MuthaFunka said:

I believe 3T have said as much themselves. Of course, there's a reason it's (arguably) their biggest hit -- with a groove like that, who needs much else?

They made better albums later, but the big 4 singles from The Revival -- "The Blues," "Feels Good," "It Never Rains," and "Whatever You Want" (my favorite) -- are as good as anything they've ever done.

MuthaFunka said:

I believe 3T have said as much themselves. Of course, there's a reason it's (arguably) their biggest hit -- with a groove like that, who needs much else?

They made better albums later, but the big 4 singles from The Revival -- "The Blues," "Feels Good," "It Never Rains," and "Whatever You Want" (my favorite) -- are as good as anything they've ever done.

First of all, you can't have a New Jack Swing anthem without Teddy being involved.

Anyway, I'm going with "Feels Good." It's just a better song -- love that bassline! Both albums had better singles; for instance, I'd take "The Blues" over both of these.

AlexdeParis said:

the definitive new jack swing anthem is 'poison'. that is the signature new jack swing era uptempo song easily, but these 2 songs being discussed are also big hit new jack anthems as well.

....and even though the four singles from the revival are good and all went number 1 on the billboard R&B charts, they will never touch the four best songs on "house of music",

back to the thread tho, i chose 'feels good' because i also agree that i kinda 'got tired' of motownphilly. don't get me wrong its still the jam and it still gets some play from me, but it doesn't give me the same effect it gave me back in the day while 'feels good' still does.

junebug18 said:

Nope. It HAS to be a Teddy-produced cut:

- Just Got Paid
- Groove Me
- I Wanna

And my vote goes to...

"Groove Me".

MuthaFunka said:

teddy is the inventor and king of new jack swing, but 'i want her', 'groove me' and 'just got paid' are not more definitive songs than 'poison'. everybody knows poison, not everybody knows those songs....just got pad is probably the most known outta those even tho its a one hit wonder,

'remember the time', 'rump shaker' and 'i like' are also some teddy new jack anthems, but again, not more defining than 'poison'.

MuthaFunka said:

teddy is the inventor and king of new jack swing, but 'i want her', 'groove me' and 'just got paid' are not more definitive songs than 'poison'. everybody knows poison, not everybody knows those songs....just got pad is probably the most known outta those even tho its a one hit wonder,

'remember the time', 'rump shaker' and 'i like' are also some teddy new jack anthems, but again, not more defining than 'poison'.

MuthaFunka said:

teddy is the inventor and king of new jack swing, but 'i want her', 'groove me' and 'just got paid' are not more definitive songs than 'poison'. everybody knows poison, not everybody knows those songs....just got pad is probably the most known outta those even tho its a one hit wonder,

'remember the time', 'rump shaker' and 'i like' are also some teddy new jack anthems, but again, not more defining than 'poison'.

I believe that "My Prerogative" is the only true New Jack anthem. People had that crap printed on t-shirts and jackets. Doesn't mean it's the best NJ song ever, but definitely the only one that qualifies as an anthem.

But, as for "Motownphilly" and "Feels Good", I'll take the BIIM cut.

Who sings the other song? Is it Boys II Men, too?

dag said:

Tony! Toni! Toné!

Feels Good by default. The Blues trumps both.

junebug18 said:

Wait? Did you just say nobody knows those 3 songs?

"Groove Me" came BEFORE "Poison" and "Poison" was more "Hip Hop" than anything else.

junebug18 said:

"Poison"? No. If you're talking about influence, I could go with "Groove Me" or "I Want Her." However, if we're talking about popularity and crossover (which you seem to be championing), this is the undisputed winner:


Bobby Brown - My Prerogative
Written by Teddy Riley, Aaron Hall, Gene Griffin, and Bobby Brown
Much bigger than "Poison"

Feels Good by default. The Blues trumps both.

MuthaFunka said:

junebug18 said:


teddy is the inventor and king of new jack swing, but 'i want her', 'groove me' and 'just got paid' are not more definitive songs than 'poison'. everybody knows poison, not everybody knows those songs....just got pad is probably the most known outta those even tho its a one hit wonder,

'remember the time', 'rump shaker' and 'i like' are also some teddy new jack anthems, but again, not more defining than 'poison'.


Wait? Did you just say nobody knows those 3 songs?

"Groove Me" came BEFORE "Poison" and "Poison" was more "Hip Hop" than anything else.
no offense, but i wasn't born yesterday.

i know 'groove me' cam out before poison, groove me... 1988, poison... 1990. just like how 'i want her' came out before both of them in 1987 on the first new jack swing album, and now classic, 'make it last forever'.

i didnt mean it like that. and i said and i quote "NOT EVERYBODY KNOWS THOSE SONGS" i meant 'poison' is more universally known towards the general public than those other two, (and i like 'groove me' more than 'poison', but im being real here)....if someone is not a hardcore new jack swing fan unlike us, chances are they may or may not recognize groove me, but as for 'poison', everybody and they mamma knows it. poison is more likely to be "recognized" towards a general fan of music than groove me, which gives it a larger significance than 'groove me'. groove me is the better song anyways tho, but check it out, i been to so many parties/clubs where a NJS set would play, and you'd always hear 'poison' 'just got paid', 'on our own', (which would tear the club down) and barely or never hear 'groove me'.

MuthaFunka said:

I believe 3T have said as much themselves. Of course, there's a reason it's (arguably) their biggest hit -- with a groove like that, who needs much else?

They made better albums later, but the big 4 singles from The Revival -- "The Blues," "Feels Good," "It Never Rains," and "Whatever You Want" (my favorite) -- are as good as anything they've ever done.

AlexdeParis said:

"Whatever You Want" is my ish to this very day!!! Along with "It Never Rains", those were some hot cuts! Damn I should put this album on right now....

As far as the topic goes, "Motownphilly" and "Feels Good" are neither "New Jack Swing" songs. You can't have the New Jack Swing without Teddy Riley as someone stated earlier. But out of the two, I got to go with 3T....Boys II Men never really impressed me with fast cuts.

missfee said:

Well, no, they are NJS songs. But yes, neither would qualify as NJS anthems.

MuthaFunka said:

and what makes them New Jack Swing songs exactly? Because in my eyes, they definitely are not.

missfee said:

The one thing that usually stands out about a NJS song is the emphasis on the "double-up/triple-up bass thump" in the drum beat that you don't hear in a regular R&B song. That, to me, is the one constant that HAS to be present in a NJS cut. Samples and the whole "swing" sound vibe are usually there as well.

MuthaFunka said:

Well I can respect your opinion on that but I disagree. I don't consider a song to be New Jack Swing unless it has something to do with Teddy Riley. But carry on....

Chill, no one said you were born yesterday. But your claim is purely your opinion. You can't say "Universally" either because that's purely opinion as well. I don't think it's as "well-known" amongst the non-NJS fans as Groove Me is. Now, it may be more POPULAR than Groove Me was - meaning it gets requested more because it has a better hook than Groove Me does and was a bigger hit, but this is all about "anthem" at this point. Thing is, if most people have heard Poison then there's a very strong chance they've heard Groove Me as well, the odds alone tell us that.

MuthaFunka said:

agreed.

hmmmm, i'm thinking of doing another battle thread, maybe a 'new jack era ballads battle' or something....

junebug18 said:

Do it! I'm in .