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Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Happy HUMP Day!
Yes, I put the word "HUMP" in all caps. I've just been in that kind of mood lately ;)
Remember back in the day when someone made you a slow jam tape? They'd title it something simple like..."Slow Jam Tape"...or "The Quiet Storm" - written with a sharpie on a piece of tape stuck to it. Ah...the good ole days.
Slow jam tapes were the ultimate form of flattery. If someone took the time to make you a slow jam tape (think: insert tape in cassette deck, stay up late to listen to The Quiet Storm for songs you like, press play and record at the same time. Stop. Repeat with different song), he or she REALLY liked you. That's right up there with love notes that read: DO YOU LIKE ME? Check one box - YES...NO...MAYBE. :-)
Music can enhance various aspects of our lives. The right music can create a sense of timelessness that will provoke a flashback, highlight an experience, or cause a chill to run down your spine. In romantic situations, the right music on the slow jam tape is essential...vital...critical even.
What is the right music? Some might argue that it's whatever music you like. Not so. I like Jay-Z, Biggie and The Roots - however, the music these artists have created isn't going to fit the criteria in this case. Some pieces of R&B, classical or jazz DO fit the criteria, however, other pieces do not. Lyrics that speak only about sex may be appealing to one person, but may not necessarily be conducive to the mood you're trying to create or the message you're trying to send - especially from an intimacy point of view. The slow jam tape was created for making love.
So, what is the criteria for music chosen as the soundtrack to lovemaking? The music should flow like waves crashing against a shore, or like the rising and falling of breath. The rhythms should be a mixture of staccato - smooth yet chaotic. If the pieces have lyrics, they should be about timeless love - or captivating, as with story telling, yet not distracting. The words could be obscured by the music...cryptic...or in a language the lovers don't understand. There are a few songs that have the strange illusion of being slower than the actual tempo, but have a vibe that you'd get down to. Songs with this illusion are perfect for slowing down the pace, but not too slow...building to climax, yet prolonging the experience.
When two lovers are first together, every sexual experience may seem significant. So choosing to get busy to songs you hear everyday on the radio may not do the session justice. If you're creating music to enhance lovemaking, make sure your effort doesn't lack soul or heart or sound too commercial. Personally, I prefer music that was created specifically for ME, because someone had to take the time to think about me, us, our experiences together and the memories we try to create...if only for one night.
The playlist on my blog includes some of my favorite "slow jam" songs that have specific memories attached to them - from my years growing up listening to my mother groove in the living room long after my sister and I have gone to bed, to my freshman year in college when I lost my virginity, up until now. They evoke feelings that make the hair on the back of my neck rise and tickle me, and my soul sings along.
In this day and age, the perfect gift is a pre-downloaded iPod that your lover has infused with music that helps induce a sexy mind-state unique to the both of you. They shouldn't just be "love songs" or "sex songs" - but songs that illicit and spark a response so nostalgic, you get OPEN every time you hear them.
Sure, strictly sex songs have their place...but not here...
...not on MY slow jam tape.
What's on yours?
-b
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52 comments:
FIRST!!!
Woooo! Let me get ready to be shanked and tased! Brooke I have a confession to make. I still have a gazillion tapes and in my collection are what Taye Diggs called it in Brown Sugar, "The Slow Jam Let's Get the Drawers Tapes."
Anyway if someone were to make a tape for me and knew they would have some Prince, "Adore You, Pink Cashmere, power fantastic." With some Maxwell, Sumthin Sumthin remix from Love Jones soundtrack to Mtume, Juicy, throw some Art of Noise, Teena Marie with Portuguese Love and hey put some Beres Hammond Feels Good on it!
Whew...fanning myself. As much music I own and have collected over the years dude can make a few tapes for me! Burn a cd, iPod.
Okay let other folks chime in and await my tase before I continue lol.
