3LW’s self-titled album was released during the 2nd wave/3rd wave of boy bands and girl groups in the year 2000. Their debut album was an instant platinum success thanks to crossover pop hits that appealed to the urban market such as No More (Baby I'ma Do Right), Playas Gon' Play, More Than Friends (That's Right), I Can't Take It (No More Remix), and I'm Gonna Make You Miss Me. Songs about breakups in a relationship, love songs, and those songs about jealousy were selling at the time. 3LW made music everyone in every age group could relate to despite being teen pop.
No More (Baby I'ma Do Right) was their biggest pop hit to date which resulted in a #10 best selling single that went 2x platinum. The song had that pop crossover appeal which moulded in perfectly with hip hop/rap. The beats were heavy and the lyrics were simplistic.
No More (Baby I'ma Do Right) is about a lady who is getting tired of the way her boyfriend is acting. He has been cheating on her with another woman. There have been so many broken promises he’s made. Her boyfriend is not treating he like he used to. He used to be the best thing for her. But now she's getting tired of him and his broken promises. She's tired of him cheating on her and seeing other people.
Now Kiely Williams lisp and her using the auto-tune feature for her singing is what made this song a memorable pop classic. Her lisp is the most notable and memorable part of the song. Remember those broken "promithes promithes”? Playa pleath. This is one of those songs that still brings back good memories.
Below are the lyrics are to what lead member Kiely Williams was saying.
[Verse 1: Kiely]
I'm getting a lil' tired of your broken promises, promises
Lookin at your pager, seein' different numbers and numbers
Call you on your cell, you hangin with the fellas, the fellas
Hangin with my girls
You always gettin jealous 'n' jealous
I was wit you when you didn't have no dollas, no dollas
Hangin at the crib, chillin wit your mama, yo mama
Never fronted you
Never brought the drama, the drama
Now you flip the script
Playa please
The other 2 members of 3LW sing the pre-chorus and Kiely sings the lyrics, “Say it again, say it again oh!”.
[Pre-Chorus: 3LW (and Kiely)]
No I'm not the one
(Say it again, say it again oh!)
No I'm not the one
You do or you don't!!!
This lady is getting tired of her broken promises. Looking at his pager seeing all those numbers. So she calls his cell phone. He told her he’s hangin with the fellas. He always getting jealous when she was hangin her girls.
She was with him when he didn’t have any money. Hanging out at his house with his mother. She never fronted on him. She never bought into the drama he gave her meaning that she put up with his drama. Now he flipped the script on her. Please. She is not the one to be doing that with. She tells him to be a man. No more of I’ma do right.
He treats her like a lady when he opens doors but then he wants to front when he’s with his boys. She asks him, “How you gonna play me when I bought your clothes? The ones that you be wearin' when you wit your dogs.” She knows he never thought that she would have the nerve to think about it more since he’s at the curb. He blows up her pager asking her for another chance. She tells him, “No, I'm not the one.”
She wants to know what happened to their love. They used to be best friends. Where did it go wrong?This is asked during the bridge.
[Bridge: Adrienne (Kiely)]
I just wanna know, what happened to our love?
We used to be best friends
Where did it go wrong?
When you gonna see how good it is with me
I'm tired and I'm through with all your....listen baby! (Yo, yo, yo)
Notice how Kiely starts rapping similar to Left Eye of TLC on Verse 3. She was biting off Left Eye’s rapping style.
[Verse 3: Kiely (Adrienne)]
A yo, you promised me Kate Spade
But that was last year
Boy in the eighth grade
And you ain't biggie, baby boy
So no, it ain't "One More Chance"
When your friends around, you don't wanna hold my hand
And now you see a girl stylin' and wildin' inside the mix
Hoppin' out the whips, the whips, the 5, the 6
Yes fly chrome, so pardon my tone
Here go a quarter, go call Tyrone (You do or you don't)
She tells him this at the end of the song, “You do or you don’t. You will or you won’t. You can or you can't be a man. No more, baby. No, I'm not the one. I can do better all by myself.”
The song Is You Feelin' Me is about a girl who is feeling and digging this boy. She wants to be with him. She waits for the very moment she can make him all hers. So she starts asking herself questions about this boy.
Is You Feelin' Me was one of their radio singles that got airplay in the US, Canada, and New Zealand. The song charted at #2 on the Top 100 Charts before falling off. Epic issued Is You Feelin' Me on a few promo vinyls for radio stations to play.
