"I'm A Slave 4 U": Preliminary Classic Or Dud

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So, Britney's new Neptunes-assisted joint, "I'm A Slave 4 U", has finally started floating around the net, and as predicted it's both hella weird and somewhat exploitative-sounding. I'll be giving it a mini-review on da blog at some point, but for now: thoughts, opinions, comments?

― Tim, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Link?

― Tom, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's crap. More meaningless pabulum. Raise your standards.

― alex in nyc, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Alex, you have probably the worst taste on ILM but at least you're consistent.

― Tom, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I *thought* I heard some Neptunes-flava up in that VMA performance. Undeniably classic.

― Dan Perry, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom, I'll help you with that, as soon someone works out how to link to a gnutella file. Or can I give it to you for Grokepile somehow?

― Tim, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom, you must honor the fire.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, and BTW my thoughts have been recorded here.

― Tim, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

tim, *coughs*ftp*coughs*. all i've found are fakes thus far and really bad cut & pastes of what's been available.

― fred solinger, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Fred, your request has been granted. Next two wishes?

― Tim, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

to spend eternity loving tim finney for his most noble and endearing deed, of course.

(and for an infinite number of wishes with the last. HA HA!)

― fred solinger, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i was expecting the final performance on the vmas to be a bit more climactic, but then again i read a rumor somewhere that britney was going to actually climax, a la madonna and her 'truth or dare' bed. the song? is the song even relevant? wasn't the 'oh-my-god-what- am-i-gonna-do' look that passed over britney's face while she was holding the snake at one point more of a classic pop moment?

― maura, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

she should've done what any good girl holding a snake in her hands would do. uh. (and i'd heard the same rumors about the climax.)

the song. the song! it's like what if britney were a prince protege ca. 1984. just as funky and exploitive as you'd expect, then. (wouldn't a cover of vanity's "nasty girl" be ace?) fantastic stuff.

― fred solinger, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I call no way on that Prince comparison, Fred. I can see *why* you say it, but the music is a touch too anonymous on first listen, this isn't "When Doves Cry" or "The Glamourous Life." ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The song is now also available at Grokepile .

― Tim, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What would Max Martin say!!

I could see myself playing it at Sussed.

― Tom, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What would Max Martin say!!

He'd add strings. I wouldn't myself, but he would. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

No way on that Prince comparison, Fred. I can see *why* you say it...

Sure. If it were really like Prince it'd be called "I M A Slave 4 U." :)

― Nitsuh, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ah, I've got it -- if you kept her on the chorus, removed the rest of her vocals, then things would be much more interesting. *thinks* Yeah, the more I think about it, she just gets in the way.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

perhaps i should've qualified that, ned. a prince B-SIDE ca. 1982-4 (which is still pretty great stuff.) "irresistible bitch" comes to mind, in particular, the sonics of "girl" as well.

― fred solinger, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mmm, now it makes more sense. She'd probably kick his ass, though.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That was a really bad joke, sorry. It was just that the 4U was already there, so in order to Princify the title any further, you'd have to ... oh, nevermind.

By the way, I apparently haven't been watching MTV enough lately -- when did Christina Aguilera start looking sluttier than Lil' Kim? Surely there should have been an AP story about that. I think I preferred her MechaSlut 3000 look to last night's "I had a bit part in Shaft" styling.

― Nitsuh, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I must've been numb and stupified when she hit the stage, because I didn't see one bit of lip-synching while she did her thing. Maybe she's THAT GOOD that she can sing without moving her mouth...?

The song sounds damn good. If one of the most popular performers of today can take a would-be Prince-cast-off song to the top, then I'm all for it. I was happy to finally hear (and acknowledge) the Neptunes' work. However, I'm not sure it'll catch on with the kiddies. Then again, "Pop" was rather obtuse and uncatchy (given their previous track record), and *NSYNC has at least 5 million copies of _Celebrity_ (SoundScan certified) strewn across the American landscape.

― David Raposa, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You don't "see" lip synching. You "rather obviously hear it". And you could rather obviously hear that not one bit of that track was live. Watch it more closely on one of the 800,000,000 replays - listen to NSync or J-Lo, the mic level, the sound quality, the, um, breathing issues...then listen to Britney. Not to mention the studio version floating around is uncannily identical to the one "performed live". The girl just doesn't sing live. It's her perogative, but it's just plain wrong IMO.

Pop, OTOH, is still the worst song ever.

