The song I chose for my record club is At Your Best (You Are Love) by Aaliyah. This song was actually covered by Aaliyah for her debut studio album, Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number, released in May of 1994, becoming one of the album’s lead singles. It is a Neo-soul, contemporary R&B song. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a fan of Aaliyah. I began listening to her when I was a kid and grew to appreciate her music more as I got older. She was one of my go-to artists I’d listen to on my way to school- both high school and college. Even long after her death, her music is still loved and appreciated to this day. This is one of my feel-good songs that I play when I’m painting or doing anything creative. For me, at least, it exudes calmness, which can be largely credited to Aaliyah’s vocals.
The meaning of the song is quite simple- Aaliyah is singing about her troubled romantic relationship where she’s in doubt of her partner’s commitment to their relationship. In this song, she lets them know that she feels they are at their best when they personify love itself, singing that they are a “positive motivating force within my life”, especially when they are embracing and personifying love in the purest form. One of the first things that peaks my attention when this song comes on is Aaliyah’s airy vocals; her voice is light, despite the fact that she’s talking about a troubled relationship, and her tone is smooth like velvet. The song itself begins with the hook, since throughout it, the phrase “let me know” is what is repeated. As the song progresses, this phrase is what introduces the official chorus of the song, where the title is sung. Towards the last minute & a half of the song, her vocals are layered to mimic a choir, which gives an almost ethereal feel.
Definitions:
Neo-Soul: a genre of popular music, sometimes called “progressive soul”. It describes a style of music which emerged from both soul and contemporary R&B. It can incorporate elements that range from jazz, funk, hip hop, African music, electronic music, pop and rock.
Airy: light in manner or movement, graceful or delicate, lively.
Hook: A musical idea, a short riff, passage or phrase used to make a song appealing to the listener.
Chorus: The line or lines repeated in the song, either musically or lyrically.
