Songoftheday 8/8/22 - Said I know that things just ain't been right, forever's such a very long time we never even had a fight...

 

 

"Promise" - Jagged Edge

from the album J.E. Heartbreak (1999)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #9 (two weeks)

Weeks in the Top-40: 15

 

Today's song comes from the R&B vocal group Jagged Edge, whose second album J.E. Heartbreak (a nod to idols New Edition) had already scored a pair of top-20 pop crossover hits with "He Can't Love U" and "Let's Get Married" (lead single "Keys To The Range" sadly stiffed, it was better than both of them).  The fourth and final single from the record was the ballad "Promise". Written by members/brothers Brandon and Brian Casey with producer Jermaine Dupri along with Bryan-Michael Cox, Gary Smith, and Lechas Young, the song seems to have them begging a lover to stay with them, even giving up that they've never fought and that her friends are trying to convince her to leave, but tellingly not mentioning whether or not they've cheated. Hmmm. The production just steals the vibe (and most of the melody) of Force MD's 80's hit "Tender Love", with the group giving good vocals with mediocre material...

Nevertheless, "Promise" rewarded Jagged Edge with their first top ten pop hit in March of 2001. The song was their second #1 R&B hit, spending two weeks at the top, while on the radio the song went to #7 on the dance-oriented Rhythmic airplay chart, as well as #12 on the older-skewing Adult R&B format. Internationally, the single went to #2 in Australia as a two-fer with "Let's Get Married". Jagged Edge will be back to the series. 

(4/10)

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Here's the group performing the song live in concert in 2013...

Up tomorrow: This insane rap-rock group went all the way to #1. And then never hit the pop chart again.