Keith Sweat was born in Harlem, New York City, to Juanita Thompson, a hairdresser, and Charles Sweat, a factory worker. After Charles Sweat's passing in 1973, Juanita raised their five kids by herself. He worked as a night stock boy at Macy's Department Store, and then a mail room clerk at Paine Webber, a brokerage firm. In just four years he worked his way up to a lucrative brokerage assistant job on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.[2] Sweat also worked as a supervisor for the New York Mercantile Exchange.[1]
Sweat started his musical career as a member of a Harlem band called Jamilah in 1975.[3] With the help of Jamilah, Sweat was able to hone his craft as a lead singer by performing regionally throughout the tri-State area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The group was started by bassist Larry Peoples, guitarist Michael Samuels, and drummer Walter Bradley.[citation needed]
After leaving the group in 1984 to begin a solo career, he sang at nightclubs throughout New York City and landed a chance to record for the independent label, Stadium Records. Sweat recorded only two tunes for Stadium, "Lucky Seven", and "My Mind Is Made Up", which was their third and fourth ever release, but on Stadium's first release, he is credited as co-writer and co-producer of "You Are the One for Me", the last recording ever made by the group GQ. One of GQ's original members is his uncle, Keith "Sabu" Crier.
Later in 1987, Keith Sweat was discovered by Vincent Davis and offered a recording contract with his label, Vintertainment Records, which was founded in 1983 on the foundations of early Hip-Hop and otherwise best known for releasing Joeski Love's "Pee Wee's Dance" in 1985. Vintertainment was distributed by Elektra Records from 1985 until it ceased operations in 1990. On November 24, 1987, Sweat released his debut solo studio album Make It Last Forever, which sold three million copies. The biggest hit from this album was the song that inaugurated the new jack swing era "I Want Her"[5] (No. 1 R&B & No. 5 Pop), which was nominated for the 1989 Soul Train Best R&B/Urban Contemporary Song of the Year award, while the title track from the album hit No. 2 on the R&B charts. Sweat reached the charts again with his second album I'll Give All My Love to You (1990) which hit No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart. He released his third album, Keep It Comin' in 1991, which debuted in the Top 20 of the album chart. He produced soul singer Omar Chandler.
In 1992, Sweat discovered the group Silk, and helped craft their debut album, Lose Control, which hit No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart.[6]
The album's single "Freak Me" hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 1, 1993. In 1993, Sweat discovered the Atlanta-based female R&B group Kut Klose. Sweat also produced the group's debut album Surrender, which produced their biggest hit single "I Like", peaking to No. 8 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.
Sweat released his fourth album Get Up on It in the summer of 1994, and his self-titled fifth album in 1996. Both albums reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. The single co/produced and written by Eric McCaine "Twisted" featuring R&B group Kut Klose hit No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and "Nobody" hit No. 3, which made them Sweat's biggest hits to date. "Just A Touch" was a cover of the 1979 song "Just a Touch of Love" by Slave. He produced R&B group Dru Hill in 1996.
In the fall of 1997, Sweat discovered the group Ol' Skool and helped with their self-titled debut. He was on their biggest single, "Am I Dreaming", which featured the R&B group Xscape. Sweat also formed the R&B supergroup LSG with Gerald Levert and Johnny Gill, and released their self-titled debut album Levert.Sweat.Gill in 1997.[7] That album featured "My Body", which became a hit single. The album was certified double platinum and reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard 200.
Sweat's sixth album, Still in the Game was released in 1998, hitting No. 6 on the Billboard 200, and No. 2 on the R&B/Hip Hop albums chart. It featured the singles "Come and Get With Me" (which featured Snoop Dogg) (No. 12 Hot 100) and "I'm Not Ready" (No. 16 Hot 100). Sweat's success on the charts started to diminish in 2000, when he released the album Didn't See Me Coming. None of the singles from the album reached the top forty.
On August 13, 2002, Keith Sweat released his eighth album, Rebirth. The single "One on One" reached No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 44 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.His 2008 album Just Me included the single, "Love U Better (featuring Keyshia Cole)". Sweat is currently signed to Kedar Records and released his tenth studio album entitled Ridin' Solo on June 22, 2010. The lead single taken from the album is "Test Drive" and featured label-mate Joe. Since 2007, Sweat has been the host of a nationally syndicated radio program based upon the Quiet storm format. The Keith Sweat Hotel (known as The Quiet Storm with Keith Sweat on WBLS in New York City) is syndicated through Premiere Radio Networks.[8]
Sweat is also the host of a nationally syndicated radio show called The Sweat Hotel, which I s produced and distributed to urban adult contemporary and classic soul radio stations across the U.S. by Premiere Networks, a subsidiary of iHeartMedia, Inc.[9]
Twisted
Keith Sweat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You got to make your mind up
Yeah
Kut Klose, help me out
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted over you
(I know I got what you need) I got what you need right here baby
(So what you wanna do?)
