Well Played: A Review of Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well
When you dive into Kacey Musgraves’ lovely folk-country album, Deeper Well, you’ll likely discover the singer/songwriter secure, but searching. After love (captured on the masterpiece that is 2018’s Golden Hour) and loss (poured out on 2021’s star-crossed) come self-healing, (personal and professional) lessons learned, even a few unanswered questions, all reflected on 14 sonically soothing, acoustic-centered tracks, with Musgraves’ angelic voice at the heart (of the woods).
Here, Musgraves is at her earthiest. Throughout the album, she and her writing team have incorporated references to the natural world and its inhabitants, the seasons and the afterlife: With the opener, “Cardinal,” the scarlet-red bird is seen as a messenger “from the other side” (an expression Musgraves also adds to “Dinner with Friends”). She also asks: “Are you just watching and waiting for spring?” With “Too Good to be True,” Musgraves musters the courage to open herself up to that foreshadowed new beginning (“Summer’s gone, but you’re still here/For both of us, it’s been a year”), yet subsequently on “Moving Out,” cohabitation comes with challenges. She sings metaphorically, “That big tree in the front yard lost a limb,” and uses the season of autumn to signify the decay of that relationship, evidenced by the following track, “Giver/Taker” and its opening line: “Sundown and I’m lonely in this house.”
But it’s the title track, as well as “Sway” that document her quest for centeredness amid all the changes that life can bring “without a warning,” words expressed on “Too Good to be True” and similarly on “Cardinal.” Musgraves never pretends to have it all figured out; in fact, on “The Architect,” she paints a series of scenarios to convey a balance of curiosity and confusion about creation, and life on the planet, leading, once again, to confirm Musgraves’ knack for relatability through lyrical construction. By album’s end, “Nothing to be Scared of” finds her dipping her toes in the relationship waters once again. And if life and love ever get murky again, Musgraves now knows she can always go back to the well.
Photo 1: “Cardinal” music video, directed by Scott Cudmore; Photo 2 and 3: “My Saturn Has Returned” promo for Deeper Well (cinematographer: Mika Matinazad).
An Add-Shot of Pop: Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso”
Breathy and a bit bratty, in the best possible way, Sabrina Carpenter’s breakout hit, “Espresso” is easily a song-of-the-summer contender. As the track awakens, it’s cool and quiet, just the sound of shimmery synth keys, handclaps, and a deep bass line in the background can be heard. But it’s quick to rise and shine into a caffeinated eight-line chorus (repeated four times in less than three minutes) that proudly boasts the effect one can have on a partner, specifically the prowess of delivering a shot of love so strong, it’s enough to instill a bout of insomnia (“Say you can’t sleep, baby, I know/That’s that me, espresso”).
And while this hook and most of the lyrical content, for that matter, are far from grammatically correct (“Walked in and dream came trued it for ya”; “One touch and I brand newed it for ya”), certain liberties are allowed when crafting a smart, sugary pop song, the kind of sonic addiction that gets into a listener’s veins and brain, and won’t let go. Is it that sweet? I know so.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 85): LL Cool J: “Around the Way Girl”
Ladies Love Cool James, and LL Cool J, for short, loves them right back. He offered further clarification on his 1990 hit single, “Around the Way Girl,” where the rapper describes the type of woman for whom he’s looking. In the prologue to the music video, a frustrated LL, sitting in a casting session, shares what he doesn’t want or need in a girlfriend, particularly “a homegirl that’s jumping out the limousine with the fur on and all that.” All LL wants is a “regular girl.”
Together, LL (James Smith) and Marlon Williams craft visually descriptive lyrics, in order to provide insight for the listener as to the physical traits (“extensions in her hair”; “honey-coated complexion”; “perm in your hair or even a curly weave”) and fashion trends (bamboo earrings; a Fendi bag; New Edition Bobby Brown button) likely sported by “all the cuties in the neighborhood.” With LL’s massive rap-pop crossover appeal, he essentially took what could be considered a regional phrase, an “around the way girl,” and introduced it into the larger MTV-generation lexicon.
