You ever sit and listen to how overly dramatic the electric piano is on Boyz II Men's - End of the Road (1992) and how it really helps make the song?
Like the lyrics are so over the top if you don't have anything other than that super electrically synth piano bearing the weight of an entire god damn song, then this song is unintentionally the funniest song ever.
But that electric piano just is
^^ Last thing on this, don't believe me. Go back and play On Bended Knee which is close to the same level of corny lyrics wise.
The person playing keys doesn't sell it as much. It's too confident so the words and melodies sound the same but it doesn't reach the same level of yearing, the same levels of authenticity.
^^Especially with everything being so much less sincere here 30 years later. We're too online, no one can let it all hang out there anymore without being judged on social media anymore.
The level of vulnerability on this song is out control but even 30 years later, the sincerity doesn't work without that keyboard player selling it.
If he or she doesn't put every heartache, every disappointment, every...thing into each of those first 10 or so minor chords this song flops.
It's such genius.