Britney Spears - "Everytime"

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

It's her new single. The song is a gorgeous ballad with a heartbreakingly lovely music box motif and some really interesting spacey pulses; Britney's voice is really tremulous and fragile. The video features our Brit (with dishevelled manky Courtney Love-esque hair) getting hounded by freaky-looking paparazzi, arguing with Stephen Dorff, drowning and being reincarnated. It has caused mild controversy because if you don't pay attention it looks like she might be committing suicide, even though she sits up in the bath right at the end. Stephen Dorff takes his shirt off too, and is very buff.

Show your appreciation!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

it cannot be better than "toxic". because nothing is.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:30 (twenty-one years ago)

It isn't better than "Toxic" because yeah, nothing is. But it's great anyway!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:31 (twenty-one years ago)

"Lucky" is better than "Toxic". I will now download this to see where it fits in with the Brit-pantheon.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:32 (twenty-one years ago)

btw did anyone hear the van helden mix of "toxic"?

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:32 (twenty-one years ago)

The video can be found here and is quite possibly the best Britney video yet.

(The Van Helden mix is really really good btw)

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

(yeah i got kind of excited when i saw the single yesterday, but didnt want to get my hopes up.)

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:38 (twenty-one years ago)

(it's really really bass-heavy. not the best of the mixes as I remember though. the Felix da Housecat one wasn't as good as I'd hoped but still OK.)

I think there are some good dance mixes of "Everytime" floating around too but I haven't heard any of them yet.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:40 (twenty-one years ago)

It sounds like the third single off an album. Was it written for her? It doesn't suit her perfectly, I mean she does OK with the Sarah Brightman-style bits in the verse, but she's still a bit too saccharine for the chorus. And the fade-out/in around a minute from the end isn't very good. #6 with a bullet.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't know if it was written for her or not, though I was quite surprised that it was chosen as a single - if they wanted a ballad, "Shadow" is much more of a traditional Brit slow song, it's big and grandiose etc, while "Everytime" sounds very... detached, almost like she's having an out-of-body experience. Which she does in the video. She doesn't do any diva-ing either, which I think offsets the potential saccharine.

Could be a reasonably big hit because of the video being so attention-worthy.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 22 April 2004 23:52 (twenty-one years ago)

getting hounded by freaky-looking paparazzi, arguing with Stephen Dorff, drowning and being reincarnated

I have to say Dorff sorta skews an otherwise serviceable storyline there. (Even if it does remind me of a Cher video 'treatment' from 1987.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:19 (twenty-one years ago)

oh no he's integral to the narrative! He plays her boyfriend, and he goes nuts at the paparazzi and throws lots of magazines at them, kicks some boxes around etc, and they end up having an argument. And then they storm into different rooms but match each other's actions! Then she drowns and he finds her underwater and jumps in the bath to hold her :(

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:27 (twenty-one years ago)

Now does Dorff look like Justin, though. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, wait, TS -- Dorff in this vs. Keanu in "Rush Rush"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Dorff actually looks more like Sean Penn.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm, Dorff doesn't look like Justin but - given Justin's current tramp-like state - in fact looks pointedly BETTER than Justin.

And buffer, too. This point cannot be repeated enough.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Dorff actually looks more like Sean Penn.

Thus him going nuts at the paparazzi! Hey wait, we could tie this into the Madonna duet too couldn't we...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:30 (twenty-one years ago)

On a related note, any lip readers around need to get on this video's case immediately - throughout the first half, Britney and Dorff have a conversation/fight, but all I can make out is her shouting "where to?" at the climax of it all.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually maybe next should be a video where a puffy red-hatted tattooed feeb gets dunked in creosote.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:34 (twenty-one years ago)

this is all crap brittany spears is a sex toy and thats y she makesso much controversy

― r2d24ucanub4me? (r2d24ucanub4me?), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

RJD2? What?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Do googlers normally turn up this soon?!

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:37 (twenty-one years ago)

ILX instantly updates for all google searches everywhere now. Have I told you about J**n C**a lately?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmmn.

― R2D4 FOR YOU CAN YOU BE FOR ME R2D2? (Alex in SF), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:38 (twenty-one years ago)

http://alttext.com/misc/media/images/auctions/starwars/figures/r5d4.jpg

"Sex toy please. Beep."

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Who is J**n C**a?

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, just go to ILE's new answers page...and cry a little inside. And pimp your ride too while you're at it.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm pretty pleased by the popularity of "'Stairway to Heaven' backwards satanic lyrics'

― Broheems (diamond), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

it sounds like evanessence

― jeremy jordan (cruisy), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually, "Everytime" is a total grower, one of the tracks on ITZ that put the lie to my initial impression of it as being a confused mess.

