Music Review: INOJ "Love You Down"
INOJ
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Love You Down
Album: So So Def Bass All-Stars, Vol. II
Year: 1997
INOJ seduces her much older boyfriend in the titillating "Love You Down."
Like the original, a keyboard opens the single. However it's coy. It sets a vixenish tone instead. In a scornful voice, she says the relationship wasn't important to her. However, his age is a dealbreaker for her. They have nothing in common. She just cared about having a boyfriend to flaunt and talk about with her friends.
For the chorus, a zestful drum machine is added turning it a dance song. It's also shortened.
She liked when he would he pick her up from her job. He would give her a kiss, which all her co-workers would see. His friends think he's a cradlerobber and immature. She snots that she is as sexually adventuruous as woman in their 40s.
Album: So So Def Bass All-Stars, Vol. II
Year: 1997
INOJ seduces her much older boyfriend in the titillating "Love You Down."
Like the original, a keyboard opens the single. However it's coy. It sets a vixenish tone instead. In a scornful voice, she says the relationship wasn't important to her. However, his age is a dealbreaker for her. They have nothing in common. She just cared about having a boyfriend to flaunt and talk about with her friends.
"It never really mattered to much to me/You were just too damned old for me/
All that really mattered was you were my boyfriend/And baby, that's all that mattered to me."
For the chorus, a zestful drum machine is added turning it a dance song. It's also shortened.
"Let me love you down, even if it takes all night/Let me love you down, you know it's got to be so right."
She liked when he would he pick her up from her job. He would give her a kiss, which all her co-workers would see. His friends think he's a cradlerobber and immature. She snots that she is as sexually adventuruous as woman in their 40s.
"Remember when you drove me home from work/
I love the way you kiss me bye, mmm/All of your friends think I'm just too young for you/ So tell 'em I can do what girls their age can do, oh babe."
The next chorus is the same as the original."Let me love you down, even if it takes all night/Let me love you down, you know it's got to be so right/Let me love you down, even if it takes all night/Let me love you down, you know it's got to be so right."
The keyboard has a teasing solo. The thrusting drum machine is also included towards the end of it.
Another verse added. It replaces the bridge from the original. In it, she says his friends' opinions of her didn't bother. They couldn't see that she was more than trophy girlfriend. She's pleased with the relationship, given she is having sex with him."It never really mattered to much to me/That they were, just too damn blind to see/As long as I can love you down, baby just be my man/That's all that mattered to me."
The original chorus is sung again.
The bridge, edited and without the additional lyrics, end the song. Like the original, she repeats the "no, no, no's" and "down's" several times. However, they are not echoed."Let me love you down, oh/Let me love you down, I know, I know, I could/Love you, down, down, oh/Love you down, down, no, no, , no, no , no , no, no,/Let me love you, I wanna love you, down/Let me love you, I wanna me love you, down baby."
The main difference between the covers is the attitude. Melvin Riley was personal and warm. INOJ is indifferent and self-important. For her, he's a status symbol. While her friends are dating juenvile college boys, she can say she is dating a man with an actual income and career. The flighty dance beat only reinforces her cockiness: it's a short-term relationship until the new thing comes along.
Fortunately, there are some highlights in the single. It's two minutes shorter than original, whick clocked in at nearly 7 minutes. The adlibbed chorus that was dragged out is now leaner and tighter. The bridge at the end blends in well with the adlibbed chorus. It's efficient and holds attention.
While the shortened bridge and some minor changes work, the song as a whole does not. INOJ acts like she has something to prove, which defeats the purpose of the song. Melvin Riley wanted to his relationship taken seriously , INOJ is proud of her gold digger stereotype. Also, INOJ really has nothing to fight against. Society accepts younger woman-older man relationships. Her crowing is proof of it.
INOJ's version of "Love You Down" lacks the kindness and relevance of the original.