― Ally, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Pop" is just plain crap. Timberlake is smoking some pretty skanky stuff to be proud of that thing.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The song seems to lack a good chorus or bridge. (just like Mary J Blige's "Family Affair" - songwriters don't seem te bothered anymore) Britney's voice is lacking for this type of record. I wish Pharrell from the Neptunes/N*E*R*D had sung it himself. I'm sure a good video will add to the appreciation of Nu Britney, though. I like it, but it's nowhere near as good as the N*E*R*D album or the new Kelis single.

― JoB, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like this newest 'dirtification' of pop far better than the N'Sync offering. This is perhaps motivated more by the "Look What They've Done to Britney!"-factor than by pure aesthetic wuv. Still- The wierdness is complelling: it's your Gameboy running out of battery power while trying to explain what "sexy" sounds like. It certainly seems as if the Neptunes have been given free reign here. Britney's mecha-frog cooing of "slaaaave" even remind me of Lapdance's "so reeaaal". I'll be fairly suprised if it reaches "Pop"'s popularity, I think it's a good deal more obtuse.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I will put forth that even if I hated the song, which I don't, I'd be hella proud of Britney for finally releasing a dancey single that doesn't sound exactly like "Baby One More Time"

― Ally, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Best moment in "I'm A Slave 4 U" - the "baby, don't you wanna?" pre-chorus where the synths jump up into the treble zone with a neurotic jauntiness, like detuned circus music.

As with Max Martin's productions, the song's musical/songful anonymity doesn't seem to be an issue (and I'd contend its less anonymous than has been usual for the Neptunes) - all that's necessary is that provide servicable backing track for Britney's all-conquering personality.

― Tim, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

In my opinion, the mtv awards demonstrate a huge whole in the praise of pop music arguement. That being the live performances of Missy, Brittany, and N Sync were sorely lacking. Why? Because when playing live, production and mixing often gets thrown out the window. There is no Timbaland around to save them. So they either come out sounding weak in comparison to their studio work or just lip-synching with a big snake on their shoulders while desperately trying to dance sexy. That said, I quite liked Alicia Keys and Jay Z's live acts.

― bnw, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sounds like a cross between Kelis and a slowed-down form of the cheesy dance music popular on the charts in the late 80s and early 90s. There's a little bit about 10 seconds in to the song that REALLY reminds me of the backing of "Pump Up The Jam" by Technotronic (not joking).

Sounded crap on the first listen, but I hated every Britney song on the first listen.

Ten listens in: CLASSIC.

― EdwardO, Friday, 7 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britney's all-conquering personality

She has one? And by that I mean on this song in specific, but she always has seemed so astonishingly not there -- arguably her strong point. But like I muttered, in this case I keep wanting her to get out of the damn way of the music! It's like somebody trying too hard and as a result not having anything to show for it.

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

BNW: Yes, pop music sucks live. I don't think anyone would dispute that. But, um.....so?

― Tom, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have just listened to it and my theory is that it's inspired by top Japanese horror flick 'Audition'. The outwardly servile girl in that ends up sticking needles in her sugar daddy's eyeballs to an incantation that sounds very much like the 'Kitty Kitty' bits in 'I'm A Slave 4 You'. The message: Britney may appear to exist only for your pleasure, but she will end up sawing off your feet.

― Nick, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah, but the servile girl in that film (which I missed, tho' I caught another of his last year) is of course the brilliant idea of Takashi Miike, & that's what bothers me about Britney - it'd be wicked if she was actually the brains behind this image of hers - but she claims to not understand how she's perceived, yes?

― daria gray, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think it's great, the best thing she's done. I'm gonna get in trouble for saying that, I have a feeling...

― DG, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, pop music sucks live. I don't think anyone would dispute that. But, um.....so?
Just wanted to show that Pop Inc. is not infallible. Thus allowing me to remain smug in my indieness.

― bnw, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't think anyone has actually CLAIMED that Pop is infallible. However, being a reformed indie snob myself, I have to say that there's plenty to offer from Pop, Inc. that such snobbery will cause you to miss. Duh.

― David Raposa, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't know about "plenty".
Snippets here and there.

― Melissa W, Saturday, 8 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

With every listen I am becoming increasingly convinced that "Slave" is undanceable. Not a bad thing in this case. And I got my sonic reference points mixed up in the last post: the "chorus" of Slave sounds *a lot* like the one to N.E.R.D's "Brain". Try it at home.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have to say that there's plenty to offer from Pop, Inc. that such snobbery will cause you to miss. Duh.
I have come to praise pop, not to bury it. Still my reaction to the VMA's seems different than the majority. Rather then being all juiced up by Britney's brave new single, I saw a slew of terrible performances from artists often praised here. Perhaps there is a thread in here somwhere as to why does pop also suck live?

