25 years of The Writing’s On The Wall
thou shall not skip the second album by Destiny's Child!
on July 14, 1999, Houston girl group Destiny’s Child unveiled their second studio album, The Writing’s On The Wall. to preface, this was when the album was first released in Japan; it would become widely available in the United States and beyond on July 27th of that year.
a day shy of this 25th anniversary, let’s analyze together how well the album has held up. i have the CD in my collection, a fairly recent acquisition from a visit to Goodwill within the past year. prior to this month, the only time i listened to this album as an adult was when i originally picked it up secondhand. so it was about time for a refresher.
The Writing’s On The Wall adapts the concept of biblical commandments within a modern-day romantic context, with a thematically-relevant directive preceding each song. these commandments are transcribed onto the album’s disc, and the album cover itself has a sleek, futuristic (dare i say Y2K) aesthetic. genre-wise, it’s a fruitful blend of pop, R&B, hip-hop, and soul (with a dash of gospel for good measure).
i was not even 5 years old when this album came out, but i’m currently old enough to remember things from 25 years ago. i recall hearing songs from this album in my mom’s car. at this time, it’s not clear if she actually had the cassette or if it was just some of the songs ripped onto a mixtape. however, i have a memory of her retrieving the music from her glove compartment in some capacity before pressing play.1
i also remember seeing the videos for “Bills, Bills, Bills,” “Jumpin’, Jumpin’,” “Say My Name,” and “Bug A Boo” play at various times on MTV throughout my childhood.
what i don’t recall is whether it was during this iteration of the girl group that my sister dubbed herself “the Beyoncé of the family” or during DC3. i’m leaning towards the latter because i remember exactly where we were when we watched the “Bootylicious” video for the first time and the impact that had on our young psyches. but this is not a story about Survivor, so we’ll resume this memory at a later date.
now, back to 1999: Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland, LaTavia Roberson, and LeToya Luckett were four talented Southern girls with the following attributes to help propel them to fame: their vocals, dance moves, poise, Mathew Knowles’ professional guidance, Tina Knowles’ expertise on beauty and style, perseverance, and a dream.
they worked hard at mastering their craft at a young age, and it really shows on their sophomore album. often, their vocal ability is more mature and agile than their ages would imply. it’s also apparent that they wanted to challenge themselves and showcase an album that would be a departure from the tone of their 1998 debut. the second time around, their references are more diverse; their influences are more varied.
lyrically, the songs on TWOTW explore themes of love, empowerment, infidelity (with perspectives on being the betrayed partner, the side piece, and the cheater), spirituality, and so much more. there are also humorous moments, as the album begins with a skit that spoofs Francis Ford Coppola’s classic 1972 mobster film The Godfather.
as seriously as they took their craft, you can gauge that they were teenagers having fun too! this album highlights various elements of their coming-of-age journey. i can only imagine the exciting energy of being a young adult when this dropped.
in advance of this recap, i played the album twice. once on my CD player and a second time on streaming.2 read on for what transpired in my mind during those listening sessions. i invite you to play the album while i offer my track-by-track commentary.
tracklist
“Intro (The Writing's On The Wall)” — the song opens with an enticing Spaghetti Western-style instrumental. then, the quartet dons accents and personas à la The Godfather to set the tone for the album and introduce their relationship commandments.
“thou shall not hate.”
“So Good” — a super sassy entry in the canon of songs about letting your haters be your motivators. i also cannot unsee the meme of the clown lip-syncing to this song whenever it plays.
“thou shall pay bills.”
“Bills, Bills, Bills” — meanwhile, this song goes into the history books for iconic songs about scrubs.3 they basically said, “why would i ever need yours when i got my own??” match my energy, then we can talk.
“thou shall confess.”
“Confessions” ft. Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliott — when i played this album a couple of weeks ago, i left the jewel case inside while i enjoyed the CD outside in my backyard. so i didn’t originally have the tracklist on hand. yet, i could instantly hear the Missy Elliott impact. unbridled sensuality just flows from her pen with ease.
“thou shall not bug.”
“Bug A Boo” — even if this song and “Bills, Bills, Bills” weren’t already on the same album, they’d be companion tracks no matter what. this is a snapshot of a young woman’s responsibilities at the turn of the millennium (and the man who’s working her last nerve).4
“thou shall not give into temptations.”
“Temptation” — this might be one of my favorite songs on the album in terms of vocals. it’s a slowed-down deep cut with the bold sentiment, “i got a man, but i want you.”
