http://blogcritics.org/ A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, politics, and technology - updated continuously. en Copyright 2005-2007 by the authors Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:45:04 EST http://backend.userland.com/rss Blogcritics.org custom software http://blogcritics.org/ Phillip WinnSunday, August 26, 2007, marks the switch of all Blogcritics.org article feeds from full-content to short-content. This is the result of several converging factors, and is unfortunately a permanent decision (as permanent as any decision can be on the web, that is). We are aware of all of the reasons that this is a Bad Idea, and we are aware that some of you will be quite upset about having to click on something to read the free content, and we're sorry. Unfortunately, despite great effort, full-content feeds are not currently economically viable. Two other factors are involved: full-content feeds have resulted in an unprecedented level of content theft, with BC content appearing on many websites, usually spam sites, without attribution or permission. This duplicate content causes a cascading set of problems, not the least of which is that search engines generally aren't favorable to duplicate content, and don't always guess correctly. Finally, our RSS advertising partner is strongly in favor of short-content feeds. We hope that you'll continue to subscribe to BC via RSS, and when an article grabs your eye, it's only a click away, still free on the BC website. Thank you for your understanding. Administration0@blogcritics.org Sun, 26 Aug 2007 12:00:00 EDT http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/21/164504.php Pam Avoledo "Samirk (Spoilt/Kiss Kiss)" recorded by Turkish pop singer Tarken in 1997. According to Wikipedia, it has been covered in several languages including Greek, Persian, Arabic, Spanish, and English. The first English version to be released was by Stella Soleil in the United States. Soleil wants to get laid in the presumptuous "Kiss Kiss." An affected kissing sound opens the single. A mediocre dance beat follows, setting a sordid tone. She asks the guy what was his first impression of her. She says that she's as sexual as she appears. She tells him that he's gorgeous, although not much else. Insulted, he starts to walk away. However, she says that he really does like her and wants to feel her up. Even though they bicker, they want to have sex with each other. It's a natural response. When you look at me/Tell me what do you see?/This is what you get/It's the way I am/When I look at you/I wanna be I wanna be/Somewhere close to heaven/With neanderthal man/Don't go/I know you wanna touch me/Here there and everywhere/Sparks fly when we are together/You can't deny the facts of life. In the chorus, he scoffs at sleeping with her in the backseat of his convertible. However, she's berates him for it. It doesn't matter where as long as it happens. She said there isn't any use for flirting or foreplay. She's a sure thing. You don't have to act like a snob/Try your moves in the back of a car/Don't you know that we can go far/'Cause tonight you're gonna get my/(kissing sound effect)/Don't play the games that you play/You know that I won't run away/Why're you askin' me to stay/'Cause tonight you're gonna get my/(kissing sound effect)/Kiss kiss. In the second verse, she says that he can be among her many conquests. She then asks him to be daring and uninhibited. She says her conscience is telling her that she's dirty. Of course, it only turns her on even more. She lays down on his backseat and asks him to climb on top of her. She says the chemistry between them is undeniable. She's feeling very sinful tonight. He can't escape her. You can be mine/Baby what's your starsign/Won't you take a step/Into the lion's den/I can hear my conscience calling me, calling me/Say I'm gonna be a bad girl again/Why don't you come on over/We can't leave this all undone/Got the devil on my shoulder/There's no place for you to run." In the bridge, she says that he will be unable to forget her. He will be in his deepest emotions and suffering, yet he will remember the one great lay he had back in 2001. If you forget/I'll remind you/If you're paranoid/I'm behind you/You lose your head/I'll find you/Sending you my kiss/If you forget/ I'll remind you/If you're paranoid/I'm behind you/If you lose your head/I'll find you/Kiss kiss. The drum machine starts it solo. It segues into the chorus. The chorus is sung twice to end the single. Soleil is akin to a drunk sorority girl trying to get into the fraternity's little sister program. To use a loose defintion (pun fully intended), she is using sex to get accepted. She thinks if she's wild and easy, guys will like her. Even if it's for one night, she wants to be the guy's ultimate fantasy. It will boost her self-esteem. Unfortunately, she's degrading herself and lacks self-respect. Soleil's vocals only reinforce the message. Her put-on reckless vocals are full of insecurity. She's confused about her sexuality. She's