― bnw, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

BNW: Yes, pop music sucks live.

NOT AT ALL TRUE. If that was true, there would be no point. BNW already pointed out two pop acts that did well unto themselves at the VMAs, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. The Backstreet Boys are usually respectable live. Madonna was fantastic live. People that actually have something worth talking about besides their production values are good live. People who don't have that are shit live. Hence, Britney lip syncs nonstop, Missy is cringe-worthy, and NSync sound like they just fell out of someone's ass.

This doesn't say anything re: the quality of their singles. It DOES say something about the quality of the "artist" though and is a valid argument.

― Ally, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

you should all just download the mc solaar song from tom's 'groke'-'pile' instead, it's way better.

― ethan, Sunday, 9 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britney's the new Donna Summer.

― Otis Wheeler, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thanks Ally. I thought Tom got off pretty easy on that one.

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

owheeler@hampshire.edu...ha ha ha; I was with these two guys from Hampshire at a bar, all of a sudden one of them pulls out a hacky sack and they start playing. At a bar. It was so weird.

― Kris, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'd argue with pop acts that what makes them interesting beyond the records is the great big cloudy context-field surrounding them - photos, media coverage, interviews, videos, gossip, fans, live performances - and yeah 'liveness' is a part of that but not neccessarily a big part. Missy and Britney are interesting to me whether or not they can 'cut it' live - Alicia Keys and N'Sync are boring ditto.

I was hasty in saying pop sucks live, though - I've simply not seen enough of it. I was just suggesting that the "praise of pop" argument rests so much on the recorded material that saying "ah but a flaw is that they aren't good live" is a bit tangential.

― Tom, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

... A bit like saying, "Ha! But indie acts don't have very expensive video clips now, DO THEY???" Which doesn't mean it's the wrong question to ask, but you're generally not going to score too many points if you use it.

― Tim Finney, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Missy is quite possibly the least interesting person in all of pop music - at least be honest and state that Timbaland is interesting to you, since I can't imagine the big invisible cloud of fascinating activity that would gel for Britney is actually there for Missy, since she does absolutely nothing interesting outside of her musical output (and quite frankly it's debatable if that's interesting - certainly FT Patron Saint Aaliyah was far more interesting musically - whether or not I personally liked most of it - and she has the "mystique", so if you're going to pick one of Tim's acts, certainly she'd be the one to pick).

My point is that you can't just brush off the argument like that, "Yes, well, we know, wink wink nudge nudge" because it IS a valid argument. There are plenty of pop acts that are terrific live. There are also a lot of them that are complete bollocks, and if you're someone who appreciates live music, then you have a valid reason to dislike a band or artist who can't even come close to cutting it live, much less actually do anything worth talking about on the live stage.

The other point is that these people choose to perform live. No one put a gun to their heads forcing them to perform at the VMAs. So, clearly, they thought they had something to offer live, and if they don't, then it's fair game to point it out.

I'm not someone who is big on live music (though the Britney/Janet always lip synching thing bugs the piss out of me), but it's still a fair argument. If you don't care about live music either, good, SAY SO. Don't say, "Well, it doesn't matter anyhow" because rather obviously it does to a lot of people.

― Ally, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

...and I would go so far to point out that it's nothing like the video clip question, being as the quality of a video clip has nothing to do with the musical ability of the artist in question whereas ability to actually do what the producers have tweeked you into doing on record does have something to do with one's musical ability, STATETH THE MOST ANTI-INDIE PERSON ON THE BOARD.

― Ally, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like pop because it takes musical ability out of the equation. Pop acts that don't lip-synch irritate me.

― Otis Wheeler, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"No one put a gun to their heads forcing them to perform at the VMAs."

is this really true? i thought all the cynicism about announcing 'drop dates,' such as marky mark's 'so why are you here?' comment to dmx, was because of the publicity/appearance essential relationship. it really did seem like a lot of the people on stage weren't that enthused about being there, but maybe they were just all drunk.

― maura, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But c'mon Maura - guns??

― Nick, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

oh, nick, go back to ile if you're going to be like that. like what? you know.

― fred solinger, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

didn't you read 'hit men,' nick?

― maura, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Publicity is great, but note how DMX or Macy Gray didn't perform while promoting their drop dates...Britney's new album isn't out for months! NSync's album has already been around and publicised for a while. Etc etc etc...

And I want to say that was the most annoying thing about the VMAs, btw - the constant "Buy my album, it comes out (date here)!!" I mean, good lord.