Baby, baby I know
Baby I love you so
But you don't feel like I do
Tell me what can I do
(But I gotta be strong) but I gotta be strong
(Did me wrong) girl you did me wrong
(When I thought we were really down) I thought we were down
(So you say you want me) now you say you want me girl
(Make up your mind) ooh make up your mind
('Cause I'm not gonna be here for long) I'm not gonna be here for long
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted over you
(I know I got what you need) I got what you need right here baby
(So what you wanna do?)
Baby, baby in time (baby in time)
Baby I know you'll find (I know you'll find)
That what you needed was here (oh no no, no no no)
Think about it my dear
(But I gotta be strong) but I gotta be strong
(Did me wrong) girl you did me wrong
(When I thought we were really down) I thought we were down
(So you say you want me) now you say you want me girl
(Make up your mind) ooh make up your mind
('Cause I'm not gonna be here for long) I'm not gonna be here for long
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted baby
(I know I got what you need) I got everything you need tonight
(So what you wanna do?)
Break it on down
You got me twisted thinking about the way that things use to be
When it was you and me girl I was so free, see
You had my heart from the start like Cupid
And I was just downright foolish and stupid
But now I know the reason for the pain and the headaches
You left me all alone now I can't even concentrate
I guess I'll wait for the day until you come back
Because my heart is where your love is at
You got me twisted
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted baby
(I know I got what you need) I got everything you need tonight
(So what you wanna do?) What are you gonna do baby?
(You know you want my lovin') you know, I can make you feel real good if you let me baby
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted baby
(I know I got what you need) I got everything you need tonight
(So what you wanna do?) What are you gonna do baby?
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted baby
(I know I got what you need) I got everything you need tonight
In Keith Sweat's song "Twisted," the singer is expressing his feelings of being twisted over a woman who he loves deeply. The lyrics question the woman's love and commitment to him, prompting her to make a decision to either stay with him or let him go. The melody is hauntingly smooth and slow with lyrics that flow seamlessly, making it the perfect romantic love song with a hint of a broken heart.
The chorus of "Twisted" is catchy and memorable, with the line "you got me twisted over you" being a phrase many fans can easily remember. Keith Sweat's soulful voice, combined with the harmonies of Kut Klose, make the song a classic R&B hit. The verses convey the nostalgic feelings of heartbreak and the longing for a past love. The song's lyrics speak to relationships and love, conveying the ups and downs of being deeply in love and having your heart broken. The lyrics take listeners on a journey of love, loss, and self-doubt, all expressed through the smooth, soulful sound of Keith Sweat's voice.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh yeah baby
Introduction to the song with a seductive tone
You got to make your mind up
Asking the girl to make a decision about their relationship
Kut Klose, help me out
Referring to the backup singers for support
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
Assuming the girl wants his love and companionship
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted over you
The girl is causing him emotional turmoil
(I know I got what you need) I got what you need right here baby
Confident that he can satisfy the girl's needs
(So what you wanna do?)
Asking the girl what decision she has made about their relationship
Baby, baby I know
Affirming his affection for the girl
Baby I love you so
Declaring his love for the girl
But you don't feel like I do
Not reciprocating his feelings
Tell me what can I do
Asking for a solution to their problem
(But I gotta be strong) but I gotta be strong
Acknowledging the need to move on if the girl doesn't feel the same
(Did me wrong) girl you did me wrong
Feeling betrayed by the girl
(When I thought we were really down) I thought we were down
Thinking the relationship was going well
(So you say you want me) now you say you want me girl
The girl's feelings seem to be conflicting
(Make up your mind) ooh make up your mind
Reiterating the need for her to decide
('Cause I'm not gonna be here for long) I'm not gonna be here for long
Giving the girl a deadline to make her decision
Baby, baby in time (baby in time)
Hoping she'll change her mind eventually
Baby I know you'll find (I know you'll find)
Having faith in the girl to make the right choice
That what you needed was here (oh no no, no no no)
Realizing that he was what she needed all along
Think about it my dear
Asking the girl to consider their relationship
(You got me twisted thinking about the way that things use to be
Reflecting on their past relationship
When it was you and me girl I was so free, see
Remembering the good times they had together
You had my heart from the start like Cupid
She's the one who captured his heart
And I was just downright foolish and stupid
Feeling stupid for being so in love with her
But now I know the reason for the pain and the headaches
Realizing that being in an uncertain relationship caused him much pain
You left me all alone now I can't even concentrate
Suggesting that he's unable to function without her
I guess I'll wait for the day until you come back
Still hoping for her return
Because my heart is where your love is at
Assuring her that he still loves her
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
Repeating his assertion that she wants his love
(So what you wanna do?) What are you gonna do baby?
Asking the girl to make a choice
(You know, I can make you feel real good if you let me baby)
Suggesting that he can satisfy her physical needs as well
(I got everything you need tonight) I got everything you need tonight
Offering to give her everything she wants
(You know you want my lovin') you know you want my lovin' baby
Reiterating his belief that she wants his love
(You got me twisted over you) girl you got me twisted baby
Concluding that she's causing him emotional turmoil
(I know I got what you need) I got everything you need tonight
Repeating that he can give her everything she wants
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Sweat, Lavonn Battle, Tabitha Duncan, Athena Cage, Eric Whitney Mc Caine, Odell Brown, Marvin Gaye, David Ritz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind