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There was a track by Enigma from 1993, "I Love You...I'll Kill You....(But I'll Love You Forever)".
The symbiotic life of Bobby Brown and Whitney Houston can be captured at this moment. The two loved each other, fought, procreated, did self-celebratory reality TV, did drugs, separated, until one took their own life and the other, almost excessively overweight, threw himself into the nostalgia circuit, performing where America loves him most just to make ends meet. I forced myself to watch something: pathetic. Such is life.
I'm not criticizing the man: losing a wife and daughter (Bobbi Kristina passed away a couple of years ago at the young age of 22 after vegetating in a hospital for several months, due to an overdose, note) would drive anyone insane. I criticize the backstory and the clear, distinct path that was created to destroy one's talent as well as image.
The trouble is, I like him. His mix of pop, rap, dance, hip hop, new-jack swing, and soul has always thrilled me.
This album, dated 1992, is the perfect crossroads between the consecration achieved in 1988 with "Don't Be Cruel" (about twenty million copies worldwide) and the flop of the still presentable and well-arranged "Forever" of 1997. The rest is boredom, arrests, community service, whims, excessive drunkenness. The last studio album, "The Masterpiece" (2012), went largely unnoticed.
"Bobby" is an album that at the time satisfied fans, perhaps granting the artist the exaggerated moniker of 'new Stevie Wonder'.
Produced by Brown himself and those who, at the time, also gravitated around Michael Jackson, the album offers a full spectrum of the artist's talents. The ease with which he transitions from upbeat rhythms ("Humpin' Around", "Get Away"), light-heartedness ("Good Enough", "I'm Your Friend") to never trite ballads though too self-reflective ("'Til The End Of Time", "Pretty Little Girl", "College Girl") and the delightful duet with his wife ("Something In Common") is a pillar of the entire work. The listener might risk getting bored due to the songs' prolonged length, around 6 minutes, but it is an acceptable toll.
A peculiarity revolves around the track "Two Can Play That Game". At the time, the song, released as a single, achieved moderate success in the US, nothing special. In late 1994, it was remixed and rearranged by our Joe T Vannelli and became a classic, an evergreen in the European house scene. So much so that it paved the way for a European-inspired remix album, carrying the same title.
Returning to "Bobby", the accompanying tour kept the artist busy throughout 1992 and a good part of the following year.
After 26 years, I realize that, unlike other artists, Brown effortlessly takes me back to my 15 years. Over the years, I immerse myself differently with the material I like, that I listen to. Bobby Brown is an exception. His sound is evergreen. It's something that, unfortunately, has been lost over time. Back then, there was no parsimoniousness, and the hours spent rearranging a track were never too many. Today there is frenzy, the industry takes your breath away, the offer is too wide. And for The King Of Stage, as he liked to call himself during his golden era, there is no longer space.
Tracklist and Lyrics
05 Two Can Play That Game (04:59)
drop it
Stay with me
But if you want to leave
Take your things
Forget all about me
Tell me why you fail to realise
That you might not ever get another try
Girl think
about it before you leave
Bobby's got a bran' new swing
If you wanna do your own thing
I hear what your sayin'
Two can play that game
Your playin'
(Play that game)
Two can play that game
(play that game)
Two can play that game
(play that game)
Two
(play that game)
Lately you've been acting mighty strange
To me it seems you attitude has changed
When suddenly you just don't seem the same
Insted of playin' all those silly games
Girl think
about it before you leave
Bobby's got a bran' new swing
If you wanna do your own thing
I hear what your sayin'
Two can play that game
Your playin'
(Play that Game)
Two can play that game
(play that game)
Two can Play that game
Girl think
about it before you leave
Bobby's got a bran' new swing
If you wanna do your own thing
I hear what your sayin'
Two can play that game
Your Playin'
(Play that game)
Two can play that game
(Play That Game)
Two can play that game
(play that Game)
Two
(Play that game)
Lately you've been up to mighty strange
To me it seems your attitude has changed
And suddenly you just don't seem the same
Instead of playin' all those silly games
Girl think
about it before you leave
Bobby's got a bran' new swing
If you wanna do your own thing
I hear what your sayin'
Two can play that game
Your playin'
(play that game)
Two can play that game
(Play that game)
No no no no no no no
I said two
(Play That game)
Two
(Play that game)
Whoo I Said two
(Play that game)
Two can play that game
No no no no no no no
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