"Give It Up, Turn It Loose," En Vogue (1993)

One of the best 90s R&B songs, hands down

Peak: #15 on the Hot 100
Streams: 2.2 million

I’ve said it here before, and I will say it again: En Vogue is one of the greatest vocal groups of all time. The original foursome all have “lead singer skills,” with distinct timbres and incredible range. Yet while they all stand out as individuals, they also blend their voices into harmonies that give me a rush every time I hear them. Listen to the sonic boom when they sing the chorus on “Free Your Mind.” Listen to the sultry storm they conjure on “Don’t Let Go (Love).”

Just as importantly, the golden era of En Vogue features songs that match their talents. Perhaps you know the hits I’ve already mentioned. Perhaps you’ve heard their oooh-bop excellence on “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It)” or their alluring slinkiness on “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” or their sass-you-out harmonies on “Whatta Man.”

But have you heard “Give It Up, Turn It Loose”? It was the fourth top 20 hit from their album Funky Divas, and for me, it’s one of the smoothest R&B jams of the entire 90s. Yes, I said it. The whole decade.

First of all, this is a song with some good advice. If you’ve got a stank man who makes you cry all the time, then you do need to give it up and turn it loose. En Vogue feels your pain. They know he hurts you, and they know you want him to change. But they also know that he will not change. Let their music guide you to a better life!

When people sing like this, you have to believe them. Maxine Jones is the track’s lead vocalist, and she croons with relaxed authority. Meanwhile, the other three ladies — Dawn Lewis, Terry Robinson, and Cindy Herron — hit so many high notes, low notes, and complex harmonies that they sound like they’re teaching an entire damn singing academy. In the final 60 seconds when Maxine sings in counterpoint with her bandmates, they take us to church, college, and the front seat of a car, waving goodbye to every terrible boyfriend in the world.

And yes, we are simply waving goodbye. We are not flipping the bird or cursing people out. The groove is too relaxed and self-assured for all that. “Give It Up, Turn It Loose” has swagger, not rage. That makes it even more powerful.

Finally, I need to mention the song’s album version, which I’ve embedded below. It opens with a playful skit, where Dawn acknowledges she’s having trouble with some dude named Kevin. Maxine steps in with sage advice. “Let’s talk,” she says, but of course, she doesn’t merely talk. She sings. She trusts that we will listen.

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