― Ally, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ally - I'm not saying that performing live isn't important or any way *like* music videos. I'm saying that this is another area where pop vs. non-pop mindsets usually reach something of a chasm. Non-pop fans generally don't understand the importance of a good video (see "Baby One More Time") while pop fans generally don't understand the need not to lipsynch; the conversation tends to reach a dead end due to problems in translation. Your sense of moral outrage is commendable but I don't know if its particularly prevalent among Britney fans.

And for the record I always knew and didn't care that pop acts lipsynched. I was nine when my favourite band of the time, C+C Music Factory, were embroiled in a lipsynching controversy and I rigorously defended them to all and sundry.

― Tim, Monday, 10 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I was just suggesting that the "praise of pop" argument rests so much on the recorded material that saying "ah but a flaw is that they aren't good live" is a bit tangential.
Well then the praise of pop argument should be praise of pop producers. Because outside of the studio, these acts are exposed as being the talentless puppets they are.

I know y'all realize this already. But it does give someone a legitmate reason not to like pop, without being dismissed as an indie snob.

― bnw, Tuesday, 11 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Er, no it doesn't, not if you like the pop producers.

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 11 September 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four weeks pass...

Opinion on this song: I think the word "classic" is thrown around way too much, but suffice it to say this is the first decent, listenable Spears song I've heard. It helps that the video is an enjoyable snippet of softcore pornography. I really don't see why some people are getting shocked by it; it's no more exhibitionist than her video for "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know," maybe that one was more palatable because it still maintained her "I'm really still just an innocent little girl next door" image. Though her new attempt to be "nasty" ends up coming across as even less mature and more contrived than even her old pitch.

― Jim Eichenburg, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Don't Let Me Be The Last Know" is like the best song ever, it's possibly my favorite song of all time, fact.

― Ally, Wednesday, 10 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That's Britney? I heard it on the radio & I totally would not have guessed. It's very "adult" sounding , a la Janet Jackson or something. ("adult" = THUMBS DOWN)

― duane, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it sounds like mid 70s stevie wonder.

― ethan, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

With every listen I am becoming increasingly convinced that "Slave" is undanceable.

I find this MIND-BOGGLING. This is far and away the most danceable song Britney's put out; most of her other "dance" songs are just a hair too slow (except maybe "Stronger"). In fact, I can't hear "I'm A Slave 4 U" without wanting to jump up and dance. That beat is IRRESISTABLE.

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The beat may be fairly potent, but it's surrounded by the sounds of decomposing pop machinery- distant, cold and crumbling. I see a lone stereo left playing inside an abandoned mainframe.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

and a girl and a snake and a thong.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Thursday, 11 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My belated ramblings on "I'm A Slave 4 U" are recorded for all eternity here, if anybody's interested.

― Ian, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mitch, your description makes me want to dance more.

― Dan Perry, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I dunno; your argument is based on the assumption that the 30-seconds-to-come-up-with-tops accompaniment to "Party Up" was actually any good. I agree that DMX was good on that track at least. His rap is so stupid and over the top you can't help but like it.

― Jack Redelfs, Friday, 12 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

hey is there a new link to listen to this anywhere? the grokepile one has expired and i dont have a telly so didnt see the VMA's.

i really want to hear it, the only time i will say such a thing about a britney son

― ambrose, Sunday, 14 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Can anyone tell me where I can download the new song,"I'm A Slave For You"? If so, can you please e-mail me how.

― Something, Monday, 22 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I have heard this song. Believe it or not, I have actually inserted it in a CD player and listened to it, more than once. My conclusion is that it is absolutely dreadful.

The one promising thing = the rhythm, which starts it off. For about 4 seconds, something could happen. There is space here, in this rhythm, space for something interesting. But that something interesting does not materialize. We get one of the worst vocal performances I can recall hearing on a supposedly major pop record. A lot of muttering, a bit of screeching. The lyric is nugatory, conventional - that would be OK (though the spelling of the title is crap), but everything about the record sucks. Something that amazes me: Britney Spears looks young and beautiful, but she sings like an old crone stuck under a boulder in a cavern somewhere. There's a crazy disparity between her appearance and her voice.

Finally, I have previously observed people on ILM etc saying that Britney Spears records are interestingly produced. This one, at least, is not interestingly produced. It's almost devoid of character (unless you're into the enigma of the muttering old crone), of interest, of anything worthwhile. It's 100 proof dud.

― the pinefox, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maybe Merlin will record an answer song (prequel).

― Tracer Hand, Tuesday, 23 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i'm not sure if i like it or not at the moment, but it does remind of D.Bowie's 'Fame'

― gareth, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nicole agreeing w/Fred shocker: It really does remind me of the kind of song that Prince would write for Vanity or Apollonia, just updated production. This is by no means a bad thing.

― Nicole, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britney Spears looks young and beautiful, but she sings like an old crone stuck under a boulder in a cavern somewhere.

This is easily the best description of Britney that I've ever heard.

― Ally, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thank you. That's very kind.

― the pinefox, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's not kind, it's honesty. Your description is good cos it is true. I mean, Britney Spears is easily the worst singer I ever heard in my life, besides Michael Stipe I mean.

― Ally, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

boulder-stuck crones = RowrxoR

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britney's singing is fucking hot like the naked dead angry princess in Thirteen Ghosts. Britney is the best album I've heard this year.

― Wheeler, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think I'd hate Britney if she had a good voice. Christina sings "professionally", apparently. Fuck Christina.

― Tim, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Wheeler, you are the weirdest person I ever met. You and Ramon = Ed Norton and Brad Pitt in Fight Club. I mean, christ almighty, I can sing just like Britney, and I'm not hot. Ergo, Britney's singing = not hot.

― Ally, Friday, 26 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Has anybody heard "Boys" off the album? Surely it's the sequel to Slave 4U. Only there's a select moment or two where it suddenly tries to be a song.

― Honda, Saturday, 27 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Her version of "I Love Rock And Roll" is rubbish, but useful in that it allowed me the sudden revelation that this is because "I Love Rock And Roll" is a really irritating song as well as because Britney's version of it is weedy.

― Tom, Saturday, 27 October 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i have decided i like it, but would prefer it if it didn't have britney on it.

― gareth, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The album is absolutely fucking awful, I'm sorry.

― ALly, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Tom at bar. "I Love Rock n Roll" comes on (JJ versh). Tom = irritated? I am not buying it.

― Tracer Hand, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

No, you're right, my baseline reaction would be "bored". I'd become "irritated" if somebody started singing along or saying it was good. But I don't love rock and roll.

― Tom, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"I Love Rock 'N Roll" is irritating, and Britney's cover is mediocre karaoke, even less worthwhile than her "Satisfaction". I don't see why you hate "Lonely", Ally, it's way good, though not as good as "Overprotected" or "Cinderella". Are Britney's other albums this good? The Norton/Pitt comparison is spot-on, I'm gonna try to be just like Ed Norton from now on, growing a new stupid wanky goatee every week, etc.

― Wheeler, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You even look like some sort of weird, twisted version of Ed Norton, every once and a while, in certain lights. As long as I'm not Helena Bonham Carter and you don't shoot yourself in the face to get rid of Ramon, it's a good comparison. My mom said you sounded like you were trying to be cool but in reality were a very shy young gentleman with some deep seeded nervousness about talking to her, which she didn't understand, but at least you weren't "morbid drunk" like Steph apparently was - she likes you, she said. Anyhow, you left your Britney album here, it's still not very good, her last one has way better songs, like "Stronger" and "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know".

― Ally, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Well I haven't heard her last one, that's why I'm wondering if it's good. Of course the singles are good, "Lucky" and "Stronger" are obviously better than anything on the new one, except maybe "Cinderella". Moms shouldn't come as perceptive as yours, it would throw the world into turmoil. Someone who tries to be cool but is in reality a very shy young gentleman with deep seeded nervousness about talking to everyone comes way too close to describing me, let's go back to saying I'm like Ed Norton.

― Otis Wheeler, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Cinderella" is crazy mad sick awesome good, "Overprotected" and "I'm A Slave 4 U" are only okay. The "Hey... is this thing on?" intro to "I Love Rock 'N' Roll" sounds like Daphne and Celeste, but the rest of the song isn't that good (though still better than the original). Why are all of Britney's cover choices so poor?

I haven't heard the rest of the album yet.

― Ian, Sunday, 28 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ass: Overprotected; Cinderella; Lonely; I'm A Slave 4 U; Anticipating; Boys (largely because it's so preposterous - this needs Ol' Dirty Bastard as a guest spot)

Arse: I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman; I Love Rock'n'Roll

In Between: Bombastic Love, Let Me Be, That's Where You Take Me; What It's Like To Be Me (all strong tracks but they blur into eachother a bit)

I'm glad the album's run with the R&B-Martin hybrid sound of "Don't Go Knocking On My Door" (my favourite track from the last album) - it establishes a sort of continuity where an album of tracks like "I'm A Slave 4 U" would be sorta alienating. Thought though: is this possibly the most eighties-sounding of all the nu-pop albums?

I think the album's only real problem is that there's nothing with the emotional resonance of "Born To Make You Happy" or "Stronger" - songs that perfectly balanced the robo-pop elsewhere. Only "Lonely" and "Cinderella" come close - although "That's Where You Take Me" may grow on me. I still maintain that "I'm A Slave 4 U" is a great opening single for the album, just as "Baby..." and "Oops..." were.