aware of it and knows she can attract guys. However, she doesn't know the proper way of getting attention. Her current way is unhealthy, emotionally and physically. However, it could be much worse. It's possible for this song to be even more offensive. The original was sung from a man's point of view. "Kiss Kiss" is nondiscriminting based on the fact that it devalues both genders. Music42578@blogcritics.org Sat, 21 Jan 2006 16:45:04 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/18/131038.php Pam AvoledoThe Spice Girls have a boy proclaiming his love after knowing him for less than a week in the retro "Stop." Festive saxophones open the single, setting a celebratory tone. Mel C notices him walk into her house and grin widely. She thinks it's a nice gesture but it's a new relationship. They simply like each other, they are not in love. However, Mel B is taking full advantage of it while it lasts. It doesn't matter because he will follow her around anyway. She could call him a jerk and he would still try to hump her leg. "You just walk in, I make you smile/It's cool but you don't even know me/You take an inch, I run a mile/Can't win you're always right behind me." Further in the verse, Emma Bunton says that next week he could fall for another girl. He wouldn't even care about her anymore. Victoria Beckham says liking her is something that will go away. She also mulls the possibility that he could be a pest that will be around for years. "And we know that you could go and find some other/Take or leave it or just don't even bother/Caught in a craze, it's just a phase/Or will this be around forever." In the pre-chorus, they all say that he needs to take it down a couple notches. He's going to make her not want to spend any time with him at all. Mel B asks him to get the hints. Mel C is bit more blunt. She tells him to that he's moving too fast and understand her clearly. She's not going to say it again. "Don't you know it's going too fast/Racing so hard you know it won't last/Don't you know, what can't you see/Slow it down, read the sign, so you know just where you are going." In the chorus, the Spice Girls tell him they want to be left alone. He's too psycho for them. He's also really girl crazy and they can't take him seriously. Each girl he likes, he wants to have a committed relationship with right away. They advise to relax and date around for awhile. "Stop right now, thank you very much/I need somebody with the human touch/Hey you you always on the run/Gotta slow down baby, got have some fun." After the pre-chorus, they give him a yearbook compliment. They say they will be best friends forever. "Do Do Do Do Do/Do Do Do Do Do/Do Do Do Do Do/Always be together/ Ba da Ba Ba/Ba da Ba Ba/Ba da Ba Ba/Stay that way forever." The latter half of the first verse is sung again. But Mel C adds new lyrics. She says that he knows he's not the smoothest guy. However, he's going to eventually feel some emotional pain after not dealing with his constant rejections. With Mel C, he said he wants to have kids with her. Mel C tells him that he's pushing too hard and needs to learn about the steps of a relationship first. "And we know that you could go and find some other/Take or leave it 'cause we've always got each other/You know who you are and yes, you're gonna breakdown/You've crossed the line so you're gonna have to turn around." The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again. In the bridge, they give him tips on how to be a better person. They tell him not be obnoxious. How he acts know will affect him in his future. He may be well-off, but he lacks social skills. He has to learn to be patient and not to bug people all the time. "Gotta keep it down honey, lay your back on the line, 'Cause I don't care about the money, don't be wasting my time/You need less speed, get off my case/ You gotta slow it down baby, just get out of my face." The chorus is sung three times to end the single. "Stop" is like a sitcom. It based on the premise of four women with marketable and larger than life personalities. They work at the office with a guy that likes them. He's goofy and says all the wrong things. Hijanks then ensue! Nonetheless, they deal with him and try to get him be a fun, likable person. By the series finale, one of the woman will be his fiancee. Its predictable and transparent. The single is a homage to 80s pop. They use the Motown-influenced R&B sound and sing in unison (as Bananarama did.) Except it lacks the charm of that era. While the arrangement is spirited, the Spice Girls are lethargic and phoning in their vocals. Music42450@blogcritics.org Wed, 18 Jan 2006 13:10:38 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/16/072522.php Pam AvoledoAlicia Keys believes celebrities are the standard for wonderful relationships in the horrid "Unbreakable." Keys intros the song. She says that it's new. She encourages the crowd to get into the song as she plays the opening notes. It sets a promising tone. "Clap your hands everybody/Clap your hands/Come on, keep it going/Clap your hands everybody/Clap your hands everybody/Clap your hand/ Lets do it, you ready?