"Breathe On Me" is apparently the fourth single, and - outside of the US, they're going with "Touch Of My Hand" next. I think the US will get "Outrageous". Excellent. Meaning if it all goes tits up they still have "Brave New Girl" if they need an uptempo, feel-good single to push the album past diamond.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 23 April 2004 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Britney's voice is really tremulous and fragile.

SHOCKER

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 23 April 2004 01:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm definitely behind this as a single. The instrumentation is mondo lush and is generally tailored fairly well to her voice. Hopefully top 5.

ITZ is actually fairly good, I've been listening to it a lot recently. 'Brave New Girl' is frigging great - like the best bits of Imani Coppola's 'Legend Of A Cowgirl', 'It's My Life' (Talk Talk/No Doubt - either will do) and 60s girl pop (and Kahimi Karie). 'Outrageous' is standard until the middle -8, which is just beautiful. 'Early Mornin'' is interesting because it's Moby trying to be the Dust Brothers and nearly suceeding. 'Toxic' rules, obv.

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 23 April 2004 12:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Lex, hurry up and graduate already.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Friday, 23 April 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Nick, I've actually started doing some stuff for you but it's crunch time with essays and exams now so I have to put it aside, and I've spent two days listening to Britney so panic is happening. May 25!

Barima ot-fucking-m, "Brave New Girl" and "Outrageous" are ITZ's two hidden gems - the rap on "Brave New Girl"! It's cute and hilarious. I love the way she sounds more like a cartoon robot than ever - the backing vox at the end are so Daft Punk. And "Outrageous" has lecherous R Kelly backing vox, and she sings about her underwear and locking down the industry.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 April 2004 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Otm right back. The R's b-vox are hot. I think the song could have more melody (uh oh! Geirist!), which makes the middle-8 even more essential (if kind of lonely), but it's strong. As for 'BNG', shame Daft Punk still haven't worked with Britney (yet?). It also makes a case for Britney doing more pop-punk-rock based stuff after the Joan Jett cover misfire - if she kept it in more of her dance pop vein with nods to clasiic girl pop, Girls Aloud and the Jaxx/Punk etc as she does here, she'd kill it.

I was wondering if 'Boom Boom' would be single worthy - not insanely catchy, but the Ying Yangs are sorta cool and it has a fiddle.

― Barima (Barima), Friday, 23 April 2004 13:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Just saw this video and cripes what a staggering stack of self-serving, self-pitying crapola.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 24 April 2004 06:08 (twenty-one years ago)

have to say Dorff sorta skews an otherwise serviceable storyline there. (Even if it does remind me of a Cher video 'treatment' from 1987.)

When I saw it I just pretended Britney was Michael Stipe in drag and the whole thing was a hoot! A really enjoyable single.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Saturday, 24 April 2004 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

"Everytime" was written by Britney. She performed it on some pre-INZ special I caught last fall. Supposedly her response to Justin's "Cry Me a River," etc.

― peanut (peanut), Saturday, 24 April 2004 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I just pretended Britney was Michael Stipe in drag

eek

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Saturday, 24 April 2004 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm sure it sounds like plenty of other things too, but i would have easily believed that the first minute or so was from a lost tori amos b-side.

― andrew s (andrew s), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I just pretended Britney was Michael Stipe in drag

So REM's success with videos was more dependent on his cleavage than we knew! But the choreography sucked.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:28 (twenty-one years ago)

See, if Michael was wise enough to film his arguments with a shirtless Stephen Dorff REM might still be selling lots of records.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)

"Pop Song 04"

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, who knows who Stipe's current toyboy is. He may not be Dorff material.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Well if Morrissey can make a comeback... (I did tell you the story about the roses delivered daily from El Moz to Mr. Stipe in the early nineties, as learned via a friend who worked in the REM fan office?)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, a couple of times.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

gosh i used to have a stephen dorff poster stuck to my folder. he is indeed buff.

― lid, Saturday, 24 April 2004 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, a couple of times.

Heh. Now documented for the WORLD!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 April 2004 14:02 (twenty-one years ago)

i think i heard that britney originally committed suicide in the video and they changed it cuz it might promote suicide! as it stands it's a bit weird, she discovers a cut on her wrist and passes out in the bathtub--obviously in the original version she'd slit her wrists!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Saturday, 24 April 2004 15:18 (twenty-one years ago)

C'mon man, whenever I see a cut on my wrist, I have to pass out in a bathtub too. They must not do that in Canada.

(Actually the real problem was that when she killed herself she exposed her left breast and her nipple-guard.)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 24 April 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 48 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

"Everytime" actually has beautiful instrumentation. And, besides, the charm of Britney is how produced her voice is. It's not human.