― Tim, Monday, 29 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What's the difference between "ass" and "arse" tracks? A couple of the songs are okay-ish, I will admit that. But overall it's just not very good, I'm sorry. As much as I hate to disagree with Ed Norton.

― Ally, Monday, 29 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Why I think the album's good: Short. All songs robopop or 80s- sounding, except for inevitable-therefore-forgivable Faith Hill/ Shania Twain soundalike (tangential theory: there is no way to intonate "woman" in a non-derogatory manner and not sound like adult contemporary country pop), making it listenable all the way through, unlike her debut. Speak-singing much-needed interruption of teen histrionics and relentless emotion. Half- rapping endearing! Only four ballads, three of which sound like Debbie Gibson but better - "Anticipating" unremarkably sublime like the first half of Gibson's second album. "Lonely" sounds like teen-pop version of Daft Punk. In-song disparity in many tracks between icy robopop and sweet teenpop makes songs aesthetically viable, listenable regardless of tune or relative lack thereof (embryonic tune relationship to anti-tune mutually beneficial [crone-stuck-under-boulder speak-singing-> saccharine chorus serves same purpose as loud/soft]). "That's Where You Take Me" less advanced version of latter-day Janet. Lyrics almost distinctive at points? "Say hello to the girl that I am" ... "I'm not the average lady" ... "they called me Cinderella, all you have to do is yell and I'd be there for you" ... "but I don't believe in fairy tales" ... "I won't return to thee" ... "just let me, let me be" ... "I need me". "Cinderella" a fairy tale on par with "Lucky".

― Otis Wheeler, Monday, 29 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That thing about Debbie Gibson's second album is hella alarming.

― Ally, Monday, 29 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"ass" as in "shake yo ASS"; "arse" as in "what a load of ARSE".

― Tim, Monday, 29 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Funny Otis, I thought the exact same thing about "That's Where You Take Me" - Britney's voice aint as suited to this sort of thing as Janet's, but I can really imagine that track growing on me.

― Tim, Monday, 29 October 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's really all in the video - & while i want to like it - it doesn't matter how much britney sweats - she just doesn't have christina's ass. That and her face makes her look like Christopher Lambert.

― bob snoom, Saturday, 3 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

She doesn't have Christina's ass in that she actually has an ass, presumably? Is there someone more ghastly looking than Christina Aguilera in show biz? I hope not, cos that would be scary.

― Ally, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i just love those ghastly lookers. yes, in a lecherous and revolting kinda way. or do i just say i do? i dunno i've lost track again

― bob snoom, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I actually find that intriguing.

― Ally, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Deep and Contemplative Question: Is that "underwear on the outside of the pants" thing she's got going on in the video actually working for anyone? I mean, really. She looks like an extra in a Billy Idol video.

― Kim, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ally, maybe it's christina's hips rather than her "ass" that >ahem< gets me. britney has a boy's hips and christopher lambert's face and christina has a woman's hips and marilyn manson's face.mmmmmm. it's that lack of judgement she has that makes me think i have a chance. god she oversings though. horrible. and she's not quite the fox that nurse sandy out of holby city is but then you won't understand that if you're not from the UK or have any sense of discretion regarding your TV habits.

― bob snoom, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

it's that lack of judgement she has that makes me think i have a chance

Bob is quickly becoming my favorite person around these parts.

― Ally, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

...When I first heard this piece of crap,I actually had to ask someone else if she was actually singing what I thought she was singing...and she was...but to me,it seemed antithetical to Britney's usual "Empowered Young Woman" stance for her to sing "I'm a slave for you"...

― Michael Davis, Tuesday, 25 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Man does this suck. I think 11 year olds and the ILx pop nerds are the only ones that moved this piece of shit off the shelves.

― chaki, Tuesday, 25 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Britney = "empowered young woman"? Does she have a voodoo spell over America, that the citizens keep saying such strange things about her?

― charles, Wednesday, 26 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I think this perception is a result of the experience of hearing "Stronger" colliding with the (misguided) prejudice that all Britney songs are the same.

― Tim, Wednesday, 26 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

four years pass...

Well, just let me reactivate this thread by saying it's a dud.

I wouldn't have thought in 1999-2000 I would say this, but Britney was at her best when Max Martin was writing her material.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 13:49 (nineteen years ago)

this is my second favourite britney song ever after 'everytime'

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

Max was good, but Andreas Carlsson/Kristian Lundin wrote the best song(Born To Make You Happy) anyways.