/Come on." In the first verse, she says he could physically abuse her, like Ike Turner. They could contribute to their community and talk to young people about getting an education, like Bill Cosby. Camille is his wife, who is referenced also. She says they could be billionaires like Oprah Winfrey and her boyfriend Stedman Graham. She says they could live in the Cabrini-Green projects like James and Flo Evans on the sitcom Good Times. She adds they are just like the Evanses: they make jokes to get through the hard times. Meanwhile, their goofy neighbors will drop in and hilarity ensues. "We could fight like Ike and Tina/Or give back like Bill and Camille/Be rich like Oprah and Stedman/Or instead struggle like Flo and James Evans." In the pre-chorus, she says they need to be as optimistic as the fictional characters they watch every week. "'Cause he ain't no different from you/And she ain't no different from me/So we got to live our dreams/Like the people on TV." In the chorus, she compares their relationship to a television show. Sometimes, like relationships, words get fuzzy and aren't heard. Something is always going to happen, like the plot. Even though they may have to seperate temporarily, they will be back together within the week. "We gotta stay tuned/'Cause there's more to see (Unbreakable)/Through the technical difficulties (Unbreakable)/We might have to take a break/But ya'll know we'll be back next week/I'm singing this love is unbreakable Oh yeah, yeah." Keys once again encourages the crowd to get into it. "Yeah, clap your hands everybody/Clap your hands everybody/Let's do it like this, come on." In the second verse, she says they could reveal every TMI part of their relationship like actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith. They could be enterpreneurs Kimora and Russell Simmons. She says they could attack the press when someone says something bad about them like in the Jackson family. She says they could even have about five kids. They could have a Jackson 5 of their own. "See, we could act out like Will and Jada(Will and Jada)/Or like Kimora and Russell makin' paper, oh yeah/All in the family like the Jacksons(like the Jacksons)/And have enough kids to make a band like Joe and Katherine, yeah." In the pre-chorus, she says like, Katherine, she's meek and like Joseph, he will be a drill sargent to the kids. "She ain't no different from me...like the people on TV." The chorus is sung again. In the bridge, Keys says that they modeling their lives like their characters and actors they see on television. "We're living our dreams,yeah/We're living our dreams/We're living our dreams We're living our dreams/(Oh)/We're living our dreams(We're living our dreams)/We're living our dreams(We're living our dreams)/We're living our dreams/(Oh yeah)." The chorus is sung twice. However, for the second time it's far more improvised. She says that even though they break up they will be back together soon. She also segues into the second bridge. "And we got to stay tuned...Sing it one more time now/Ya'll know we'll be breaking up/But we just might be back next week/This love is unbreakable/(ha,ha,ha,yeah,yeah)/Break it down, break it down like this/Yeah." She says that they won't have much. However, they will live their lives according to their values. They won't cheat or swear or anything. It will be a sanitized life. "No thing, no money, no sin, no temptation, talking 'bout nothing/No thing, no money, no sin, no temptation, talking 'bout nothing/No thing, no money, no sin, no temptation, talking 'bout nothing/No thing, no money, no sin, no temptation, talking 'bout nothin'" The improvised second chorus is sung again but without the segue. It concludes the single. "Yeah/(Unbreakable)/Yeah, yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah,yeah/(Unbreakable)/We just might be breaking up/But ya'll know we'll be back next week/I'm singing this love is unbreakable." Keys has the charisma for a live performance. She understands that people don't want to hear an exact recording of the song from the album. She gets involved with the audience and tries to get them to sing along with her. There's a spark in her live vocals that isn't captured on the albums. However, Keys' celebrity worship and emulation is problematic in the single. She appears guillible and dim. She thinks that if they act like the characters they see on television, everything will turn out all right. She forgets that writers break down the script by the scene. And also, that it's not real. She also believes every denial by a celebrity on the Insider, Access Hollywood, or Extra. However, she forgets that it's carefully orchestrated public relations. The marriages she points out have been either reported as open (like the Smiths') or infidelity (like the Cosbys'.) None of it is the epitome of one's life should be run. The single assumes celebrities are perfect and wondrous human beings. They aren't. Unlike the rest of the people in the world, they have lawyers and publicists to cover up their flaws. Music42336@blogcritics.org Mon, 16 Jan 2006 07:25:22 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/15/121012.php Pam AvoledoCyndi Lauper has withdrawn from her lover in the poignant ballad "Time After Time." Tearful guitars start the single, setting a lonely tone. It's two a.m. Lauper hears the clock on her nightstand tick. She turns and touches the right side of the bed. It's her boyfriend's spot. She wonders how he is doing. She can't make sense of her emotions, which seem to change every hour on the hour. She remembers cuddling in his arms at night. She nearly forgot the special moments she had with him. Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick/And think of you/Caught up in circles confusion/ Is nothing new/Flashback warm nights /Almost left behind/Suitcases of memories/Time after. Further in the verse, she says that he thinks she's running away from him. Although he's tries to contact her, she has already shut him out. He pleads for her to calm down. She eventually does, but she finds herself sinking back into her melancholy. Sometimes you picture me/ I'm walking too far ahead/You're calling to me, I can't hear/What you've said/ Then you say go slow/I fall behind/ The second hand unwinds. In the chorus, her boyfriend says that he will be there for her whenever she needs him. He will rescue her if she starts heading towards a downward spiral. Each and every time, he will comfort her. If you're lost you can look and you will find me/Time after time/If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting/Time after time. In the second verse, she believes he wants nothing to do with her. She perceives herself as a lost cause. However, he's calling her friends and family, trying to figure where she is and if she's doing all right. He knows her better than she knows herself. After my picture fades and darkness has/Turned to gray/Watching through windows, you're wondering/If I'm OK/Secrets stolen from deep inside/The drum beats out of time. The chorus is sung again. Part of the first verse is sung again. You said go slow/I fall behind/The second hand unwinds. The chorus is sung again. Lauper realizes he is not going to let her flounder and self-destruct. Time after time/Time after time/Time after time. In "Time After Time," Lauper believes she is a difficult person, unworthy of love. She runs away and shuts people out. However, her devoted boyfriend who loves her unconditionally is willing to help her through anything. The relationship is given depth. The couple's intimacy and history is apparent. They've been together for a long time. They love and have seen each other through every tough part of their life. Now, it's her boyfriend's turn to help her. Lauper's vocals are full of loss. But there is a glint of hope in them also. She knows she will not be abandoned, despite how much she may fight his compassion. "Time After Time" is a sure-fire classic. Music42305@blogcritics.org Sun, 15 Jan 2006 12:10:12 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/14/074401.php Pam AvoledoChris Brown sheds his tough image and admits he's hopelessly in love in the sensitive power ballad "Echo." The single immediately begins with the chorus. Brown says that if he ignores his feelings, nothing will happen and he won't get hurt. However, he realizes he will lose her if he does that. He blurts out that he wants to be with her. However, he has to forget what he father taught him: revealing emotions is a weakness. "Close my eyes/Let the whole thing pass me by/There is no time/To waste asking why/I'll run away with you by my side/I'll run away with you by my side/I need to let go, let go, let go, let go of this pride/(Asking why)." After the chorus, a fragile guitar sets a defenseless tone. In the first verse, he says that he broods over her lovely face. He remembers her gray eyes that glimmered. He broke up with her, telling her he need space and time to figure things out. He regrets the breakup now. Although he said it was likely they would get back together, he wonders if she's dating. It's driving him crazy. He fears that she's found someone else. He prefers not to know and wants to move past it as soon as possible. It should be something they will never speak of again. "I think about your face/And how I fall into your eyes/The outline that I trace/Around the one that I call mine/Time that called for space/Unclear where you drew the line/I don't need to solve this case/And I don't need to look behind." The chorus is sung again. In the second verse, she offers him an ultimatum: change or the relationship is permeantly off. His father abused him and he wonders if he will ever recover from it. Brown can still hear his insults in his mind. It's something he can't forget, regardless of how much he has tried. He finds something to cloud his mind. It's temporary but it dulls the pain for a while. "Do I expect to change, the past I hold inside/With all the