― Salvador Saca (Mr. Xolotl), Friday, 6 August 2004 01:46 (twenty-one years ago)

That charm has long since worn thin, frankly. There are some songs from her I like and all but jeez Louise, this one's a crapper.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 6 August 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Beautiful instrumentation that is buried by a hideously awful vocal performance that causes spontaneous bleeding from the eyes and ears and makes wolves cry = a bad song.

Britney works best as a sound effect, which is the main reason why "I'm A Slave For You" and that new one ("Sex Drive"?) work better than anything else she's done.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 August 2004 01:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Thank god, someone agrees with me on "I'm A Slave for You" as the high watermark. (Of course, it IS Dan and I, therefore. ;-))

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 6 August 2004 02:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Dan's comparison of Britney's voice to a maimed duck makes the already laughable "without my wings I feel so small" line that much more poignant.

― Al (sitcom), Friday, 6 August 2004 02:25 (twenty-one years ago)

We can agree to disagree, but a side benefit has come out of this : we *do* agree that "Toxic" isn't the best thing she's done! It's nice to have a respite from that sort of sentiment on ILM.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Friday, 6 August 2004 02:34 (twenty-one years ago)

http://pcs.linuxkidd.com/Wallpaper/Cartoons/ATHF_-_Carl.jpg

"She got da boobs, dere!"

― your neighbor, Carl (vassifer), Friday, 6 August 2004 02:41 (twenty-one years ago)

It's not that "Toxic" is the best thing she's ever done, it just happens to be the first time her people have picked the correct song as a single since... ooh... "Stronger"...

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 6 August 2004 02:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Music box = classic.
Recycling the chord progression from "Canon" like a gajillion other songs = DUD DUD DUD.

― Sansai, Friday, 6 August 2004 02:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Ugh this is a really bad song.

― Andrew (enneff), Friday, 6 August 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Empty, boring, predictable, irritating.

― Andrew (enneff), Friday, 6 August 2004 03:42 (twenty-one years ago)

"I'm A Slave 4 U" was her last good single.

Everytime "Everytime" comes on the radio, I'm still not sure whether it's this song or the latest Evanessence single until the vocals begin. They both desperately want to be Tori Amos. It's songs like these that have me dreading the next Vanessa Carlton single.

― billstevejim, Friday, 6 August 2004 03:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Agreed on Slave 4 U. The trick there's the glissandi.

― Salvador Saca (Mr. Xolotl), Friday, 6 August 2004 05:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I like "Everytime". And what's Vanessa Carlton up to these days?

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Friday, 6 August 2004 08:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Vanessa Carlton is about to release her second album (I think it's due out this fall).

It's not that "Toxic" is the best thing she's ever done, it just happens to be the first time her people have picked the correct song as a single since... ooh... "Stronger"...

"I'm A Slave 4 U" and "Boys" both came out after "Stronger".

I will admit that I like the chorus in "Toxic" but that string sample does absolutely nothing for me. (Then again, the video makes up for almost anything.)

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 August 2004 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh God, "Boys". Totally forgot about that one, which is strange because I hated it. I don't hate "Everytime" but it's pretty much a wash - I mostly agree with Dan's analysis about her voice but wouldn't go as far as eye-bleeding, and the melody could be stronger.

― Vinnie (vprabhu), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Then again, the video makes up for almost anything.

I dunno, I finally saw the video and the whole thing left me flat. There was nothing surprising or even interesting about it.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude, that's the video where she tries to form Voltron with her breasts! Tell me with a straight face that's not interesting!

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:22 (twenty-one years ago)

That's not interesting, Dan.

― Marcello Carlin, Friday, 6 August 2004 13:24 (twenty-one years ago)

I saw that smirk! I have powers, I do.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:26 (twenty-one years ago)

You're welcome to him. No room in my house for unfunny '60s spy-flick throwbacks!

― Vanessa Kensington, Friday, 6 August 2004 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Dan, "Boys" was basically a non-album single, because the song on Britney called "Boys" was a completely different song.

Also, "I'm A Slave 4 U" is godly, but as a first single, didn't do what was expected, i.e. be a big hit and mark a change in direction. She should have gone with Cinderella first, then pulled out Slave.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Tell me with a straight face that's not interesting!

Can I tell you dressed in a clown suit while being chased by feral rabbits?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:37 (twenty-one years ago)

I still like 'Everytime', mainly by being oblivious to the pitch and tone of Britney's voice in the chorus and last line of the middle-8.

Edward, single mixxes still count in their way. The lyrics were kept, just gender flipped for Pharrell's parts for one thing.

― R.I.M.A. (Barima), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:38 (twenty-one years ago)

???

"Slave" WAS a big hit, though!

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 August 2004 13:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Not Baby One More Time/Oops I Did It Again big. It was a comparative tank, which is why "Britney" only sold a third as much as her first two albums. The branding! --- all wrong!

