Timbaland is similar to producers such as Norman Whitfield in that he helped to redefine the sound of an entire genre of music with an immediately recognizable production style. The songs he produces feature unusual arrangements, sounds, and instrumentation, tied together by a trademark sense of rhythm. Like Spector and Whitfield, Timbaland's production sometimes overshadows the credited performer and becomes the actual "star" of the song. With songwriters Steve "Static" Garrett and childhood friend Missy Elliott, Timbaland has helped to create some of the most successful songs in modern pop music and urban music, including singles for Aaliyah, Ginuwine, SWV, Total, and 702.
Mosley grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, where he became acquainted with Missy Elliott and Melvin Barcliff, whose MC name was "Magoo." Originally a disc jockey known as "DJ Timmy Tim," Mosely began making hip-hop backing tracks on a Casio keyboard he owned. In 1993 Elliott heard his material and, taken by Mosley's unique sense of rhythm, immediately began working with him.
Elliott and her girl group Sista auditioned for DeVante Swing, producer and member of successful R&B act Jodeci. Devante signed Sista to his Swing Mob label, and Elliott brought Mosely and Barcliff along with her. Mosely began working under Devante, who renamed the young producer Timbaland, after the Timberland boot popular in hip-hop fashion.
Sista and Timbaland & Magoo became part of Devante's stable of Swing Mob signees known as "Da Bassment" crew, joining artists and groups such as male singer Ginuwine, male vocal group Playa, and girl group Sugah. Timbaland did production work on a number of projects with Devante, including the 1995 Jodeci LP The Show, The After-Party, The Hotel, and Sista's debut LP, which was shevled and never saw release.
Timbaland was also friends with Pharrell Williams, and had dabbled in projects with him as S.B.I., or Surrounded By Idiots. Pharrell recalls in an interview: "βIn seventh grade I met Chad. Thatβs twenty years ago by now. Like I said earlier, we started producing beats together. But then again, I also played with this famous group which consisted of Timbaland, Magoo, myself and some other guy. Chad wasnβt a part of the group, so I was in The Neptunes and in Surrounded By Idiots at the same time.β A few tracks produced by the group float around on the internet, the most distributed being "Big White Spaceship".
In 1995, most of Devante's acts broke their ties with the producer and went their own ways. Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo, Playa, and Ginuwine continued to collaborate, and began working on individual projects of their own. Elliott began receiving recognition as a songwriter and guest artist for artists such as 702 and MC Lyte, and Timbaland was sometimes assigned to produce remixes of Elliott-penned songs. One of these, the remix to 702's "Steelo" in 1996, became Timbaland's first important production credit.
Also in 1996, Ginuwine released his debut album, Ginuwine...the Bachelor, which was produced entirely by Timbaland. The album was both a commercial and critical success, and its first single, "Pony," was the first example of what would later become the signature Timbaland sound.
The track for "Pony," which Timbaland had created two years prior during the Swing Mob days, was characterized by a shifting, syncopated rhythm, similar to samba or jungle music, which used snare and kick hits on typically non-accented beats in the measure. Stuttering high-hats typical of southern bass music accompanied the basic drum sounds, which were, unusual for hip-hop and R&B of this period, severely gated to create short, strong sounds. This use of the "short snare" is in marked contrast to the "long snare" sound in New Wave music in the 1980s, which featured a heavily amplified, almost white noise snare drum put through reverb. Accompanying the unusual rhythm were melody lines created by playing odd sound effects (vocal effects and cartoon slide whistles) through a sampling keyboard. The other tracks on Ginuwine...the Bachelor also featured similar production and arrangements. On many of the tracks, Timbaland can be heard either rapping or providing ad-libs, similar to what both Elliott and Puff Daddy where doing at the time; Timbaland's deep voice was usually vocoded to give it an electronic sound.
While work was being completed on Ginuwine...the Bachelor, R&B artist Aaliyah contracted Timbaland and Missy Elliott to write and produce most of her second album, One In A Million. The tracks that were crafted for Aaliyah featured innovative arrangements similar to those on Ginuwine...the Bachelor. One In A Million went on to sell over two million copies, and made superstars out of not only Aaliyah, but Elliott and Timbaland as well.
Elliott and Timbaland became one of the most successful and prolific songwriting/production teams of the late-1990s. By the end of the decade, Timbaland's sound had been heard in records from artists such as SWV, Destiny's Child, Nicole Wray, Jay-Z, Nas. Most of his production work during this period was reserved for his original stable of collaborators: two Missy Elliott albums (Supa Dupa Fly and Da Real World), a second effort by Ginuwine (100% Ginuwine), and Playa's debut album (Cheers 2 U). Timbaland produced much (if not all) of the material on many of their albums during this period, and also made two albums of his own: one with Magoo, and one solo album. Timbaland's own raps, which were usually ghostwritten by Elliott, Magoo, or his younger brother Garland Mosley (AKA Sebastian), were almost always accompanied by other MCs, including his main collaborators and numerous guest artists.