And while the lyrics start out addressing physicality and style sense, they eventually begin speaking to the personality of this independent young woman who can read a relationship (“You always know what to say and do/Cold flip when you think your man is playing you”) and, more importantly, knows her value even before getting into one (“I tell you come here, you say meet me halfway”). Unlike a year prior on LL’s track, “Big Ole Butt,” where Tina, Brenda and Lisa were relegated to one particular physical characteristic, on “Around,” “Lisa, Angela, Pamela, Renee” are admired for more.
Holding everything together on the track is the inspired inclusion of classic R & B and funk elements. Rick James earns a writing credit as well on “Around the Way Girl,” as it contains a lyrical sample (“You got me shook up, shook down, shook out on your lovin’”) from “All Night Long,” the 1983 single by the group James formed, Mary Jane Girls. “Around” also features aspects from Keni Burke’s 1982 song, “Risin’ to the Top.” All these components, and LL’s smooth, suave delivery, help make “Around the Way Girl” a timeless rap jam, “fine as can be."
“Flowers” Power: Miley’s Message of Self-Sufficiency
The new year is blossoming beautifully for Miley Cyrus, as the debut single, “Flowers,” from her upcoming album, Endless Summer Vacation, reached the number 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in late January. The track, co-written by Cyrus, Gregory Aldae Hein and Michael Pollack features references to Cyrus’ former marriage to the actor, Liam Hemsworth. In the first verse, “Built a home, and watched it burn” relates to the couple losing their Malibu house in the 2018 Woolsey Fire. But most notably, “Flowers” serves as a response to Hemsworth allegedly dedicating the Bruno Mars regret-filled ballad, “When I Was Your Man” to Cyrus. She offers a form of lyrical rebuttal in the following ways:
Mars’ chorus: “That I should have bought you flowers.”
Cyrus’ chorus: “I can buy myself flowers.”
Mars: “And held your hand.”
Cyrus: “And I can hold my own hand.”
Mars: “Should have gave you all my hours.”
Cyrus: “Talk to myself for hours.”
Mars: “Take you to every party ‘cause all you wanted to do was dance.”
Cyrus: “I can take myself dancing.”
From a production standpoint, Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson keep the verses quiet, gloomy, almost wilted, all constructed to make the cloud-free chorus flourish with confidence. Harpoon’s prominent disco-funk bass line lends smooth, soulful sass, the kind that inspires strutting down a hallway before erupting in euphoric abandon, as displayed by Cyrus in the accompanying Jacob Bixenman-directed music video. (The video is reminiscent of Francis Lawrence’s “Cry Me a River” for Justin Timberlake, who, like Cyrus, is shown breaking into the home of a former, and allegedly unfaithful, lover.)
With the New Year a little over a month in, and Valentine’s Day ahead, Cyrus’ “Flowers” could not have been released at a better time. (Likely its January 13 launch date was to coincide with Hemsworth’s birthday.) Two of the possible reasons the track has resonated with so many: Resolutions for better self-care are (hopefully) still in practice, with the song serving as an extra push to stay resilient; singles get an added reminder to tend to—and cultivate—self-sufficiency. “Flowers” is the musical equivalent of a dozen red roses.
Columbia Records. Album-Cover Photography by Brianna Capozzi.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 84): Gwen Stefani: “The Real Thing”
When Gwen Stefani of No Doubt ventured out to make her first solo album, 2004’s Love. Angel. Music. Baby., the singer used it as a creative outlet to pursue other forms of music besides the ska/post-punk sound, for which the band was already famous. While on The Harajuku Lovers Tour to support the solo effort, Stefani, during an interaction with the crowd after “Crash,” offered insight as to the intention behind L. A. M. B.:
Stefani’s creative direction for L. A. M. B. pointed towards psychedelic pop-punk.
