Jazmine Sullivan - Break My Little Heart album review
Jazmine Sullivan – Break My Little Heart was the debut album from soulstress and songwriter Jazmine Sullivan that was supposed to be released from Jive Records in 2004. However due to label mismanagement and lack of charting singles, her debut album on Jive was never released. Only promo copies of this album were pressed on CD.
The rawness, grittiness, soul touch, and sultry is what set this album apart from the other R&B/soul albums that were being released in 2004. The album has that Philadelphia soul sound also.
Some of the songs from her album such as Break My Little Heart, Backstabbers, Braid My Hair, Where Did He Go?, Season 2 Love, and Don’t Let Me Get Started appeared on her MySpace page from 2004-2006 to promote her album. Break My Little Heart, Backstabbers, Braid My Hair, Season 2 Love, Lovin’ You, and Don’t Let Me Get Started were some of the buzz singles Jazmine and her label selected to be on her MySpace page.
Timbaland and Missy Elliott were responsible for a majority of the production on her album. Although Missy was the responsible for production, vocals, and singing on Jazmine’s album as she was more hands on than Timbaland was. Missy Elliott co-wrote some of the songs with Jazmine as well. Now Timbaland had only produced the songs Backstabbers, Feel Nice, and Lovin’ You. He wasn’t as hands on with production as Missy Elliott was.
Only a 10 track advance promo of her debut album was released on CD format and was given to radio stations. Not that many copies of the 10 track advance promo were pressed and hardly come up for sale on the internet. The number of copies pressed up were extremely limited. Now there is a version that has 16 tracks. However that version is more rarer and scare than the 10 track version. The 10 track advance promo was given to radio stations primarily in the United Kingdom. As a result the Jazmine had a larger fanbase in the United Kingdom than in the United States.
Break My Little Heart has an old Motown soul vibe which meets the smooth sound of Philadelphia soul. The song is a heartbreaking love ballad that surely is a lovely song.
Missy Elliott wrote and produced the song. When it comes to production, Missy Elliott can do no wrong. In fact, Missy Elliott performs on Break My Little Heart by singing instead of her usual quirk ad-lib rapping which is nice for a change. Missy Elliott never fails musically.
Break My Little Heart was the buzz single that was played on the radio constantly in New York City (NYC) and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The song was a moderate hit with underground radio in the UK and the US back in 2004.
Break My Little Heart was a moderate hit with underground radio in the United Kingdom because it was played constantly along with Braid Your Hair and Backstabbers. Those are the songs which helped Jazmine gain a fanbase in the United Kingdom.
Break My Little Heart was the buzz single used to promote her debut album Break My Little Heart in 2004 which never was released unfortunately. Jive Records failed to promote this single and her debut album properly as they did not know how to market her as an artist properly. The song failed to chart thus leading to her debut album on Jive Records to be shelved. Despite being chosen as the lead single, Break My Little Heart failed to make an impact on the charts.
However this song was leaked several years later in 2010 onto MySpace, Napster, imeem, and 4shared. The song spread quickly across a video streaming website called YouTube later in 2011. People began covering Jazmine Sullivan’s Break My Little Heart in their own cover videos.
This version is not the leaked version you hear on YouTube or the radio. This version was the 1st version of Break My Little Heart. However Jive Records made Jazmine change the song to fit into their pop image since Jive was a pop label. Jive Records told Jazmine said she sang too many runs in the original version of Break My Little Heart. This version is the more soulful version which is the original version.
From viewpoints based on her fanbase, they have come to the conclusion to agree that the 1st version of Break My Little Heart is the best version. I agree too. Fans say Jive Records made a poorly executed decision by making Jazmine redo Break My Little Heart to fit into a more pop-oriented song instead of having a soulful sound as intended. They have come to the conclusion by saying Jive Records didn’t know what they were doing.
The low notes at the 0:58 and 1:08 duration marks are just simply beautiful. Her harmonies are beautiful. She does no wrong with her harmonies. The sample you hear throughout this song is Blue Magic - Sideshow.