I wish I could relate. I have never been one to make a slow jam tape because I didnt care for the songs. Especially in college. Then again, I didnt find a woman worthy enough for me to make a tape for.
I did, however, used to make music tapes for my friends male and female alike. Das Efx, Tribe, Wu-tang, Black Moon...etc.
Nowadays...my musical taste have expanded and evolved I make a CD for a just about anything...lol
P.S...Where's My Killa Tape?
Yeah I have quiet storm tapes from...high school hee hee. A lot of times I made them for myself cause I loved the music!
But I'm also known for making break up tapes lol!
I will hit you up with my list later....but it has to start with Barry White and the Crew with "Secret Garden" and end with Lenny Williams, "Cause I love you" with SWV's "Weak" and "Anything" somewhere in the middle.
Break up tapes Serena? :)
I have tapes from high school too - I'm sure they're all dusty somewhere in my mother's basement.
My first slow jam tape was made for me by the boy who gave me my first kiss - Troy Moore. He handed me the tape, kissed me right on the mouth, and then ran down the street. LOL!!
Ant, you've never made or had a slow jam tape made for you??? That's tragic!!! As much as you love music, I can't even believe that! wow...
Dwayne, "Weak" by SWV was the joint!
Yooyyyy I was just listening to some ol skool slow jams yesterday artist like: Troop, Mint Condition, After 7, Shai, Silk, H-Town, Hi-Five and my favorite SWV & JODECI!!! That just took me back!!!
During one of my college breaks I had the inspiration to create the "ultimate slow jam tape". Now this tape was a master work of time and commitment. It had a theme that started with the day a man meets a woman, they date, get in a relationship, have sex for the first time, have the first big argument, make love for the first time, break up, are lonely without each other, get back together, get married and have their first child.
(Phew)
The joint was to take up both sides of a 120 minute tape! I culled the songs from 45s and 33s in my parents basement with soul classics (James Brown, Teddy P, Al Jarreau, Jeffrey Osborne, Debarge, etc) and new classics from CDs(Keith Sweat, Maxwell, Mary, D'Angelo). I never finished the tape but previewed the first side for a young lady and she fell asleep! I sat and listened zoning to my masterwork.
The next day she asked when she could hear the rest. "When it's done..."
I never finished it and I don't even know where it is...but I may have to reconstruct it in an Itunes playlist.
She fell asleep?? How'd you let that happen Dre???
Now I wanna hear it :-)
Tameka, I should find some Silk and Az Yet to add to my playlist :)
SERENA (taking out my shank & my taser)
I don't think I've ever put that much thought into it. I've put on slow music to get the mood going but I don't think I've purposely looked for certain songs to put on it. I have certain songs that remind me of certain times, etc but nothing that serious
Annamaria, you don't know what you're missing. It IS that deep :) LOL!
Brooke...seee... you know this is what i do!!!! As a matter of fact, I think you may have stolen some stuff from our My Space slow jam beef we had back in the day. LMAO.
But let me just give you a couple songs so as not to "hog the blog."
Sumthing Sumthing Remux, Adore, Anytime Anyplace are all Slow jam tape (Now CD) staples. But you can't forget Amel Larrieux - For Real, michael Jackson - Lady of Life, Chante More - Love's Taken Over (the Remix), Faith - Kissing You, Keith Wahingtons - Kissing You, and D'Angelo's - How Does It Feel.
Now I could go on but I wont for a few reasons. 1) Not trying to give all my secrets 2) Don't want none of you ladies tryna hit me up behind the scenes 3) My girlfriend lives in Boston and i'm not tryna get in that mood right now!!!
Hint.. always end your slow jam tapes with a little cuddling music (i.e. Steve Wonder Ribbon in the Sky)
Brooke I managed to get knocked up without the slow jams...LMAO
She was tired and one of the reasons I let her hear it was because she wanted to unwind to some good music. So I sat there with her head in my lap until the tape was done and then helped her to bed. Trust it wasn't the end of the story... LOL
After I reconstruct it, I'll see about letting you peep the slow jams.
