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RBNA: Badman like Ballads

RBNA = Real Badman Never Afraid. Real Badman Never Afraid = Marvin Sparks blogging about things your average 20-something, black male, Londoner wouldn't usually admit to in public space. Unless, of course, he is a badman.

Today's topic is ballads. Ballads in Lehman's (I know you don't spell Lehman like that, but Arsenal's goalkeeper is dumb too) terms are slow love songs as you'll see if you carry on reading. They're basically songs I really want to learn how to write because they are WINNERS!!!

These songs are all inspired by Magic FM, therefore, this post is slyly sponsored by them. If they would like to send some donations my way, feel free. I'll flick over from 1Xtra time to time to hhave flashback moments. Mostly listen to Magic at night when I want to wind down. Wind, not whine. That's what dancehall is for.

Savage Garden - I Knew I Loved You

This was the first song I heard this morning on Magic FM. Dr. Fox breakfast show is second to Twin B's 1Xtra show. Back on track, this song is beautifully written. Serenade a woman like this one time. Last time I heard this song by someone other than my TV or radio is in Jamaica. Every. Single. Year. Without. Fail. On those massive speakers too.



Leann Rimes - How Do I

Woiii remember this track right here? Man. Swear she was 15 at the time too? I fancied her. She was older than me at the time. Still is. Obviously. Her and Melissa Joan Hart (Clarissa Explains It All/Sabrina The Teenage Witch), mmm, mmm, mmm. Oh and Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen.

Check out the lungs on her. Crisp vocal performance.



Blue - If You Come Back

Blue had a lot of fighting to do to get rated following their disastrous cover of Next's "Too Close". It was way too soon after and to me they were some hurry little come up pop group trying to be "urban". Another Level were better than them at that anyway. So were East 17. Blue were some any singing Blazing Squad until this song.



Upon listening to it, I'm not sure if it's a ballad. More a slow jam innit?

Speaking of pop slow jams

Spice Girls - 2 Become 1

Arguably the best slow jam to tenderly stroke #1 on the UK charts. All-time disco snogging classic. (FAO non-Brits/90s babies "snogging" = long kiss with tongues performed by skool kids. French kiss is for the olders.) Spice Girls went in on this.



FAO annoying people "concerned" with the effect music has on kids: the amount of innuendos in this should send you into a frenzy. But it didn't make you think about rumpy-pumpy did it? No? Exactly.

Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not The One

Back on point, let's not lie, we were mainly disappointed Bedders never followed up "Gotta Get Thru This" with a song on par with anything Craig David did until this very track. And what a song it is. Celebrated this recently in the "Daniel Bedingfield does dancehall" post, let's go in again.



Ronan Keating - When You Say Nothing At All

Ronan's first single upon his departure from boyband Boyzone. This featured on Notting Hill soundtrack. Scored a #1 in 1999 I believe.



That's all for today. Will do another post some time in the future.

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