Powerful Lyrics

I was sitting around today thinking that there have been some very powerful lyrics in a lot of songs that just tend to reach out and grab you. Most of these lyrics happen to be from slow songs, or at least that is my opinion, but I've decided to post some now, as well as whenever they might come to me. I know that the artists listed below don't necessarily write the songs, but they do bring them to life. So now, without further delay, I bring to you my first installment of "Powerful Lyrics."

"Too strong for too long
And I can't be without you baby
And I'll be waitin' up until you get home
Cause I can't sleep without you baby
Anybody who's ever loved you
Knows just what I feel
Too hard to fake it
Nothin' can replace it
Call the radio
If you just can't
Be without
Your baby"
-Be Without You, Mary J. Blige.


Mary always seems to make you feel the pain that comes along with lovin' a person just a little too much, doesn't she? Probably the best at it. I mean, "Call the radio if you just can't be without..." How many people ever felt this way about someone???? Damn, that is just...STRONG! And "Anybody's whose ever loved you know just..." How many women ever reference women of a nigga's past???? Powerful...just powerful. This is just one of many of her songs that will probably appear on these posts.

"Thinking all that life would be
When you're not around
I just could not find my way
I wouldnt even know up from down
But since I've had you in my life
All these can be found
So strong and true, baby
Comin' from you, you, you, you, you..."
-I Call Your Name, Switch

Okay...okay!!! So this is the song that prompted this post and others that will be like it. You have to admit that this song was the shyt!!! Okay, just promise me that you will do a search, or maybe even download it from Limewire (shameless plug) and check it out. I am sure that you will add it to one of your favorites too.

"Brothers want to hang with the Meth bring the rope
the only way you hang is by the neck nigga poke
off the set comin to your projects
Take it as a threat, better yet it's a promise
Comin from a vet on some old Vietnam shit
Nigga you can bet your bottom dollar hey I bomb shit
And it's gonna get even worse word to God
It's the Wu comin through sickin niggaz for they garments
Movin on your left..."


My bad. I just didn't want ya'll to think I was too soft or nothin'. Unfortunately the two that I have listed are Meth's best. I don't know what happened to him in the following years, or songs for that matter. He seemed to only have been tight either with Redman or throwing down 16 bars for someone else. I think this next song was the first "real" Grammy single by a Rap artist.

"Shorty I'm there for you anytime you need me
For real girl, it's me in your world, believe me
Nuttin make a man feel better than a woman
Queen with a crown that be down for whatever
There are few things that's forever, my lady
We can make war or make babies
Back when I was nothin
You made a brother feel like he was somethin
That's why I'm with you to this day boo no frontin
Even when the skies were gray
You would rub me on my back and say 'Baby it'll be okay'
Now that's real to a brother like me baby,
Never ever give my cootie away, so keep it tight, aiight..."
-You're All I Need, Meth feat. Mary J. Blige


I guess that was every locked up nigga's anthem to the females that were keepin' it real wit 'em back in '94. Or so they were led to think. I would have changed the title to "Ode to My Shorty", because this is really a classic that belongs up there with any of Beethoven's works.

"Lady i'm hooked on you
There's nothing else i'd rather do
Spend my last dime
For a drop of your time
Cause you're the girl without a doubt
You know you got me strung out
And i need you more
And more
Cause you are my joy
You got me feenin..."
-Feenin', Jodeci.


What can you say about these cats? Their emergence quickly helped us forget about New Edition and whatever it was they were going through during that time. This is just one of the many songs that Jodeci belted out that helped get the belts off of many pairs of pants in the '90s. Every album had bangers on it and they are THE group of that whole hip hop/soul era. While some might argue Boys II Men, I believe it was Jodeci who started it all and kept it going while making people cross over to them. Is it just me or does anyone realize that Mary J and K-Ci could've been the first Whitney and Bobby Brown type couple?

"I carry a smile when I'm broken in two
And I'm nobody without someone like you
I'm tremblin' inside
And nobody knows it but me

I lie awake it's a quarter past three
I'm screamin' at night if I thought you'd hear me
Yeah, my heart is callin' you
And nobody knows it but me

The nights are lonely, the days are so sad
And I just keep thinkin' about the love that we had
And I'm missin' you
And nobody knows it but me"
-Nobody Knows, Tony Rich Project

A fool and his woman both shall soon part. I liked it though, while there weren't too many profound lyrics or whatever, it was still a pretty memorable tune. I can't remember if it won a Grammy or not. I think it was nominated at least.

"You keep running, running away
I know you can't run forever
You think you're heading for a heartbreak again
Just as you did before

I can teach you how to love again
If you just trust in me
I can show you things you never seen
You don't know how much you're missing.

CHORUS
Have you ever loved somebody
Can you learn to love somebody
the way somebody loves you
Have you ever known that feeling
Ooh that special feeling
When somebody loves you"
-Have You Ever Loved Somebody", Freddie Jackson


Now I didn't have a girlfriend when this song was big and I dreaded every damn minute of it! If that Chorus wasn't powerful I didn't know what was back then. I think I mainly put this down only because I am still scarred by it. Freddie seemed gay as hell to me but the song was tight. "Whisper sweetly in my ear..."


You may be young but you're ready
(Ready to learn)
You're not a little girl, you're a woman
(Take my hand) Let me tell you, baby

I'm yours for the takin'
So you can (Do what you please)
Don't take my love for granted
You're all I (I'll ever need)

Hold me, hold me in your arms
(Oh...baby) Never let me go

(There's a right and a wrong way to love somebody)
A right way to love somebody, to love me right
(There's a good and a bad way to love somebody)
There's a good, oh...whoa...oh...whoa...oh...
You do me good, ooh....
-Right and Wrong Way, Keith Sweat.


Now this cat couldn't dance a lick. It was actually pretty sad but during his entire reign that little flaw didn't matter at all. This particular song was the shyt. That first line alone set the tone. You see R. Kelly felt it, don't you? I don't know exactly how young Keith was talking, I guess it's relative, but people were singing that line in lunchrooms across the country.

Now I was just throwing down a couple of songs that popped in my head. If you feel there are some others like, "Adore U", or "As We Lay" that warrant attention, start a blog about it, or hit me up. I am sure I will have more in the near future. Be easy.