Still Standing (Monica Album) - Content

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The production of opening track "Still Standing", one of the first songs written for the album, was tracked by the reality television show format Monica: The Single on Peachtree TV in 2008. A well-received anthem about empowerment, starting with "an icy club-busting backbeat and a gothic, low-octave choir," it features guest vocals by Monica's cousin Ludacris and was initially considered to be released as the album's first single, but J Records rejected to promote the song as Still Standing′s lead. Nevertheless, the track managed to debut within the top eighty on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and was used as the theme song of Monica: Still Standing the following year. Second track, Los Da Mystro-crafted "One In a Lifetime", was among a number of songs that leaked a year prior to the album's official release. Announced as the album's leading single at a time, the "lush, piano-laced" song deals with finding true love. Ne-Yo-prenned third track "Stay or Go", one out of several tracks the songwriter and Monica worked on over a course of a week, deals with a "if you’re not going to treat me right, then here’s the option"–nature, according to Monica. "He wanted to do a record that spoke to who I am," she said, "and he reached back into my history on how I’ve delivered records in a sassy yet vocal way."

"Everything to Me", the album's fourth track and official first single, reunited Monica with producer Missy Elliott and saw the pair basically reprising the formula of previous successes such as "So Gone" (2003) and "A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me)" (2006). A musical ode to all things good in life, written by singer Jazmine Sullivan, the retro ballad contains a prominent sample of the Deniece Williams' 1981 recording "Silly." Released to rave reviews among critics, who noted it the album's "standout track — as solid as a brick house; great singing, great lyrics, great production, just a great all-around song," "Everything to Me" became the singer's most-successful release in years. Elliott also contributed "If You Were My Man", one of the few up tempo songs on Still Standing, which Monica described as the song, who was most out of her character. Originally entitled "Betcha", the track samples Evelyn "Champagne" King's 1982 record "Betcha She Don't Love You", featuring heavy elements of 1980's music, and garnered a mixed response by critics, whose reviews of the song alternated between "blemish," "brainless," and "funky". "Mirror", the sixth track produced by Jim Jonsin, was recorded late into the production of the album. A song about self-acceptance, Monica noted the composition one of her personal standouts on the album: "Its basically about being able to look at yourself in the mirror and be completely happy with the person that you are," she said. "Having no shame or feeling pain again, and I am at that place in my life."

Seventh track "Here I Am" was penned by Ester Dean and produced by Monica's elder cousin Polow da Don, marking their first collaboration. Led by a "bluesy guitar riff," the song deals with unrequired love, and has been announced as an official single from the album at numerous occasions, only to be replaced at the last minute each time. In April 2010, Monica confirmed on Twitter that she had re-recorded the song as a duet with Jamie Foxx, although he was later replaced by fellow R&B singer Trey Songz. "Superman", another production by Bryan Michael Cox, is an acoustic guitar-dominated ballad with syncopated drum pattern, in which she idolizes her man as a hero, comparing him with the same-titled DC Comics superhero. The track received a positive response among critcs, who called it one of the finest moments on Still Standing: "Monica shows her range and gives it some muscle." The album's ninth song and second single, Cristyle-penned "Love All Over Me", is producer Jermaine Dupri's only contribution to the record. Monica described the song as "about being strictly in love where everything feels right." Ending track "Believing In Me," an acoustic ode to moving beyond heartbreak, was contributed by Stargate.