Timbaland spawned a plethora of imitators, some of which went as far as to sample sections of his work to create similar-sounding tracks. The popularity of the "Timbaland sound" marked a shift in hip-hop music from rougher, sample-based tracks to simpler, more synthetic musical accompainiment (unlike many hip-hop producers, Timbaland rarely sampled older records; most of his tracks were crafted by him and his in-house band). Since Timbaland worked in both hip-hop and R&B and often combined elements of one in tracks for the other, his work aided the blending together of the two genres, which became less and less distinct during the first half of the 2000s.
Foreign, especially Asian, instrumentation is present through much of his early work (Xscape's "My Secret" remix, especially, with a rollicking sitar outro and Timbaland ad-libbing "Let's take a little trip...to India"), but was most successful and prevalent with Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" (1999), which borrowed directly from the song "Khosara" by Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi. Missy Elliott's 2001 hit single, "Get Ur Freak On" from her third album, Miss E...So Addictive, was also likewise a smash, using a speedy dhol drumline typical of Bhangra. His borrowing from these cultures has resulted in mixed reactions, with many critics embracing his musical adventurousness and eclecticism and more esoteric, purist factions reacting catiously, and sometimes negatively. In an interview with Missy Elliott in RayGun Magazine, he mentioned a diverse base of influences, from UK Drum 'N Bass to Garage.
Timbaland-produced songs such as Ludacris' "Roll Out (My Business)," Jay-Z's "Hola' Hovito," Petey Pablo's "Raise Up," and Beck's "Diamond Dogs" were recorded and released during this period, and he contributed to Limp Bizkit's 2001 remix album, New Old Songs. He also contributed three songs--all eventually released as singles--to Aaliyah's self-titled third album.
Timbaland & Magoo's second album together, Indecent Proposal, had been scheduled for release in November 2000, and was to feature appearances by Beck, Aaliyah, and new Timbaland proteges--some of whom were signed to his new Beat Club Records imprint--Ms. Jade, Sebastian, Petey Pablo, and Tweet (who was a member of Sugah during the Swing Mob days). The album was delayed until for an entire year, finally being released the following November, and was a commercial disappointment. Beck's vocals for the track "I Am Music" were not included on the final released version, which instead featured Timbaland singing alongside Static (Steven Garrett) of Playa and Aaliyah, who had been killed in a plane crash three months before the release of the album. The loss of Aaliyah deeply affected Timbaland, whose work was less omnipresent after 2001.
The first release on Beat Club was the debut album by Caucasian MC Bubba Sparxxx in October 2002, Dark Days, Bright Nights. Timbaland contributed three tracks to Tweet's debut album, Southern Hummingbird, and produced most of Missy Elliott's fourth and fifth LPs, Under Construction and This Is Not A Test! He also produced hit singles and album tracks for artists such as Li'l Kim ("The Jump Off") and Pastor Troy during this period. Collaborating with Scott Storch, Timbaland also produced a number of tracks on former *NSYNC lead singer Justin Timberlake's solo debut, Justified, including the hit single "Cry Me a River".
Late in 2003, Timbaland delivered the second Bubba Sparxxx album, Deliverance, and the third Timbaland & Magoo album, Under Construction, Part II. Both albums were released to little fanfare or acclaim even though Deliverance was praised by reviews and embraced by the internet community.
Timbaland continues to produce hit singles and albums for artists; in 2004 Timbaland-produced singles by LL Cool J, Xzibit, and Jay-Z became staples on urban radio, and he produced the bulk of Brandy's fourth album, Afrodisiac. New songs from artists such as Tweet and The Game are set for release in 2005.
2005 saw Timbaland producing a song on Tweet and The Game's albums ("Steer" and "Put You on The Game" respectively). He also produced 2 songs on Missy Elliott's 6th album (The Cookbook), "Joy" featuring Mike Jones and "Partytime."
Timbaland started his new label, Mosely Music Group, once again under Interscope. On the label are singers Nelly Furtado and Keri Hilson, and rapper D.O.E. Timbaland's parternship and mentorship of upcoming producer Nate "Danjahandz" Hills is evident in Timbaland's rejuvination in music.
Furtado looks to have her third album, Loose, released under MMG with in the first half of 2006 with Hilson's debut following shortly after. Timbaland is also slated to work with Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff as well as albums by Jamie Foxx, JC Chasez, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Ludacris, Chingy, Chilli of TLC, Tweet, and a lot more.
