Urban Grandstand Digital Special Edition Faith Evans | Page 21

experiencing these feelings, and men have hearts too. So, I’m glad that both men and women can see the music for what it is.

Urban Grandstand Digital: Something I've said for years I would ask you is about the physical makeup of many of your songs. On this album, the songs Ain't Nobody, Come Over, Soon As I Get Home, All This Love, Give It To Me, You Don't Understand, and Reasons all have one particular line or mini-verse that seemingly loops. So for instance, on All This Love it's "all this love you're giving me, I wanna give, just let me give it back to you".....or on You Don't Understand its "baby I love, and I want you to know, if you love me baby, just let your feelings show". I can be pretty perceptive, perhaps over-perceptive at times, but is that a conscious characteristic in a lot your songs?

Faith Renee Evans: Thanks for being sooooo perceptive … lol.  Without going all the way into a songwriters’ lecture … lol, I’d have to say that this is very common in music, black music specifically. That portion of the song is what is called a ‘vamp.’ It literally means to ‘vamp’ or ‘repeat’ or ‘hold there’….  You’ll find in most gospel songs, the latter half is a vamp. I’m a church girl. It’s where I started, both singing and writing. I probably just continued to develop form based on my beginnings.

Urban Grandstand Digital: What do you recall most about the time period in your life with putting this together? How did the things going on in your life help with production and the overall crafting of this classic?

Faith Renee Evans: There were so many things happening at that time. I was a mother, I was in love, I was working on my debut album. My life had changed so quickly, its hard to think of just one thing. I can definitely say that most of the album was done rather quickly, compared to the time that I now spend working on a project. I’m sure that has to do with the pace in which my career and life were moving at that time.

Urban Grandstand Digital: For You Don't Understand, it was said that this song was inspired mostly by your marriage to The Notorious B.I.G. What other songs on the album were also inspired by your relationship?

Faith Renee Evans: The entire album was a soundtrack to our love life. BIG was the inspiration behind almost the entire album. In one way or another, these songs detailed the emotion of the things that I was experiencing being in love with and married to him.

Urban Grandstand Digital: How much of a part did he play, if any, in you putting this together, and your mind state?