Aaliyah's "What If" was directed by Stanley Kubrick

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Destructive, controlling male lust/repressed guilt ("You're only jealous 'cause you know that shit you put me through), threats of emasculation/sexual revenge ("We'll cut you"), dreamlike visions of excess that move from thrilling to repugnant (ugly-seductive nuR&B psychedelia fashioned from cut up distorted hair-metal guitar), persistent, tortured nightmares of infidelity and female sexual abandon (the chorus of nagging, echoing 'What If's -"What if.. every guy I saw/What if..sitting down at the bar/What if..I told him to give me a call?"), References to the power plays of sex as the "little game we play" with rules at once knowing and unspeakable ("If you're gonna cheat burn the receipt from the hotel room") = Eyes Wide Shut?

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

what is your major malfunction, private lastnamewithheld?!

― jess, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

p.s. i will download this song and get back to you.

― jess, Monday, 27 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

two weeks pass...

jess you liar. tim f, i remember you calling the production on aaliyah "amateurish" (in a non-derogatory way), and i'm wondering why. is it the lack of restraint? sometimes it seems like swizz beats etc have loaded every moment with as many 'neato sounding fx' as possible, but since these fx are so deftly deployed, it doesn't come off as kitchen-sinkish, clunky and awkward (except maybe on 'what if' but thats the intended effect surely). so i'm not really sure wot you mean by 'amateurish'. (sorry if you explained at the time and i wasn't paying attention)(also i have a terrible feeling that i might've asked you about this before).

another thing- much of this album was written by static from playa and written well, too: static from playa = unsung pop hero?

― mitch lastnamewithheld, Thursday, 13 June 2002 00:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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