Now this song was recorded on the date of 10/23/1999 which right around the time Nine Lives Management had finally gotten the right members for 3LW and they began recording songs in the studio. The lyrics “3LW, dp, 10-23-99” are a reference to the date of when Is You Feelin' Me recorded.
The lyrics to the beginning are a dead giveaway of what the song is about.
Boy you know
You got me really feelin' you
I don't know what you doing to me
But keep it up, keep it up
What you doing to me
Boy you know
You got me really feelin' you
I don't know what you doing to me
But keep it up, keep it up
What you doing to me
This boy has got this girl really feeling her. She isn’t aware of what he is doing to her but she is really feeling him. She wants him to keep up this feeling.
She sees him almost every day. She wonders if he has a girl. But that doesn’t really don't matter to her. She has been waiting all this time. Waiting for the day and very moment when she can finally make him hers. All hers. One day she’ll be rollin' with him shotgun listening to him tell her, “Baby you're the one.”
She tells him, “Tell me. Is you feelin’ me? I like what you do. Hope you can feel me like I feel you. Boy you know you really got me going crazy. Forget about them other girls. Come and get with me.”
She asks him, “Baby, what's the deal?” She tells him to put the games aside. She is ready to commit to being in a working relationship. Clearly she is doing with searching for love since she has found the right person for her. She then tells him, “You're the one for me.”
Here is the part of the song where things start to get creepy. Read these lyrics: “I just want you body, mind, and soul” Those lyrics are creepy, dominating, and borderline stalker-ish.
Now she could have all of those other guys that are out there but she chose him instead. She tells him, “You ain't never had good love until you had some of my love. So I'm hoping that you're feelin' me like I'm feelin' you.”
The chorus uses the same lyrics as the beginning.
Boy you know
You got me really feelin' you
I don't know what you doing to me
But keep it up, keep it up
What you doing to me
Boy you know
You got me really feelin' you
I don't know what you doing to me
But keep it up, keep it up
What you doing to me
Playas Gon' Play was a favorable song among fans that low airplay and decent play on TV but was not as big of a platinum hit as No More (Baby I'ma Do Right). That is because Playas Gon' Play only peaked at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts. The song was not moderately successful which is sad because both songs are equally just as wonderful.
This song is about a lady telling her man what’s going with the rest of the world and what haters say have nothing to do with them. The message of this song is haters gonna hate. Haters are only jealous that Naturi and her man are together.
Now lady in this song is 3LW member Naturi. The synopsis of this song revolves around Naturi telling her man that what’s going with the rest of the world and what haters say have nothing to do with them. Haters are jealous. That's the way it is. He is the only one getting all of her love. Nothing else matters to Naturi. She makes that very clear by letting him know right away.
Naturi doesn't mind what people say her man does. But she does mind what he believes is true. He is the only one getting all her love. What haters do ain’t nothin’ new. Nature tells him, “That ain't got nothing to do with me and you. That's the way it is.”
3LW lets us now that the playas gon' play, them haters gonna hate, them callers gonna call, and them ballers gonna ball. That's the way it is.
So-called friends don't wanna see Naturi with him. They call Naturi’s cell phone and pager behind his back. She will stay true only to him. No matter other people do. No matter what they do she will love him till the end. Haters are jealous.
Naturi tells her man this during the bridge. Naturi tells her man, “I want you to know, I'll never let you go. We gotta talk about everything you hear because I know that it ain't true. You can trust my love and I can trust yours too. Our love will be forever, yeah.”
Gettin’ Too Heavy pop rock oriented song where there is a pop rock infusion used. Notice the loud electric rock guitar in the background with layers of instrumentation.
The synopsis of this song deals with a girl wanting to get close to a boy she loves but can’t because the emotional stress is getting too heavy for her. That is where her emotional strain comes from. The boy keeps prompting her to dig in and committing into being in a long term relationship. However the girl is not ready to be in a long term relationship.
This girl is chilling her boy. The boy is getting close to her. But the girl is playing it cool. She confesses to him by telling him this. “I must confess. I’m feeling you. But I'm laying down some rules. Let’s get one thing straight. I won't be played. I don't get down that way. I believe in you and me but I'm torn between. It's getting too heavy for me.”
The emotional stress is getting too heavy for her. She doesn’t want to give in to him. She tells him, “You asked me once. I told you twice. I told you no. When will you understand? Don't make me say it again. Baby why you stress me?” She asked her friends for their advice. Her friends have told her “Girl, don't give in.”