“I was on tour with No Doubt… and I said to Tony… wouldn’t it be fun to make a dance record? Very, very clean, easy, simple idea… I was never gonna tour the record, but then you guys keep buying the record, you keep bringing me out, you keep tempting me. And I’m on this big ol’ wave and I just wanna crash right down on top of you, and I just wanna hear you guys sing the songs back to me.”
The song in the setlist before “Crash,” entitled “The Real Thing” was cowritten by Stefani, Linda Perry, and Stefani’s then-husband, Gavin Rossdale, and co-produced by Nellee Hooper (No Doubt’s “Hella Good”; “Running”; their cover of Talk Talk’s “It’s My Life”). Lyrically, the love song expresses how much one, after being with another for some time, still wants, and needs, the other around. Presumably, Stefani and Rossdale, each with their own rock-star careers and busy schedules, were writing about each other at the time, with the following lyrics a reflection of their relationship: “And we’re together most days/But I still love to have you around”. However, in 2016, after 14 years of marriage, Stefani and Rossdale divorced, making one of the track’s later verses a bit prophetic: “Heaven knows what will come next/So emotional, you’re so complex/A rollercoaster, built to crash/But I still love to have you around.” (Note another reference to the word, crash.)
Musically, “The Real Thing” was heavily (and intentionally) inspired by New Order’s 1986 track, “Bizarre Love Triangle.” Stefani would have been 17 years old when the synth-pop song was first released, and indicates another musical style that Stefani was interested in besides the ska/post-punk sound that a budding No Doubt was embracing. (One can almost imagine Stefani staying up late on a Sunday night to watch MTV’s “!20 Minutes” to catch the video for “Bizarre,” or sliding a cassette tape into a boombox during lunch at Anaheim’s Loara High School.) Into adulthood, Stefani remained a fan of the English alternative-pop band, and reached out to collaborate with them. After initially declining, the band’s singer, Bernard Sumner ended up contributing backing vocals, while Peter Hook played bass on Stefani’s musical homage.
Listening to “The Real Thing,” one may not necessarily hear the direct influence of “Bizarre.” But in listening to “Bizarre,” and then returning back to “The Real Thing,” the similarities become more evident. For example:
The guitar riff in the outro of “Bizarre”; the intro to “The Real Thing.”
Melody: In “Bizarre” at the lyrics: “There’s no sense in telling me/The wisdom of the fool won’t set you free.” In “The Real Thing” at the aforementioned: “Heaven knows what will come next/So emotional, you’re so complex.”
Gwen Stefani’s “The Real Thing,” and essentially the Love. Angel. Music. Baby. period as a whole, marks one of the most important moments in Stefani’s career: Sonically, it’s a purposeful step from ska to synth pop and other sounds; visually, as seen on The Harajuku Lovers Tour, it’s a shift from rugged rock star to polished platinum-Marilyn pop star, complete with what would become Stefani’s signature: the retro red lip. “The Real Thing” serves as another way Stefani solidified herself as the real deal.
Red Lip Photo by John Shearer.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 83): Carole King: “I Feel The Earth Move”
A determined pounding of the piano keys starts Carole King’s “I Feel the Earth Move.” The singer-songwriter-musician had already co-written tracks made famous by The Shirelles (1960’s “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”) and Aretha Franklin (1967’s “[You Make Me Feel Like] A Natural Woman”), but with her second solo release, 1971’s Tapestry, King continued to make her voice—and her piano-playing—heard.
With the Women’s Liberation Movement already in full force in the early ‘70s, King’s material weaved its way into the hearts, minds and spirits of young women in particular, allowing Tapestry to stay on the charts for an astounding six-plus years. On “I Feel,” she freely described, through expert lyrical and musical constructions, the emotional and physical experiences of new love, from a female point of view. The most provocative lyric is toward the end when King describes the ecstatic fever that comes over her when she’s near the person who rocks her world, going vocally high at “I get a hot and cold” then quickly dropping to quietly repeat “all over” four times, like a vocal gyration, until the track ramps up to the chorus once again.
