Album: Crazy Sexy Cool (Laface)
Songwriters: Dallas Austin
Hit #1: December 10th, 1994 (9 Weeks)
Though Oooooooh...On The TLC Tip helped establish TLC's unique make-up ("three so-so solo acts as one great tri-headed urban force"), spawning a handful of memorable hits and a new girl group phenom, it could be easy to dismiss them as a female BBD knock-off, more R&B-influenced take on Salt N' Pepa, or even worse, somewhat of a cartoon. Crazy Sexy Cool changed all that by blunting their wacky, sex-crazed antics with a more smoothed out sound, pushing T-Boz as the frontwoman and involving heavier use of socially conscious content. This "maturer" TLC were smartly introduced with CSC's huge lead single, "Creep".
Written and produced by Dallas Austin (who had sculpted "What About Your Friends" and "Hat 2 Da Back" from the first album), "Creep" retained the group's likable feminist anthem slant, but also embedded more of a polished R&B/ hip hop foundation. Anchored by a blaring horn hook, crisp drum beat, subtle scratch work and ascending keyboards-as-strings for the chorus, the production was of their richest yet.
T-Boz tackles over lead reins, complimenting the groove with her distinctive rugged alto as she tackles the perspective of a cheated-on woman who decides to get even. Marking the days of relationship trouble on her own personal calendar ("The 22nd of loneliness and we've been through so many things..."), Boz is tired of being ignored for his side dalliances. She opts to find the attention she craves elsewhere, but "Creep" doesn't just settle for an equal opportunity infidelity tale. In an effort to add a different layer to the situation, it's made very clear that T doesn't want to end the main coupling because she's too in love with him to be the one to call if off ("I'll keep give lovin' 'til the day he pushes me away/ Never go astray"). It's an interesting "Jerry Springer"-like twist that she's just as content allowing this un-official "open relationship" to continue.
The combination of soapy songwriting and elevated new jack sound made "Creep" an irresistible morsel that brought TLC back onto the charts in a major way. A #1 Pop smash, "Creep" took home the Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo or Group, but was oddly the only single from the album to peak at the apex of the R&B charts. Crazy Sexy Cool, which would take a Best R&B Album Grammy Award, also featured mega-hits "Waterfalls" (a sobering reflection of inner-city violence and AIDS over a Sly Stone-ish funk-soul track), "Diggin' On You" (a cutesy, summertime flirtation ditty) and "Red Light Special" (a raunchy, cunnilingus-fixated slow jam) that all held chart-topping potential.
In 1996, the soul-influenced punk rock act Afghan Whigs covered the song for their Honky's Ladder EP, instilling a gender switch and sleazier alt-rock aesthetic that miraculously works.
DL: "Creep" (YFH)
DL: Afghan Whigs' "Creep" (YFH)
1 comments:
I can't believe they've only had 3 #1s on the R&B Charts! But that's the thing with TLC - I felt like no matter how successful they were and how popular they were or how controversial the things that happened to them were (arson, illness, bankruptcy, best selling female group, infighting, trendsetting, death even), they just never achieved superstar or infamy status that other acts like Destiny's Child got! Boo
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