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Track of the Week: 1 Thing by Amerie

Going back to 2005, Amerie’s hit single 1 Thing is this week’s track of the week. I loved this song when it came out, and recently stumbled back on to it when my friend Ben shared with me TheRoot’s Top 10 Hip Hop / R&B Songs from the ’00s.

There’s not much to say about the song that’s not already been said, but a few words never hurt. Amerie’s vocals soar on the track; nearly every line is delivered at the top of her range, but never above it. You keep wondering what “this one thing” is, and what keeps her coming back for it. The song’s production, for me, is the standout. The stripped down funk percussive beat holds the song down, while the guitar on top simply adds to the sound. Most often it’s Amerie’s vocals that give the song the melodic glue, generating a hit song.