“thou shall not think you got it like that.”
“Now That She's Gone” — ain’t no spinning the block! this track seems very Kelly Price-adjacent.
“thou shall not leave me wondering.”
“Where'd You Go” — features the requisite lovelorn pleading that’s characteristic of a 1990s R&B album.
“thou shall know when he’s got to go.”
“Hey Ladies” — on first listen, this was kinda forgettable if i’m being honest. after playing it again, i like the hook, rewind effects, and bridge the most.
“thou shall move onto the next.”
“If You Leave” ft. Next — the male vocals c/o RL, T-Lowe, and Tweety offer a nice contrast, but i also felt a bit bored and that the song dragged on. admittedly, i might have been too busy anticipating the standout hits that follow.
“thou shall get your party on.”
“Jumpin’, Jumpin’” — the chorus and refrain heard around the world. if i hadn’t used the lyrics to the chorus of this song as playlist notes on a previous newsletter, i would have incorporated them into this article’s tagline. also, i would love to hear Beyoncé sing or interpolate this song today. my favorite part of “Jumpin’ Jumpin’” is the way they draw out the outro with lively vocal effects and top-notch production that gradually reduces certain elements in favor of others.
“thou shall say my name.”
“Say My Name” — a career-defining track that showcases the brilliant production stylings of Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins5, as well as the power of call and response. notably, the group members changed during this album cycle, as evidenced by the introduction of Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin (the one with the briefest tenure) in the corresponding video.
“thou shall know she can’t love you.”
“She Can't Love You” — a spiritual successor to “I Can Love You” by Mary J. Blige. and can we talk about those runs on the chorus? *chef’s kiss*
“if thou can wait, thou shall stay.”
“Stay” — this is a classic ballad and, honestly, kind of a sleeper hit. on the second listen, i confirmed that this song truly has my favorite vocal moments on the album. Beyoncé’s tone is crisp and clear, and she shows off her expansive range.
“thou shall cherish life.”
“Sweet Sixteen” — i love the parallels between “Sweet Sixteen” and Beyoncé’s recent single “16 CARRIAGES.” while i came to this conclusion on my own, i’m sure i’m not the only one to make these connections. through the fictional character Jackie, Beyoncé somehow foreshadowed certain aspects of her interpersonal life with “Sweet Sixteen.” by comparison, “16 CARRIAGES” offers a behind-the-scenes flashback of what she experienced within Destiny’s Child as a young singer trying to make a name for herself.6
“Outro (Amazing Grace...dedicated To Andretta Tillman)” — on this closer, the girls reframed the narrative surrounding their relationship commandments by giving reverence to their religious origins. they end the album on a more serious and graceful note with a moving cover of “Amazing Grace,” a tribute to their late original manager, Ms. Ann.
overall, this is an album that i could see myself listening to every blue moon. i enjoyed this revisit, and i’ll leave you with these questions for consideration:
what was your favorite moment of The Writing’s On The Wall? did you press play when prompted above?
if you were a child during its original release, have you given it a spin in adulthood?
if you were already of age, how do the themes of this album compare to your own adolescent experience? and do you think these commandments stand the test of time?
readers, you may recall that my mom had a penchant for gospel music at this time in my life. so the music really had to resonate if she played something of a different genre. however, with the reference to biblical commandments, i could understand how this came across her radar. plus, it ain’t like she never listened to the radio! when i asked her about it, she said it was possible that she owned the cassette at one point.
for the CD playback, i listened to this on the 4th of July while rolling up on my Beyoncé Renaissance-era rolling tray.
Kandi Burruss was involved in the songwriting of this track and TLC’s “No Scrubs.” apparently, she pulled from her own past relationships. whoever these guys were must have been real losers, but at least she got some hits out of the deal.
also, a fairly infamous case of misheard lyrics. i gotta just laugh at my childhood naïveté for originally thinking that they were singing “break my knees” instead of “break my lease.”
special shoutout for my birthday twin!
I loved reading this and the format too 👏🏾 I did press play I'd forgotten how long it's been. This was my album as a 90s baby, I knew it so well played my older brother's CD for years until it broke (though I'd mostly skip the slow jams & I still sing along the "break my knees" part).
Wow! 25 Years? That just doesn't seem possible! This was when my two kids were very young and it was hard to keep up with all the music. I know a few of the more popular tracks from this. I depended on the radio and didn't make as many mixes as I used to. I did always have a strict rule in the car though. No kids music, Mommy controlled the radio! :)