7. Alesha Dixon/The Boy Does Nothing
Uploaded by Jay230288. This was the Children in Need performance.
Alesha’s career seems rejuvenated by Strictly Come Dancing, which she won last year. The Boy Does Nothing peaked at #5 in the UK Chart, which was Alesha’s highest ever solo standing in the chart.
Brilliant chart position and it sticks two fingers up to Javine Hylton and Harvey, the latter who was Alesha’s ex husband. The reason it does this (in my view) is because it was co-written by Xenomania, the songwriting group who write Girls Aloud’s songs. Javine missed the cut to be part of Girls Aloud years ago as part of the reality show, Popstars. How sweet is revenge? Go Alesha!
It’s a poppy, fresh and energetic song that makes me want to exercise, so it must be doing something right.
6. Rihanna/Rehab
ph2072, I cannot believe there is a Rihanna song from GGGB that she has released that I actually like. I was always an SOS/Dem Haters girl. Rihanna has improved a lot. I still don’t buy this image change at all, but vocally, she has improved on this song, ph2072.
The endless beats peppering the album version of this song are trademark Timbaland production. The song was written by Justin Timberlake and he also stars in the video.
It’s bizarre sounding song meshed with the lyrics in a way, because the actual instrumental music in the background sounds like a melancholic serenading song, almost like music that would accompany a paean.
I think her voice suits songs that are slower and that have more of a chunkier sound to them. This song is not a ballad but it is more contemplative. So yes, ph2072, your girl is growing on me. Maybe b/c Rehab is mirroring my own life lol.
Rehab entered the UK chart at #24.
5. Madonna/Give it 2 Me
Give it to me, Madonna purrs or commands? Her tone of voice is vague and ambiguous on this song, almost like one is unsure whether she is energetic or commenting.
You’re only here to win, ‘fget what they say, Madge insists. The song has a lot of attitude and is one of the first times I think that Madonna actually sounds comfortable on a song.
I loved this song the first time I heard it. It has this almost snarky tone to it, encased in Pharrell’s heavy drum beats.
Thumbs up from me Madge, all the way in North London. I posted the music video a while ago when the song came out and for some reason, I even loved the song more with the video lol!
Many people on YT where saying that she was too old etc. So what? She is 50 and looks absolutely mindblowing with her figure.
Just look at this still from video:
Give it 2 Me, I’d be singing that too if my thighs looked like hers. The song peaked at #7.
4. Leona Lewis/Forgive Me
[image found here @ wikipedia]
The song peaked at #5 in the UK Chart. I actually really didn’t like it when I first heard it. Learning it was Akon’s brainchild didn’t help either. In fact, it is grower of a song. And Leona singing an uptempo song and not a ballad? It was refreshing to hear such a powerful voice sound playful especially when she belts:
And I need a man
Those cute injections of spunk and personality sound good on Leona, whose goodhearted nature sees her singing ballads only. She sounds good on this song, as always!
3. Keri Hilson/Return the Favour
…Feelin’ alright boy, I feel just fine!
I loved this song the moment I heard it first. Again, Timbaland’s production is really good here, matching her vocalisation’s nicely but it was more how the lyrics were phrased that I liked:
–Think with your body, let it out!
I don’t even know why I like that line, but I just do 😉 Maybe because the lyrics of the song are very ambiguous. Is she talking about under the belt favours or does she mean emotionally?
2. Britney Spears/Womaniser
[Image found here @ wikipedia]
The comeback single for Britney and what a song it is. The female issues it touches on could be a whole other post for me but I will leave it at that. It was a great choice for a song, sounded like an epic Britney song. The song peaked at #3 in the UK chart.
1. Beyonce Knowles/Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)
[image found here @ wikipedia]
If you like, if you like, then you shouldda…..
Bee steps back into the ring, except she will not be chewing opponents ears of like Mike Tyson. Audacious lyrics backed by a repetitive, almost chant like instrumental makes this song memorable not forgetting the dance moves, even when does a Kongolese style Ndombolo gyration at 0.50seconds in the video.
Conclusion: That concludes my 7 favourite songs of the year. I hope 2009 will bring more memorable songs for us all. Which songs did you like?
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@blackbohemian:Anthony Hamilton’s voice is pure silk. Gorgeous rusty voice.
@articsnooze:OMG, Justin is so sexy 😉 Maybe that’s why Rehab made my list – he looks good in that video. I think when Leona first came out, I know what you mean by static – she was very nervous. But I think with Forgive Me, she was showing that she can loosen up. But I do see what you mean. By the way articsnooze, I love Jennifer Hudson. She is gorgeous and can sing her bum off.
@Rob Thom:Thank you indeed for returning to reply. It’s always great to see new commenters on the blog.
1. Give It 2 Me: Wow, they postponed the video til July? That sounds like an awful move on the side of her management. It’s a shame b/c it is actually a good song and the instrumental has many layers to it. I actually think it is a better song than 4 Minutes as well.
2. Britney aka ‘Daddy-O’: You sound like a Britney stan and those are the kinds of people I like! Danja did some great production on BlackOut. I really hope his star rises b/c what he did on Gimme More was fantastic. I do agree that the music industry is fickle. Britney may never regain her star fully but her sales in the UK prove that she still has a MASSIVE fanbase her. She was in the #5 for the album chart when Circus was released here.
3. Single Ladies: Please argue for argument’s sake. It’s good 🙂
My reasoning was SL is that is one of those songs that is a feel good song for a woman. I think there is this generalisation that women feel ‘too’ much in a relationship and the song almost relieves them of having to ‘feel’.
Thanks for responding to me!
