showing you where are you going to do you know”( Diana Ross Mahogany theme song). “Get up get up get up wake up wake up wake up oh baby now lets get down tonight”(Marvin Gaye).
As I got older during the nineties, I heard other artists such as R.kelly, Usher, Mya, 112, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston,Mary j. Blige, Ginuwine, Monica, SWV,Donnell Jones. Maxwell,DruHill,Jodeci,Tevin Campbell,John B,Tony!Toni!Tone! , Toni Braxton, TLC. Hearing songs such as ” you make me wanna leave the one I’m with start a new relationship with you this is what you do”(Usher make me wanna). “My minds telling me no but my body my body is telling me yea baby I don’t wanna hurt nobody but there is something something that i have to sayyyyayyyyiii i don’t see nothing wrong with a little bump and grind” (R.kelly bump and grind). One of my favorites was Maxwell and Dru Hill. ” And if there’s a thing that you need i’d give you the breathe and if ever you yearn for the love in me whenever wherever whatever”(Maxwell).I got this feeling and i just cant turn loose that somebody’s been getting next you I don’t want to walk around knowing i was your fool because being the man that I am I can’t loose my cool” (in my bed dru hill).During this decade songs and lyrics changed but things were still subtle. Still a lot of songs about love and betrayal and sorrow some sexualization.
Most of those lyrics if you heard it at a family reunion a house party or at the club. Everyone would be singing all the lyrics. Saying aye that used to be the jam, ooh i used to ooh to this song. In the nineties you could groove to the songs turn your boom box or car radio up loud. And tap your foot everyone knew all the lyrics you knew the meaning it was very sexual.In the late nineties to early two thousands the message of the songs was the same sex love trying to get the girl and sorrow.
Some artists from that decade were John Legend, Jill Scott, Beyonce’, D’angelo,Ashanti, Keyshia Cole.Tyrese, Aaliyah, Jaheim, Anthony Hamilton,Mario, Chris Brown, Destiny’s Child, Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu,Jazmine Sullivan, Chrisette Michelle, Neyo, Trey Songz.”Got me looking so crazy my baby got me looking so crazy right now your love got me looking so crazy my baby” (Beyonce crazy in love).Some catchy and well known songs from that era ” am i supposed to change are you supposed to change are you supposed to change? Who should be hurt? Who should be blamed? Who should be hurt? Who should be ashamed? You need a resolution , i need a resolution. we need a resolution” (Aaliyah’s “We need a resolution”)
Now you know the exact meaning of the song there are no undertones and the videos for the songs are hyper sexual lots of grinding and half naked women. Essentially everyone has borrowed from each other and recreating the same song repeatedly just changing the lyrics. Even using some of the same beats and playing on the same radio stations but now they have a much wider audience. A video or an entire album can be released online at midnight by the end of the week that album is being sung by kids and grannies. Such lyrics as “there’s something in this liquor the air is getting thicker all I want is you ou ou ou ou all I want is you ou ou ou” (Chris Brown liquor). ” early in the mornings when i think about you yea I hit you like what you saying? the morning’s when I wanna fuck you yea I hit you like what you saying I could fuck you all the time I could fuck you all the time” (Jeremih All the time). These two songs get right to the point with the lyrics and the background beats and Chris Brown’s smooth harmonizing. Both of these songs are sexual one talks about a woman slipping a drug in his alcoholic beverage. And the other describing how often he wants to sleep with a woman. What happened to music? I miss the oldies and the subtle r&b songs. “I’m so guarded I’ve been hurt see I’m so cold now someone burned me yea I like you yea you like me but I can see your charades I can see I can see I can see your charades” (Chrisette Michelle charades). ” But I’ve go to know oh body and soul that you’ve got no doubt inside and out we are whole body and soul don’t leave out in the cold just love me body and soul” (Body and Soul Anita Baker.)
By: Amanda Goodman
