Is it me or is cheating the new black? It seems like everyone is getting their “creep” on. The long list of public officials, celebrities, sports icons, and other noteworthy individuals engaging in this—at times—extremely tawdry behavior has made cheating uniquely part of this cultural moment. We all know the infidelity is older than David and Bathsheba, however, the media saturation, public interest, and hyper speed revelations of mistresses, porn stars, call girls, and prostitutes have created new spectacle around the act. While JFK’s philandering remains largely mysterious and surrounded by myths, now we get Twit Pics, YouTube confessionals, text message transcripts, and enough tabloid fodder between the newsstands and cyberspace to fill a landfill the size of Texas.
Take a look at today’s Google entertainment news. The top stories include the Sandra Bullock and Jesse James debacle and Oprah’s planned interview with former John Edwards mistress Rielle “skankalicious baby-mama” Hunter. Lest we forget the peripheral cheating news of the week, Tiger Woods is returning to golf after a five month absence stemming from the fallout of his well-reported extra-marital trysts. Over the last year, the list of cheating hearts has been epic: Eliot Spitzer, Kwame Kilpatrick, Mark Sandford, David Letterman, Steve McNair (R.I.P.), David Patterson, and even country music sweetheart LeAnn Rimes have all be caught up in the media scandals involving their reported philandering. When what’s done in the dark come to light, there are tears, lies, hurt feelings, and countless numbers of broken marriages that illustrate the repercussions of infidelity.
For all the hurt, this basement of the human experience that is infidelity has also produces some pretty good tunes. Songs about infidelity run the gambit, from the campy and sardonic, to the emotional and lyrical, to the morally ambiguous. So with no further ado, here is The Kabosh’s countdown of the top cheating songs of all time:
As We Lay – Kelly Price: Kelly lays bares her soul on this soaring ballad about a night of passion with a secret lover. While I prefer this version, the original sung by the legendary Shirley Murdock is also yearning and breathtaking.
Resentment – Beyoncé: B’s take on the inner conflict of staying with a cheating lover builds to a roaring crescendo of heartbreak and pain.
Fool of Me – MeshellNdegeocello: A barebones confessional that emphatically asks, “You made a fool of me, tell me why? If you have ever been cheated on, you may need the tissues for this one.
G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T. – Changing Faces: When a woman’s fed up, brotha you betta get to steppin because, as the song states: “I can do bad all by myself”.
In My Bed – Dru Hill: This soulful breakout hit, which along with the then controversial single’s video, put Dru Hill on the map.
I Can Be – Aaliyah: A bass-driven funky boast of a woman who is ready, willing, and able to be the other woman.
Love Should Have Brought You Home – Toni Braxton : A hit from the Boomerang soundtrack, this song always reminds me of when in the film Halle Berry responds to Eddie Murphy’s declaration of love stating, “…love shoulda brought your ass home last night” and proceeds to smack him silly.
Secret Lovers – Atlantic Starr: A philandering classic of star-crossed lovers kept apart by their current relationships.
Everything I Miss At Home – Cherrelle Featuring Alexander Oneal – The duo famous for Saturday Love recounts an affair of the heart.
Me and Mrs. Jones – Not much to say about this one, they had a thing going on. Strangely enough, in blue-eyed soul news, I found out Michael Bublé has a version of this song, as well. Something about this feels wrong…blasphemous even!
Creep – TLC – Everyone’s favorite keep it on the down low anthem—the lyrics to which my mom still manages to mangle: “just keep it on the downside“.
Down Low – R. Kelly – Don’t mess with Mr. Biggs’ Woman Kells; Ron Isley will get the reach on you. Nuff said.
Not Gon Cry – Mary J. Blige: Some of us are still waiting to exhale. Listening to this Mary track should get you at least half way there.
O.P.P. : Naughty By Nature – This song is without a moral thermometer, but it sure does rock the club.
Laundremat – Nivea & R.Kelly – Soap, Powder, Bleach, Towels, Fabric Softner, Dollars, Change, Pants, Socks, Dirty Drawers I’m Headed To The Laundromat
Now give me your favorites. Which cheating anthems get your blood boiling? Which help you cope with the pain of a wayward lover? Do you blast them in your room in the mirror? Or do they provide the soundtrack while you bust the windows out his car? Also, what does this cheating moment mean?
Thoughts.
The Kabosh 