Whether it was The Shirelles’ song, conveying hesitancy—or Aretha’s, expressing certainty—in a relationship, or this smartly crafted track, best believe that when King felt something, you didn’t just hear it, it was damn near palpable.
Album photography: Jim McCrary
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 82): Jennifer Hudson: “Let It Be” (Hope For Haiti Now)
Arguably one of the best pop songs ever written, The Beatles’ “Let It Be” will forever be played when questions about life are easy to ask, yet the answers hard to find. Jennifer Hudson’s impassioned remake of this 1970 Lennon-McCartney track was created for the “Hope for Haiti Now” benefit telethon, which was organized to raise aid after a 2010 earthquake devastated the country. (Here it’s 11 years later and Haiti is recovering from yet another earthquake that just recently occurred.) Hudson takes the track to church, especially towards the end, with the backing vocalists providing angelic support. Hip-hop group, and “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” house band, The Roots supply the musical accompaniment, keeping the traditional guitar riff and Billy Preston-style electric keys. Both The Beatles and Hudson versions are equally soulful: the original tender, touching and subtle, with emphasis more on lyrical delivery and a larger rock-guitar sound, while Hudson’s cover, which provides heartfelt sincerity, is focused more on vocal expression. To delve further into the masterful Beatles original, click here.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 79): Madonna: “Material Girl”
Reference Material
Madonna’s “Material Girl,” from 1984’s Like a Virgin album, is one of the first instances of the singer’s love of playful irony. Vocals that evoke innocence tell the story of a seemingly passive individual who is savvier and more decisive than one would believe. While it appears she is the pursuer of material goods held by “some boys,” by song’s end, she becomes the pursued; there’s a reversal of roles, as heard in the following not-so-veiled verse, full of layered meaning: “Boys may come and boys may go/And that’s all right you see/Experience has made me rich/And now they’re after me.”
Mary Lambert’s video for the song also established just how ironic Madonna felt the song was. Its homage to Howard Hawks’ 1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes features Madonna as an actress on a film set, playing the role Marilyn Monroe made famous, a role that had Monroe singing, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Yet in this interpretation, both Madonna as the actress and—judging by the “Like a Virgin” lace outfit at the end of the video—Madonna herself believe that daisies can also be a girl’s best friend. Madonna dances a fine line: she pays respect to the film reference, while simultaneously offering critical opposition to “Diamonds” antiquated philosophy.
Love ‘Em and “Leo” Fast: Holiday Sidewinder’s Ode to the One-Night Stand
In the summer of 2018, Australian pop singer, Holiday Sidewinder released her catchy single, “Leo,” with its refrain including a synthesized rhyming roll call of lovers, everyone from Leo to Rodrigo, Marco to Diego, and a few others. The track could be seen as one woman’s reinterpretation of Prince’s “Little Red Corvette,” the tale now told listing the names of “the jockeys that were there before me,” as His Royal Badness once sang.
“Leo” is certainly intriguing, for it manages to sound like one thing, but say something completely different. Sidewinder’s vocal style suggests coy innocence, while the lyrics point to a woman who doesn’t mince words (“I’ll give you tonight, but I won’t call you tomorrow”), even brazenly forewarning: “Lock up your husbands, and lock up your sons.”
Provocative content aside, and there’s lots of it, “Leo” works on its own as a smartly constructed pop song. The first verse features a bass-synthesizer as the hero instrument, giving it all kinds of ‘80s feels, with Sidewinder’s aforementioned vocal delivery adding a dreamy effect; her character mojito-intoxicated in the nightlife. After the roll-call refrain, the rapid-fire drums give way to the carefree-sounding chorus, the morning walk of (no) shame has never sounded sunnier, thanks, in part, to more melodic vocals, reminiscent of Gwen Stefani’s. And with the start of the second verse, the bass-synthesizer gets replaced by a deep bass-guitar riff, only solidifying its ‘80s new-wave nostalgia. Take a listen, and you too might quickly love it; if not, just move on.
