let me love u down

Song of the Day: “Love You Down” – INOJ

INOJ may be one of the most forgotten acts of 90′s era R&B. It’s surprising, though, when considering the one-hit-wonder songscape that was the 90′s; the girl’s in fact had two big hits (the other being a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time”). There’s “Macarena,” “Barbie Girl,” “Blue (Da Ba Dee),” … but usually left unmentioned is the softcore BJ classic, “Love You Down.” It’s a cover of the much funkier Ready for the World jam, and as the original is obviously better, this one instead gained more cult. The video’s like an urban Clueless; there’s jocks, cheerleaders, nerds, and INOJ… who seems to enjoy singing verses leaning on columns and sitting under willow trees. The light, childlike background is a tad scary seeing that the song is about oral sex. Her meager voice is even worse than most’s and ends up being lost whenever the beat stirs up its tempo. But that’s not a bad thing – the beat is so smiley you’ll forget anyone’s singing at all. Check at 2:08 to see her try to dance and give up; she instead resorts to a whiteboy raise-the-roof and retreats back to her spot under the tree. Perhaps it’s the reason she’s so forgotten; I figure she’s the loser that hid in the bathroom during lunch period. Either way, the song’s cheeserific background and timid vocals have inspired producers even today. Peep Dr. Luke’s (“I Kissed A Girl” and “Circus”) production “Tell Me What Your Name Is” off Ciara’s latest, Fantasy Ride, and hear what I mean.