.confounded.

I an confounded by a lot of things and spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about them. If you ever see me walking around with a completely blank look on my face (which I do 99% of the time, much to my husband’s irritated dismay), it’s probably because I am contemplating fielder’s choice plays in baseball, black holes, and why middle-aged women get tattoos right on their upper titty area. (That, or I’m fantasizing about eating a big plate of french fries.)

Thanks to the wonder that is Pandora, I’ve spent most of the day contemplating that sub-genre of R&B songs where two people in love with each other, but they can’t be together, even though they love each other so much that they're singing about their love for all the world to hear?

Do you know what I’m talking about?

Like, Dilemma, the duet between Nelly and Kelly Rowland? Where Nelly sings to Kelly:

But I, I like your steez, your style, your whole demeanor
The way you come through and holla and swoop me in his 2-seater
Now that's gangstah-ah-ahhh..
And I got special ways to thank yah-ah-ahhh.. don't you forget it
But uh, it ain't that easy for you to pack and leave him
But uh, you and dirty got ties for different reasons

And Kelly responds:

I.. love you, and I.. need you
Nelly I.. love you, I do..
And it's more than you'll.. ever know
But.. it's fo'sho
You can always count on my love
Foreveeeeer more, yeahh-yeahh

Or Usher’s classic You Make Me Wanna? 

Before anything came between us
You were like my best friend
The one I used to run to when me and my
Girl was having problems
You used to say it would be okay
Suggest little nice things I should do
And when I come home at night and lay my head down
Sll I seem to think about is you
And how you make me wanna

You make me wanna leave the one I'm with
Start a new relationship with you
This is what you do
Think about her and the things that come along with

How about Erykah Badu's Next Lifetime?

Your energy, feels so damn good to me
It picks me up don't wanna come down
You got me spinning all around
Yeah
You need to know
I've got that somebody
You're beautiful
But it ain't that kinda party now

I guess I'll see you next lifetime
I guess I will now
I guess I'll see you next lifetime
Wait, wait a little while

See it ain't nothing wrong with dreaming
Boy don't get me wrong
Cause every time (every time) I see you (every single time)
I know just how strong (every single time)
That my love is for my baby
But emotions just don't lie
Well I know I'm a lot of woman
But not enough to divide the pie

Um. What? Why? What's going on? I don't understand. He loves her. She loves him. Why can’t they be together? What’s keeping them apart? Why are they vowing to stay with their unsatisfactory partners when, clearly, they would much rather be with each other? Can’t they find a way of making it work?.  Are there children involved? Limited liability partnerships? Is it too expensive to get a divorce? What? WHAT?

But it doesn't sound like those are the issues - it sounds like they're making a conscious choice to stay with these other people even though they love each other more. Why? Why? Shouldn’t love be able to conquer all? That’s what television and my beloved trashy historical romance novels have led me to believe, goddammit.

Sorry, folks. The monkeys in my head are a bit tired today, and are proving to be rather uninspiring company.

Carry on, then.

© Chommo, 2009