Since the 1980’s, lyrics from popular music have displayed more references to sex by each decade. In the 1980’s, the recording artists of that time sang about love and romance. Not only that, but they treated their partner with respect. The music from the 1990’s changed just a little bit by making some more references to sexual behavior. Although this happened, the way that it was done was not too inappropriate and the lyrics were still romantic. In the 2000’s, the lyrics of popular songs changed dramatically in terms of sexual reference and there is hardly any love or passion. Prince released a new single called “When Doves Cry” in 1984. In the beginning of this song, Prince displays love and passion for the woman that he is singing about in his lyrics when he sings “Dig if you will the picture of you and I engaged in a kiss.” Another song where affection is indicated but is not too explicit is “Say Say Say” by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson. In this song, Paul and Michael are singing to a woman asking her about what they could possibly do to win her heart. Michael does this and he declares his love for the woman in his part of the song when he sings “What can I do, girl, to get through to you/’Cause I love you baby.” In “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” by Phil Collins, Phil talks about how much he misses the girl that he lost. He talks about how he regrets letting her go when he says “How can I just let you walk away – just leave without a trace.” He goes on to talk about how much he misses her when he says “So take a look at me now – well, there’s just an empty space/And there’s nothing here to remind me – just the memory of your face.” In Lionel Richie’s song,
“Hello,” he passionately described the things that he thought and dreamed about doing with the lady in his life when he said “I’ve been alone with you/Inside my mind/And in my dreams I’ve kissed your lips/A thousand times.” Later on in this song, he goes on to proclaiming his love for her and declares that he cares her. In 1994, All-4-One’s “I Swear” single was released and launched onto radio stations and soon became a big hit. In this song, the group sings about what they will do for the woman that they love and they tell her that they will always be by her side when they sing “You can be sure I know my part/‘Cause I’ll stand beside you through the years/You’ll only cry those happy tears/…I’ll never break you’re heart.”
Toni Braxton’s “Breathe Again” was an amazing song in 1994. In this extremely heartfelt song, Toni talks about how she would feel if the man that she loved were to not be in her life anymore in the chorus when she says “If I never feel you in my arms again/If I never feel your tender kiss again/If I never hear ‘I love you’ now and then/Will I never make love to you once again/…I will never breathe again.”
In the song “I’ll Make Love To You” by Boyz II Men, sex is mentioned throughout the whole thing. Even though this is true, the lyrics are not that negative. In fact, the words are pretty romantic. In the song, the “boyz” are telling the female that they will “celebrate all through the night” and that they will make love to her in any way that she wants them to when they sing “I’ll make love to you/like you want me to/and I’ll hold you tight/Baby all through the night.” In 2004, the song lyrics get a lot more graphic in terms of sex. “Yeah!” by Usher, Lil Jon and Ludacris was a very popular song during this year. Although the youth appeared to enjoy this tune, many adults did not. That most likely had to do with the fact that the lyrics are inappropriate. In Ludacris’s part in the song, he basically stated that he wanted to skip romance and get women naked when he said “And forget about game, I’mma spit