words I say/Repeating over in my mind/Somethings you can't erase, no matter how hard you try/An exit to escape is all there is left to find." In the chorus, he adds that he won't be able to really love someone until he is able to let go of his childhood. She's the only person he's been able to tell. "Close my eyes....Until this echo, echo, echo, echo in my mind (I know I always loved you, I know I always loved you)/Until this echo, echo, echo, echo can subside (I know I always loved you/I know I always loved you)." The second chorus is sung again. Chris Brown is the bad boy with a heart of gold. He's tortured by his past. It has made him afraid to be candid about his life. There is so much to him that his girlfriend doesn't know. However, he squanders any sympathy gained by playing games with his girlfriend. He seems to want her to wait for him forever. His impossible expectations of wanting her to be free when he's ready to talk. He's also unable to deal with the fact that she may have decided to move on. He's become dependent on her and can't let her go. The musical arrangement has a problem as well. It remains low-key and then at the chorus, Brown shouts the last two lyrics. It's disjointed and tacked on. It's like a "let's get back together" speech heard from a significant other years ago. It needs to be forgotten. Music42267@blogcritics.org Sat, 14 Jan 2006 07:44:01 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/12/213331.php Pam AvoledoDebbie Gibson learns that appearances are not what they seem in the shallow "Anything Is Possible." Passe synthesizers open the single, setting an isignificant tone. The single begins with the chorus. Gibson says that people need to believe in what they want. They need to make it a goal and it can happen. Anything is possible/If you put your mind to it/Anything is possible/Just put your mind to it/Anything is possible/If you put your mind to it/Anything/Is possible. In the first verse, she really liked a guy at school. However, he was popular and dated a lot of girls. She thought that he viewed her as a loser. While she thought of him as the type of guy who used girls for sex. However, they go on a date and they get along really well. She had pegged him wrong. Thought I couldn't slow him down/Long enough to look my way/Thought he was out of my league/Wouldn't give me time of day/Thought he was like all the rest/Love her, leave her, no remorse/But I guess that I misjudged/And this thing just ran its course/He taught me. The chorus is sung again. Gibson announces that it's time for a dance break. A male background singer says that anything can happen. Break it down now/No matter what it is, it's possible/Say, anything is possible/(Anything...) No matter what it is, it's possible/Say, anything is possible/(Anything...) No matter what it is, it's possible/Say, anything is possible/(Anything...) No matter what it is, it's possible/Say, anything is possible. In the second verse, she continues about her new boyfriend. She said that when they first started talking, she found that he was friendly and not aloof. He gazes her into her eyes, which Gibson boasts about. She said that he acted like a jerk to be more popular. However, his charm was real. She says that he understood more than anyone and paid attention to what she said. He wanted to go out with her and Gibson thinks that it should be enough to convince everyone. He was more than a pretty boy. Much to my surprise I felt/A warm, not cold vibe/When he looked in my eyes/(Oh yeah, it's possible)/His bad boy front not charm/Was his disguise/Oh whoa whoa/(Let me tell ya)/He read so much into me/Listened so attentively/He liked me, I rest my case/Wasn't just a pretty face. In the bridge, she says that girls can get any guy they want. They need to be assertive and have self-confidence. She tells girls that not all guys are jerks. They shouldn't be put into these stereotypes of bad boy and clean-cut All American guy. It's just an image. She used to do the same thing. If she hadn't given him a chance, she would've missed out on a great boyfriend. Anything/If you set your mind/You can do anything you want/Not every guy is a bad guy/Don't stereotype/'Cause this guy, he proved me wrong/(Anything is possible)/He taught me/Anything is possible/Just put your mind to it/Oh, oh, oh, oh/If you put your mind/You know you can do anything. The chorus is sung once to end the single. The single is nothing more than an audio version of Seventeen. Gibson makes a good point: don't stereotype people. However, she continues to talk about it as though she's the only one. She flaunts her new relationship as she condescends to other girls. They are not doing what she's doing. That's why they don't have a steady boyfriend like her. Grow up, Gibson. The music arrangement of "Anything Is Possible" is watered down new jack swing. However, it tries to be sweet pop at the same time. Gibson hints at her sensuous vocals. But she sticks with the safe, innocent vocals she used for past singles. Music42200@blogcritics.org