Music Review: Amerie "Talkin' To Me"

Amerie

Talkin’ To Me

Album: All I Have

Year: 2002

         With one glance, Amerie knows what her boyfriend needs from her in the        genial “Talkin’ To Me.”

           Easygoing synths open the single, setting a comfortable tone. Her boyfriend turns his head away from her. She knows she said something wrong. She wants to know what he’s thinking. She’s going to wait until he feels comfortable telling her. (“Funny how it's hard to find the words sometimes you know/Wishin’ we could read minds/Don't wanna let our feelings show/So even if you say you don't understand/I'm willing to give as much time as I can/Every time our eyes meet.”)

          In the chorus, they have gotten really good at nonverbal communication. (“Every time our eyes meet/Be talkin’ talkin’ talkin’ talkin’ to me (talkin’ to me)/Talkin’ talkin’talkin’ talkin’ to me/Just ain't no need for words to speak (oh)/Cause every time/Be talkin’ talkin’ talkin’ to me/Be talkin’ talkin’ talkin’ to me (talkin’ to me.”)

            He’s a quiet guy. When they have dinner, if he doesn’t say much, she knows it’s just him. He is, however, a flirt when he wants to be. He’s stealing looks at her. They have a good relationship. She’d rather have someone who expressed his emotions than a guy who says all the right things. (“Your always actin’ so composed and cool/Never got to many words for me (To many words)/You always turn your head and make sure I see (Just to make sure)/Baby ain't nothin' wrong with the love/That you and I dream of/So sweet/Your actions say more than your lips can speak.”)

                Her friends shake their heads and tell her they wouldn’t ever take that behavior. They say it isn’t real. However, she knows it is. (“My friends say that they just can't see (They just can't see)/How a love unspoken can be so deep (Can be so deep)/And every time that you look my way I see/What your heart wants to say to me.”)

                 The chorus is sung again.

                An extended chorus is sung with adlibs. (“Every time our eyes meet (My eyes meet your, meet yours)…Be talkin talkin talkin to me (Every touch you give is like your talkin to me)/Be talkin talkin talkin to me/Oh yeah yeah oh/Talkin talkin talkin talkin to me/Oh whoa yeah/Talkin talkin talkin talkin to me.”)

               A second extended chorus is sung to close the single. (“Every time our eyes meet (Every time)…Cause every time (I hear you baby callin me just ain't no need for words)/Be talkin talkin talkin to me/Be talkin talkin talkin to me/No need for words.”)

              Amerie’s soulful vocals have warmth. She’ll defend her boyfriend to anyone. His shyness is a quality she likes. It’s who she is and she wouldn’t change a thing. Her friends can have their men and their drama.

            The dressy “Talkin’ To Me” has class.