The song's original music video was filmed by Keith Ward and released in October 1994. It features Norwood in her tomboy image, dancing in front of a jeep near a forest, flanked by several dancers. "I Wanna Be Down" was performed on several television and award show ceremonies, such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and the 1996 Soul Train Music Awards. It has been performed on almost every one of Norwood's concerts and tours, and is featured (along with its hip-hop remix) on the compilation album The Best of Brandy (2005).
"I Wanna Be Down" was released to positive reaction by contemporary music critics. Its impact on the charts was comparatively large for a debut single: While it spent four weeks on top of the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, it reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100, and the top 20 in Australia and New Zealand. In 1995, a hip hop remix with new vocals from American rappers MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, and Yo-Yo was released.
"I Wanna Be Down" was written by Keith Crouch and Kipper Jones, while production was also handled by the former. Picked by Norwood's record company, Atlantic Records, as the leading single from her debut album, Norwood initially disliked the idea of releasing it as her first offering. "‘I Wanna Be Down’ was interesting", she said in a retrospective interview with Complex magazine in 2012. "I didn’t really get it at first, but I was young and I didn’t really know what worked at radio or what it was. I liked the song, but I just didn’t get it being the first thing that people heard from me." Upon its chart success she changed her mind on their decision however. "[...] Once it was released and I saw why everyone responded to the title phrase, I understood why!"
The original clip for "I Wanna Be Down" was directed by Keith Ward and premiered prior to the single's official release in September 1994. The video portrays Brandy in her tomboy image, dancing in front of a jeep near a forest, flanked by several dancers. Her first video shooting, Norwood called the filming a great experience. “I was so excited about the video", she said. "I got a chance to work with some great people like Frank Gatson. All my friends were in the video. My brother was in the video [...] He was there and we had this little dance, and that became really popular. That was a fun time. I was so excited because my dream was coming through right before my eyes... at the age of 15".
I WANNA BE DOWN
Brandy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The kind of girl that you could be down for
'Cause when I look at you I feel something tell me
That you're the kind of guy that I should make a move on
And if I don't let you know
Then I won't be for real
I could be wrong but I feel
The more I see you
The more that it becomes so true
There ain't no other for me, it's only you
I wanna be down
With what you're going through
I wanna be down (down)
I wanna be down with you (down with you)
No matter the time of day or night
It's true, I wanna be down
I know anybody's gonna be lonely
Without the reason they got someone to care for
Maybe all you need's a shoulder to cry on
If that's a fact then I'll be more
Than you ever could dream of
If all you need is my time
That I got plenty of
I'll dedicate all my love onto you only, baby
I want to stay by your side
Be there to cool you out
And let you know everything will be alright
I wanna be down (down, oh yeah)
With what you're going through
I wanna be down (wanna be down)
I wanna be down with you (with you)
No matter the time of day or night (no matter the time, baby)
It's true, I wanna be down (wanna be, got to be down)
I wanna be down
With what you're going through
I wanna be down (I wanna be)
I wanna be down with you (ayy, I wanna be)
No matter the time of day or night (no matter the time of day or night, it's true)
It's true, I wanna be down (I wanna be down)
Down, down, down
Oh, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah
Down (down), down (down), down
I wanna be down (I wanna be down)
With what you're going through (with only you, my baby)
I wanna be down (I wanna be down)
I wanna be down with you (with only you)
No matter the time of day or night (oh yeah)
It's true, I wanna be down (wanna be, got to be down)
I wanna be down (I wanna be)
With what you're going through (I got to be)
I wanna be down (I wanna be yeah)
I wanna be down with you (down with you, yeah)
No matter the time of day or night
It's true, I wanna be down (I wanna be, yeah, down, oh yeah)
I wanna be down (I wanna be)
With what you're going through (oh, yeah, I wanna be)
I wanna be down (yeah)
I wanna be down with you (down with you)
No matter the time of day or night (when I'm with you)
It's true, I wanna be down (yeah, I wanna be down, yeah, yeah)
I wanna be down (hey, yeah, I wanna be down)
With what you're going through (down, down, down, I gotta to be there)
I wanna be down (down, down, down, yeah)
I wanna be down with you (oh, oh yeah)
No matter the time of day or night (no matter the time)
It's true, I wanna be down (down, down, down, oh)
The song "I Wanna Be Down" by Brandy is a confession of the singer's feelings towards someone she is interested in. The song expresses the desire of the singer to become friends or more with someone she finds attractive. She tells the person that she wants to know them better and be close to them. The song suggests that the singer has feelings that she had not yet shared with the person she is interested in.
