En Vogue

Released: April 3, 1990

Songwriter: Denzil Foster Thomas McElroy En Vogue

Producer: Denzil Foster Thomas McElroy

Rap:
It really isn't clear
What the story is my dear
So I'll have to analyze
All those lies and alibis
One look was all it took
Cause I know you like a book
You think you're cleaver
Those endeavors, that you're hiding
I'm deciding that we're through

Strange

[Verse 1 - Maxine]
Got a feeling you've been lying to me lately
When we kiss I get a bad vibration
You tried to hide the guilt in your eyes
Leaving clues without a trace
We used to talk and now you're always quiet
I ask you why, you say that you're just tired
You get a call and you're ready to walk out the door
And I think it's kinda strange

[Bridge - Dawn]
My suspicions are killing me
But I don't wanna point the finger at you
You say I shouldn't place the blame
But it seems you're playing games
How much longer must I tolerate this madness

[Chorus]
Strange
So low I can't get under it
So high I can't get over it
So wide I can't get around it
And it's looking mighty strange

[Verse 2 - Maxine]
Yesterday I saw you across town
Buying roses, that's something you never do
When you got home, hello is all I got from you
Don't cha think that's kinda strange
I been feelin kinda funny since the last time
Cause you left in such a hurry, tryin' to buy time
If you're doing what I'm thinking that you're going
Then I think you need to change

[Bridge - Dawn]
My suspicions are killing me
But I don't wanna point the finger at you
You say I shouldn't place the blame
But it seems you're playing games
How much longer must I tolerate this madness

[Chorus]
Strange
So low I can't get under it
So high I can't get over it
So wide I can't get around it
And it's looking mighty strange

Rap:
I can't say when
But it seems it all began
When I felt an icy tingle down my spine
You say it's in my mind
So I must resolve to find
Little pieces of the puzzle that fit
You think you're so slick
But I'm up on all your tricks
And I think you're soon to be
A small part of history
I know it's hard to see
So how you are cheating me
You can't hide
I can't stop it
Can't get by it
And to top it off, you're strange

Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis, Maxine Jones, and Dawn Robinson are the original members of the R&B girl group En Vogue. The group was put together by producers Thomas McElroy and Denzil Foster after a talent search in Oakland, California in 1989. Their debut album Born to Sing was released in 1990 and featured the #1 R&B hits “You Don’t Have To Worry,” “Lies,” and their platinum debut single “Hold On,” which also peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won a Billboard and Soul Train Music Award. Their 1992 follow-up album Funky Divas hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Albums chart and peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200 on its way to triple platinum status. The lead single, “My Lovin' (You’re Never Gonna Get It),” helped propel that success as it hit #1 on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album also featured the #1 R&B hit cover of Aretha Franklin’s “Giving Him Something He Can Feel” as well as the Top 10 pop single “Free Your Mind.”

In 1993, they released the EP Runaway Love and made appearances on the TV shows In Living Color, Roc and A Different World. In 1994, they collaborated with Salt-N-Pepa on their Top 3 platinum single “Whatta Man” and in 1996 they contributed to the Set It Off soundtrack with their hit single “Don’t Let Go (Love)” which peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit #1 on the R&B Singles chart.

While working on their third album, Dawn Robinson decided to leave the group due to issues with management. The group decided to go on as a trio and released their third platinum album EV3 in 1997 featuring the Top 10 R&B/Top 20 pop hit “Whatever,” which was produced and co-written by Babyface. They went on to release three more albums—Masterpiece Theatre in 2000, The Gift of Christmas in 2002, and Soul Flower in 2004. During that time, Maxine Jones left the group in 2001 and was replaced by Amanda Cole, and Cole was later replaced in 2003 by Rhona Bennett. While the original four members have reunited for performances throughout the years, the current lineup consists of Herron, Ellis, and Bennett, and they released the single “Déjà Vu” in 2016 and released their album Electric Café in 2018.

more tracks from the album

Born to Sing

From the album

Born to Sing (1990)

En Vogue popular songs

StrangeEn Vogue

En Vogue

Born to Sing