Aaliyah - 4 Page Letter


Album: One In A Million (Blackground/ Atlantic; 1996)
Songwriters: Missy Elliott and Tim Mosley
R&B Peak Position: #12 (Airplay Only)

"I'm writin' you...a love letter tonight/ You better keep watch cause the mailman's comin'..."

The third release from Aaliyah's classic sophomore opus, "4 Page Letter" continued the subdued and slinky aural seduction that One In A Million's previous singles, "If Your Girl Only Knew" and "One In A Million", had satisfyingly forged.

Opening with the singer's memorable vocal booth request to "turn my music up...up some more", the track slowly oozes into prominence with languid guitar washes, Timbaland's trademark stutter drum tickle and an eerie vocal loop provided by co-songwriter Missy Elliott. Paternal advice echoing in her head ("Mama always told me to be careful who I love..."), the shy chanteuse cautiously wades through the slow jam simmer, hoping that a lengthy note will prove sufficient in communicating her bottled-up attraction to some unsuspecting beau. Enclosing the letter with the imprint of her lipstick-ed smooch, she sends it away, anticipating it's quick delivery.

The attraction of "4 Page Letter" as with every other stellar collab between Aaliyah, Tim and Elliott, is that it doesn't take the easy and obvious route. A puppy love crush theme is at it's center, but a giddy bubblegum entry isn't delivered. This song, instead, aims for a more sophisticated and adult feel; it's funereal mid-tempo march and one-sided perspective encapsulating the sullen anxiety of the moment and opting on not exploring anything further (We never do find out if he gets the package, or what his reaction is). All of these elements may have hindered it's mainstream airplay success (it became Million's lowest ranking single with pop radio), but like most of the her work during this period, it stood out as a before-it's-time nu-soul jewel, earning the endless rave of critics and fans who wholly embraced it's subtle R&B innovations.

Best Moment: The striking synth-as-electric guitar solo that emerges during the fade-out. (4:25)

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