Creep

"Creep" is the lead single by American girl group TLC from their second album, CrazySexyCool. The song became their first #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained there for four weeks. It was nominated for two Grammy Awards at the 1996 Grammy Awards, winning the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. It was the third most successful single of 1995, finishing behind their other successful hit, "Waterfalls", on the 1995 Billboard Year-End Hot 100 Charts. The song was written and produced by Dallas Austin and samples "Hey Young World" by Slick Rick. Its lyrics are taken from the perspective of a woman who is aware of her boyfriend's infidelity and in turn cheats on him in an effort to appease her need for affection. Lead vocals are performed by TLC member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins. In the documentary The Last Days of Left Eye, TLC member Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes said she was 100% against the release of "Creep" as a single, and threatened to wear black tape over her mouth in the music video. She thought that when a girl finds out that her man is cheating on her, the girl better leave rather than cheat back. There were three music videos made for this song between June and August 1994, with the third video being released on September 16, 1994. The video features each girl individually in front of a color background wearing silky pajamas, though it was only Chilli who had two different pajamas that were gray and pink, with T-Boz in blue and Left Eye in red. There are other scenes featuring T-Boz singing into a microphone with Omar Lopez, a previous dancer for Janet Jackson, with an open shirt, playing trumpet behind her and flirting with her. There are also black and white shots of them rehearsing dance moves, being silly and hanging out. The song was nominated for two Grammys at the 1996 Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song (for songwriter Dallas Austin) and Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, winning the latter.

[Intro] Yes it's me again And I'm back Oh I oh I oh I yeah Oh I oh I oh I baby Oh I oh I oh I yeah [Verse 1: T-Boz] The 22nd of loneliness and we've been through so many things I love my man with all honesty, but I know he's cheating on me I look him in his eyes but all he tells me is lies to keep me near I'll never leave him down Though I might mess around It's only 'cause I need some affection [Chorus] So I creep, yeah, just keep it on the down low Said nobody is supposed to know So I creep, yeah, cause he doesn't know what I do And no attention goes to show, oh so I creep [Verse 2: T-Boz] The 23rd of loneliness, and we don't talk like we used to do Now it seems pretty strange, but I'm not buggin' 'Cause I still feel the same, yeah, yeah I'll keep giving loving till the day he pushes me away Never go astray If he knew the things I did He couldn't handle it And I choose to keep him protected, oh [Chorus] So I creep, yeah, just keep it on the down low Said nobody is supposed to know So I creep, yeah, 'cause he doesn't know what I do And no attention goes to show, oh So I creep, yeah, just keep it on the down low (I think about us baby all the time) Said nobody is supposed to know (But you know that I'm gonna need some attention, yeah, yeah) So I creep, yeah, cause he doesn't know what I do (Love you forever, baby, soul and mind) And no attention goes to show, oh (And you gotta know it, if you don't give it, I'm gonna get mine) [Bridge] (So I creep) Oh I oh I oh I, yeah (So I creep) Oh I oh I oh I, yeah (So I creep) Oh I oh I oh I, baby Oh I oh I oh I, yeah [Outro] So I creep, yeah (I creep around because I need attention) I just keep it on the down low (Don't mess around with my affection, yeah) So I creep, yeah cause he doesn't know what I do (I creep around because I need attention) (Don't mess around with my affection, yeah) So I creep, yeah, I just keep it on the down low (Oh I oh I oh I, yeah, oh I oh I oh I) So I creep, yeah 'cause he doesn't know what I do (Oh I oh I oh I, yeah, oh I oh I oh I) So I creep, yeah, just keep it on the down low Said nobody is supposed to know So I creep, yeah 'cause he doesn't know what I do And no attention, goes to show oh so I creep