Missy Elliott describes how love and heartbreak are with these lyrics perfectly during the beginning of Break My Little Heart.
You can predict the weather but you can’t predict love
If my heart could speak you'd know
If my mind could speak you'd know
Cuz I would say these words to you
Jazmine Sullivan also describes how she was a fool to fall in love and heartbreak with these lyrics perfectly. She won’t settle for anything less regarding love.
If you could read my mind
You'd know I'm for real this time
I been made a fool so much
Til I'm scared to fall in love
Please don't be a fool like the rest
Give me a hundred percent
Show me that the others wasn't for me
And you'll be sure to get the best out of me
Jazmine asks her lover not to break her little heart and not lead her on by misleading her with malicious intent. She tells her lover, “If you find a way, maybe we can make a deal. Promise me, boy. Don't you lead me on. You don’t know how I feel. Don’t break my little heart. Please promise me.”
Read these lyrics to understand her point of view.
(If you find a way to turn me on)
If you find a way
(Maybe we can make a deal)
Maybe we can make a deal
Promise me boy, don't you lead me on
(Boy don’t lead, lead me on)
You don't know how, don’t break
(You don’t know how I feel)
Please promise me
(If you find a way to turn me on)
If you find a way
(Maybe we can make a deal)
Don’t break my little heart
Please please please, promise me
She has been abused to the point where she thought she would never fall in love again after what she had been through earlier. Jazmine feels as if there is something that she has been missing all her life.
Read these lyrics to understand her point of view.
If you knew what I've been through
You would let me not be used
So abused I can't explain
Never thought I'd fall in love again
Feels so right (so right)
Something I been missing all my life
Say you won't do me wrong
Listen to the words I sing in this song
Braid Your Hair was a song that was recorded during a live session on Gilles Peterson’s BBC Worldwide radio show in 2004 and the Inner City show on Power 99. The song is a studio recording. Now the song got her considerable radio play in the United Kingdom. That song is what led Jazmine Sullivan to have a larger fanbase in the United Kingdom than in the United States. She always had a large fanbase in the United Kingdom.
The song was included on the 2005 compilation called Gilles Peterson – The BBC Sessions. The version on that compilation was the live version heard on BBC Radio back in 2004.
The song was later included on her 2004/2011 digital mixtape called Always Have Jazmine Mixtape. Braid Your Hair was an instant fan favorite on the Always Have Jazmine Mixtape in 2004, 2011, and 2012. Fans instantly downloaded and streamed the song from 4shared and DatPiff a few days after her mixtape was uploaded to the internet.
As always, Jazmine kills the song with her vocals and harmonies. You can feel and hear those harmonies during this live song. The background vocalists also sing so beautifully and help Jazmine kill the song. Now the background vocals are flawless. You will definitely love the background vocals which are backing Jazmine in this song. The song is one of those urban neo-soul coffee shop songs or one of those songs you would expect to hear during the Midnight Love hour on BET Television.
Braid Your Hair is an R&B/soul song that has that Philadelphia soul sound. That Philadelphia soul sound definitely fits Jazmine’s image, style, and sound. Jazmine sounds much better live. The song deals with hair braiding, human contact, and emotional intimacy.
Braid Your Hair is one of those songs that sounds better live. Now some people prefer the live version over the studio recording. That Philadelphia soul sound definitely sounds much better live than a studio recording.
Now this song leads towards mostly using the F major key in the chords you hear. The key ranges are F7 and F9 as the song mainly uses the F9 key. Jazmine also sings her harmonies in F9 (F major) also.
Jazmine can feel the person whose hair she is braiding everywhere. That is the premise of this song. So expect to hear a bunch of references to cosmetology. Hair braiding is the subject of this song. The motto of this song is to love yourself. There is nothing wrong with loving yourself.
Jazmine can feel the person whose hair she is braiding everywhere. The person whose hair she is braiding is a man. Jazmine can feel him as she braids his hair. She tries to take such care of that his hair and make him look like a prince. She tells him to hold his head up high and to love himself.
It's such a great experience when she braids his hair. It's such a great experience for both of them. Jazmine wants to see him smile when he sees himself. That would bring her satisfaction and pleasure. Not only just for him.