The Pop Zeal Project (Track 78): Jay-Z; Bono; The Edge; Rihanna: “Stranded”
Some of the biggest names in music contributed to the benefit album, Hope for Haiti Now, in response to a catastrophic 2010 earthquake that occurred in the country. A telethon was organized, and included several on-air musical interludes. One such featured the song, “Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour),” as performed by Jay-Z, Rihanna, and from U2, the lead singer, Bono and lead guitarist, The Edge.
The track, created especially for the album, features rap verses by Jay-Z. They’re a reflection on the devastation, and at times a prayer to heaven, as well as a call to those on earth for immediate unity and assistance, a call which also includes a brief political critique, reminding “New Orleans was flooded/So we know we just can’t rely on the government.” In the chorus, Bono and Rihanna send additional messages of commitment and protection into the ether to those in that extremely difficult circumstance.
Sounds Like Summer: Five Songs for the New Season
Is it Monday or Tuesday? There have been times recently when it felt like it was going to be an endless spring, but a new season has in fact arrived. Here are five tracks that can help put you in a summer vibe state of mind, no matter what day (or season) it is:
Nothing like George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” to start the season right. The version from the “Beatles Love” show blended Harrison’s signature track with instrumentation from two other Harrison-penned songs: the magnificent meditation, “Within You, Without You,” and “Inner Light,” a 1968 B-Side to “Lady Madonna”:
Belinda Carlisle’s “Mad About You” is all kinds of sunshine. It’s (literally) upbeat (note the double-time bass drum in the chorus), and of course the video: Carlisle busting out signature dance moves; rockin’ the Ray-Bans; channeling ‘60s Ann-Margret in a convertible. Post-guitar-solo, Carlisle’s lower-register vocals rise to the sunny chorus, musically “pushing the night into the daytime”:
“Just get in and close the door” is what the driver encourages in “Stop for Nothing,” by the indie-pop duo, courtship. (lowercase and with a period). Airy electric guitar (one riff evoking ‘60s surf-music reverb) and deep bass lines (particularly the one after the above lyric) capture that carefree feeling of a sunny drive along the coast:
Kick back with Michael Kiwanuka’s “Light,” a soothing, soulful, symphonic track from the singer/songwriter. In the bridge, the sudden slide down the guitar neck, followed by angelic backing vocals is the sound a sunrise would make:
Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” references “that summer feeling” and a series of signature seasonal items to describe how love—and something more physical as the title suggests—can be intoxicating and addicting. The transition from first chorus into the second verse is brilliant, and how ‘bout this lovely lyric: “Strawberries on a summer evening/Baby, you’re the end of June.” Styles’ vocals also shine on the romantic declaration that is “Adore You,” which includes another nod to the season: “Your wonder under summer skies”:
The Pop Zeal Project: She & Him: “In the Sun”
Indie-pop group, She & Him, consisting of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, released “In the Sun” in 2010 as the first single from their second album, the aptly titled, Volume Two. Their sound has often incorporated a wink and a nod to cheerful-sounding ‘60s pop, with Deschanel’s lyrical content at times providing stark contrast to anything but. “In the Sun” is one such track, featuring a bouncy piano intro that sounds like the musical equivalent of summer, only to be eclipsed by the opening lyric that describes a relationship reaching its winter: “It’s hard to be ignored/When I look at you, you look so bored.” The choice for now it seems is the ignorance-is-bliss approach, perhaps until the one day when the sun goes down on creating excuses instead of facing reality, when feeling “ashamed sometime, every day” can no longer be kept inside.
