Early career
He was born Francisco Javier Bautista (a.k.a. Frankie J.) in Tijuana and raised in San Diego from the age of 2. He comes from a musical background with his father being the lead singer of a traditional band. Frankie J grew up listening to both traditional Latin music as well as R&B. He attended Southwest High School (San Diego, CA) for his high school years.
As a teenager, he started listening to freestyle music by Lisa Lisa, Brenda K. Starr and George Lamond. He started writing his own songs and singing in the same falsetto style as Lamond. At 15, he signed a contract with a Canadian independent label working as Frankie Boy and recorded songs which failed to achieve any success. In 1997, he signed with Jellybean Benitez.
In the late 1990s, he joined Kumbia Kings and was a member of that successful Latin group touring throughout Latin America. The group played in front of 100,000 people in a concert in Monterrey, Mexico.
Frankie's ambitions were always directed to the American pop-music markets. In 2002 He approached Los Kumbia Kings mangement in an attempt to secure record deal as a solo-artist. He proposed that they record, promote, and market him to the "MTV" market. A vastly diffent music culture then what Los Kumbia Kings made their name in, but Management declined, citing the risky investment. Frankie then shopped demos to an array of record companies, and garnered a tremendous amount of interest, but his contract with The Kumbia Kings would prove to be a problem.
Frankie asked to be his released from his Kumbia Kings contract, but they declined. Frankie bolted from the group anyway, but soon found himself in court over the matter. Lawsuits were filed from both sides, and eventually settled out of court. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
Solo Career
Frankie J signed as a solo artist with Columbia Records and released his first album What's A Man To Do in 2003 which failed to chart. His self-titled first Spanish-language album was released later in the same year. The single "Don't Wanna Try" peaked in the top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Chart, while "Ya No Eres Igual" was top 10 on the World Latin charts.
He collaborated with Baby Bash, a relative, on another pop hit called "Suga Suga" which reached #1 in New Zealand in 2004 and was a top 10 hit in the US and Australia in the same year. Frankie J worked with a number of wellknown producers on The One including Irv Gotti of Murder Inc. on the title track. Mario Winans on a track called "Just Can't Say It's Love". The first single "Obsession (No Es Amor)" featuring Baby Bash has been a big hit on the US pop charts reaching the top 5 in April 2005. The One was released in the US in April 2005 and debuted at #3 on both the Billboard 200 chart. The follow-up singles "How To Deal" and "More Than Words" (released in conjunction with a DualDisc re-release of The One) continued the album's route to platinum sales. However, the fourth and final single, the title track featuring 3LW garnered few spins at radio.
Jermaine Dupri & Mannie Fresh are among two of the big producers for Frankie's next English studio album which will be released in the 4th quarter of 2006. The untitled album's first single will be "That Girl" which was produced by Mannie Fresh and features both Mannie Fresh and rapper Slim Thug. A version which excludes Slim Thug and replaces him with Chamillionaire exists and can be found online and on the official promo cds.
Frankie J's second Spanish-language album "Un Nuevo Dia" has already been released.
#1 Fan
Frankie J Lyrics
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She's about 5'6, no doubt she's sexy, yeah
She just stepped up in the club
Right across the way from me
Shorty got me checking for her
I don't know a thing about this girl, this girl
But I know she's something serious, yeah, huh
But I gotta have her yeah, yo
And then I said
Can I get your number please
Would you spend time with me
Girl I saw you when you caught my eye
And I really want to know ya
Saw you when you first stepped in
And then I knew right there and then
Baby it's the way you make me feel
I'm your number one fan
Now I done seen a lot of things
But I never seen a girl so perfect for me
So it's time for me to do the do
Tell her what she does to me
Feeling so much pressure
But I gotta make my move oh,
I don't know a thing about this girl, this girl
But I know she's something serious, yeah, huh
Don't want to push up on her too fast
But I gotta have her yeah, yo
So I had to say
Can I get your number please
Would you spend time with me
Girl I saw you when you caught my eye
And I really want to know ya
Saw you when you first stepped in
And then I knew right there and then
Baby it's the way you make me feel
I'm your number one fan
She's like my favorite thing
Nothing I've ever seen
She's like them girls in the magazines
If she'd take a chance with me
I'd give her everything yeah
I'm telling you that she is the one, for me
Whoa
Can I get your number please
Would you spend time with me
Girl I saw you when you caught my eye
And I really want to know ya
Saw you when you first stepped in
And then I knew right there and then
Baby it's the way you make me feel
I'm your number one fan
In the song "The One," Frankie J sings about a girl he sees in the club who catches his eye and immediately becomes the object of his affection. He describes her physical appearance as being 5'6 and sexy and admits that he knows nothing about her, but he feels a strong connection to her nonetheless. He doesn't want to come on too strongly but declares that he has to have her in his life. He asks for her number and expresses a desire to spend time with her, making it clear that she is the one for him.