― MRZBW (MRZBW), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

It's still quite a marvel, this song. Also:

There's a little bit about 10 seconds in to the song that REALLY reminds me of the backing of "Pump Up The Jam" by Technotronic (not joking).

-- EdwardO (edward...), September 7th, 2001.

is an otherwise unremarked-upon yet skillful observation.

― Badrock Example (Barima), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Unremarked upon until someone on the Pump Up The Jam thread pointed it out, thus prompting this revive.

Anyway, STILL CLASSIC, and still not even one of the best songs off "Britney". ("Anticipating", the super-brilliant bonus track "When I Found You" are miles better)

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

oh i forgot about 'before the goodbye'! that's my favourite off britney

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

You got me thinkin' 'bout 'Autumn Goodbye', one of the debut-era b-sides. That one's a keeper.

― Badrock Example (Barima), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

Back.. ooh.. 2001 I think it was, I had to do four weeks teaching practicum in a school with a grade 5 class. I was teaching them typing and basic computing skills, and asked them all to type their name, and some details about them, including favourite song. My ABSOLUTE favourite student, an adorable red-haired with a beaming smile said her favourite song was "Autumn Goodbye", and Ithought, "Aww, bless!"

The "I'm Not A Girl" b-side "I Run Away" is uber-lush too.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

You got me thinkin' 'bout 'Autumn Goodbye', one of the debut-era b-sides. That one's a keeper.

Agreed. I'll take it over a slew of the A-sides!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

britney singles in order of magnificence:

everytime
i'm a slave 4 u
overprotected
born to make you happy
stronger
boys (co-ed rmx)
toxic
oops! i did it again
baby one more time
me against the music
do somethin'
lucky
(you drive me) crazy
don't let me be the last to know
my prerogative
i love rock'n'roll
sometimes
i'm not a girl, not yet a woman

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

I'd have to switch "Lucky" and "Born To Make You Happy" for a start. (The bottom five is incredibly accurate.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

No way is "Do Somethin'" better than "Lucky" "You Drive Me Crazy" or "Don't Let Me Be...".

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

looking back at that list i would consider putting 'lucky' slightly higher, yes. 'crazy' and 'dlmbtlk' can stay right where they are though.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

it divides really easily into the top 9 which are IMMACULATE, and the bottom 9 which are various shades of meh.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

by 'meh' i don't mean bad or anything, only the last two are actively bad.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Lex, do you like... dancing, or fun.. like, at all?
"Boys" is not immaculate, it features charisma vortex Pharrel on it. The original album version is fine, though.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

'boys' and 'slave' are FAR & AWAY britney's best songs to dance to!

pharrell isn't a charisma vortex at all. he's an irritant these days, but he didn't use to be, and that's not the same thing anyway.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

name one song *improved* by pharrell's vocals.

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

'boys', 'frontin'...

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

At a stretch, 'I Just Wanna Love Ya' and only the "I'm a hustler, baby!" part too. And 'Brain' from In Search Of.

― Badrock Example (Barima), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

oh i'll go with 'i just wanna love u' but not the others. 'frontin' doesn't count cos it's solo. with 'boys', there are better guest rappers!

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

also putting "overprotected" ahead of "baby one more time" and its two choruses of death, and "oops I did it again" with its BASSLINE OF DEATH is just being indie, innit.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

'Stronger' moves up a spot or two just for the bit which goes "I used to go with the flow" in a robot voice.

― chap who would dare to welcome our new stingray masters (chap), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

how in the world is 'overprotected' by britney spears indie?!

i love it because it is the best recorded example of MAAAEEEEYYYY.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

I said you are being indie by going for the plucky undersingle over the twin ~~breasts~~pinnacles of perfection.

You are right about "Stronger" though. That is the sound of subatomic explosions, and hher voice sounds like it was recorded in a shower. With the water running.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

forgetting that ahead of this so-called plucky undersingle there are...another no 1 hit and the lead single off her best album?

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

Fixed:

Born To Make You Happy
Baby One More Time
Oops I Did It Again
Toxic
Stronger
Everytime
I'm A Slave 4 U
Overprotected
Lucky
Boys (Co-Ed Mix)
Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know
Me Against The Music
Outrageous
From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart
Do Something
My Prerogative
Sometimes
I Love Rock 'n' Roll
I'm Not A Girl Not Yet A Woman

Also, there are heaps of songs improved by Pharell, but they all date from 2002 and earlier.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 21:21 (nineteen years ago)

"Don't Go Knocking On My Door" should have been a single, though.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

"I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Toxic" are so obviously her worst ever singles there's no point going any further.