The song's chorus reinforces the singer's desire to be present in that person's life, no matter when it is. She wants to be a supporting figure for someone she cares for and be with them during their trying times. She also assures them that she is willing to give up all her time and love for them. The song ends with the singer repeatedly saying that she wants to be down with the person and be present in their lives.
In summary, the song is about someone who wants to be with the person they have feelings for and be there through all their highs and lows.
Line by Line Meaning
I would like to get to know if I could be
I'm interested in finding out if I'm the kind of girl you'd be interested in
The kind of girl that you could be down for
The kind of girl you would be willing to commit to
'Cause when I look at you I feel something tell me
When I look at you, I get a feeling that we could have something special
That you're the kind of guy that I should make a move on
I think you're the kind of guy I should take a chance on and pursue
And if I don't let you know
If I don't tell you how I feel
Then I won't be for real
Then I won't be honest with you or myself
I could be wrong but I feel
I might make a mistake, but I have a strong feeling about you
Like something could be going on
Like there is chemistry between us
The more I see you
The more I get to know you
The more that it becomes so true
The more I realize that my feelings for you are genuine and growing stronger
There ain't no other for me it's only you
I'm certain that you are the one for me
I want to be down
I want to be a part of your life, to connect with you on a deeper level
With what you're going through
To support you and understand the challenges you face
No matter the time of day or night
At any time, under any circumstance
It's true, I want to be down
It's genuine and authentic, I really want to be with you
I know anybody's gonna be lonely
Everyone experiences loneliness at times
Without the reason they got someone to care for
Without the support and love of another person
Maybe all you need's a shoulder to cry on
Perhaps you just need someone to listen and comfort you
If that's a fact then I'll be more
If that's what you need, I'll be there for you even more
Than you ever could dream of
More than you expect or imagine
If all you need is my time
If you just need me to be there for you
That I got plenty of
I have enough time and energy to give you
I'll dedicate all my loving to you only, baby
I want to give you my undivided attention and affection
I want to stay by your side
I want to be there for you always
Be there to cool you out
To calm you down and provide support
And let you know everything will be alright
And reassure you that things will work out in the end
Down, down, down
Getting closer and connecting on a deeper level
I want to be down
I want to be with you
No matter the time of day or night (no matter the time)
I want to be there for you always
With what you're going through
To support you through life's challenges
It's true, I want to be down
I truly want to be with you
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Keith Edward Crouch, Kevin T. Jones
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@percyhomes9544
Bus47rt you too Percy
Fa
Friday percy
Love
Brandy percy you too Percy I love you ❤️ I love you too too yes I love you too Percy I love you too
Brandy percy
Baby I love you I'll let you two 🕑🕝 you 💋 I am so 💋
Bus47rt you 👮 me 3 00 p you too.
Love Percy 15th and Friday and Friday and Saturday I love it I am so
@MICHELE1934
Brandy was the original “it” black girl. She had her own Barbie, tv show, albums, and the first black Cinderella.
@madd2303
Mmm true
@MICHELE1934
Five hundred 20s she’s still around, but even if she wasn’t she’s already made her mark. She made my childhood much more lit.
@savinggrace9844
Yess 🙌🏾🙌🏾
@TheOjore
@Five hundred 20s unfortunately she went thought a horrible involentary manslaughter case where she was in an accident and killed am individual and it really hurt her career 😔
@gaskin7769
♥️💟💝💘💖💗
@tylersazz5
Brandy still one of the most beautiful black women ever
@percyhomes3042
Percy this is down I love you too I love you CD is this down to Jazzie's 2009 baby I love you too much hot Saturday I love you so much I love you too yes yes yes hello this is stepien I'm allergic to baby I love you too see you soon music down IMDb R&B this is another student I want to die I love you too I love you Dance Moms yes ma'am JPM give me Rush JPM IMDb IMDb R&B R&B cctt BBC TV mission listen bcct baby fish stew nobody AC DCT Music City bcct bctt 1 stitches I love you too I love you I love you I love you UC yes yes mam I love you too Beanie Baby Baby daddy died to do allergic to tell you die I love you too I love I love you this month how much is 2 of JPM Jessie yen games VPN hello hello hell no Felicia this is me I love you too maybe touch the other day hump day Hot Skates see you Saturday near me champion cities near me I love you too emergency this morning yes man I love you too
@keepondjw
Those eyes
@keepondjw
And smile and so on