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]
The Floor
Keith Sweat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Get on m
Up on them
Let me see you move it on em [Repeat: x 7]
Get on em
Up on em
Had to switch the program
Tell the d.j that it's time to play a slow jam
Get closer to me girl
Do something to me girl
Come on and choose me girl
I'm right here on this dance floor
When you think of sweat, you think of sex
So d.j play my (shhh), and girl let's get to it
I got what you need
Set your body free
All you need is Keith
I'll bring out the freak floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) do it to you (can't take no more)
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) I know you wanna... oooh
I'm trying to turn you on, and turn you out
Without a doubt, I'm trying to pump it on
Come on and leave this place
I'll take you to my place
And freak you at my place
In the morning girl I'll drive you home
When you think of sweat, you think of sex
So d.j play my (shhh), and girl let's get to it
I got what you need
Set your body free
All you need is Keith
I'll bring out the freak floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) do it to you (can't take no more)
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) I know you wanna... oooh
I just wanna take you back
To when we used to slow dance at the club
Lady's showing love
I just wanna take you back
To when we used to do it, do it, do it to me good old music
Girl and when you
When you think of sweat, you think of sex
So d.j play my (shhh), and girl let's get to it
See I got what you need
Set your body free
All you need is Keith
I'll bring out the freak floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) do it to you (can't take no more)
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) let me see you move it on the dance floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) do it to you (can't take no more)
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
(let me see you move it on em) I know you wanna... oooh
The lyrics to Keith Sweat's "The Floor" are about a man who is watching a woman dance at a club and is trying to seduce her. He asks the DJ to play a slow jam so he can get closer to her and does his best to turn her on with his lyrics. He promises to take her back to his place where he can unleashes his freaky side on her. The lyrics are straightforward, suggestive, and playful, and the beat is a classic R&B track that encourages dancing.
The song's lyrics are famous for their straightforwardness and sexual element, which is typical of songs from the 90s. It's a throwback to the slow, romantic sounds that defined R&B in the early 1990s. Keith Sweat's high-pitched voice, the catchy beat, and simple lyrics make it a classic and a fan favorite. The lyrics of the chorus, "let me see you move it on the floor" are repeated many times throughout the song and encourage dancing and intimacy.
Overall, "The Floor" is a seductive, groovy track that encourages intimacy on the dance floor. Keith Sweat's vocal performance shines, and the beat is a classic mix of 90s R&B with a modern feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Yeah
Acknowledgement or agreement
Get on m
Join me in this activity
Up on them
Let's do this together
Let me see you move it on em [Repeat: x 7]
Show me your dance moves
Get on em
Join me in this activity
Up on em
Let's do this together
Lookin' at your fine
Admiring your physical beauty
Had to switch the program
Changing the course of events
Tell the d.j that it's time to play a slow jam
Requesting for a slow dance song
Get closer to me girl
Come closer to me
Do something to me girl
Make me feel good
Come on and choose me girl
Pick me as your dance partner
I'm right here on this dance floor
I'm ready to dance with you
When you think of sweat, you think of sex
Sweating is synonymous with sex
So d.j play my (shhh), and girl let's get to it
Play my music and let's engage in sexual activity
I got what you need
I have what it takes to satisfy you
Set your body free
Relax and let yourself go
All you need is Keith
I'm the only one who can give you what you need
I'll bring out the freak floor
I'll make sure we engage in wild sexual activity
(let me see you move it on em) on the floor
Dance with me on the dance floor
(let me see you move it on em) do it to you (can't take no more)
Engage in sexual activity until I can't take it anymore
I'm trying to turn you on, and turn you out
I'm trying to arouse you and satisfy you sexually
Without a doubt, I'm trying to pump it on
I'm definitely trying to engage in sexual activity
Come on and leave this place
Let's leave this place
I'll take you to my place
Come to my place with me
And freak you at my place
We'll engage in wild sexual activity at my place
In the morning girl I'll drive you home
I'll make sure you get home safely in the morning
I just wanna take you back
I want to go back to a time when we used to do things together
To when we used to slow dance at the club
To a time when we used to dance slowly at the club
Lady's showing love
Women showing affection
To when we used to do it, do it, do it to me good old music
To a time when we used to engage in sexual activity to good old music
See I got what you need
I have what it takes to satisfy you
Let me see you move it on the dance floor
Dance with me on the dance floor
I know you wanna... oooh
I know you want to engage in sexual activity
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: RILEY, ROBERT LAVALLE HUGGAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind