Why R U?

Album: In Love & War (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This was the first single released by American R&B singer Amerie from her fourth studio album, In Love & War. It was also her first release for her new label, Island Def Jam.
  • Amerie explained in publicity materials that this song, "is about being in a relationship and hating that you're so attached to this person." She added: "A lot of the songs on this album deal with wanting to be done with a relationship but you're just not really ready to leave, so you hang around and wait for a person to change. I really wanted the lyrical content to be real conversation. I didn't want anything to be sugar-coated."
  • The Buchanans, who have credits on all of Amerie's previous albums, produced this. Previous production credits include "Crush" off Amerie's previous album Because I Love It, "Hip-Hop Star" from Beyoncé's first album, and "What More Can I Say?" off Jay-Z's The Black Album.
  • Ray Kay (The-Dream, Lady Gaga) directed the song's music video.
  • The song samples "Ego Trippin" by hip-hop collective Ultramagnetic MCs from their 1988 album Critical Breakdown.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"

Jonathan Edwards - "Sunshine"They're Playing My Song

"How much does it cost? I'll buy it?" Another songwriter told Jonathan to change these lyrics. Good thing he ignored this advice.

Gilby Clarke

Gilby ClarkeSongwriter Interviews

The Guns N' Roses rhythm guitarist in the early '90s, Gilby talks about the band's implosion and the side projects it spawned.

Curt Kirkwood of Meat Puppets

Curt Kirkwood of Meat PuppetsSongwriter Interviews

The (Meat)puppetmaster takes us through songs like "Lake Of Fire" and "Backwater," and talks about performing with Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Movie Stars In Music Videos

Movie Stars In Music VideosSong Writing

Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Mila Kunis and John Malkovich are just a few of the film stars who have moonlighted in music videos.

Kim Thayil of Soundgarden

Kim Thayil of SoundgardenSongwriter Interviews

Their frontman (Chris Cornell) started out as their drummer, so Soundgarden takes a linear approach when it comes to songwriting. Kim explains how they do it.