“My Love” and “Until the End of Time” celebrate romantic love. A man ruined by drugs and alcohol cries out to God for a lifeline on “Losing My Way” (“Oh my God, please forgive me/Father, hear my prayer/’Cause I know I’ve done some wrong in this life”). However …
It seems he’d rather do wrong. On “SexyBack” Timberlake drops the f-bomb twice while suggestively informing his “dirty babe,” “You see these shackles Baby, I’m your slave/I’ll let you whip me if I misbehave.” “D–n Girl” states, “B–ch, you’re bad as h—” and requests rough sex. Risqué lyrics make an indecent proposal (“Let Me Talk to You: Prelude”) and note, “I’ma freak you right each and every night” (“Summer Love”). Notoriously crude guest artists make things more explicit. Snoop Dogg tells a model to disrobe, and Justin chimes in, “Expose those things you want to show” (“Pose”). Timbaland raps to a group of girls, “Simon says touch yours while you touch mine” (“Chop Me Up”). Alcohol flows in the form of champagne, Hennessy and a “yellow bottle” that offers a buzz.
The pinup idol-turned-playboy amps up the sexometer with Prince-like precision on his second solo project. A frustrating shift further to the dark side.
