Producer: Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox

Album: 8701

Label: Arista

“Ohhhh- oh , no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!” Usher announces his arrival by wailing into the wind. Then the beat drops, and he starts spitting: “When you feel it in your body , you found some body who / Makes you change your ways like hanging with your crew.”

This is a song about love, but there’s something unhealthy about it. Something sick . “Know you got it bad when you're stuck in the house,” Usher sings. “You don't wanna have fun—it's all you think about.”

The vibe teeters between romance and despair, rooted in anxiety about how all-consuming and potentially life-changing a relationship can be. In the song’s most inspired ad-lib, Usher voices his disgust: “Look at yourself !”

It’s a cautionary tale, with Usher as both narrator and accomplice. Jermaine Dupri got the idea for the song after witnessing Usher’s relationship drama first hand. Arguments on the phone with his girl started affecting his focus.…