A staple voice of the late 80s and early 90s is Keith Sweat. The running joke would be that he always "wines" in his song. People would say, "he's always begging in his music." And after you heard someone say that you couldn't listen to a Keith Sweat song without hearing it.
Nevertheless, he's definitely one of my favorite male R & B artists and he has hits. My favorites are "How Deep is Your Love", Don't Stop Your Love, I'll Give All My Love To You" to name a few. I remember hearing Keith Sweat on the radio late nights.
I felt like he had the perfect voice for the after dark shift. I loved listening to his calls where he would give advice to women that would call in for dating advice. I would always laugh when I would hear him encourage all the ladies to share their problems and the solutions always involved him.
Little did I know that my son's father was listening to those very same late-night shows but having the opposite reaction. He hated hearing Keith Sweat on the radio. He felt like he gave terrible advice. But I think it was just jealousy. LOL.
My favorite song by Keith Sweat is "Make it Last Forever" and he duets this song with a woman by the name of Jacci McGhee. The song was written by both Keith Sweat and Teddy Riley. Jacci McGhee has also provided vocals for Salt N Pepa.
Make It Last Forever plays in the background of my teen to young adult years. I didn't always attach the song to a particular person or relationship, but it symbolized something I wanted--someone that wanted to "make it last forever."
From the beginning of the song the lyrics are all of the right things you want to hear and want someone to make you want to say. "Let me hear you tell me you want me. Let me hear you say you'll never leave me. Ohh, girl. That would make me feel so right."
I love that each person's verse is so loving and warm. I don't hear lyrics like this anymore.
As I got older though I did begin to picture "forever" in a different way. The lyrics to OutKast, "Sorry Ms. Jackson" comes to mind. The verse where Andre 3000 says, "Forever, forever, ever, forever, ever? Forever never seems that long until you're grown"
What happens when a song leaves a sour taste in your mouth?
As I got older, I had a moment where this song became the most hated song in my playlist. I eventually removed it and turned the station when the song came on. I remember it like it was yesterday.
My son's father was picking me up from work. We were no longer together but because our schedules differed, and I had no transportation he was able to pick me up from work and then we would go pick up our son from daycare and he would take us both home.
This night he arrived like normal, but he did something abnormal. He came into my job as if he had something to tell me, but he never said anything to me. My co-workers thought it was strange as well. I should have inquired but I didn't.
Instead, I grabbed my belongings and headed out the door to the car with him following slowly behind me. When I went to grab the passenger, door handle it didn't open immediately and when I looked into the car more closely there was another set of eyes looking back at me. It was a woman.
I looked up just as my son's father was coming around to the side of the driver and opening his door. We caught eyes but he didn't say anything. He just got it. He knew my options were slim. It was late and our son had to be picked up from "night care." And I wanted to get home. I probably could have called someone and begged them to get out their bed and come get me, but I didn't.
I got into the car- in the back seat. As we pulled off, Keith Sweat "Make It Last Forever" came on the radio and he turned it up. They came together via the middle console with their arms and hands and the song became their song and my most hated song.
I don't know what made me more upset. The fact that every time I hear it now, I think about this moment or the fact that I actually got a little nauseous listening to it in the past.
Now, however, many years have passed since these moments that I thought would bring me sadness forever. One day the song came on, and I didn't feel sick, I didn't immediately want to change the station. And then I heard it again and I hummed it. And then I heard it again and I turned it up and sung along. Now, it's back in my playlist and I belt out all parts like I did when I first heard it.
I was sad that my original feelings for this song will never be the same and yes, I still have the memories but I'm glad that I feel able to create more memories with this song that speaks about love in a way that I love.
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