A guy resists the temptation to two-time the girl he’s involved with (“Hardest Thing”). “Fly with Me,” “I Do (Cherish You)” and “Still” promise deep and lasting love. Regrets for causing romance to fade inhabit “Because of You” and the Michael Jackson classic “She’s Out of My Life.” Stevie Wonder shares the vocals on “True to Your Heart,” a man’s plea for the woman he loves to abandon uncertainty and pursue her passions. “Give It Up” and “To Me You’re Everything” seek relational reconciliation.
While not explicit, lines on “Heat It Up,” “To Me You’re Everything” and “Do You Wanna Dance” could be interpreted as sexual come-ons.
Great harmonies. Upbeat rhythms. Tender ballads. Stylistically, 98 Degrees and Rising may build a musical bridge between parents and teens. But lyrically, it has a few loose boards. Maybe next time the boys will withstand the urge to include those sly sexual overtones.
