Songoftheday 3/17/22 -When we hooked up we sat down made an agreement, we vowed that that we'd always be together through whatever...

 

 

"I Don't Wanna" - Aaliyah

from the albums Next Friday (Original Soundtrack) and Romeo Must Die (Original Soundtrack) (both 2000)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #35 (two weeks)

Weeks in the Top-40: 9

 

Today's song comes from the late R&B singer Aaliyah, who had followed up her successful second album on new label Atlantic with an even bigger hit with "Are You That Somebody?" from the movie Dr. Doolittle in the autumn of 1998. After a two-year break, she returned with another song from a film, this time the urban comedy Next Friday, and also would feature in her own starring role in the movie Romeo Must Die. "I Don't Wanna", written by Johnta Austin and Phalon "Jazzy Pha" Alexander along with producers Kevin Hicks and Donnie Scantz, the song has Aaliyah at the crossroads of a break-up, where she tries to convince her partner to stick it out. While the lyrics aren't anything new, she delivers them with passion, and the production is simply delicious, and actually the best thing about the record. The instruments pop in the mix organically and still have enough room for Aaliyah's voice to shine, and damn it does the trick, even compared to the more liked "Are You That Somebody". The song became the second crossover hit from Next Friday, after its own star Ice Cube's "You Can Do It" reached the top-40 in January of 2000...

"I Don't Wanna" became the second pop top-40 hit from Next Friday in March of 2000. The song also climbed to #5 on Billboard magazine's R&B Singles chart, and #22 on their Rhythmic radio format list. Aaliyah will return to this series, with yet another song from Romeo Must Die. 

(7/10)

Up tomorrow: This young singer gives his stamp of approval.