Ever see the film "High Fidelity"? John Cusack has this whole riff on making a slow jam tape.
Dre has the right idea...I used to make 120 minute tapes with themes, paying attention to sound and how each song would transition to the other. I was A BEAST! The few heads who heard my tapes (mostly women, my boys would jack 'em though) SWORE by them. I honestly think no one could match me in that department. I blended old with new, and unlike most jabronis, I didn't just put songs that everyone knew...I remember making a slow jam tape with Usher's "Final Goodbye" and Chante Moore's "Your Love's Supreme" amongst others...f'd this girl's head up, cuz she had only heard the released singles.
That was my thing - blending in old school joints and album tracks you didn't know if you didn't have the album, but were PHAT. I can honestly say - the ONLY human being I ever met who made a tape that could f with my tapes was my homegirl from Rhode Island (Serena, you might be able to guess who that is). I won't say her name cuz she might kidney punch me for dropping her name in a blog she's not a part of...lolz!
Slow jam tapes were ESSENTIAL. My joints were in demand from those who knew cuz I rarely made 'em...I think I made an average of 4 per year, unless you paid me (and I got PAID in college for making personal joints for cats!).
I stopped making them once CDs took over, cuz I only knew one dude with a CD burner back then. But sometimes, I think I should make one for old times sake.
You batting 1.000 this week with blogs, Ms. Brookes...
P.S. - my joints even had INTROS, OUTROS and INTERLUDES...I was mad inventive jacking the short pieces off of cats CDs/tapes to create these joints. And my tapes ALWAYS timed out to use all available space per side except for 30 seconds at the end of each side I would leave for pad...
You'll "see" about letting me hear it? Really? It's like dat Dre??
Pretty Ricky, I just KNEW you'd jump on this one! But don't say I stole anything from you from our Myspace slow jams wars...you just made cuz I murdered your ass with "Adore" and WON! LOL!!
I believe it was Vince who said "you can't beat the ladies when it comes to slow jams." Well, I dunno about ALL ladies, but you couldn't see me with our Myspace wars Pretty Ricky...But you beat me with the ole skool hands down. Those were funny! I'm surprised you haven't figured out how to od it on Facebook yet, LOL!!
Thanks Rameer! But I can't take credit for this one either - this topic was suggested to me (after I received some VERY nice cd's this week) so I ran with it. But hey, at least I wrote them, right? :)
did Rameer really write "jabronis"? LOL!! that made me laugh :-)
I do love music. Slow Jams were never my thing...well maybe old school music was more my thing.
I just find alot of slow jams lack substance. I just feel that you have songs where the guys are whinning about how much they need ass. Quite frankly, i do not like corny ass song.
No girl reminds my of my jeep.
I dont even have a jeep
"You Remind Me Of My Jeep" is not a slow jam Ant...hardly!!!
LMAO! R.Kelly is THE KING of making non-slow jam slow songs! He does have a few actual ones, but that dude would probably never get a look from me for a slow jam except for the original "12 Play" CD...
"Your Body's Callin"? WHAT?!?
***sound of a woman's panties dropping, cue Barry White's voice 2 say "Awwwww yeeeeeaaaahhh"***
So wait, you received slow jam cds this week? From? I'm hurt!!!
So is this playlist you put up from these cds?
Gotta have Stevie, Luther, Teena Marie, Anita Baker, Maxwell, Musiq, and Jill up in there on MY slow jam tape!
Yeah, R. Kelly has sexually charged songs, but not sure I'd categorize them as "slow jams" - but 12 Play...woo-wee!
No, the playlist I put up doesn't include songs I received on my cds, I picked them out myself :)
I hope everyone liked at least some of the choices...these all bring back a certain memory or have a certain meaning...for me anyway :)
I HATE THE SONG YOU REMIND ME OF MY JEEP BY R.KELLY. IF ANY MAN PLAYED THAT FOR ME I WOULD STAB HIM & THEN TASE HIM IN HIS LEFT TESTICLE!!!!!!!!!
Rameer!!!! Great minds think a like, I had intros, outros, etc.
Speaking of Intro...where is that group! I loved their music!
Yes Brooke a couple of dudes who didn't listen got the break up tape! You don't wanna hear me, then listen to the tunes and get the point!
I made a copy of one and have to find it, but it Bob Marleys, "Woman Gone" on it!
Classic! My boys Nigel, Omar and Adolphus were in my crib while making it and were like...daaaaaang! That tape hurts, but its tight lol!
Brooke.. just cuz Vince named you the winner don't mean you won... Who the hell is Vince!!! We can battle right now. LMAO And Rameer if you want some... you can get some too... just cuz some of your lil friends named you the lil king of slow jams...LMAO. Anyone else???? (got my arms extended to the side...looking around to see who want some!!!)
Well, as I said yesterday. I was too busy in the friend zone to be doing tapes...lol
When I did get a girl in college she was Colombian, so we were listening to cumbia and boleros.
Tapes when out of existance by the time I got married...so it was more like sharing music and playlists...lol
Wack Ant, just wack!!
Pretty Ricky, you don't want none, you know you don't!
And Vince didn't HAVE to name me the winner - I had "Adore" - name one song you had better than that! I beat you fair and square!
(in my Debo voice) - "You can't see me punk!" LOL!!
ADORE is a given....EVERYONE has adore on there slow jam tape!!! But did you have the Gap Band "yearning for your love in your mix. Hell naw.
I just hit you with a jab right to your nose piece!!!
But I don't want to do this here... Let's take it to the streets!!! LMAO
I beat you specifically because you DIDN'T have "Adore" on your list man!! Just own up to it!
I have no problem fighting you in the street! And don't try to get Gina to save you either! Take your ass whoopin like a man!
Brooke I think you need to whip out the vaseline!
Yeah...it is wack, but I accept that...lol
Brooke when I said I'll see, I meant I'm not sure the whole thing would fit on one CD or if I could even recreate what I did. But if I do, you know you'll get a copy.
And yes the joint had Adore on it. It was the "wedding song" Get with it Jabronis! (Like that Rameer used that) LOL
(Got mad people holding me back right now!!!) You want some of this... huh Brooke? You want some??? It's on!! You just stand by for the time and place.
ADORE...please... my little cousin (he's eight) got adore on his slow jam tape! He came home from the 3rd grade talking about "Boing Chicka Wow Wow!!!" LMAO
(taking off earrings)
"you feelin froggy, then jump!"
I ain't no punk, no sissy, no punk!
And if your lil cousin knows to put "Adore" on his list, why didn't you!?
Personally, I don't recall not putting Adore on my playlist. Adore, Anytime Anyplace, and Maxwell's Sumthin Sumthin are almost a given to me. But if you say that's the case, I'll eat that and say something must have been wrong with me.
But my skills go waaaay deeper than adore. I just throw on adore to get ya salavatin... got other stuff to get ya wet. (Ooops did I just say that.... man I gotta get to Boston.) Visiting megabus.com right now!
"Why come" I had a TON of booty call tapes, but never got no booty????
:-)
To make matters worse, I even had the expensive dual player tape deck with the auto rewind. Still no booty!!!!!!
I digress. Some of my favorite songs were:
"Scandalous" by Prince.
"Make it last forever" by begging ass Keith Sweat.
"Meet me on the moon" by Phyllis Hyman (all time favorite)
Sorry...was out of the country briefly...
Pretty Ricky - you might wanna stop worrying about taking on ME and recover from that "L" Brooke is bragging about giving you! Lolz!
Brooke - nice playlist. Definitely feelin' those songs.
