Seductive Mixtape Series #6: When It’s Over

This edition of the Seductive Mixtape Series is a lil different.  If you are playing any of the below songs, your attempts of keeping the magic going or any attempts to spark an old flame didn’t work.  I’m saying the following songs are for those moments that you reflect on a love lost or a heartbreak that still haunts you.

Breakups (or final goodbyes) are hard, but sometimes they are for the best.  It gives you a chance to reflect on the good times that you were lucky to have with a certain someone or a chance to look at yourself for improvement in preparation for your next shot at love.  Regardless, life (and love) moves on.  Forgive yourself or the other person, as applicable, but revel in what you felt and the memories you made.  I think the phrase goes, “It is better to have love and lost, then to have never loved at all.”  These are those “sitting in a room alone with dark liquor and blue light” songs.  Enough intro, let’s get to it.

Charlie Wilson – Without You

I can sum up this song in two words to show the intensity of it, Charlie Wilson!!  The former member of the Gap Band oozes nothing but grown soul on this ballad about a love once had and now gone.  This man is saying that he is not the same since his love left.  Dudes don’t say words like, “Feels like it I took my last step and my last breath in my life” and “My sun doesn’t shine without you” anymore when describing how hurt they are to lose the best thing that ever happened to them.

Whatever Charlie did to mess up, this song makes you feel for him as he croons pure poetry.  The background singers and instrumentation only enhance the feeling of this track.  Ladies, if your man wanted you back, and he played this song….oh, you will reconsider.  I ain’t lying!

Teddy Pendergrass – Can’t We Try

This has to be the saddest of all of Teddy P’s songs.  He is asking, it seems, for a final chance to make it work even though he is mentally prepared in case it doesn’t.  Check out part of the first chorus…

“Touch me more one time and make me feel that I’m alive.
And if we don’t survive, at least we’ll have a moment here
with honest pain and tears, then say goodbye.”

What?!?  Read that part again, close your eyes, and think about how deep that is!  Some of you don’t feel me.  Some of you can’t feel me.  I mean, how many of you wanted that special goodbye moment with someone when you knew it was already over?  That goodbye just as passionate and exciting as the beginning of the relationship?  That IS how you say farewell.  That is when you want to make love to someone (not just f@%k) ONE…LAST…TIME for that good memory to hold to!  WHAT?!?

Later, you see the internal turmoil occurring in his head as he reminisces and sings, “You know that I don’t need you.  We can’t go back to yesterday.  Go away.  God, I’d wish you stay!” before hitting the chorus again.  You get the point.  Now hear it for yourself.

George Michael – One More Try

Yes, a George Michael song!  This song is similar to Teddy Pendergrass song with the ultimatum feeling that it evokes.  Basically, it is saying past hurts taught the singer lessons that has helped him realize that he doesn’t want to go through the same with the person receiving the message due to his naivety or infatuation.  The choice is hers.  (My interpretation.)  It seems that pain is laced in each of the words…real talk…as he tells the receiver to choose whether or not staying (or leaving) is the right move.  “Maybe, just one more try”… or not.

Bonus:  Jean Grae – U & Me & Everyone We Know

Anyone that knows me knows how big of a fan I am of Jean Grae.  She is by far one of the best MCs, male or female, period.  Anyway, I bought the M-Phazes collaboration CD years ago solely to get the song of title.

In this track, Jean Grae reflects on a past lover…the things that were right….the things that were wrong.  She shows her vulnerability as she reminisces over what happened and what could have happened with such lyrical skill as storytelling bars lay over a jazzy beat heavy with piano and trumpet.

Though the actual lyrics are short, the powerful statement is clear.  My favorite part is, “So now I got to shut the door on you so I can find out who is next for me.”  Honestly, I am not sure what the title has to do with the lyrics, but I still rock with this song.