Marcus' Old School Jam of the Week #4: The First Night by Monica

Originally posted March 21st, 2009

This week's song is a song that I kind of forgot existed. But 10 years later, I was happy to discover that it in fact WAS something. Perhaps it's a bit strange to make this of all songs the first actual up-tempo to be featured, but there is something very charming about its repeated choruses and over-strained bridge that makes me little 90s heart smile. Let's take a look at Monica's "The First Night." And if you were looking for a Bugs Bunny cameo, I can kindly direct you to the "For You I Will" video



Things to Note:

*Usually I hate an obvious sample, but there is something borderline brilliant about Monica turning a song as sex-drenched as "Love Hangover" into a song about maintaining hormonal urges. In a way, it's as if she (or more certainly, her producers) knew those infamous piano strikes would automatically cause dramatic tension when put against the lyrics. But then again, I've always read to much into my pop songs.

*Where exactly are they? Is this what teenagers did in the late 90s? Most likely take their parent's Beamers out to the Valley on Friday nights to hang out in locations that can only be described as if they came out of some unholy combination of You Got Served and All About Eve? I don't know about you, but when I was in high school, we hung out in people's basements and the floors most certainly did not light up.

* At 1:48, the video kind of turns into Fiona Apple's "Criminal" video for about 20 seconds, what with it's off center pans and morning after vibe. Also, I want that couch with every fiber of my being.

*There is a very tender moment involving opera glasses.

*I feel kind of sick that seeing a single rose automatically makes me think of The Bachelor now. And then I remember that no matter how lovely Monica looks (and she looks quite lovely here), she probably wouldn't get past the second episode of that show since the Bachelor hates black people.

*I'm also confused by the large gold tube that sticks into every frame with Monica and her love interest. I keep thinking it is giant tube of wrapping paper that is resting on the couch with them, and then I wonder if that's supposed to be symbolic of some sort of "ultimate gift" that Monica has yet to make available to her boyfriend. That or the set decorator got a little overzealous.

*The dance routine scenes pretty much look like one of those old Gap ads where everyone was dancing to West Side Story or sitting in a room and lip syncing "Mello Yellow." There's an obvious slogan behind all this..."Gap: Chaste in Khaki."