Serena - awwww shoot! Go 'head havin' the intros and outros!
Dre - finish yo tape, MAN!!!
Ant - if it was LIKE THAT, I coulda gave you a good girl in school quick-fast in a hurry! I knew damn-near ALL of 'em! One weekend with the B-lo crew and you woulda been in Las Vegas at the "Lil' Chapel Of Love"...lolz!
Not worried about either one of you youngsters. (Still wet behind the ears... breath smelling like similac)
Brooke got a littl skilz but she hasn't put the years in the game. (I feeling like Smoke right now... the king of Cali and you youngsta's tryna take my crown.)
***cues up Jay-Z's "Lost One", points at Pretty Ricky***
Pretty Ricky, how you gonna say my breath is smelling like similac and I'm the same age as you?! get outta here man! I beat you! Admit it! LOL!!
Keefe, I started to put "Meet Me On The Moon" on there but I didn't - my mom LOVED Phyllis Hyman!!!
cues up "Momm a said knock you out" LL Cool J and looks at Rameer like what! (LOL)
Brooke... you are not my age... 72 baby... I at least got a year or two of experience on you..don't I. Wait a mimnute... did we come into SU the same year??? Why... you look so young a vivrant I just knew you were younger than me.
***cues up Big Pun's "Dream Shatterer", gets in B-boy stance and waves Pretty Ricky over***
You're a year older than I am, came to SU in '91.
F*** IT.... "Breaks out Cardboard ... throws on headband ...cues DJ to throw on White lines... and proceeds to pop lock and break dance...culminating with the dime..and freezing while grabbing my nuts!"
WHAT?!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVrWDPi12zE
U been SERVED, sucka!!!
Whoa kids...
I've had a busy day and had to get some projects knocked out, before folks houndin' me got knocked out.
Anyhoo -
Music is an essential. For those of us who mentioned "no need" for it, I scoff at the notion. There are some songs that present what I know and love as a "deadly meter" and this concept is the exact thing that somebody's "whip appeal" can be made of.
As a musician, I dont wanna get too technical, but a "deadly meter" is ideally the kind of tempo that absolutely provides a steady, structured pulse in a song. If you use this pulse in an intimate setting as your personal "metronome",(in my opinion) you can almost do no wrong...
In addition to this concept, a playlist SHOULD be themed with intros/outros/interludes. The masters of which are (in no order)
Will Downing, Janet, and Babyface (Tender Lover CD).
A theme should serve as the GPS for the collection, and if you think about it, the gloves are off in this era of iPod playlists.
Meanwhile, the Prince "Adore" mentions are sort of - eeeeeasy.
I added 4 E's there because its not the jams that automatically equate to wet panties that do the thing, its those "other" songs that may have been lying dormant in your mind and release the type of aural ideas that make for a good side dish to the real entree in that space.
An example might be:
The System's "Dont disturb this Groove" - The song is SO subjective, but not quite exactly - slow. However, in a lineup of certain songs, this one could take the game to OT.
Try to dig deep in the recesses of your minds for that Ready for the World song, or for a boot-knocker like Basic Black's "Special Kind of Fool"
Meanwhile, I respect everyone's ability to do this sort of thing...But my range is immeasurable. LOL.
I'm just kidding...No, for real.
Jokes! Seriously.
DMoe aka Slimmy Swaggart
AH MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I missed the break dance competition! Rameer how did it end? DMoe see what happens when you miss a day of Brooke's blog!
Dmoe..thank you for breaking down to the youngsta's!!! The Baby Face interlude taken from Where will you go...was a classic... I think I used that in "Touch" volume 4.
But let be known...musician or not... I'll battle you too!! LMAO
(standing in my draws with a cape on a shield an a spear, like I'm in 300)
I'm convinced all of you have lost your ever lovin minds :)
Pretty Ricky, you can't beat me.
But DMoe, I might not mess with him. He pulls songs out the hat.
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