R&B duo Ruff Endz burst onto the scene in the summer of 2000 with back-to-back hits in the form of “No More” and “Where Does Love Go.” from their debut album, Love Crimes. The group followed those singles up with the smash hit “Someone To Love You,” which made an appearance on the soundtrack to Chris Rock’s film Down To Earth.
For whatever reason, the label decided to wait to release the group’s sophomore album, Someone To Love You, until the spring of 2002. Unfortunately, this didn’t bode well for the group and put a blotch on their career. Due to a lack of promotional support and uncertainty in record labels about what kind of music would be popular at a time of transition in the music industry, the album failed to make an impact.
All that said, “Someone To Love You” is this week’s pick for Slow Jam Saturday, “Someone to Love You” by Ruff Endz is about the singer’s desire to be with someone who has been lonely and acting cold. In the song, group member David Chance feels a deep sense of empathy for this person and wants to understand the reasons for their behavior. He suggests their loneliness may be due to the lack of someone who cares for them and is always there.
Furthermore, the lyrics reflect the singer’s belief that the person has been waiting for a long time to find the right partner. He acknowledges that perhaps they have been searching for someone flawless or who fulfills their expectations like fairy tale princes do. He offers himself as a potential partner who can comfort them during difficult times.
However, he suggests that instead of focusing on fantasies, they should focus on the possibilities of finding someone to love them in the real world. Overall, the song is a romantic plea to be given a chance to love and care for someone waiting for the right person to come along. It conveys a sense of genuine care and understanding of the person’s emotions and experiences and hopes to provide comfort, fulfillment, and happiness.
Final Grade: A-
“Someone To Love You” from the same titled album is available on all streaming platforms.
There are some albums you revisit because of nostalgia, and then there are albums you return to because they remind you just how high the standard used to be. Anita Baker’s Rapture falls into that second category. Released in 1986, the album did more than make Baker a star. It helped define what sophisticated, grown R&B could sound like without losing any soul, sensuality, or personality.
Gwen Stefani had already established herself as a significant force with No Doubt when she released her debut solo album, *Love. Angel. Music. Baby* in 2004. This week, while my iPod was on shuffle, one of my favorite songs from that project, “The Real Thing,” came on. Although the original version has an upbeat new-wave feel, the Slow Jam Mix takes it to another level and is the perfect choice for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
Unless you’re a music purist, mentioning Randy Jackson from the famous family is likely to elicit a joke. However, any serious Jackson fan knows that Randy had musical achievements long before the punchlines. Before he was old enough to buy a drink, he had already co-written “Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)” and “Lovely One” with Michael Jackson.