Thu, 12 Jan 2006 21:33:31 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/10/235821.php Pam AvoledoRicky Martin vies for the attention of a sensual woman in the wanton "She Bangs." Chatter and pert guitars open the single, setting a frisky tone. Amid the chatter, women background singers whisper loudly "she bangs." It leads to an explosive saxophone and Martin saying "everything, everything is so fine." The crowd cheers. In the first verse, he begs for a moment of her time. He wants to know who she is. However, she ignores him. She has aroused him and he is overwhelmed by it. He tries to impress her by saying a line ("what's your sign?") She is mock annoyed, but responds to his advances. It excites him. "Talk to me/Tell me your name/You blow me off like it's all the same/You lit a fuse and now I'm ticking away/Like a bomb/Yeah, baby/Talk to me/Tell me your sign/You're switching sides like a Gemini/You're playing games and now you're hittin' my heart/Like a drum/Yeah, baby." In the pre-chorus, he says if fate will allow it, it will be the wildest one night stand ever. He let her do whatever she wants until he is exhausted. Her voice is as slinky as her walk. "Well if Lady Luck gets on my side/We're gonna rock this town alive/I'll let her rough me up/Till she knocks me out/She walks like she talks/And she talks like she walks." In the chorus, he says that she's thrilling as she sashays. Her beauty intoxicates him. She may be petite and wholesome looking. However, underneath the shy demeanor is an assertive lover. He knows that like men, women think about sex often. "And she bangs, she bangs/Oh baby/When she moves, she moves/I go crazy/'Cause she looks like a flower but she stings like a bee/Like every girl in history/She bangs, she bangs/I'm wasted by the way she moves/No one ever looked so fine/She reminds me that a woman only got one thing on her mind." In the second verse, he says that he would be a long line in a series of men she's bedded. She speaks of the businessmen, senators, actors, and musicians she's slept with. Martin would be proud to be included. She is full of energy and life. After only a hour of dancing with her, he's tired. "Talk to me/Tell me your name/I'm just a link in your daisy chain/Your rap sounds like a diamond/Map to the stars/Yeah, baby/Talk to me/Tell me the news/You wear me out like a pair of shoes/We'll dance until the band goes home/Then you're gone/Yeah, baby." In the second pre-chorus, he says that his love for her is criminal. He jokes that he would be in jail forever. However, it would be worth the life of solitude. Every day and night, he would dream about her in sexy corsets and fishnet stockings. "Well if it looks like love should be a crime/You'd better lock me up for life/I'll do the time with a smile on my face/Thinking of her in her leather and lace." The chorus is sung again. A randy saxophone solo follows. The first pre-chorus is sung again. The chorus is sung again. In the final chorus, Martin says that "she bangs" and "ooh" is subsituted for the regular lyrics. "She bangs, she bangs/Oh, oh, oh/She moves, she moves/Oh, oh, oh/Oh, Oh, Oh/Whoa-oh!/She bangs, she bangs/Oh, oh, oh/She moves, she moves/Oh, oh, oh/Oh, Oh, Oh/Whoa-oh, oh, oh!/She bangs, she bangs/Oh, oh, oh/She moves, she moves/Oh, oh, oh/Oh, Oh, Oh/Whoa-oh, oh, oh!/She bangs, she bangs/I'm wasted by the way she moves/No one ever looked so fine." Ricky Martin does his best impression of Elvis Presley and succeeds. His vocals are sultry and lively. Regardless of his sexual orientation, he convincingly sells a relationship with a woman much like George Michael was able to do in the 1980s. The title of the song is a play upon the word shebang, meaning the entire thing. In this context, the woman in the single is meant to be the epitome of the sexually adventerous femme fatale. Martin also uses a variation of the phrase, "floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee" made famous by Muhammad Ali. "She Bangs" is a likable song which relishes in its silliness. Music42098@blogcritics.org Tue, 10 Jan 2006 23:58:21 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/10/122105.php Pam AvoledoAaliyah is looking for a down-to-earth guy in the peculiar "Are You That Somebody."Timbaland introduces the song with a jumpy keyboard. He asks people in living in the south and on the east and west coasts if they are enjoying the beat so far. It sets an ordinary tone. "Dirty South (uh-huh)/Can ya'll really feel me (feel us)/East coast feel me (feel us)/West coast feel me/Dirty south (say what)/Can ya'll really feel me (huh)/East coast feel me (baby girl)/West coast feel me (huh uh)/Dirty south (yeah)/Can ya'll really feel me (say what)/East coast feel me (feel us)/West coast feel me (feel us)/Dirty south (dirty dirty)/Can ya'll really feel me (yeah)/East coast feel me (baby girl)/West coast feel me (ha)." In the first verse, Aaliyah has memorized her crush's schedule and has been following him around everywhere. She says after "accidently" meeting so many times, they will eventually have a phone conversation. Then, they will date. However, she hasn't told him she's interested in him. "Boy/I've been watching you/Like a hawk in a sky/That flies, and/You were my prey (my prey)/Boy, I promise you/If we keep bumpin' heads/And you know that one of these days (days)/We gon' hook it up/Probably talk from the phone/But see I don't know if that's good/I've been holdin' back/This secret from you/Probably shouldn't tell you but if I." In the chorus, she says she's worried about him telling the tabloids he's dating her. He can't even tell his family. She asks him if he's a rational guy. She adds that she needs someone won't put in her danger. After all, she is a star. She wonders if it's her move or his. She flirts that she's the naughty kind of good girl. Then, she desperately asks if he's wants to be her boyfriend. She really needs to have a boyfriend right now. The sound of a baby cooing is heard throughout the chorus. "If I let you know/You can't tell nobody/I'm talkin' bout nobody/Are you responsible?/Boy I gotta watch my body/I'm not just anybody/Is it my go, is it your go/Sometimes I'm goody goody/Right now I'm naughty naughty/Say yes or say no/'Cause I really need somebody/Tell me are you that somebody." In the second verse, she asks him to meet him at night in the park. She will be wearing a trenchcoat and a hat. She doesn't want anyone to recongnize her. She once again tells him not to say anything and to remember to pick her up. She thinks he's a good guy who isn't going to use her for her celebrity. "Boy/Won't you pick me up at the park right now/Up the block while everyone/Sleep, sleep, sleep/I'll be waitin' there/With my trench, my lugs, my hat/Just so I'm low key/If you tell the world/Don't sleep, you know that we'll be weak/Oh boy/See I'm trusting you/ With my heart, my soul/ I probably shouldn't let you but, if I/If I let this go." The chorus is sung again.In the bridge, Timbaland says that he's from Virginia and introduces himself. He adds that he's the hottest producer in the industry. He's traveling from Virgina to Japan where he has meet and greets with his fans. He says that Baby Girl is Aaliayh's nickname. He likes the way she sings. She's also a really nice person. After meeting her, people who didn't like her were her friends. Then, Aaliyah adds the last part of the chorus at the end. "Baby girl/I'm the man from the big VA/Won't you come play 'round my wayGotta listen to what I gotta say/Timbaland/Don't you know I am the man/Rock shows from Virginia to Japan (what)/Have people shakin' shakin' my hand (what)/Baby Girl/Better known as Aaliyah/Give me goosebumps and high fevers/Making playahaters to believers/Don't you know/Gotta tell somebody 'cause/'Cause I really need somebody (Uh huh)/Tell me are you that somebody! (say what!)" The chorus is sung twice.The thumping bass and the sound effect of a baby laughing and playing with a rattle has solo.The last of the chorus ends the single. "Is it my go, is it your go/Sometimes I'm goody goody/Right now I'm naughty naughty/Say yes or say no/'Cause I really need somebody/Tell me are you that somebody." Aaliyah is quite full of herself in the single. She cares more about her image than anything else. Her problem is that she treats him like a lovesick fan. However, he hasn't even taken notice of her yet. A pop star hesitant to date a normal person is insulting. Assuming that his family is going to be starstruck as well if they find out is a bit much. It's doubtful his parents even know who she is.Timbaland can build terrific beats around unusual sounds (the operatics in Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River.") However, the sounds of a baby cooing is random and does not make sense in the context of the single. Ego and unexplained weirdness sink "Are You That Somebody." Music42067@blogcritics.org Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:21:05 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/08/205158.php Pam AvoledoPaula Abdul warns another girl about her callous ex-boyfriend in the hammy "Cold Hearted." Watchful keyboards open the single, setting a whimsical tone. The chorus starts the song. In it, she spots a girl with her ex-boyfriend. She tells her that take a look at the guy's soulless eyes. He can't be trusted. He will hit on any woman that breathes and doesn't believe in treating a woman right. She tells the girl not to be taken in by his charms. "He's a cold-hearted snake/Look into his eyes/Oh oh oh/He's been tellin' lies/He's a lover boy at play/He don't play by the rules/Oh oh oh/Girl don't play the fool, no." In the first verse, she explains what happened to her. The relationship is one-sided with the girl paying attention to his wants and needs. However, once he has the girl's trust, he will make any excuse. He will spend time with his friends, flirting with other women at parties and bars. He will have the girl breaking dates with her friends or changing the way she looks to get his approval. She asks his new girlfriend, who