The Pop Zeal Project: The Rolling Stones: “Angie”
Whether it was in the ‘60s when The Beach Boys sang about Barbara Ann, or in the ‘80s when Toto sang about Rosanna, women have been the source of inspiration behind many songs. Recently, Lady Gaga dedicated an entire album to her departed aunt, Joanne, and even with 2020’s Chromatica, Gaga includes a song entitled, “Alice,” and the list goes on.
But for today, we go back to 1973 when The Rolling Stones released “Angie,” with Mick Jagger lamenting to Angie that “ain’t it time we say goodbye,” although ironically still claiming to love her and that there “ain’t a woman that comes close to you.” There’s much continued speculation as to who the inspiration is for this track; one theory is that Jagger’s lyrical contribution is based on his breakup with the singer, Marianne Faithful, yet most of the writing credit steers more toward Keith Richards, who around this time became the father of a daughter who would eventually be called Angela. Richards claimed the song “wasn’t about any particular person.”
The track is perhaps more memorable as one (of many) that features Jagger’s exaggerated vocal delivery, as he calls out (and at one point whispers) Angie’s name quickly, followed by elongating the first syllable in the name for dramatic effect. As far as breakup songs go, “Angie” is one for the ages.
The Pop Zeal Project: Alanis Morissette: “Head Over Feet”
Track eight on Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill is “Head Over Feet.” It was the fifth single (of six) from the album that goes down as one that defined the ‘90s. Written by Morissette and Glen Ballard, the song is about friends who are now lovers, with reflections on the clarity and appreciation one feels for the other’s love, patience, even chivalry (“You held your breath and the door for me”).
The track is yet another from the artist that is full of lyrical prowess, for example, taking the classic phrase, head over heels, which has traditionally been used to describe falling in love, and kickin’ it up a notch. The main character referencing not just the heels, but both feet, to describe how much this newfound relationship with a friend (a “best friend with benefits”) has truly knocked her socks off. What’s also of significance is how kindness and “unconditional things” almost come off as completely foreign to her (“I’m not used to liking that”). But now, she’s taken those tiny steps toward letting her guard down (“What took me so long”; “I am aware now”) and falling in love, seemingly for the first time.
You’re my best friend…
… Best friend with benefits.
Jagged Little Pill Art Direction, Design: Tom Recchion.
With Jagged featuring the ultimate hell-hath-no-fury song, “You Oughta Know,” it’s “Head Over Feet” that serves as confirmation that loving someone post-bad-breakup (really bad) is quite possible.
Sing It Ain’t So: Sheryl Crow is Done with the Album Thing
Sheryl Crow recently appeared as part of a round-table discussion, hosted by Linda Perry, singer, producer, and co-founder of “We Are Hear,” an artist empowerment company focused on developing and nurturing the creative. Along with Grimes (representing the younger voice in music) and Dolly Parton (the legendary one), Crow shared her thoughts on where’s she at today as far as creating music, leading her to disclose that she’s “done with the album thing,” seeing as “people don’t buy records anymore.” Regardless of what Crow’s career looks like going forward, she will always be a writer… and so much more. This prompted me to revisit a post I wrote about Crow’s “Now That You’re Gone” from Detours:
As much as Sheryl Crow is known for wanting to have some fun or soak up the sun, she is one of the best at chronicling breakups. From 1998’s basically perfect, Stones-inspired “My Favorite Mistake,” to 2005’s deeply somber release, Wildflower, she can get down in the dumps—“the real low down,” as she once sang on 1996’s “If It Makes You Happy.” Crow can certainly craft songs that drip with loneliness, anger and uncertainty over the derailment of a relationship. Her 2008 release, Detours, was her most political album, this time expressing her sadness over the derailment of our nation as a whole, the world at large off course. One of the tracks, “Now That You’re Gone,” is a return to classic Crow, feeling almost Wildflower low. With strings making a prevalent appearance, it’s another reason the song sounds like it could’ve originated on that strongly symphonic Wildflower.
