Will it still be cool to sing your song in the future?

 

Sisters With Voices, better known as SWV, is an American female R&B, Grammy nominated trio from New York City, formed in 1990 as a gospel group.  SWV became one of the most successful R&B groups of the 1990s. In the '90s, the ladies of SWV—Cheryl “Coko” Clemons, Leanne “Lelee” Lyons and Tamara “Taj” George—were on top of the music world. 

From the streets of New York to superstardom, they had a string of top ten R&B hits including “I’m So Into You,” “Right Here,” “Downtown,” “Weak,” and “You’re Always On My Mind.” 

With over 15 million albums sold, a Grammy® nomination, an American Music Award nomination and 11 Billboard Music Awards nominations, SWV was unstoppable. But while they seemed to have it all, the drama behind the scenes tore the group apart. It didn’t just end, it ended badly; and in 1998 the members of SWV went their separate ways. 
 

After marriage, kids and other endeavors, the trio decided it was time to reunite for a chance to recapture their fame. 1n 2012, their sultry sound was introduced to a whole new generation of fans with a new album, I Miss Us, which earned a Grammy® nod in 2013 for “Best Traditional R&B Performance.” 

SWV REUNITED follows these three strong and talented women as they figure out how to trust again—on and off the stage—and perform with each other. The premiere episode follows SWV on the first stop of the comeback tour at Wembley Stadium in London, but new secrets about Coko’s health threaten the rehabilitated bond of the group. 

This season, SWV begins to record a new album, but shocking secrets from the past, management drama, health emergencies and devastating personal problems threaten the future of the group.

In this particular episode of SWV reunited that I watched on BET this November, Taj is nervous about having another seizure.  Her doctor has warned her to stay away from stress and now, she is involved with the SWV reunited project which will involve rehearsals, tours, album recording and distribution, radio and television interviews and performances and coping with stress from the head of their management company.  Only time will tell if her body can take all these depressing developments.

Lelee, the most carefree of all three, seems like she is in for the fun of it. She is ready for all the tasks that will make this reunion story a success. She delivers! She is constantly pissed off by Coko’s refusal to take up the lead singer role for which SWV is known for, pissed off by Coko’s ‘born again’ syndrome, pissed off by the fact that Coko has to always choose whether or not she will sing in their forthcoming album and pissed off at their manager.

Coko is pissing me off too. Destiny’s Child cannot be Destiny’s Child without Beyonce. She doesn’t want to be the lead singer of SWV anymore because she is now a Christian, but she can still be in the group as a backup vocalist. She says she wants to give the others a chance to lead according to her, they complained about her lead role in the past. 

She will not sing Downtown, one of their  hit songs, because she does not want her children to hear her singing it again; because it is a song that idolizes cunnilingus (oral sex), even when the cheering crowd requested for that song. She diverted their attention and sang another of their hit song, ‘I’m so into you’. Down Town is now a sinner’s anthem. Hmmph!

Has she forgotten how Downtown made money for her in the past? What was she thinking back then when she sang that song with much excitement? She had not seen the light, right? Coko cannot sit on the fence! It is either she is in the group wholeheartedly or SWV reunion packs up and everybody goes home. When the star of a group leaves, the group is dead.

Plantazion Boys can never be the same without Tuface. You all know what happened after Kore left the group which gave us the song, Olori Oko. These are home truths. SWV is no different.

This is a lesson for today’s musician. Write and perform songs that you will be proud to sing and perform whenever and wherever, now and in the future. Live a lifestyle that will not get you ashamed in front of your children. Don’t come and tell us that you have now turned born again. We will not buy that excuse. There is enough time to repent now!

Lyrics of DOWNTOWN

[Coko]
Boy, I want you to listen closely to what I have to say
Cause this is the way to my heart

[Verse 1]
You've been wondering how you can make it better
Baby, it's easy to turn my world inside out
Your discovery will take us to another place
Baby, on that, there is no doubt
I've been waiting for the special moment
Anticipating all the things you'll do to me
Make the first step to release my emotions
To take the road to ecstacy

[Hook]
You gotta go downtown
That's the way to my love
Take it round and round
Oooh, you can't stop 'til you find my love
Go downtown, To taste the sweetness
Will be enough
That's the love that you've been dreaming of

[Verse 2]
Keep on doing, doing what you're doing
'Til you feel the passion burning up inside of me
If you do me right
We'll be making love all through the night
Until you uncover the mystery
Take it nice and slow
Baby, don't rush the feeling
Now you know how you can make it happen, yeah
My desire is begging for the healing
Let me guide you down to the place to be

[Hook]

[Bridge]
That's where I keep the key to my love
(To my love)
It opens up the door to so, so much more
(So, so, so much more)
Baby, move on down, get closer
To my sensitivity
Ooh, yeah
Baby, send me

[Repeat 4x]
Downtown

(Ooh you can't stop till you find my love)
Baby don't you dare stop
(That's the love that you been dreamin’ of)
That's the love you're dreamin’ of
(Ooh you can't stop till you find my love)
Don't you stop
(That's the love that you've been dreamin' of)
That's the love you're dreamin’ of