BOTB Take Five Week 12: I Will Always Love Countdown
It's true, I will!
Feel free to play in week eleven, latecomers (namely Patrick and BnPac. ) But we must move on!
I debated on whether or not to add Girls into the mix - since Bran's top four was already revealed - but they would get killed anyway this week. So Bran Bran can stay!
6 - Countdown - This track is really good. Quite possibly the best Pop song of the 2010-2019 decade so far. It's experimental, heartwarming, inventive and just damn catchy.
5 - VCR - Love this. It's so minimal, and the vocals are breathtaking. It sounds so detached, and is lovely. The male/female vocals also fit each other perfectly.
4 - Why - She's probably one of the only big Adult Contemporary-esque stars that I like. Her work seems genuine.
3 - Nothing Really Matters - Actually one of the lesser songs on Miseducation. I felt like a duo between two of Soul music's strongest artists could create something a bit more inspired.
2 - Should I Go - Wrong link... you have some random person rapping over it, but luckily I know the song. It's okay. Kinda boring.
1 - I Will Always Love You - It's iconic. It's legendary. It's successful. It's also bland, cheesy and I don't really like it.
I don't know about M-D-N-A he is part of this blog and I can't understand his actions as well, the fake stans we have detected are madonnas and Dullenlightment,
I don't know about M-D-N-A he is part of this blog and I can't understand his actions as well, the fake stans we have detected are madonnas and Dullenlightment,
Pretty good week. I already have a feeling of what my rankings are going to be.
It's such an interesting week! I was thinking on how it's so R&B heavy, but such different expressions of it - Maximalist Pop (Countdown), Neo-Soul Quiet Storm (Nothing Really Matters), Blue Eyed Soul (Why), 90s Cheese with Sax Intact (IWALY), Mess (That Brandy Song). Even VCR is directly inspired by rhythm and blues.
It's such an interesting week! I was thinking on how it's so R&B heavy, but such different expressions of it - Maximalist Pop (Countdown), Neo-Soul Quiet Storm (Nothing Really Matters), Blue Eyed Soul (Why), 90s Cheese with Sax Intact (IWALY), Mess (That Brandy Song). Even VCR is directly inspired by rhythm and blues.
As sacrilegious as it might seem, there' are only two truly great songs this week. Everything else has its' fair share of problems.
Countdown - I suppose most of why I love this song has little to do with Bey, and more with my preferences. In the mid 00s, I fell deeply in love with the sounds of the British production house Xenomania, and the perfectly unconventional way they worked. Songs were the very definition of tangential, built of odds and ends of other songs; many times one can hear the seams puckering, but often it feels seamless. More than seamless - bold, confrontational, exciting, and new; everything pop music SHOULD be (and wasn't in America.)
Fastforward to 2011, and Bey makes her most MAXIMALIST statement yet. Always a big presence, she finally found - or simply conjured - a song that befits her. Life-affirming. 6
VCR - More "soulful" than it has any right to be. Proves minimalism can be JUST as powerful as the big stuff. 5
Now it gets hard.
Why - It drags. Boy, does it drag.
But the bridge/chorus is ... un****wtiable. AND THE ADLIBS AT THE END. 4
I Will Always Love You - Doesn't touch Dolly, but what a statement of intent. 3
Should I Go - Messy and self-righteous by more than half, but the bits about Aaliyah are undeniably affecting. 2
Nothing Even Matters - I did not expect this to be my lowest vote getter. But, fifteen years later, D'Angelo really did outshine her on her own song. That can't happen! 1
Countdown - 6
I Will Always Love You - 5
VCR - 4
Why - 3
Nothing Really Matters - 2
Should I Go - 1
YoutubeTwitterFacebookLast.fm David Bowie : The Rolling Stones : Lady Gaga : Motown : Queen : Donna Summer : Nina Simone : Drake Beethoven : Mozart : Aretha Franklin : Bruce Springsteen : Tina Turner : Madonna : Etta James : Blondie
Lauryn Hill, performing Nothing Really Matters (with D'Angelo) 5
Brandy, performing Should I Go 1
Whitney Houston, performing I Will Always Love You 2
Beyoncé, performing Countdown 6
Annie Lennox, performing Why 3
The xx, performing VCR 4
We have to take the lead.
If we are educated, our girls will value education.
If we respect our bodies, they will value theirs.
If we are brave, they will grow up to be fearless.
Until we walk the walk, it just continues to be talk.
- Beyoncé Gisele Knowles-Carter
Let’s do a countdown of this song’s ten best moments.
10. The “Boy-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e” bit at the very beginning, during which Beyoncé rolls through no fewer than 34 notes, just cause she can.
9. “Me and my boo and my boo boo riding.”
8. Her voice every time she sings the word “softly.”
7. The countdown itself.
6. Horn section.
5. “Me and my boo and my boo lip locking. All up in the back cause the chicks keep flocking.”
4. “Ladies, if you love your man show him you the flyest. Grind up on it, girl, show him how you ride it.”
3. “London speed it up, Houston rock it.”
2. “Oh, killing me softly, and I’m still falling. Still the one I need, I will always be with you.”
1. All of it.
But I can't conclude this without taking some sort of jab at Beyoncé, so I'll say this; "Countdown" isn't a great song, but it's great by Beyoncé standards/in comparison to this week's stale competition. Make of that what you will. (6)
Annie Lennox Why (5)
The xx VCR (4)
Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You (3)
Lauryn Hill Nothing Even Matters (feat. D'Angelo) (2)
Let’s do a countdown of this song’s ten best moments.
10. The “Boy-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e” bit at the very beginning, during which Beyoncé rolls through no fewer than 34 notes, just cause she can.
9. “Me and my boo and my boo boo riding.”
8. Her voice every time she sings the word “softly.”
7. The countdown itself.
6. Horn section.
5. “Me and my boo and my boo lip locking. All up in the back cause the chicks keep flocking.”
4. “Ladies, if you love your man show him you the flyest. Grind up on it, girl, show him how you ride it.”
3. “London speed it up, Houston rock it.”
2. “Oh, killing me softly, and I’m still falling. Still the one I need, I will always be with you.”
1. All of it.
But I can't conclude this without taking some sort of jab at Beyoncé, so I'll say this; "Countdown" isn't a great song, but it's great by Beyoncé standards/in comparison to this week's stale competition. Make of that what you will. (6)
Annie Lennox Why (5)
The xx VCR (4)
Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You (3)
Lauryn Hill Nothing Even Matters (feat. D'Angelo) (2)
Consider my rankings this week a statement on my eternal devotion to B Rocka.
Beyoncé, performing Countdown: 6
******* insane (of the only-Sasha-Fierce-could-pull-this-off variety) and I love every second of it.
Brandy, performing Should I Go: 5
The mix of "Clocks" sample, spare hand claps and layered harmonies creates an ethereally beautiful soundscape. Personally, I think Timbaland did brilliant work on this one.
Annie Lennox, performing Why: 4
Every time I hear "Why" I think of Ivan and Allison's performance on So You Think You Can Dance...
On a more relevant note, the emotional release of the last minute is the highlight of this entire week.
The xx, performing VCR: 3
Not as punchy as "Islands," but their minimalist guitar-pop style is absolutely gorgeous.
Whitney Houston, performing I Will Always Love You: 2
And Iiiiiiiiiiiiiii will always have mixed feelings about this song.
Lauryn Hill, performing Nothing Even Matters (with D'Angelo): 1
The kind of low-key lovely that works better as background mood music—especially at six minutes long.
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) But we must move on!
4/29/2012
Pretty good week. I already have a feeling of what my rankings are going to be.
