Why I Am Choosing 'Let's Wait Awhile' for Re-Writing (and not some other more sophisticated song in a different genre)
There are several reasons why I am doing this. First, I appreciate much of what is there, but I have a stubborn committment to the idea that romantic songs should at least make a modicum of sense. They might me wildly effusive, over-the-top, and unrealistic, but people who understand the feeling don't mind that. Second, I love a lot of music from this period and genre. Third, I really appreciate Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. They gave us Mint Condition, who are obscenely underrated, even now. Fourth, popular music that lasts even 20 years has successfully straddled the boundary between accessibility and excellence, and this song could even better do that if it made sense, and reflected a meaningful moral dilemma. Fifth, this song is one of just a few by Ms. Jackson that doesn't make me want to injure someone (and still deeply flawed). Fifth, I love keyboards. I love them. I never was ashamed of the '80s, and I think it's plain snobby arrogance to dismiss electronic instruments as something less than 'real.' Some are inclined to do this, and I'm not going to let them! Sixth, simple songs reach not only simple people, but most other people, too. Seventh and finally, I said so, so there!
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