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: "“In seventh grade I met Chad. That’s 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 wasn’t a part of the group, so I was in The Neptunes and in Surrounded By Idiots at the same time.” 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.
Lose Control
Timbaland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cause we always breakin' the mold
Talkin' bout my baby
We don't need no,
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me down
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me
The way you love me
The way you love me
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
Hey lady
I know it gets hard sometimes
Hey lady
You been gettin' what you want from me
Hey lady
My love is always on the grind
Hey lady
How far I gotta go to reach you
You're all mine
You're alright
I don't mind, no
When I stand
By your side, oh
Talkin' bout my baby
Cause we always breakin' the mold
Talkin' bout my baby
We don't need no,
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me, eh eh
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
I have a bad day
I don't act right
Get up under your skin
I know it ain't right
How I ask you
To give up everything
Boy just stop what you're doin and come and follow me around
Baby, thank you for the second chances
And everything you did to help advance at this
You put up with my shit
How can you be my best?
Boy you really got it goin' on
You're all mine
You're alright
I don't mind, no
When I stand
By your side, oh
Talkin' bout my baby
Cause we always breakin' the mold
Talkin' bout my baby
We don't need no
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me, eh eh
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
You know my girl get the keys with the em's on it
She have the range night, I'm in a Benz mornin'
Bought plenty of ice for them shinin' on your friends moments
I'll give her anything she want if it look good on her
And we be chillin' like a bottle sittin' on the rocks
Shoppin' bags full of cartier forget-me-nots
But money can't buy you love, baby that's a fact
But you can rent some love with a couple stacks
Man I gotta lease nothin', I own one
And every time I hit, she say it's a home run
When asked how can we be serious at so young
I just say I'm in it for the long run
We're talkin' bout my baby
Cause we always breakin' the mold
Talkin' bout my baby
We don't need no
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me down
Got me goin' around
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me, eh eh
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
In Timbaland's song Lose Control, the lyrics express the singer's appreciation for their significant other and how their love is making them "lose control". The repetition of the phrase "the way you love me down" emphasizes the intensity of the love that is being experienced. The singer is proud to talk about their partner, and they describe their relationship as breaking the mold, which could refer to the fact that their love is unique and special. The chorus is catchy and the repetition of the lyrics "The way you love me" followed by "I think I'm losing control" creates a sense of being completely enamored with the love they are experiencing.
The verses of the song are also interesting, as they provide a glimpse into the struggles and challenges that the couple might be facing, such as the singer's bad days and their partner having to put up with their behavior. The lyrics also touch upon the subject of material possessions, with lines such as "money can't buy you love, baby that's a fact, but you can rent some love with a couple stacks." This suggests that the singer understands the importance of love over materialistic things, but also acknowledges the role that money might play in relationships. Overall, Lose Control is a fun and catchy song that celebrates the intensity and uniqueness of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Talkin' bout my baby
I'm talking about the person I'm in love with
Cause we always breakin' the mold
We don't conform to societal norms in our relationship
We don't need no,
We don't need anything else
The way you love me down
The way you show me love
Got me goin' around
It's making me dizzy, but in a good way
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
I feel like I'm losing my grip on this situation, but I don't mind because I trust you
Hey lady
Direct address to the person he's speaking to
I know it gets hard sometimes
I understand that this relationship has its difficulties
You been gettin' what you want from me
I'm giving you everything you need from me to make this work
My love is always on the grind
I'm always working on this relationship
How far I gotta go to reach you
What more do I have to do to prove my love to you
You're all mine
You belong to me
You're alright
You're doing just fine
I don't mind, no
I'm not bothered by anything you do
When I stand
When I'm with you
By your side, oh
Standing next to you
I have a bad day
I'm having a difficult day
I don't act right
I'm not behaving well
Get up under your skin
I'm getting on your nerves
I know it ain't right
I realize that I shouldn't be acting this way
How I ask you
The way I ask you
To give up everything
To sacrifice everything you have for me
Boy just stop what you're doin and come and follow me around
Leave everything you're doing and stay with me for a while
Baby, thank you for the second chances
Thank you for giving me another chance to make things right
And everything you did to help advance at this
Thank you for all the things you've helped me achieve
You put up with my shit
You tolerate my bad behavior
How can you be my best?
How can you be the best thing that's ever happened to me?
Boy you really got it goin' on
Boy, you're really attractive and desirable
You know my girl get the keys with the em's on it
I give my girlfriend the car keys with the Mercedes-Benz emblem on them
She have the range night, I'm in a Benz mornin'
She drives a Range Rover at night, and I drive a Mercedes-Benz in the morning
Bought plenty of ice for them shinin' on your friends moments
I bought lots of expensive jewelry to make you look good in front of your friends
I'll give her anything she want if it look good on her
I'll buy her anything she wants as long as it makes her look good
And we be chillin' like a bottle sittin' on the rocks
We are relaxed together, like a bottle of alcohol on ice
Shoppin' bags full of cartier forget-me-nots
We go shopping and buy expensive jewelry from Cartier
But money can't buy you love, baby that's a fact
I know that love can't be purchased, no matter how much money you have
But you can rent some love with a couple stacks
But you can pay for someone's love and affection temporarily with a lot of money
Man I gotta lease nothin', I own one
I don't have to rent or borrow anything because I own it
And every time I hit, she say it's a home run
Every time I make a move, it's a success with her
When asked how can we be serious at so young
When someone asked us how we can be in such a serious relationship at a young age
I just say I'm in it for the long run
I say that I'm committed to this relationship for the long term
The way you love me, eh eh
The way you love me is amazing
I think, I think, I think I'm losin' control
I feel like I'm losing my grasp on my emotions because of how much I love you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Anthem Entertainment, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: NIKIESHA BRISCOE, TIM MOSLEY, JEROME HARMON, EARL HAYES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind