Book of Brandy

This week I'd like you to turn to the Book of Brandy in your Vocal Bibles. If you're not a Brandy fan, I question your taste in music. She has the range and the discography. So let's get to it. 

Starting with her debut album, Brandy (1994) my personal favorites include:

• Baby "I guess it's time to say baby, baby how you make me feel when you come to mind."
• Best Friend "Don't know what I'd ever do without you from the beginning to the end you've always been there right beside me so I'll call you my best friend."
• I WANNA BE DOWN (Album version and the Remix) MC Lyte, Queen Latifah, & Yo-Yo on a track with Brandy Norwood. HIT CITY!!."
• Brokenhearted "I'm young but I'm wise enough to know."
• I'm Yours "You fill my heart with love my tears with joy and now and forever I'm yours."

She was fifteen and came out the gate ready. I was four in September of 1994, but I knew Brandy was singing about something real. 

Then she came with Never Say Never (1998).

• Angel in Disguise "Angel in disguise she was but somehow you fell for her. Until she broke your heart that day and left you in the rain. But still I Love You." 
• The Boy Is Mine "You need to give it up. Had about enough. It's not hard to see the boy is mine." I know you were in your bedroom or at your friends house recreating that video like I was and still do. Let this come on in the car. I'm Brandy, Monica, and background. 
• Almost Doesn't Count "I can't keep on loving you one foot outside the door. I hear a funny hesitation of a heart that's never really sure." 
• Happy "I don't even know how it got this way. When I first met you I never thought your love was true." Have you seen Double Platinum?? If not, you need to. Not because it stars Diana Ross and Brandy, but to learn the choreography so we can perform Happy Together. 
• One Voice "One sky above, there is just one source of love. If I've got one chance, one choice, I'll sing it from the heart. One song, one voice." A few weeks ago I played this song on repeat for three days straight.

The list for this album could go on for some time because it's a classic. 

In 2002 Brandy released Full Moon and introduced us to her alter ego B Rocka. She was a grown woman and a new mom, and this album was a reflection of the new Brandy.

• When You Touch "Tonight's the night for loving you right. You know what I wanna do. I wanna give in to you."
• All In Me "Let me be the reason you get through the day. Know that I'll make everything ok. Think of me baby in any way. I'll be all you need."
• What About Us "Thought you said you were different. Was that what I heard you say? Said that you'd love only me. Said that you'd be all I need."
• He Is "It's the only explanation to the question at hand. Like years of pain gone away in a single day. There's nothing that compares to the way you make me feel inside. And I'm so glad you're my..." 
• Love Wouldn't Count Me Out "It used to be that you couldn't live without me. But now you think that you're better without me. So now it's over I guess it wasn't true when you said 'I love you'. Because love just wouldn't count me out."

If you're looking for a song to express a feeling, this album has it. 

In 2004 Brandy released a hidden treasure; Afrodisiac.

• Who I Am "But I had to get rid of the weight on my fourth finger left hand." Brandy was speaking her truth.
• Who Is She to U "Don't even think about calling me crazy. You know you peeped that lady. And when I turned and looked and looked at you, you tried to play it off but I could tell that you two were friends." Somebody's been there. 
• Talk About Our Love (*Ft. Kanye West) So you know it's a hit.  "The he said, she said. Don't let it get in your head. Baby don't say something that you will regret. I'm on your team. It's us against them you'll see. They ain't gon' stop. They just want what we got."
• I Tried "All I can see is your old face giving my love away at some woman's place. Maybe I should get up and go wash my face. Crying never kept you at home anyway."
• Finally "Finally I walked away. Never would've seen this day. Giving up on those things that hurt me made me who I am today. 

After Afrodisiac, Brandy went on a little hiatus but in 2008, she returned with Human to remind us that she still had a lot to say. 

• Warm It Up (With Love) "That's the reason why I'm turning up this song for freedom. Give em something to believe in. 'Cuz the whole world is freezing, need to warm it up with love. I've got so many reasons for the truth that I'm speaking. And the hope we can see, we need to warm it up with love." 
• Long Distance "There's only so many songs that I could sing to pass the time. And I'm running out of things to do to get you off my mind."
• A Capella (Something's Missing) "I'm feeling such a  vacancy I don't feel whole. Wish I could put my finger on it but I don't know what it is. Looked in every place I could see, tryna find the missing part of me. I can't explain this feeling." 
• 1st & Love "I ain't getting no younger. So boy when I say love, I don't say it just to say love, I know better. If you never showed love, don't think I would've known love. Gotta put it in my song love and sing it over and over." This song is constantly on repeat in my car. 

On February 11, 2012, the world lost a legend and Brandy lost her mentor. Exactly 7 months later, Brandy released her 6th studio album Two Eleven. Two Eleven is significant because it's both Brandy's birthday and the day we lost Whitney Houston. This album is a representation of the bond between Brandy and Whitney. 

• Wildest Dreams "Out of an unknown place, kinda like left field, you came in my life and helped me heal. Just in the nick of time when I lacked the will to keep on moving."
• No Such Thing As Too Late "An when it's time I won't even have to tell you so. You'll see the stars all shining the same. So take your time, 'cuz love ain't got nowhere to go. It'll be way better if we wait 'cuz there's no such thing as too late."
• Without You "Laying it on the line, no more games, no more fighting. It's not fair to take it out on you. I'm done hanging my baggage all over your head. So I'ma let you go, just thought I should let you know..."
• Sacred of Beautiful "Scared of the good more than the evil. Scared of the light more than the dark. Scared of the truth so much more than a lie. I'm scared for me. I'm scared of me. Scared of beautiful."
• Music "I wake up to you. Got to sleep to you. And all in between, I'm hearing you. I like to ride to you. I think to you. And when it's something I love, I sing to you."

On January 21, 2016 Brandy released her latest single Beggin & Pleadin. I was instantly hooked and I've been waiting for an album since.

+Bria