The song is a classic example of a love-at-first-sight scenario. Frankie J's lyrics capture the instant infatuation that can happen when two people's eyes meet across a crowded room. He is drawn to the girl's physical beauty but also feels a deeper emotional connection that he cannot explain. As he sings about wanting to get to know her better and spend time with her, it becomes clear that his desire is not just physical but also emotional.
The chorus is a repetition of the lines "Can I get your number please / Would you spend time with me / Girl I saw you when you caught my eye / And I really want to know ya / Saw you when you first stepped in / And then I knew right there and then / Baby it's the way you make me feel / I'm your number one fan." The lyrics reinforce the idea that Frankie J is willing to do whatever it takes to get to know this girl better and that he is already smitten.
Line by Line Meaning
There's this girl I saw
Introducing a girl that caught the singer's attention.
She's about 5'6, no doubt she's sexy, yeah
Describing the girl as tall and attractive.
She just stepped up in the club
Noticing that the girl recently arrived at the club.
Right across the way from me
Pointing out that the girl is located near the singer.
Shorty got me checking for her
Admitting the singer has started to develop an interest in the girl.
I don't know a thing about this girl, this girl
Acknowledging that the singer doesn't know anything about the girl.
But I know she's something serious, yeah, huh
Feeling that the girl is special and worth pursuing.
Don't want to push up on her too fast
Not wanting to come on too strong and scare the girl away.
But I gotta have her yeah, yo
Expressing the singer's strong desire to get to know the girl.
And then I said
Transitioning into the chorus of the song.
Can I get your number please
Politely asking the girl for her phone number.
Would you spend time with me
Requesting that the girl give the singer a chance to get to know her better.
Girl I saw you when you caught my eye
Referencing the moment the girl caught the singer's attention.
And I really want to know ya
Expressing the singer's genuine interest in getting to know the girl.
Saw you when you first stepped in
Remembering the moment the girl first entered the club.
And then I knew right there and then
Realizing that the girl was the one for the singer.
Baby it's the way you make me feel
Describing the intense feelings the singer has for the girl.
I'm your number one fan
Assuring the girl that the singer is completely smitten with her.
Now I done seen a lot of things
Reflecting on the singer's past experiences.
But I never seen a girl so perfect for me
Comparing the girl to others the singer has encountered and feeling that she is the best match.
So it's time for me to do the do
Deciding that it's time for the singer to make a move on the girl.
Tell her what she does to me
Expressing the strong impact the girl has had on the singer.
Feeling so much pressure
Admitting that the situation is nerve-wracking and intense for the singer.
But I gotta make my move oh,
Determined to take action despite the pressure.
She's like my favorite thing
Comparing the girl to something the singer loves.
Nothing I've ever seen
Feeling that the girl is completely unique and special.
She's like them girls in the magazines
Comparing the girl to models and celebrities in magazines.
If she'd take a chance with me
Considering the possibility that the girl might be interested in the singer.
I'd give her everything yeah
Promising to give the girl everything the singer has to offer.
I'm telling you that she is the one, for me
Announcing that the singer feels that the girl is the perfect match.
Whoa
An exclamation to show the singer's excitement and enthusiasm.
Can I get your number please
Repeating the request for the girl's phone number.
Would you spend time with me
Repeatedly asking for a chance to get to know the girl better.
Girl I saw you when you caught my eye
Reiterating the moment the girl caught the singer's attention.
And I really want to know ya
Continuing to express the singer's strong interest in getting to know the girl better.
Saw you when you first stepped in
Recalling the moment the girl first arrived at the club.
And then I knew right there and then
Continuing to emphasize the intensity of the singer's feelings for the girl.
Baby it's the way you make me feel
Repeating the description of how the girl makes the singer feel.
I'm your number one fan
Reiterating the idea that the singer is completely in love with the girl.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALI ROGERS, ANTOINE TATUM, DAVE MCPHERSON, GASNER ALLEN HUGHES, TONYATTA P. MARTINEZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind