When We
by Tank

Album: SAVAGE (2017)
Charted: 78
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Songfacts®:

  • Tank explained to Genius how his belligerence in the bedroom inspired this song.

    "When it gets aggressive, when sweating, when furniture starts to move. Where's the R&B song that supports that?" he said, "There are R&B songs that you can play that feel good, but what's the song that says we are f--king right now."
  • Tank wrote "When We" with R&B singer-songwriter J. Valentine, who has also penned tunes for the likes of artists such as Tyrese ("I Like Them Girls"), N'Sync ("Celebrity"), LeToya ("Regret") and Alesha Dixon ("Breathe Slow").
  • The song was produced by Cardiak whose production of Lloyd Banks' hit single "Start It Up" was his first placement on a major artist's track. Cardiak won his first Grammy for Best Rap Album for his production of "Groundhog Day" for the deluxe edition of Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP 2, released in November 2013. Tank recalled:

    "The track really did it for me. I met Cardiak at Rooftop at a party in LA. He's like, 'I got that fire.' I said, 'You got the fire?' He said, 'I got that fire.' He's talking about, 'I'll be on your album.' I said, 'Hm, interesting.' Let me hear your work. He sent me a load of maybe five or six tracks, and this was one of 'em. I went to the studio, Jerry Wonda Studio Platinum Sound. I just turned the track on. I said, 'This sounds like the soundtrack to when some f--king starts happening.' You don't necessarily wanna play trap music if you trying to have a sexy moment, but you do wanna get mildly aggressive. You know what I'm saying?

    What's the tone that speaks to that? When I heard this musical bit, I was like this is it. It's like a trap ballad in a sense."
  • The song's music video features dark but sexy imagery. Asked about the clip's concept, Tank told Billboard:

    "I wanted the song to sound literal. But, I also wanted people to explore their horizons, in terms of their sexuality. I think sometimes people can be basic in these moments. And, it is not because they are trying to be basic. Sometimes, you just get accustomed to doing a certain thing all the time. And it works for you. Sometimes we forget to be creative [in bed]. We forget to use our imagination. So, even though the song has a very literal word, that word can go so many different ways. That is what I wanted to show. How deep, and how dark this word can be. And, how beautiful at the same time."
  • Tank's love interest in the video is played by his real-life fiancée, Zena Foster. He told Billboard:

    "It is always interesting collaborating with your significant other. You know, they get to break all of the rules. [She says,] 'I want to do another take like this.' It's like, 'Okay! Zena wants to do another take like this.' Normally, if it was just somebody you hired, you could be like, 'This is what it is. Live with it.' But, if it is somebody that can take things away from you at the house, you have to be a little bit more lenient. [Laughs]"

Comments: 1

  • AnonymousThis song is kinda dark and sexy at the same time. I love the lyrics, “Ouh, can we kiss and hug mommy? Ouh, can you beat it up Rocky? When we_______
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