10 YEARS LATER: AMY WINEHOUSE "BACK TO BLACK"
I'm on Myspace. Shooting shots everywhere. You should've seen me. I was the most confident ugly man living. Coding my BAPE background picture replacing my old one of Rosario Dawson. Still love that woman today. First song you hear when you visit my page is "Keys Open Doors" by The Clipse. Months later it would be "Certified" by Lloyd. Certain women going off on me in my inbox because they were missing from my top 8. Didn't take life seriously at all during this time. It was all about pussy and Ralph Lauren Polo shirts that were as colorful as Young Dro raps.
Lurking all over Myspace is hard work. Somebody gotta do that shit and who better than me? I'm on this girl page just seeing what's good before I let the choppa fly in her inbox and I'm just nodding my head to this song that she has on her page. After a minute of just vibing to a song I had no knowledge of I say to myself "What in the fuck is this?!"
The horns. The bass. This sultry and jazzy voice. The lyrics. I was like a child eating pizza for the first time. I just wanted more and more of what I was hearing. I couldn't find the name of the artist. I inboxed the girl who ran the page. I didn't even care about getting ass no more. I just wanted to know who and what is this?
She messaged me back "Amy Winehouse, You Know I'm No Good" and I instantly forgot what that chick looked like and never cared to visit her page again. I just had to get my ears acquainted with this woman.
I didn't have a car at the time so I couldn't go to the store to buy it until the next day and that was a problem. I'm impatient. When I want something, I want it now. So I bootlegged it. I had to have listened to "Back To Black" at least 9 times consecutively that night. I just couldn't comprehend a singer being this great with production so fucking incredible.
Amy, Mark, and Salaam's sound was like I discovered this treasure chest of vintage jazz vinyls from the 60's. Pure Motown. Classic Pop & Swing. Every song was gem after gem. I love music so much and this was an album that helped me realize how powerful music is. I was so excited about what I was hearing like I made it. I started telling all my homies about this album and searching for any live performances I could find. I was infatuated with Amy Winehouse.
Amy voice is so great I had to keep reminding myself this isn't a black woman. She in my opinion is at least in the top 15 greatest Jazz singers of all time. Not only her voice but her pen game is so incredible. No one ever talks about her writing because her voice was so unique but her songwriting was so amazing. She is a once in a lifetime talent.
Back To Black was her magnum opus and it would be an honor to review my favorite songs from this album.
REHAB
As time goes on and we see Amy's life through the media you really understand how beautifully honest this album is. The topics are dark and depressing because well addiction and depression have claimed so many lives including Amy's.
A song that is so defiant and honest that it drove me crazy (In a good way). Everyone wants her to go to rehab for her alcoholism except her father and she just continues to blow it off. Rehab is a hinderance to her and she boasts that I could learn from Mr.Hathaway (STL Stand Up!).
She actually goes to rehab to please the people who beg her to go. A perception we see from a lot of addicts. It'll help their loved ones sleep at night but not the addict. She's not going for herself so relapsing will keep happening until she decides to WANT to go to rehab.
Amy's just depressed over a relationship which drives her to pick up a bottle. She doesn't even want to drink but her depression causes her to.
YOU KNOW I'M NO GOOD
You understand how bold this song is? Amy basically fucks another man and instead of feeling bad about cheating in the relationship she tells her significant other that she warned him that she's no good. Amy puts the blame on him for not listening to her warning or acknowledging her reputation.
"I cheated myself. Like I knew I would." REALLY??? That would break a man's heart if he heard that. She's more focused on herself than the relationship and that's some cold hearted shit. Saying "I cheated myself" instead of "I cheated on you" is just some hilariously savage shit.
She promises to not cheat again with her ex but then her boyfriend notices carpet burns on her knees. Amy just gave no fucks but her current lover doesn't care about Amy cheating again and that hurts Amy's feelings. The role of the savage is reversed. The writing of this song is so honest and clever. So fucking great.
ME AND MR.JONES
This was the song on the album where I was like "WHAT IN THE FUCK AM I LISTENING TO?!!!" "What kind of fuckery is this? You made me miss the Slick Rick gig?" BITCH WHAT?! At this point I'm like "This bitch is a gangsta and I'm all the way here for it!" She's so fucking bold.
This is pure 60's swing. The instrumentation makes me want to pass out. Amy's delivery is so passionate and full of attitude. She deadass made a 60's swing song about Nas and how nobody is coming in between her seeing her crush Nasir Jones.
She's in a shitty relationship but only puts up with the relationship because her boyfriend has the hook up on getting her into concerts. Essentially she's just using this guy.
If you ever doubt this song wasn't about Nas just check Amy's wordplay of the lyric "Mr.Destiny 9 and 14." Nas daughter name is Destiny and Amy and Nas's birthday's are both on 9-14. Amy feels they're meant for each other.
This song is just pure fun.
JUST FRIENDS
Probably my favorite song on the album. The production feels like I'm on a cruise ship slow dancing. The guitars in the beginning. The horns and drums throughout. Amy's voice is so smooth it hurts. You can feel the pain in the lyrics. Lord Jesus this song is so perfect.
A man (Blake) has told Amy he just wants to be friends. They have so much history Amy asks "When will we get the time to be just friends?" The only way a friendship can happen after a breakup is if no one is attracted to each other. If one is attracted to the other friendship will never work.
She just wants to be with him but she can't because there is someone else. This makes her turn to her alcoholism even more. She wants him to cheat on his girlfriend and she's down for it but as she warns him in the song either the guilt of cheating will kill him or his new girlfriend will kill him.
Amy is forcing herself bit by bit to mature as the song goes on. Warning him about the consequences of cheating. Asking for a conversation about this situation before it gets worse. She is fighting her feelings so hard on this song you just feel the conflict and self doubt in her spirit. She loves this man so much that it's impossible to be friends. This song just takes my mind elsewhere every time i hear it. I've been there. I know how it feels.
TEARS DRY ON THEIR OWN
This goes into more detail of the affair Amy was having with Blake. Amy is the other woman in this scenario. She kind of admits that Blake isn't the right one for her but yet she can't stay away from this man.
She blames herself for getting so attached to him and allowing him to hurt her again by just going back to his woman. To say "My tears dry on their own" to me is saying "I'll just let the tears fall until I get over it."
Amy is so fucked up about the situation that she compares it to drug withdrawals and ponders if men are even worth the trouble anymore.
This song is so sad and conflicted but the production makes it seem like there's light at the end of the tunnel. I love it.
SOME UNHOLY WAR
To every woman who talks that ride or die shit well bring yo ass over here to hear the anthem of Ride or Die's.
Amy is sticking by Blake and his addictions. Some women would leave and rightfully so but she sits by his side while they wait for his cocaine delivery. If a person going to war with anyone or themselves and you opt to fight for them through it all is some heavy shit.
Like bruh, she makes a vow that if he kills himself that she's going with him. Think about that. Blake is known for trying to commit suicide more than once so to still tell yourself fuck it I'm going with you even though you know the possibility of it happening is very likely is a different kind of loyalty. Dumb or smart, you can't question Amy's loyalty.
I love the background vocals and Amy's pen game is just project hallway nasty on this. One of the greatest writers to ever do it.
10 years later this album still has a hold on me. This is what timeless music does. Thank You Amy.
