Here I Stand by Usher

The ultimate playboy settles down.

Transcript

Here I Stand by Usher

I had the great privilege of seeing Usher’s My Way Residency in Las Vegas last year. “These feet aren’t what they used to be.” I thought after standing at my seat in knee-length boots for about 25 minutes straight. It felt like my heels were bruising in real time. Yet, still I stood, two-stepping the balls of my feet raw, bouncing and swaying to the beat. Because Usher, always a phenomenal showman and as charismatic as ever, was delivering one of the best concerts I’ve ever experienced. And I’m a concert-head! From Prince to Beyonce, John Mayer and Bruno Mars, I’ve seen some greats.

Usher was charming with the ladies in the audience and cool with the fellas. Whereas some male R&B singers are only adored by one side, considered corny, overrated, or toxic by the other, Usher Raymond is that rare breed who resonates with both worlds in different ways. 

The man exercised impeccable control of his voice. Hitting every note, executing every run while gracefully gliding around the stage on roller skates, and flowing through every choregraphed dance routine smooth as butter. His abs put on a hell of a show too.

Ok ok! I won’t use this episode to fawn over Mr. Raymond. I don’t have to tell you attractiveness is a significant component of his brand. This was apparent when he dropped the My Way album more than two decades ago, slid out of his sneakers and drop his jeans in accompanying videos. And if you don’t know where Usher was at seven o’clock on the dot, you’re too young for this podcast.

Usher announced his arrival as not only a bona fide entertainer but as a sex symbol with the My Way album—and he would ride this image the entirety of his career. It works for him in a way it works for no one else. Likely because this seems his natural disposition. It never feels like he’s putting on a show or decidedly trying to demonstrate charisma. He embodies the persona.

Which is to say…Usher’s ballads are often intimate and suggestive, but not really about love. He sings about having fun, enjoying the night, making a woman feel good. Which is to say, he mostly sings about sweet, tender, glorious lust. I’m here for it. Everything has its place and not every entanglement is meant to last long-term.

Lust gets a bad rep anyways. As philosopher Osho says: “If you avoid lust, you will be avoiding the whole possibility of love itself. Love is not lust, true. But love is not without lust—that too is true.” 

Usher knew. The flame of attraction can grow into the wildfire of love. And even if it doesn’t, we will have had a good time in our transient bliss.

In Usher’s later years, like what happens with most of us as we age and mature, he got more vulnerable. His subject matter expanded into talks of serious commitment and consequential romance on the 2008 album, Here I Stand. And its title track is an open-hearted love song.

Of course, there remain plenty of titillating tunes. I mean, that’s what we’ve come to expect and desire of him. But “Here I Stand” is a ballad deliberately pure in its essence. Grown-man Usher sings about settling down. These lines are a perfect example of the song’s wholesome intent:

You're the blessing I never thought I would get
And to the Lord, I humbly bow my head

Usher even acknowledges that after his stream of playboy anthems, what he’s professing on “Here I Stand” might be hard to believe. But he means it. He promises to preserve his heart for whomever the lucky person on the receiving end of this pledge may be.

And it just goes to show, even the ability to have anyone doesn’t eliminate our desire for THE one. No one is immune to the call of love.