She doesn't know what tomorrow brings but today he is all hers. She does not want to rush while braiding his hair. So she’ll take her own sweet time as the sun continues to shine against their brown skin. The heat browns their skin of course. He sits closely to Jazmine as his hair is getting braided.
It's such a great experience to have someone else braid your hair for you. Braided hair can make you look like a prince. Braided hair designs are like a royal crown.
These lyrics show human contact and emotional intimacy.
You sit so close
I can feel your body touchin mine
When the heat browns in our skin
As the sun continues to shine
I don’t wanna rush this thing
Think I'll just take my time
Don't know what tomorrow brings
But today you're all mine
These lyrics sum up the feeling for this song of hers.
I can feel you
I can feel you everywhere
Can you feel me too?
When I braid your hair
I can feel you
Backstabbers (Brush Ur Shoulders Off) is a rendition of The O’Jays - Backstabbers. This song came from Jazmine Sullivan’s unreleased album called Break My Little Heart and from her 2008 album Fearless. Backstabbers was supposed to be on the final tracklist for her Fearless album but was left out for whatever reason. The song did not make the final cut. Yet some people say they have the song on their copy. Her singing vocals are quite riveting. Backstabbers has a soulful sound with a punch of funk. Four words to describe this song are soulful, upbeat, riveting, and vocal.
The depth in her voice resembles Adele and Lauryn Hill to the point where you can’t tell the difference. She reaches low range in the depth of her voice on Backstabbers. She can reach low range unlike a majority of today’s singers.
Jazmine Sullivan and Missy Elliott came up with the idea to write a rendition of The O’Jays - Backstabbers in 2004. Jive Records agreed to their idea. Timbaland produced the song while Missy Elliott co-wrote some of the lyrics with Jazmine. This song was recorded when Jazmine Sullivan was signed to Jive Records on a recording contract.
You can hear Missy Elliott’s presence at the very beginning of Backstabbers. Read these lyrics.:
Now Timbaland this crazy right here
We gonna do it like this in 2004
I'm feeling this one, you feeling this one right
We gonna bring it crazy right
Jazmine does not have time for fake people and enemies. They smile in ya face and leave ya. Don't just stoop to their level. Go on and brush your shoulders off like Jay-Z said. Misery needs and loves company. So you be the better person. Get up and leave. Backstabbers mean nothing.
Best of Me is one of the smoother songs off her debut album laced with such thick beats. Missy did a great job producing the song with her beat selection. Best of Me also appeared on her 2008 album called Fearless which was released on J Records.
Jazmine is having trouble breaking free emotionally from the chains of love. She can’t leave him alone and let him go as she keeps on coming back. She is unable to explain what kind of hold he has got on her. Jazmine says, “I wanna let go, but he just gets the best of me. I wanna say no, but all I say is yes” What is it that makes her weak and fall?
These lyrics explain how Jazmine is unable to let go and break free from the chains of love.
Why can’t I leave him alone?
Break the chains that trap me in, and let him go
Why can’t I just break free?
Can't explain what kind of hold he got on me
(I wanna say no) I wanna say no, but all I say is yes
(I wanna move on) I wanna move on, and not second guess
(I wanna let go) I wanna let go, but he just gets the best of me
What is this, that makes me weak and fall?
Even though it ain’t no good at all
What is this, that keeps me here?
When it’s brought me so much pain thru the years
All she should do is just leave him and move on with her life. However it’s not that easy when he’s got the best of her. Things are not that easy in life. Jazmine can’t understand how he does her like that. But all she does is love him. It should be a crime.
Where Did He Go? (Bus Stop) is about a man Jazmine meets at the bus stop she is at everyday. She often sees this man every day. Many questions pop inside her head. She begins to wonder who he is and if he is dating someone else. The song Where Did He Go? (Bus Stop) was for everybody who had a crush on somebody. This applies to everyone across the world.
