As promised, here is the second installment of Throwback Thursday. This week I chose the song Girlfriend by Alicia Keys because I miss her older music. In my humble opinion, her newer music just doesn’t do anything for me like her older stuff did. I’m talking about those songs like Butterflyz, If I Was Your Woman/Walk Away, Never Felt This Way, You Don’t Know My Name, A Woman’s Worth, Fallin’, If I Ain’t Got You, etc…I understand that as an artist, one has to grow and one’s music has to evolve to satisfy broader audiences but the fact of the matter is, I only found a small handful of songs listenable off her latest album (I love Un-Thinkable) and DON’T even get me started on the As I Am Album. I mean, it was a solid album, no doubt about that...but I would take Songs in A Minor or The Diary of Alicia Keys over it any day of the week.
And I am not one to indulge into the private lives of celebrities but of course I have heard mad stuff about Alicia Keys and her husband and many of my friends have told me they have lost all respect for her and they refuse to listen to her music. All I have to say is...I don't give a flying piece of poop (excuse my word choice but it is what it is). Now I'm not saying that what she did was right, of course it wasn't, but at the same time it is none of my business so I'm not going to think about it. I'm just gonna try to remember her as she was because her songs about love always felt so real to me so I don't want her mistakes to reflect badly on her music because it was and still is good, even though I'm not crazy about it anymore. She is still doing her thing and still doing well so let me stop talking and ya'll just watch & reminisce.
AND STAY TUNED IN THIS WEEKEND PEOPLE, I HAVE A VERY SPECIAL POST IN THE WORKS FOR SATURDAY!
I agree with you!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI really like Alicia's older music, I felt the lyrics were a lot deeper and so much more emotional and grabbing than her newer music. I have all of her albums and I did not like As I Am at all, I think I fell asleep the first time I listened to it because it was just that dry. Her old music is so good, It really is a shame. And her and Swizz Beatz are going to get theres too. I was shocked when I heard about what she did, I though Alicia was better than that because her music makes it seem like she believes in true love but when I'm hearing that she is homewrecking that makes me think she is the biggest hypocrite. I don't see how she can sing about falling in love and even the video you posted. She is singing about being jealous of her man's friend with the fear that he would step out on her! It's just unfortunate, but like you I still listen to her older stuff and a little bit of her newer stuff. She hasn't lost my full respect, but she has dropped down about 9 notches in my book.
I agree with your assessment about her new music. However, I enjoyed As I Am. Personally, think it is her most solid album.
ReplyDeleteAs far as her persoanl life, seemingly, some infidelity took place. To that I say, Alicia Keys is a great singer/songwriter, but she is a flawed like the rest of us. Based on media reports and that's all we have to base our opinions on, she appears to be a homewrecker. There may be some truth to that but, I have more of a problem with Swizz Beaks, because he was married not her, and Alicia couldn't have got him if he didn't want to be got. He had a responsibility as a husband to honor his commitment to the woman he exchanged vows with and to absolve the marriage before any outside activities took place. I'm not saying Alicia should be let off the hook because she still pursued a married man with kids.
If everything we've heard is true, what comes around goes around. Alicia may find herself in Mashonda's shoes in a minute...Stay Tuned!
Yeah, I am on the fence about her As I Am album. I think the album was good it's that the radio overplayed the songs from that album (Superwoman, No One, etc...) so that's probably why I don't really like listening to it anymore. Alicia Keys is a talented person and whoever says that they don't want to listen to her music just because of whatever happened with her and Swizz Beats and Mashonda needs to wake up because she is just like you an me. I'm sure some of the people out there on those websites that I go on who just sit there and bash her for hours have been in similar situations themselves.
ReplyDeleteSo yeah, I'm with you on this Dee, it's none of the public's business what happened so we should just focus on her music and not her.
@Sade Jaye, You are right, I didn't think that As I Am was COMPLETELY terrible and it wasn't all that dry, it's just that I didn't get goosebumps from as many songs on that album as I did from her other albums such as The Diary of Alicia Keys & Songs In A Minor. Her talent is undeniable, even to this day I consider her one of the best R&B singers out there today hands down. It's a shame that what happened did happen and I'd be lying if I said I don't view her any differently but she is only a human like the rest of us and we all fall short of perfection.
ReplyDelete@Moet With Medusa, I absolutely agree with you too. Even though As I Am wasn't my favorite album from her it was a solid album which is clearly apparent by the buzz that album made. And I am definitely cosigning to what you said about Swizzy and how Alicia should be careful! If he could do it to Mashonda then what would stop him from doing it to Alica? Old habits die hard ya'll.