1. Give it 2 Me did not chart at all in the US. It’s really unfortunate because the song peaked here around May/early June, yet Madonna or the powers that be decided to postpone releasing the song until July when the buzz had already faded. I have no idea why they decided to do this since the music video was filmed in April and 4 Minutes had already been out for a good two months!
2. You don’t have to convince me about Britney. I’ve been waiting for her comeback for a long time now. It just bothers me that Blackout got no credit at all and will be remember as her “crazy time” album when a song like Toy Soldier could have been a huge megahit in better times. Music industry is so fickle.
3. We might have to agree to disagree about SL. I still think she is being very heteronormative in the song and saying women should want to get married. I realize that may be a too literal interpretation of the song, but right now I’m just arguing for arguing’s sake. I do think the song is unbelievably catchy.
Honestly I have no idea why Disturbia triggered me to buy the album… or why I love the video… I just do! At least it doesn’t feature JT, which is a blessing lol!
As for Leona leaving me cold, again ,I don’t know why. Although I think she has an amazing vocal range, and she is stunning – I just don’t feel it comes from her ‘soul’. Her stage presence doesn’t engage me either, she’s too static. Much prefer Jennifer Hudson both vocally and performance-wise – she’s far gutsier.
I listened to Keri last night, I agree, she’s very talented.
My list:
“Daykeeper” – The Foreign Exchange
“Cold Pillow” – Theophilus London & Jesse Boykins III
“Cage” – Imani Uzuri
“In Spite of It All” – Anthony Hamilton
“Lions, Tigers & Bears” – Jazmine Sullivan
“So Beautiful” – Musiq Soulchild
“Tabloids” – Jesse Boykins III
@articsnooze:Thanks for commenting. I know, I am thrilled for Alesha. Harvey and Javine’s careers do not even exist!! Bwah ha ha!
Lol, I think Disturbia is so awful.
Why do you think Leona leaves you frozen, just curious?
Yay, I love Bee too. She is beautiful and is a fab performer. I saw her in Paris and she blew my ears off.
Please don’t forget Keri. She is really xcellent.
Really with you on No.7 – it was a moment of divine justice for Alesha… she must be so happy and proud after the personal crap she’s had to contend with!!! Loved that mambo groove!
As for Rihanna… for me Disturbia has the edge, must be the video that finally persuaded me to buy GGGB!!!
Madge though, – er, to quote one of her earlier successes – leaves me frozen – ditto Britney, and for some reason so does Leona, even though I know she’s truly talented vocally.
Beyonce is amazing, she can handle any genre of music.. such a talented and gorgeous lady! Think I’d better check out Keri Hilson… never heard of her, but I’d better go and see what I’m missing.
@Rob Thom, hi and welcome to the blog. Thanks for taking your time to write such an insightful comment.
Here are my thoughts:
1. I was surprised Give it 2 Me didn’t do as well either. I am only going by the UK chart but it didn’t get a lot of play at all, and it was such a catchy song. Madonna does not have a strong voice, and the production of the song propped her up really well.
2. I think you are right with your thoughts on Womaniser and Britney. Britney was a mess with Blackout. She was not ready and she still isn’t fully there for Circus but I feel like with Womaniser, you could hear her getting back to her old, throaty voiced self. I love the concept of the song as a woman knowing that the man she fancies is not right for her, because he just wants loads of women.
Superstar, Superstar, I know what you are – only Britney could sing such a weak line and make it memorable lol 😉
3. With Single Ladies, it’s odd because I have to disagree. I love the message of SL. On the surface, it seems like a song for a woman who is tired that her man hasn’t made the choice to propose, but on another level, it is really about making a committment and a woman who wants her man to make a choice to committ.
I also think that line you mentioned is her more saying that she has the power to disintegrate the relationship because she then says: “Like a ghost, I’ll be gone”, thus the woman is telling the man that she will leave him and make their relationship a memory. That to me shows strength more than anything.
I don’t think being possessed by a man is anti-feminist at all as long as it is consensual. When it is against a woman’s will, then it is wrong and misogynistic.
But SL is a song for women who are in or were in relationships.
Thanks for commenting and love to read your response.
Very interesting choices indeed. Give it 2 Me is quite a catchy song. I’m surprised it didn’t get higher in the charts or get anywhere on the charts. I don’t think it got any radio play at all.
I was really a lot more surprised, though, to find Womanizer and Single Ladies on your list. Both catchy beats, but…
Womanizer’s message, I suppose, is one with a strong feminist vantage point, but it seems almost ironic that Britney’s comeback is almost dependent on her looking good enough to film a naked steamroom scene. It just re-emphasizes that women are forced to look svelte in order to be successful in the pop industry even when their figures don’t have much to do with their voices. I’ve listened to both Blackout and Circus. Both being dance albums, I think they can be compared and I vote for Blackout. Unfortunately, Britney was crazy before her dad was given the job of ruling her life, so now she is “successful” again. But at what expense?
The Single Ladies message is one I have a much bigger issue with. The hook is so catchy and the music video is beyond awesome, but why does B insist that every woman conform to the idea of marriage? One of her lyrics is “Pull me into your arms, say I’m the one you own. If you don’t, you’ll be alone.” To me, wanting to be possessed by a man is the anti-feminist message and I was just surprised to see it on your blog.
@John, he definitely gets on my nerves and that comment he made about all light skinned girls being pretty showed how narrow minded he is.
Also I don’t really think any songs he has done this year have been that great.
Ok…those are some really good ones, but how could you leave big head Ne-Yo off the list?
He was on every other hit song this year….maybe he gets on your nerves like he gets on mine.