is dismissing what she is saying, if she believes he actually does care about her. " You're the one givin' up the love/Anytime he needs it/But you turn your back and then he's off and runnin' with the crowd/You're the one to sacrifice/Anything to please him/Do you really think he thinks about you when he's out." The chorus is sung again. The watchful keyboards have a solo. In the second verse, the girl says that he gave her a call and asked her what she was up to. Abdul says he was out at 3 a.m. drinking with his friends and making out with another girl. He was only seeing if she was suspicious of him yet. He doesn't believe in steady relationships. For him, love doesn't exist. "It was only late last night/He was out there sneakin'/Then he called you up to check that you were waiting by the phone/All the world's a candy store/He's been trick or treatin'/When it comes to true love girl with him there's no one home." The chorus is sung again. The watchful keyboards return for the bridge. Defiant drum machines join in. Abdul tells the girl she's too good for him. She should be out looking for a guy who will love her back. He will only hurt her and make her bitter. He's not going to change. "You could find somebody better girl/He could only make you cry/You deserve somebody better/He's c-cold as ice." Over flamboyant strings, Abdul whispers "he's c-cold as ice" several times. Then, the defiant drum machine accompanies her as she says the he's a cold hearted. She hisses during the word "snake. "He's c-cold as ice/He's c-cold as ice/Stay away from him, girl!/C-c-cold hearted, ooh ooh ah/C-c-cold hearted sss-snake/!/C-c-cold hearted, ooh ooh ah/C-c-cold hearted sss-snake." The chorus is sung twice to end the single. In "Cold Hearted," Abdul is the scorned ex-girlfriend with a mission. Tell every girl that crosses his path that he's a jerk. Hopefully, that girl will tell her group of friends and so forth. She's going to take him down by word of mouth. The single is not afraid to be over the top, which is its charm. It takes the snake metaphor as far as it can. His moves are described more predatory than human in the single. Abdul vocals are slithery and cool. But it's the hissing in the bridge that makes the single a classic. It's so ridiculous and cheesy that it's endearing. "Cold Hearted" may not be the best written song or even the best sung. However, it's an unbelievably entertaining listen. Music42002@blogcritics.org Sun, 8 Jan 2006 20:51:58 EST http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/01/08/052206.php Pam Avoledo Belinda Carlisle tells a friend to follow through on her talk in the striking "Get Up and Go." Forceful keyboards open the single. The Go-Go's say "hey" over a 60s beach party beat. It sets a vivacious tone. She advises her friend to forget the past. It's happened already and nothing can be done to change it. She says for her to be spontaneous and enjoy the future. Her friend may be midly suprised at the opportunities she may find. She doesn't even believe her friend anymore when she chats about moving on and taking the high road. Carlisle just tunes her out. Her friend can't see that talking about moving on and doing it are not the same thing. She keeps turning to Carlisle for answers. However, Carlisle tells her to look inside herself for them. "If you get up and walk away/Leave the past behind/Go ahead and take a ride/No telling what you'll find/The words you say don't mean a thing/They fly right by my eyes/Look in the mirror don't look at me/Maybe then you'll realize." In the chorus, Carlisle tells her take a major decision in her life. If she feels stuck, then make to a new city. The only way she will do anything is if she actually does it. "So get up and go/If you're so tired of moving slow/If you're so tired of moving slow/Go/Get up and go." In the second verse, Carlisle explains she offered her friend help and support when she needed it. However, her friend needs to stop relying on her. She's done all she can. She tells her friend to prove if she really meant all the things the things she said. She needs to take action. Words are forgotten. She pushes her to do it now. "I was on the inside/Looking out for you/But you're the one to make the change/There's nothing I can do/Now's the time for you to move/Actions shout out loud/So cut the talk and move your feet/'Cause words get lost in crowds/Quit talking/Start walking now." The chorus is sung twice to end the single. Everyone has had one of those friends. They are so over their ex. They are going to move to California. They are going to apply for that dream job. Then, the ex calls back. Suddenly, the time isn't right to move. The dream job is too far away. Carlisle has grown tired of her friend in the single. Carlisle gives her friend some tough love. She did not intend on becoming her friend's life coach. However, Carlisle's sweet, friendly vocals take the bitchiness out of the lyrics. The 60s beach party beat is playful and fun. Music41975@blogcritics.org Sun, 8 Jan 2006 05:22:06 EST