She explains to him, “I don't take love so casually. So don't put that pressure on me.” She tells him to walk right out the door as she’s heard those lines before. Over and over again. She questions him by saying, “You're telling me this would prove that I care. But if I waited baby, will you be there?”
She tells him, “You know I like you, boy. But you gotta understand that I'm just not ready. We gotta take our time. I'm torn in between. It's getting too heavy for me.”
She tells him this during the breakdown of this song. Read the lyrics to the breakdown of this song.
[Breakdown]
You know I like you, boy
But you gotta understand
That I'm just not ready
Been real with you
But we gotta take our time (take our time)
And I'm torn between
Electronic pop group Full Force produced the radio hit More Than Friends (That's Right). This song was a popular radio hit in the pop market because Epic issued the song on a promo vinyl single with I Can't Take It (No More Remix) and Playas Gon' Play that was given to radio stations in the year 2000. The song was played on radio station across the United States and Canada for 2 weeks straight.
The song uses samples from Full Force - Rockin' It (The Fearless Four - Rockin' It). Notice the famous electronic synths muffled by treble. You can hear those electronic synths play very loudly on your speakers at the beginning. So adjust your volume.
The song More Than Friends (That's Right) is like a recurring dream because the same scene keeps happening over and over again. Time and time again. That's right. That is because the entire song is based on a dream and is about dream.
Think about this. You seeing yourself walking and holding hands with the one you love. Getting closer and closer. If everything was different, they would be yours 'til the end of time. You wish you could be more than friends. You know the deal. It's the same dream over and over.
The chorus explains this very well.
[Chorus: 3LW]
(Sometimes I...)
Wish we were more than just friends
I know that I'm dreamin', cause you're crazy 'bout her
Sometimes I wish all the time
That you spend with her was with me instead
I wish we could be more than friends
Kiely and Naturi express their feelings in Verse 1.
[Verse 1: Kiely and Naturi]
It's time to let you know just how I feel
About that day (that's right)
You drive me crazy (that's right)
If she ever lets you go, then you know the deal
Boy, you will be mine, 'til the end of time
Lyrics to the pre-chorus explain the premise and synopsis of the recurring dream. This is how the recurring dreams goes.
[Pre-Chorus: 3LW, Kiely, & Naturi]
(It's the same dream...)
Over and over
I can see us walkin' and holdin' hands
(You and me...)
Closer and closer
If everything was different, you'd be my man, oh
All members of 3LW express their wish in the chorus. Read the lyrics.
[Chorus: 3LW]
(Sometimes I...)
Wish we were more than just friends
I know that I'm dreamin', cause you're crazy 'bout her
Sometimes I wish all the time
That you spend with her was with me instead
I wish we could be more than friends
(Sometimes I...)
Wish we were more than just friends
I know that I'm dreamin', cause you're crazy 'bout her
Sometimes I wish all the time
That you spend with her was with me instead
I wish we could be more than friends
(Sometimes I...)
Curious explores the curiosity of a lady who wants to know when are the right times to do certain things in a relationship. Such as when to touch and kiss the one you love.
The story of this song is based on the curiosity of a lady who wants to know when and what are the right times to do certain things in a relationship. There are so many things on her mind. She can no long keep these feelings to herself or bottled up inside. The song is mainly based off of her curiosity.
There are some things on her mind. She doesn’t know she should be thinking. Is she wasting her time thinking about her and another man she loves? Is she wasting her time thinking about her feelings?
She can see both of them holding hands and doing things together. And even going farther in their relationship. But people say they’re too young and those things will come.She is just curious. Nothing more than a girl comin' straight from the heart.
She wonders the following: When can I touch you? When can I kiss you? I'm curious. I'm just feelin' us.She is thinking about how it feels. She wants to know what true love is.
She is on the phone while in her bed as lies on her back staring at the ceiling. She wonders if she has genuine feelings when she is talking to him. She is wondering. What she feels deep inside keeps burning. Does her man understand everything that she is? She is curious.
The lyrics explain that.
On the phone in my bed
On my back, starin' at the ceiling
When I'm talkin' to you
What I feel, is it true?
I'm wondering
Well I tell it, and I
What I feel deep inside
It keeps burning
Does my man understand
Everything that I am
I'm just curious
I'm just curious
When can I touch you?
