Cat Cohen's Songwriters' Community Website Temporary Archive

Fill Me In by Craig David

Share

Craig David takes his cutting edge house/jungle music meets R&B to the pop charts with this playful love romp.

Concept
Hip groove tune about two young people trying to make love behind some disapproving parent's back.

Lyric
Story about the singer trying to get into the girl next door's pants while her parents are away. Lots of contemporary images of a comfortable life style including wine, jacuzzi, 4 by 4, etc. We were just doing what young people in love do. Parents trying to find out what we were up to saying "Why were you creeping 'round late last night? Why could I see two shadows moving in your bedroom light?.

Groove
The groove's the thing in this recording. David is a master of syntheic drums and mixes a variety of half-time and regular time 16th syncopated feels witha sprinkling of jungle styled 32nd notes on top. His vocals are sung rapped in the same mixture of beats. He contrasts his sections with a half as fast pulse in the verse and twice as fast in the chorus. Also his phrasing is so syncopated in the chorus one temporarily loses the downbeat, no mean feat as it is easily recovered later in the section.

Melody
There is a gentle melodic feel which is more rhythmic and riffy than with any memorable sweeping melodic lines. David is more a hip storyteller than melodist. The range is limited to a few notes, less than an octave. However, it is a distinctively more musical genre he writes in than rap with the freedom of the rap style packaged in soft sensual music.

Harmony
Harmonically, the chords are diatonic minor chords, basicallya loop of minor and major sevenths. i7 v7 bVImaj7

Structure
Easy to follow structure. Sig A A B C Sig A A B C D C Tag Signature Verse Verse Prehook Chorus Signature Verse Verse Prehook Chorus Bridge Chorus Tag

Signature
Synthesized acoustic guitar riff with fragments of the hook from the chorus introduce the piece.

Production
Superb production with clear crisp perfect sound and rhythm.

Performance
Playful and rhythmic singing with hip rap-like phrasing that engages its audience.

Predicted Longevity
A sophisticated new sound for the charts. I'm afraid it is a good example of hit and run, as there is not enough strong song elements, especially melody, to keep it on the charts for a long time. I am confident that its innovative sound will influence other young R&B groovers. Its easy slickness and hipness make it a perfect background for hip parties and I'm sure boutiques (music to try on hip clothes by). David is only 20 and could evolve into someone more substantial in the future.