“Gone” reflects Crow’s ability to write lyrics that sound seemingly romantic and positive, yet by their end quickly turn to the dark and negative (“We made a bed of roses/But I got pricked by thorns.”). And just as a silver lining appears regarding the separation, that she’ll be able to move on unscathed, hesitation creeps back in: “And I’m afraid some long, lonely road will lead me back to you again.” Thankfully, Crow does make it unscathed. After a year on that long, lonely road, she arrived back home, secure and certain, to more soulfully sunny roots, in the form of 100 Miles From Memphis, with the realization that favorite mistakes happen, wildflowers wither, and detours eventually get you back on track.
Bob Marley: “Three Little Birds”
The first verse of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds” is so good, it just has to be repeated in the second. This sunny 1977 song, which paints a happy start to a new day, was originally featured on Exodus, and later appeared on Marley’s 1984 greatest-hits collection, Legend, which is one of those rare albums that, dare to be said, should be required in everyone’s music library. It’s hard-pressed not to feel better or even happier after listening to the track. The lyrics, “Don’t worry/about a thing/‘cause every little thing/gonna be alright” is the leading reason, plus the soothing sway that reggae can inspire doesn’t hurt either.
Pop Playlist: The Smiths: “Please, Please, Please…”
The Smiths’ “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” is just shy of two minutes long, but it efficiently goes straight to the heart of desperate longing. The lead singer, Morrissey sounds as if he’s in mid-prayer, a plea to experience “Good times for a change.” Acoustic guitar, and the defeated sadness in his voice, create a somber tone, yet not one of complaining, but contemplation. There’s disappointment, but he’s also hopeful; he’s the “good man” who doesn’t want to “turn bad.” The lyric, “Haven’t had a dream in a long time” may be the track’s most vulnerable, with the later “what” in “get what I want” open to interpretation, the “what” replaceable with “who.” (Morrissey has in fact applied this lyric change during live shows.)
The song works well in the heartwarming (and heartbreaking) film about the confusion of unrequited love, (500) Days of Summer, with Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Tom) and Zooey Deschanel (Summer). In the hopes of getting Summer’s attention, Tom plays the song out loud for co-worker and fellow Smiths admirer, Summer, only for Summer to walk right by his desk.
“Please, Please, Please…” has been covered by Deschanel (She & Him), and the Dream Academy, whose version appears in the film, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Pop Playlist: Christina Aguilera: “Come On Over Baby”
Along with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera became one of the biggest pop stars in the late ‘90s, thanks to “Genie in a Bottle” and “What a Girl Wants.” In 2000, Aguilera’s “Come On Over Baby” became the fourth single off her debut, self-titled album. Strong, soulful vocals and a driving dance-pop beat were customary for the first two singles, and for this track too, with “I Turn to You” the necessary power ballad. “Come On Over” served as provocative invitation, not just lyrically toward the song’s object of affection (“You better cross the line”), but as if toward the audience as well. With the world in a new millennium, Aguilera began to take steps toward (perceived image) change too, with “Come on Over” becoming her first “not that innocent” moment, only to pale in comparison to the later “Dirrty” chapter of her career.
Pop Playlist: The Beatles: “In My Life”
Reflection on the past is a prevalent theme in The Beatles’ “In My Life.” With lyrics by John Lennon, (life) change and its inevitability, in relation to places and people, give the song a melancholic, matter-of-fact sense. Superbly simple songwriting that captures aspects of the human condition (past loss; present love), along with a sweet melody and an unexpected (classical) bridge make “In My Life” a timeless track, a case where one could say that some things don’t change.
Pop Playlist: She & Him: “Sing”
Leave it to She & Him lead singer, Zooey Deschanel to write an eccentric lyric referencing the MTV show, “Cribs,” which is evident in the first line of the track, “Sing” from their album entitled, Volume Two. “Sing” is another offering that showcases the group’s love of traditional-pop-song brevity. At just over three minutes, Deschanel’s vocals are once again soothing to the ear, and features a harmonious delivery of jazzy “ba-da-da-dums” as a carefree conclusion.