When can I kiss you?
I'm curious
Nothin' more than a girl
Comin' straight from the heart
I'm just feelin' us
If she could have things her way, they’d go pass time. Maybe they would do the things she is thinking about in her mind. And all the things she want to know. She would to the places they would explore. But now she sees them both together learning more about each other.
They both know that they have a thing for each other. It's natural for both of them to wonder what it would be like but the time is not right. She hopes he is satisfied because she is satisfied with just being curious. She can't get him off her mind.
What’s different about the song Crush On You is not the song title itself but the fact that a member of 3LW wrote a portion of the lyrics herself. Kiely Williams wrote a portion of the song herself which is why her name appears in the songwriters credits and production credits.
The song revolves around Kiely Williams having a crush on this boy. Basically it’s a tale about forbidden love. That’s the song in a nutshell.
Kiely Williams has a crush on this boy. Her dad would kill her if he only knew. Her dad would kill her if he only knew about the naughty things going through his daughter’s mind. Naughty things go through her mind when she thinks of him. She bends some of the rules when it comes to him. He makes her do all the things her father said not to. So Kiely calls him late at night on the late night creep tip. When her father is asleep.
Is this some crazy dream? Kiely can’t stop the way she feels when she is alone with him. The pressure is real. She never felt this way before.
She’ll take her chances and risk it all when it comes to him. All he has to do is name the time and place. She’ll do what she has to do. Her father doesn’t have to know. Her heart is saying yes and her mind is saying no.
These lyrics to this song explain the story behind their forbidden love.
Boy, I got a crush on you
My dad would kill me if he only knew
Naughty things going through my mind
When I think of you
Boy I'm diggin' you
My dad would kill me if he only knew
Babygirl's been puttin' it down
When he ain't around
I bend some of the rules
When it comes to you
You make me wanna do
(All the things that he said not to)
I call you on the creep
Late at night when my pop's asleep
Gotta keep in on the low
Can't let my daddy know
Is this some crazy dream?
Can't stop the way I feel
When I'm alone with you
The pressure is for real
I'm feelin' all these ways
I never felt before
Come here and close the door
A kiss is what I been waiting for
[Rap]
Keelay is, the one gettin' the busiest
Far from the silliest
Tell me, are you feelin' this?
Not just for little kids
Little Women be strong enough
We rock long enough, for real
But the ones that been waitin' to drop
They say "yo, shorty rock
She be makin' it hot"
You know, A.G. know
Toy, she know
Little Women, 2000
You know how we go
I'll take my chances boy
When it comes to you
Just name the time and place
Do what I gotta do
My heart is sayin' yes
My mind is sayin' no
I'll risk it all for you
Daddy don't have to know
Yeah
I got a crush on you
I thought you knew
Notice how Kiely starts rapping similar to Left Eye of TLC with these lyrics. She was biting off Left Eye’s rapping style.
[Rap]
Keelay is, the one gettin' the busiest
Far from the silliest
Tell me, are you feelin' this?
Not just for little kids
Little Women be strong enough
We rock long enough, for real
But the ones that been waitin' to drop
They say "yo, shorty rock
She be makin' it hot"
You know, A.G. know
Toy, she know
Little Women, 2000
You know how we go
Never Let Go was used in the soundtrack and movie Down To Earth. Never Let Go was included on the Walmart Edition of their album. The song was also included on the US single for Playas Gon' Play.
3LW tells women to stay strong and never let go on this song. This song helps empower women to find the right man for them and stay with them for better or worse regardless of whatever may happen in life.
Hey, girls. Did you know that pretty boys ain't in no more? You better find you a love you can trust and respect you like his mother. Hey, fellas. You better find a girl who loves you more and not just for your flow. When you look she'll be out the door.
You gotta be down for whatever. Stay close and stay together. Keep it tight. You need the one that'll make love last forever. They gotta love you no matter what may happen. You can stay slim or your fatter. Not the type that'll change with the weather.
Girls. Find a man that makes you feel like a queen. He’ll treat you oh so good. No one could love you more. Ya'll better find your true love and never let him go. Grab hold and never let go. These day they got it all so twisted on how love should be. Men go for looks and women want material things. What happened to true love?
All members question what happened to true love in the chorus.
[Chorus:]
These day they got it all so twisted on how love should be
Men go for looks and women want material things
What happened to true love
From the one you adore
Grab hold and never let go
I rate this album 5/5*****!!
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