Songoftheday 5/23/23 - Never thought that we would ever be more than friends, now I'm all confused 'cause for you I have deeper feelings...

 

 

"Halfcrazy" - Musiq (Soulchild)

from the album Juslisen (2002)

Billboard Hot 100 peak: #16 (two weeks)

Weeks in the Top-40: 18

 

Today's song comes from neo-soul singer Taalib Hassan Johnson, who released his debut album under the alias Musiq Soulchild in Aijuswanaseing in 2000, and from the set scored two top ten R&B hits that crossed over to the top-40 on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 with "Just Friends (Sunny)" and "Love".  When he came back with his sophomore effort Juslisen in 2002, Musiq dropped the "Soulchild" (it would return later on). The lead single from the record was "Halfcrazy", which he wrote with producers Carvin Haggins and Ivan Barias. The song used as a foundation a sample of a track from a French film from 1967, "Vivre Pour Vivre", giving composer Francis Lai a writing credit. (This is the second SOTD in a row using a sample from a foreign movie, but Musiq was smart enough to get the rights.) Here's Lai's title track from the movie...

For "Halfcrazy", the producers interpolate the intro to "Vivre Pour Vivre" to kick off the story, which has Musiq finding himself after breaking the "friendzone" and becoming conflicted on his feelings. Instead of wanting to continue the relationship, he wants his "friend" back. But as the music video more clearly illustrates, it's all an illusion (hence the song title)...

"Halfcrazy" became Musiq's third and biggest hit on Billboard magazine's Hot 100 in July of 2002, while spending 43 weeks on their R&B chart with one at #2 (it was that year's third biggest R&B hit according to the trade bible). On the radio, it spent a month on the older-skewing Adult R&B format, and hit #30 on the dance-oriented Rhythmic list. The Juslisen album, released in May of that year, went to #1 on both the Billboard 200 sales tally and the R&B Albums chart for a week each. At the Grammy Awards in 2003, "Halfcrazy" earned Musiq his second nomination for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, losing to Usher's "U Don't Have To Call". Juslisen was also up for Best R&B Album, which India.Arie took home for Voyage To India. 

Both Musiq and the album will return to the series.

(6/10)

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Here's Musiq appearing on The Tonight Show to promote the album...

 Up next, in concert performing "Halfcrazy"...

 

and lastly, live at the VH1 studio...

Up tomorrow: Country newcomer contemplates divinity.