Out of the Cheiron ones, most worked in a way, other than the boring "Sometimes" and to some extent the not-too-well-done "Overprotected".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 23:34 (nineteen years ago)

I was on Dissensus the other day reading the thread about hauntology and someone suggested "It's difficult to graft Derrida's concept onto pop music."

The response was: "And pointlessly fruitless."

My first thought was "Dissensus has a Geir too!"

― Hoosteen (Hoosteen), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 23:46 (nineteen years ago)

"I'm a Slave 4 U" and "Toxic" are so obviously her worst ever singles

This is just nonsense.

― chap who would dare to welcome our new stingray masters (chap), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 23:49 (nineteen years ago)

what was that late-career single she had that sounded like kylie? "Breathe" or something?

― deej.. (deej..), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 23:52 (nineteen years ago)

"Breathe On Me" - great, but not a single I don't think.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Wednesday, 8 November 2006 23:59 (nineteen years ago)

Breathe On Me was only included with the DVD she released I think.

There's a Lu Cont remix of it out there too.

― MRZBW (MRZBW), Thursday, 9 November 2006 02:24 (nineteen years ago)

Lu Cont remix on GH bonus disc.

― Marmot (marmotwolof), Thursday, 9 November 2006 02:28 (nineteen years ago)

Tim's order devastatingly similar to mine, except I rate "Baby One More Time" a notch higher than "Born To Make You Happy", would swap "Slave" and "Lucky", and also "Don't Let Me Be..." and "Boys", and move "From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart" to second bottom.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 9 November 2006 04:29 (nineteen years ago)

'from the bottom of my broken heart' and 'outrageous' were never singles over here! wasn't 'anticipating' a single...somewhere, too?

i see the max martin template as one which improved stupendously over time as it got harder and steelier, thus making 'baby one more time' to 'overprotected' an upwards slope

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 9 November 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

I see no reason why it should ever be any harder or steelier than on "Oops.. I Did It Again", which remains her best moment.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 9 November 2006 09:49 (nineteen years ago)

Lex, Britn0r is one American artist - it is perfectly logical to include singles that came out, or were played - on US radio.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 9 November 2006 09:52 (nineteen years ago)

I agree with edward. I guess, unless there is a whole lot of material to choose from, an acts' greatest hits album should include both US and UK singles, but particularly it is natural to include singles from the act's own home country.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 9 November 2006 09:57 (nineteen years ago)

(and "Anticipating" was a single in France. "Someday" was a single in some places, but is shit, despite it having pretty great B-sides. "And Then We Kiss" really ought to have been a single, but wasn't really.)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 9 November 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

Britney singles that are better than the completely unremarkable "Toxic":

Baby One More Time
Oops I Did It Again
Everytime
I'm A Slave 4 U
Lucky
Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know
Me Against The Music
Sometimes

There seems to be some agreement about the greatness of "Everytime", which is nice to see.

― NoTimeBeforeTime (Barry Bruner), Thursday, 9 November 2006 10:23 (nineteen years ago)

haha you accuse me of being indie and you are talking of B-SIDES!

(one of my favourite britney tracks is the UNRELEASED 'over to you now' from earlier this year :o )

'anticipating' is her third best single then, it really is something v special

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 9 November 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

There seems to be some agreement about the greatness of "Everytime", which is nice to see.

YES!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 9 November 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

i said somewhere else recently that when a popstar previously known for superlative dance tracks makes her First Great Ballad it is a really special moment in her career.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 9 November 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Also, there are heaps of songs improved by Pharell, but they all date from 2002 and earlier.

*Ahem*

http://cover6.cduniverse.com/msiart/0000410/0000410239.jpg

― Rodney... (R. J. Greene), Thursday, 9 November 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, please, the greatness of that song comes from the fact that it has a dance you can do sitting down.

(Lex, "Over To You Now" is off the Someday single, it is not unreleased, you silly duffer.)

[Also, B-sides worship comes from singles worship, which is not indie at all]

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 9 November 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

there's a difference between liking songs that pharrell happened to lent his uh pipes to and thinking his vocals are up to snuff.

― benrique (Enrique), Thursday, 9 November 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

Pharrell is quite annoying on "Drop It Like It's Hot" (otherwise a good track). I do like "Let's Get Blown" but I'm not sure if that's down to Pharrell.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Thursday, 9 November 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

Still compiling singles list, but 'Anticipating' is a total top 2/3 shoe-in. I'm still a big fan of (non-single) 'I've Just Begun (Having My Fun)', rewrite of 'Hella Good' or not.

― Badrock Example (Barima), Thursday, 9 November 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

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