In the spring of 2002, boy band NSync decided to take a hiatus following their successful Celebrity tour. During this time, the group’s co-lead singer Justin Timberlake began working on his solo album Justified, which went on to sell ten million copies worldwide.
Primarily an R&B album, Justified found Timberlake maturing as an artist and leaving the pop sound behind. A who’s who of producers including The Neptunes, Timbaland, Scott Storch, The Underdogs, and Brian McKnight worked on the album. Three of my favorite slow jams from 2002 were on Justified. The Neptunes produced “Take It From Here,” “Still On My Brain” from The Underdogs, and “Never Again” from the pen of Brian McKnight. Those songs are all worthy of a Slow Jam Saturday spotlight; however, I decided to go with one of the songs that didn’t make the final track list “Why, When, How.”
I discovered “Why, When, How” in the spring of 2003 while working at Target. In support of their upcoming co-heading tour, The Justified & Stripped Tour, Timberlake and Christina Aguilera released an EP entitled Justin & Christina, exclusively at Target Stores. The EP featured two remixes and one unreleased song from both artists, with “Why, When, How” serving as Timberlake’s contribution.
Timberlake worked with producers Dre & Vidal on the tracks where he croons about lost love. As we all know, Justin had a highly publicized break up with pop princess Britney Spears before releasing his album. Therefore, it is clear that this is another song about Spears, and that is not bad as the best songs come from personal experience.
From the moment Justin sings the opening lyrics, “You’re still captivating even though it’s been so long You used to love me tell me baby what went wrong ‘Because now you march to the beat of a different song” to when he arrives at the chorus “Why did you take away your love When did you think to just give up How am I supposed to carry on now” the listener feels his pain.
I can understand why Justin decided to omit the song from the album, as the theme of crooning over Britney was already prevalent on Justified, particularly with the massive hit “Cry Me A River.” Nevertheless, “Why, When, How” is a gem in Timberlake’s ballad catalog and is still in my rotation today.
Final Grade: A
“Why, When, How” can be found on YouTube.
For this week’s Slow Jam Saturday, I wanted to continue giving flowers to Quincy Jones and highlight one of his album tracks, “Everything.” The lush ballad finds Jones working with Tevin Campbell on a track for the first time since Campbell’s debut album. Andy Hill and Antonina Armato wrote ” Everything ” about grief, yearning, and the desire to reconnect with an ex.
If “Soldier” sets the stage for a woman’s initial attraction to a man, then “Cater 2 U” takes that dynamic to the next level by exploring the deepening desire for intimacy. In this empowering anthem, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, and Michelle Williams express their commitment to being ideal partners by genuinely catering to their significant other’s wants and needs.
Arriving in stores on November 9th, 2010, “The Floacist presents Floetic Soul” was led by the single “Forever” featuring Musiq Soulchild. A sensual slow jam written by Stewart and produced by J.R. Hutson, “Forever” explores the unwavering and enduring nature of love. The lyrics convey a deep connection between two individuals who have overcome challenges and found solace in each other’s presence. Stewart’s voice perfectly complements Musiq as they sing about unconditional love and support, expressing their willingness to meet any needs or desires their loved one may have.