Toni Braxton - Maybe (HQ2 Radio Edit) 2000

Toni Braxton was a great commercial success in the late 90s and early Noughties. Unbreak My Heart and Spanish Guitar were massive hits. Her videos, from a male point of view, were erotically charged and she was the epitome of an R&B success story.  To many on the UK Soul scene back then this was an anathema.  Retrospectively, fifteen and more years later, with a refreshed ear it's worth some time time listening to  recordings she cut. As with most performers you need to pick through their recordings and have a think about what the lyrics are saying.  Today's frenetic dance floor blast from the past, with its hurricane speed tempo, is likely to exhaust all but the fittest. It's not just the tempo but the speed with which Toni Braxton slips the words out of her mouth that's fascinating. the problem is that unless you can catch all the lyrics you really miss what the arrangement is all about. and indeed the message.  Are you still following where I'm going with this?

OK. Let me introduce you to the idea of stream of consciousness. Here's a simple definition: 

"The conscious experience of an individual regarded as a continuous, flowing series of images and ideas running through the mind."

Which nicely bring me back to Maybe (HQ2 radio Edit) because that's what's taking place in the lyrics. It's about  a woman's thoughts racing through  her mind revealing her non stop preoccupation about the man she's meeting. How should she behave, how will he react, how far should she go and so on. By the way if the idea of stream of consciousness seems strange to you then consider that is how our minds work all the time. Not, as we would like to think, in logical sentences. Hell, enough of the psychology lesson, it's about the music, right?

I suggest you watch the first youtube version before the second link. The quality of the video is poor but you can get a good idea of Ms. Braxton as a sex goddess back in the day The compiler created a video collage set to the song of all the best erotic bits Then use the second link where you can read the lyrics as the song is playing. That's when it will all make a lot more sense.

Now try listening to the lyrics and following the words from the link below. (Click on the photo to go to the web page).

It makes more sense now and you begin to appreciate why this is such a well done interpretation because it does simulate how we actually do think.  OK now try the R&B slower version and compare the two versions for yourself. The HQ2 Radio Edit is the better dance version but you may prefer just to listen to this version below. (Link in the photo).

You should be able to find the original  CD  without too much difficulty with the HQ2 Radio Edit. If not then hunt out the Platinum & Gold Collection as shown below.

If you think being a successful performer is all it's cracked up to be then you should read this revealing article about her life. It's not all glam like it may seem to be. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. To read the article click on the photo below.