@Anonymous, I do believe you summed up the reason I'm not in love with As I Am. I feel like the radio kills music after awhile. It's gotten to the point where I struggle listening to it but unfortunately I HAVE to listen to music while I'm driving around in my car and my car is old so there is no CD player in it lmao. I bought an mp3 adapter so I could listen to my iPod but that dang thing got stuck in the cassette player and it isn't working! So now I'm forced to listen to the radio, not that everything they play on there is crap but about 73.56% of it is lol.
Thanks for the feedback guys!
I actually listened to the the new Alicia Keys album to have an objective opinion when all the drama started and just like you she does sound different. You cannot compare the song 'Fallin' or 'Butetrflyz' with anything on her new album and it is kinda sad. I listen to her still though. I just wont buy her music or attend her concerts.. #MyTwoCents.
ReplyDeleteI was never a serious A.Keys fan, but I liked a few of her songs. Regardless of what she does in her personal life, if the music's good, I'll listen.
ReplyDeleteExcellent blog you have here. I'll be visiting more often ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for the lovely comment you left on my lb.
Love your blog too!!! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I agree with you....I love the old Alicia Keys.
ReplyDeleteWoooow, she looked so different o.O
ReplyDelete@Ms.O, thank you so much for your 2 cents, they are always welcome here :) I still listen to her too, her music is still good it's just doesn't move me like it used to is all!
ReplyDelete@I'm Alee, I couldn't agree with you more girl. At the end of the day it's all about the music (at least it should be). We should pay attention to the artist's talent not to what this person supposedly did to that person.
@Ezra, thank you so much and you are so welcome! :)
@Chanel Craves, thank you so much & you are so welcome! And I hope that A. Keys returns to her musical roots in at least a couple of songs that she makes in the future!
@LuluBabie, you're right she did look different! I believe this was her very first music video so she was fairly young at the time so that probably explains it lol.
Yea, at one point I felt that she was wrong for getting with Swizz, but then I was like that's her personal business..that has nothing to do with her music.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that her music has changed a lot since she first came out, but I still like (most of) it =)..and yea, I'm still in love with that throwback song..classic!
J'adore ton blog, et j'y reviendrais un peu plus souvent.
ReplyDeleteI agree, her older music was WAY WAY better! It had such a good vibe before - now, it's a little lack luster.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
In Fashion and Style
@cArAmElCuTiE0215, thank you for commenting :) I agree, her business has nothing to do with her music so it is just up to the fans to decide what they want to pay more attention to lol!
ReplyDelete@agnes, merci :)
@Christie, I totally agree! I miss the vibe in her older music but fortunately songs don't disappear over time...we can still go back in our musical archives and listen to them :)
That song is amazing, she's amazing!!
ReplyDeleteOver the years she's maintained as herself with amazing style&music!
http://themessenger-bag.blogspot.com
Hmmm...I honestly don't know how to feel about her. Like you said, he music was mad good and it's still good but it just doesn't have that feeling to it anymore. But like you guys said up there you have to separate the music from the personal life cause if we didn't then we wouldn't like any of the musicians who are out because nobody is perfect.
ReplyDeletethis use to be my song, thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeletejadepurplebrown.blogspot.com
Gotta love the old Alicia Keys with the braids and raw energy. But all in all, i think she has evolved greatly as an artiste. Lets just hope she keeps making good music!
ReplyDelete@ABIGAIL NY, thank you so much for the comment :) And she has really kept up with herself over the years, she is a beautiful woman! And she has gained a lot of respect in the music industry.
ReplyDelete@Alicia, I agree with you girl...actually from reading these comments I am seeing that I underrated her newer albums, they aren't that bad. They are just different and since I hate change so much I wasn't ass accepting of them lol, but both As I Am & Element of Freedom are great albums!
@Jade "Purple" Brown, you are so welcome girl!
@blogoratti, lol exactly! You are right, she has really evolved and her progression has been in a positive direction so one cannot complain! But I do still miss her old music lol, I'll just have to get over that myself.
Yea I love her old music too!!! I felt like she spoke more from the heart back then. More real. I still love her today nonetheless but she's losing a bit of her realness IMO. "You Don't Know My Name" and "The Life" are by far my fav A. Keys songs
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myeclecticheart.blogspot.com/
wow i havnt seen this in a while she looked so young...dont for get to follow my blog www.mostzart.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletei also enjoy Alicia's older music more than i do now. And this song is one of my jams!!! Lol.
ReplyDeleteWhat happend to music? I like Alicia's older material better than her new material.
ReplyDeletei'm following you follow mine?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments! And I will check your blog out right now Stella! :)
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