In "celebration" of R. Kelly's acquittal of his child porn charges, I have decided to feature one of his classics in a Download of the Day post.
Because of the current situation, I shied away from anything dirty, perverted, or downright kinky from sonngbook. Instead I chose one of his shining moments.
"I Believe I Can Fly" was R. Kelly's answer to those who believed he was nothing but a sex-crazed maniac (not that it wasn't true). In fact, this song was my introduction to R. Kelly. The song was the theme to the Michael Jordan movie Space Jam, a classic for me. I can't remember any mention of R. Kelly before this song, so I was unaware of his sex-drenched persona. All I knew was the man who sang one of the best inspirational songs of all time.
Although many balk at the idea of inspirational pop songs, Kelly never let the song cross the line into the world of schmaltz. The lyrics were real, detailing a person's rise from adversity to a strong belief in their self-worth and potential. Even when the song hits the chorus and the lyrics become very metaphoric (soaring, wings, etc.), it doesn't sound cheesy. It sounds uplifting.
Really, the song is an emotional rollercoaster, hitting its peak once the choir is brought in and R. Kelly lets is all loose vocally. To date, he has never put so much energy to singing than he did with this song. His voice was so full of passion and power, it was easy to tell how important this song was to him.
"I Believe I Can Fly" is the perfect song for graduations, weddings, and any other event that require a sense of wonder and belief. It's the perfect song to rejuvenate your own esteem when it begins to run out. It's the perfect song for a movie.
In fact, it's a perfect song overall.
Let's call a spade a spade; R. Kelly is insanely talented. So much so that its disappointing when his face is plastered on newspapers around the country detailing his perversions. There are times that I want to go back to 1996, when I only knew R. Kelly as the man who sang the song that helped build my confidence.
In his career, marred as its been by controversy, he has had many hits. There is no doubt in my mind, though, that "Fly" is his greatest achievement.
Rating: 10/10
No comments:
Post a Comment