This urban laced soul song is backed by a powerful horn selection and thunderous beats. Missy’s vocals can be heard as she speaks throughout the song. Where Did He Go? (Bus Stop) features backing vocals from Tweet and Missy Elliott. Missy Elliott produced and sang on this song.
Jazmine met this man at the bus stop she is at everyday. He shook her hand. You can tell he was glad to meet Jazmine. He was the finest guy she had ever seen. He turned away and said, “I’d hate to leave ya.” He blew Jazmine a kiss goodbye. Now this is where the story of meeting this man at the bus stop ends. She never saw his face again.
Now she wonders where he went. She wonders, “Where did he go?”. He must have gone very far away. That is what she believes. She ends up writing him a letter about how lucky she was to meet him. She kept calling his phone but couldn’t get through. She has been standing here at this bus stop waiting for him each day. Obviously Jazmine has a crush on him. Every day she thinks of him and prays. She prays that she eventually sees him again.
Silent Tears is one of the more mournful heartfelt songs of hers that has such raw emotion and pain. You can feel the raw emotion in her songwriting. The mood, tone, sound, and vibe are what set this song apart from the others. Every woman can relate to this. The song can get you through a breakup.
Jazmine is unsure if her former significant other feels the same. So she keeps her thoughts hidden. They both agreed to be friends, but emotions have risen. She wishes he would have given her a sign that he is aware of how she is feeling. But until then she'll cry silent tears. She does not want to live life on this earth without him. Loving nobody else but him makes Jazmine shed tears. Crying these silent tears.
What they shared together was beautiful. She never felt anything like their essence. She would rather be in his presence. Oh but until then she’ll cry silent tears. She’ll keep crying.
She explains to him, “Baby this feeling is so strong. It’s so strong that I can't let you go. I don't know if you feel the same way about me like I feel about you. I'm crying inside. I get sad that I love you. I'll keep on crying.”
Lovin’ You was one of the more upbeat love ballads that follows a mid tempo beat over thick sultry pultruding bass lines and acoustic instrumentation. Her vocals make the quality of this song pure fire! The song will put you into a good mood.
He brings out the best in Jazmine because of the light in him. Even the sun cannot compete He gives and gives and he never takes. Jazmine wonders why he has chosen her to receive the love so great. Sometimes she feels like she doesn't deserve him and all of the wonderful things he does. There's no way to repay him for making her feel so happy. But she promises to love him each and every day. Just loving him is enough for her. He is always on her mind all of the time.
These lyrics describe exactly how the man is to her from her perspective and view. Jazmine makes word comparisons to the weather. For example, “You're like a breeze on a summer's night”
All the time you're always on my mind
You're like a gift from God
So glad that you are mine
You're like a friend on a lonely day
Make me feel that every thing's ok
You're like a breeze
On a Summer's night
Like an island with only water inside
And both making me feel this way
I promise to love you, love you, love you, always
Don't Let Me Get Started was a bouncy soulful breakup song dedicated those sitting at home with broken hearts feeling all alone. This song takes the pain away. The pain of feeling all alone with a broken heart. This song is similar to a Tweet song.Those shakers give this song an urban feel and sound. Missy produced Don't Let Me Get Started. She also sings and speaks on Don't Let Me Get Started as well. Don't Let Me Get Started samples Truth Hurts - So Addictive.
Breaking up with someone is a painful thing to do. Jazmine can’t believe how the breakup went down. She thought it was love. No one ever told her the feelings would ever change. It hurts her when she talks about the breakup. See how the tears are running down her face. She says, “Don’t let me get started.”
Time lost could have been spent on better things. Missy bets he misses Jazmine’s love. Her kisses and her hugs. The time spent on fussing could have used on loving her instead. Missy knows he misses Jazmine’s love.
A relationship is built on trust before it begins. But Jazmine believes that a good love should never end. She feels this way when she looks in his eyes. Time and time again she thought about all this. If milk is spilled, why sit at home and cry about it.
Round Midnight is a soul cover of the jazz song Thelonius Monk - Round Midnight. Jazmine does her own reinterpretation of the song in this cover which is piano driven. The song was recorded in 2005 and uploaded to her MySpace page later that same year. This is another song filled with sadness.
Jazmine does pretty well until after sundown. Suppertime she starts feeling sad. But it really gets bad around midnight. Memories always start to form around midnight. She hasn’t got the heart to stand those memories when her heart is still with him.
What a quarrel. They both had needs that need mending and tending to. Does it mean that their love is ending? Lately she finds he’s out of her heart. She’s out of her mind. She needs him. Let the angels sing for his returning. Till their love is safe and sound. And old midnight comes around.
Jazmine Sullivan re-recorded the Victoria Beckham song Resentment for her original debut album in 2004 but her album was shelved too and the song went for sale again. Eventually Beyoncé was given the song in 2006 for her second album B'Day. The song has an R&B influenced and is backed by a single acoustic guitar. Resentment used a sample from Curtis Mayfield Think (Instrumental) off the 1977 Super Fly soundtrack.
She wishes she could believe him. Then she would be alright. Now everything he told he doesn’t really apply to the way Jazmine feels inside. Loving him was easy a long time ago. Her suspicions of him multiplied all because he lied to her. She may never understand why. She is doing the best she can. But Jazmine just can’t seem to get over the way she hurt her.
Lyrics to Verse 1 and Verse 2 explain this.
I wish
I could believe you
Then I'd be all right
But now
Everything you told me
Really don't apply
To the way
I feel inside
Loving you was easy
Once upon a time
But now
My suspicions of you
Have multiplied
And it's all
Because you lied
And I may
Never understand why
I'm doing the best
That I can, but I
Just can't seem
To get over
The way you hurt me
Don't why
You gave another
Who didn't mean
A thing
The very thing
You gave to me
She thought she could forgive him because she thought he had changed. Changed for the better. However he did not change at all. As much as she wants to trust him, things won’t be the same before she came. Something was sacrificed the night he broke his word.
So what happened was that another woman came into the picture. He started cheating on Jazmine by dating that woman without her knowing. He dated that woman that night. That is how he broke his word that night. Now of course Jazmine loved him more than ever and he does something like this to her. This betrays her trust in him completely.
These lyrics explain the situation of how things went down.
I thought
I could forgive you
And I know
You've changed
As much as I want
To trust you
I know
It ain't the same
As before
This woman came
I loved you
More than ever
More
Than my own life
The best part of me
I gave you
And it was sacrificed
When you broke
Your word that night
And I only give you
A hard time
'Cause I can't go on
And pretend like
I don't remember
Feeling
Like I was no good
Like I couldn't
Do it for you
Just like she could
I know
She was attractive
But I was here first
Been riding with you
For years
Why did I deserve
To be treated
This way by you
In these lyrics Jazmine does word play with 50s jazz music. The lyrics “What's wrong with Jazzy?/This sounds like a fifties record” is a reference to 50s jazz music which is what this particular song uses.
I know
You're
Probably thinking
What's wrong with Jazzy?
This sounds
Like a fifties record
But that's
All right with me
Yeah
Ooh, yeah
Say I was originally a Jazmine Sullivan song which she co-wrote and recorded in 2004. However she felt the song was too poppish for her and gave it to Christina Milian in 2006 which later became a Top 10 hit for her. The song was originally given to 3LW but they passed on it though. Cool & Dre produced this banger. The version on the 10 track advance promo is the original version and had featured Cassidy.
Music is backed by a pair of bongos and angelic electro synths over a soulful sound. The song features female soulstress duo Floetry. The beats are simply beautiful.
Season 2 Love is a love song written by Jazmine herself. The song is driven by a heavy bass line backed by a rhythmic horn selection. A blend of funk and soul meet each other on this song of hers. Jazmine tells us to get up and get out as it is the season to love.
You can feel the rawness and grittiness on Feel Nice due to the presence of Missy Elliott. There is true grit inside of this song of hers. Jazmine blows us away with her singing on Feel Nice. That is all the reason you need to listen to her music. The song is backed by shakers and 70s beats. 70s beats meet an 80s dance rhythm with the bass, beats, and tempo.
5/5*****!!
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