In 2006, Timbaland produced songs "Promiscuous" "My love" and "Sexyback" topped the charts for over fourteen weeks. In 2007, the tracks "Say It Right" and "What Goes Around" also topped the charts. The year 2007 also saw the release of his album "Timbaland presents Shock Value" which featured Fall Out Boy, The Hives, Elton John, Nicole Scherzinger, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Missy Elliot, Sebastian (his brother), Keri Hilson, Money, Attitude, and Jim Beanz.
Long Way Down
Timbaland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You never know where the open road will lead you to
I crawl before I walk, still got nowhere fast
The other side still has the greener grass
Oh, you win some and you loose some yeah
Oh, and things look so much smarter from up there
I hear it's such a long way down
I hear it's such a long way down
And the climb back up is just something I can do without
Something I can do without
I walked until I didn't have no energy
I bought until I didn't have no bite left in me
I died so that I didn't have to live in the past
But the other side still had the greener grass
Oh, you win some and you loose some yeah
Oh, and things look so much smarter from up there
I hear it's such a long way down
And the climb back up ain't as easy as it sounds
I hear it's such a long way down
And the climb back up is just something I can do without
Something I can do without
Put your hands up yeah, Put your hands up yeah
Put your hands up yeah, Something I can do without
I hear it's such a long way down
And the climb back up ain't as easy as it sounds
I hear it's such a long way down
And the climb back up is just something I can do without
Just something I can do without, oh yeah
Something I can do without, Something I can do without
Something I can do without, Something I can do without
Something I can do without, Something I can do without
Something I can do without, out, out, out, that's it
The lyrics of Timbaland's "Long Way Down" seem to be about a journey of self-discovery and the realization that sometimes the things you think you want aren't as great as you thought they would be. The singer talks about traveling all around the world to be with someone, but realizing that the other side still has the greener grass, suggesting that he is still unsatisfied. He also talks about crawling before he walks and getting nowhere fast, indicating that he has been struggling with something, perhaps his career or personal life.
The singer then says "I hear it's such a long way down/And the climb back up ain't as easy as it sounds." Here, the "long way down" could refer to hitting rock bottom, while the climb back up suggests a possible journey towards self-improvement. However, the singer seems hesitant to make this climb, saying he can do without it. He also mentions walking until he had no energy and buying until he had no bite left in him, suggesting that he has been searching for something, but hasn't found it yet.
Overall, the lyrics of "Long Way Down" appear to be about the struggle to find contentment and the realization that sometimes what you think you want isn't actually what will bring you happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Traveled all around the world to be with you
I went through great lengths and distances to be with you
You never know where the open road will lead you to
You can never predict which direction life will take you
I crawl before I walk, still got nowhere fast
I take baby steps and progress slowly, but I don't seem to be getting anywhere
The other side still has the greener grass
Things always seem better on the other side
Oh, you win some and you loose some yeah
Life has its ups and downs
Oh, and things look so much smarter from up there
It's easy to see things clearly when you're not in the middle of them
I hear it's such a long way down
I've heard that hitting rock bottom is a long and difficult journey
And the climb back up ain't as easy as it sounds
Recovering from a low point is not a simple task
And the climb back up is just something I can do without
I'd rather not experience the struggle of getting back up
I walked until I didn't have no energy
I kept trying until I was completely drained
I bought until I didn't have no bite left in me
I pursued things until I could no longer put forth any effort
I died so that I didn't have to live in the past
I let go of my past self in order to move forward
Put your hands up yeah, Put your hands up yeah
Raise your hands in agreement
Something I can do without
I don't need that in my life
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAMES DAVID WASHINGTON, J BARNES, TIMOTHY MOSLEY, LESLIE HARMON, B CRADDOCK, J PAUL, J STEELY, C DAUGHTRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@braytonanderson3870
this has got to be one of the most underrated hits of all time
Daughtry really did justice on this one
@kolbyhoward
The way Timbaland manipulates his voice is tandem with the beat is excellence. Daughtry really made me a fan after the passionate verse and chorus! Timbo is forever a mastermind with sound.
@CemCemil-ln9ke
Absolutely
@shaunsidaway1986
Still listening in 2020. Still a great song. Hard to believe someone like timberland would collaborate with a band like Daughtry it's amazing.
@TJREDZ85
This song should have been on the radio
@michaelyoung7171
I agree
@steveprophete3046
Timbaland is a music genius, the music he produce are not from this world!!! Daughtry is very powerful in the delivery of every single song! Great music was made here yawl!!!
@ThilinaBlyz
Flashes after a decade. Big time underrated!
@ThilinaBlyz
I still haven't met a single person in real world who knows this track!
@tyronetolentino
@@ThilinaBlyz Same here, lol. I feel like Shock Value II was highly overlooked compared to the first.