Mandaris
This is the 1991 debut album from Color Me Badd and one of my favorites. This is a page where you can find links on where to listen to it.It’s not for kids and this post might be the most risqué thing I have ever posted. But, the world is kind of crazy, so I’m hoping that this entertains at least one more person than myself.
I probably listened to this album way before I should have, but it really highlights the innocence of youth in that I had No idea what most of these songs were about. They had good beats and harmonies that kept me holding on to my father’s scratched CD long after I had something to play with it.
I was getting tired of some of the regular albums that I jam out to. I thought I would give this one try and write down how it makes me feel as an adult.
- I Wanna Sex You Up
“The ticktock you don’t stop”. I had no idea what this song was about. What were they doing and how come they wanted to do it all night long?
Still love the harmonies of the group and I found myself getting back into the groove.
I now understand why people would want to unplug their phones so that they aren’t disturbed, but for completely different reasons.
- All 4 Love
This one makes me think of malt shops and quartets. Probably the most “innocent” of the songs on this album and a nice balance from the first track. I don’t think I’ve ever chosen to play this song. It usually comes up because i am listening to the whole album. Not bad, and kind of cute.
- Heartbreaker
Harmonies and a dance beat. A song about how some people will take advantage of you.
“You’re just a using girl, you’re driving me like a car”.
- I Adore Mi Amor
Seriously one of the best songs on the album. This is the first album that I ever had with a language that wasn’t English. When I would sing along, I just mumbled in this part and waited for the last line Te quiero mucho, me amor
.
This ballad is amazing.
I was thinking about making this my karaoke 🎤 song, but I only know the chorus.
- Groove My Mind
Classic 90’s R&B song theme. Not much to note. If I hadn’t listened to this album dozens of times, I wouldn’t have remembered it. I think this was song I would listen to to make me feel that I could listen to music and do other things.
- I Wanna Sex You Up (reprise)
My first time listening to a reprise. Countless moments of disappointment when it comes up randomly on instead of the real song.
A whole minute to contemplate skipping or finding the full song.
- Roll The Dice
This one just gets me into the groove! I don’t have a lot of notes, because I found myself dancing in my seat.
Mostly chorus and bridge, but if you haven’t understood what this grove is about then I can’t explain it to you.
- Slow Motion
Another song where 12-year-old me had no idea why doing anything slowly would be worth it.
“I want to love you so slow that you come before I do.”
I sang that line loud in front of my parents at 12 and thought love meant thinking fondly of the other person, and they would come over to your house.
- Thinking’ Back
My favorite song on the album.
Also, the only track that I would skip near the end due to a scratch.
I’m glad I didn’t have access to this CD when I was going through a breakup.
It was in heavy rotation.
Listening to it now, I can feel my body tense up right around the time that the cd would skip.
- I Adore Mi Amor (interlude)
Two teases in this album!!
45 seconds and this one is hard for me to determine if it’s the true song before it stops.
It’s more of a reminder that I need to get ready to push the button to restart the album.
- Color Me Badd
Title track.
This is similar to Motownphilly; an introduction of what the group can do and how they can sing together.
- Your Da One I One Love
“Love” means sex in this one.
I don’t think I need to explain.
The young version of me took it literally and knew that it was time to get another CD to play or restart this one.
In summary
Well, now I don’t feel that I can complain about modern music lacking innuendo. Most of the tracks are so thinly veiled, That it makes the emperor’s new clothes look like winter wear.
Still, I love it. I especially loved writing about it here. Let me know if you have a similar album in your life or suggest other albums.
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