They Never Saw Me Coming is the debut album by TQ released on November 10, 1998 in the United States and May 8, 1999 in the United Kingdom.
| They Never Saw Me Coming | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by TQ | ||||
| Released | November 10, 1998 (US) May 8, 1999 (UK) | |||
| Recorded | 1997–1998 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Label | Sony, Epic | |||
| Producer | TQ (executive producer) Mike Mosley Jazze Pha Femi Ojetunde Producer Ty Howard | |||
| TQ chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | |
TQ wrote every word on They Never Saw Me Coming, with production handled by Mike Mosley of Steady Mobbin Productions. Mosley's outstanding studio work with such artists as Tupac Shakur and E-40 speaks for itself. "Mike and I really like and respect each other," TQ acknowledged. "He's very serious about his work, like I am. By motivating each other, we both gave my project 110 percent."
"Bye Bye Baby", a Mosley/Ty Howard produced track, is based on a true story about a woman shot by a drive-by bullet meant for her man; it's followed by "The Comeback", a soul-searing track detailing the violent revenge wreaked on the shooter. "Darling Mary" is a playful ode to urban life's blunted reality; "When I Get Out", a pulsating ballad between TQ and Ericka Yancey, about an incarcerated brother's insecurity when it comes to his lover on the outside.
A horrifying drug-related incident from TQ's past was the source of "Remember Melinda"; "Gotta Make That Money" is a contemporary hustlers theme song, featuring a guest rap by E-40. "The bottom line," TQ states, "is that this album is about my life, the lives of the people that are close to me, and those that influenced me."
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | UK | IRE | GER | SWI | AUT | NL | AUS | NZ | ||
| 1998 | "Westside" | 12 |
4 |
5 |
8 |
29 |
14 |
3 |
10 |
10 |
| "Bye Bye Baby" | - |
7 |
13 |
6 |
16 |
33 |
6 |
7 |
47 | |
| 1999 | "Better Days" | 71 |
32 |
- |
88 |
- |
- |
33 |
- |
- |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Change (Intro)" | 1.12 |
| 2. | "Westside" | 5.04 |
| 3. | "If the World Was Mine" | 3.32 |
| 4. | "Paradise" | 3.39 |
| 5. | "They Never Saw Me Coming" (featuring Jay) | 4.04 |
| 6. | "Don Breezio (Interlude)" | 0.32 |
| 7. | "Gotta Make That Money" (featuring E-40) | 4.35 |
| 8. | "I Get Around" | 4.44 |
| 9. | "RememberMelinda" | 4.34 |
| 10. | "One More Lick" (featuring Tray Deee) | 4.31 |
| 11. | "Ass or Weed (Interlude)" | 0.18 |
| 12. | "Darlin' Mary" | 3.32 |
| 13. | "When I Get Out" (duet with Ericka Yancey) | 5.27 |
| 14. | "Weed or Ass (Interlude)" | 0.19 |
| 15. | "Your Sister" (featuring Too $hort) | 4.07 |
| 16. | "Bye Bye Baby" | 5.24 |
| 17. | "The Comeback" (featuring Tha Dogg Pound) | 6.05 |
| 18. | "Better Days" | 4.26 |
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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| Authority control |
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