Another boyband, another pop song, another sign that we’re now well into the late nineties…
Freak Me, by Another Level (their 1st and only #1)
1 week, from 12th – 19th July 1998
But unlike Billie Piper, there’s nothing tweeny about this raunchy record. Let me lick you up and down, ‘Till you say stop… the Another Level lads beg… Let me play with your body baby, Make you real hot… All this over slick, modern R&B beats, and honeyed harmonising.
It’s very American, when you compare it to the more wholesome British boybands of the day (oh to hear Ronan Keating have a go with these lyrics…) And it had originally been a Billboard #1 in 1993, for US R&B group Silk, co-written by hip-hop/soul pioneer Keith Sweat. But Another Level were from London, with echoes perhaps of East 17 – Britain’s baddest boyband up this point.
‘Freak Me’ is, like I said, raunchy. There’s a decent soul-pop song in there amongst the gloop, and the chorus does enough to shine through. It’s also way too much. In the second verse, one of the boys announces: I like the taste of whipped cream, Spread it on top of me… They want to see the unnamed girl’s body drip, want to take a sip. Even Prince at his randiest would have thought twice about these clunky lyrics.
It reminds me of ‘I Wanna Sex You Up’, Color Me Badd’s 1991 chart-topper, in its unintentionally hilarious horniness. Which leads me to think twice about claiming that this isn’t a tween-pop record. Okay, perhaps the lyrics might have been lost on eight year olds, but I can imagine many a fifteen year old putting this one a make-out mixtape. It’s nowhere near as ‘adult’ as Another Level might have hoped.
This was Another Level’s second Top 10 hit – their first, ‘Be Alone No More’, had featured none other than Jay-Z – and they would enjoy seven in total during their short-lived, two album career. I have to admit that without the help of a search engine I couldn’t have named any of their other songs. In fact, the only other thing I know about Another Level is that one of their members, Dane Bowers, launched a mildly successful solo career, and almost managed a number one with Vicky Beckham. The rest of his post-Another Level career isn’t as impressive, dwindling down into lots of reality TV, a sex tape, and a jail sentence for assaulting his girlfriend. The other three members of the band don’t even merit a Wikipedia page…
The UK Number Ones Blog 
The original “Freak Me” by Silk is a pretty nice sexy slice of early/mid 90s R&B. It’s not a favourite of mine but I like it. This version is virtually a clone of the original except with slightly worse production. It’s decent. Nothing special but I don’t mind it. Both versions are basically the same so there’s not much to compare and contrast.
Also, no offence to these lads in Another Level, they’re not ugly, but none of them look like the members of a boyband. They do look a bit cooler than you’re average UK boyband at this time though.
I hadn’t heard the Silk version before writing this post, so this always felt like the original to me. They are pretty similar.
I think Another Level were deliberately trying not to go for the pretty-boy look, which is why I compared them to East 17 rather than Take That. Re. out of place boyband members: wait until 5ive come along. One of them – Jay, I think – looked liked he wandered into the auditions by mistake on his way home from the building site…
The voices are great on the recording….
I’d forgotten about Dane Bowers being in this band, and I’ve pretty much forgotten their band stuff! This one is basically a good r ‘n’ b song (who knew it was Keith Sweat!) but it’s a bit ploddy – I’d’ve upped the bpm’s myself given it a bit more oomph. Dane Bowers admittedly sings the most memorable vocal bits, but I can’t say as I was ever a fan…