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 6 August 2004 14:01 (twenty-one years ago)

Personally I'd blame that on "I'm Not A Girl/Not Yet A Woman (I Am A Malfunctioning Fembot)" but that's mostly because I really, really, REALLY like "Slave".

The big problem with Britney is that she doesn't have the voice to sustain a career (unlike Christina, who also made the incredibly smart move of toning down the vocal pyrotechnics on her second album as well as crafting an all-around more intriguing/recognizable off-stage persona than Britney). I would have been surprised and amazed if she actually HAD sustained the interest shown in her first two albums without a dip.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 6 August 2004 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Still, if she retired tomorrow, she'd have a few good years in the game to be remembered by (and her appalling taste in marriage material).

― R.I.M.A. (Barima), Friday, 6 August 2004 14:08 (twenty-one years ago)

three years pass...

i do love this song. sometimes i sing it.

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:42 (seventeen years ago)

btw brit lookin good! http://www.dlisted.com/node/27405/images/spl38496_016.jpg

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:42 (seventeen years ago)

oh no wait "everytime"? no i meant "sometimes"

i don't think i know "everytime"

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:45 (seventeen years ago)

i don't think you mean 'sometimes'! well, maybe you do.

'everytime' remains my favourite britney single

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:52 (seventeen years ago)

haha ok for the record, i know "sometimes" is incredibly cheesy and stupid, but i still love it :/

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:52 (seventeen years ago)

just stick around and you'll see
there's nowhere i'd rather be
if you love me
then trust in me

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 16:53 (seventeen years ago)

I like "Everytime" a lot more than "Sometimes." I think it's because it's supposed to be about Justin and she sounds like she actually cares about what she's singing (well, as much as she can). I remember she actually sang (no lip-syncing!) it on Saturday Night Live and she looked really happy with herself.

― !Alicia!, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:28 (seventeen years ago)

"Everytime" is great! You have to lower your guard, or ignore your sentimentality-meter entirely, but it's very pathetic-sounding (in a good way), very lost and forlorn, so the fragile, feeble singing works in that context. I mean, toy piano and Pachelbel's Canon? I think the twee/corn warnings were all in place even without the video.

― Lostandfound, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 22:22 (seventeen years ago)

i just heard this for the 1st time

love her hair in the video

― Surmounter, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 22:39 (seventeen years ago)

eight months pass...

stephen dorff is fuckin hot

― Surmounter, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 18:52 (sixteen years ago)

also the soft static on the vox in this song is beautiful

― Surmounter, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 18:52 (sixteen years ago)

One big difference between "This Woman's Work" and "Everytime" is that "This Woman's Work" sounds like it's being sung by a woman (both the Kate Bush and Maxwell versions) while "Everytime" sounds like it's being sung by a duck that is in the middle of being slowly torn in half by hyenas.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, August 5, 2004 9:33 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

possibly my all-time favorite Dan Perry post

― The-Steen (some dude), Wednesday, 1 April 2009 19:29 (sixteen years ago)

omg also lol that the comparison ever happened at all!

― Surmounter, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 19:44 (sixteen years ago)

that was some classic Alex in NYC baiting

― ur an ugly hamster-abusing "girl" or whatever u are, gtfo (HI DERE), Wednesday, 1 April 2009 20:07 (sixteen years ago)

also, in fairness, some classic me-baiting

― ur an ugly hamster-abusing "girl" or whatever u are, gtfo (HI DERE), Wednesday, 1 April 2009 20:07 (sixteen years ago)

Comparing Britney Spears to Kate Bush is like comparing a mason jar filled with dead sea-monkeys to the Kingdom of Atlantis.

― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 21:41 (sixteen years ago)

stephen dorff is fuckin hot

― Surmounter, Wednesday, April 1, 2009 6:52 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

also the soft static on the vox in this song is beautiful

― Surmounter, Wednesday, April 1, 2009 6:52 PM (4 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^seconded on both counts

rediscovering this gorgeous song thanks to the bump

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 1 April 2009 23:06 (sixteen years ago)

it's prob her best song.

― or something, Thursday, 2 April 2009 01:16 (sixteen years ago)

sayin sumthin.

― or something, Thursday, 2 April 2009 01:18 (sixteen years ago)

four years pass...

So epic and moving in Spring Breakers.

― Davek (davek_00), Saturday, 6 April 2013 04:55 (twelve years ago)

haven't seen the movie but it seems like Korine taking this song, the video of which is already a camp classic, and recontextualizing it is just kind of...i dunno, redundant?

― the drummer for gay Daddy Yankee (some dude), Saturday, 6 April 2013 05:03 (twelve years ago)

I feel fairly pathetic about it, because it was perhaps the first time I'd properly registered it as being that good, so I don't have that previous context. Sure there is some good talk in the ILE thread but haven't ventured there yet.

― Davek (davek_00), Saturday, 6 April 2013 05:12 (twelve years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.