Shakira - 'She Wolf'
No matter how eye-catching the video may be - and there are some people on the internet who are reacting like Elmer Fudd used to in the old cartoons, when Bugs Bunny dressed up as a girl - no matter how disco-tastic the song - and it is PLENTY disco-tastic - there's one tiny little problem with Shakira's latest which may threaten to ruin the whole thing. It's a bit like the Princess And The Pea, and I'm the princess.
The pea is this: If you're going to pretend that you're a werewolf, even a sexy werewolf in a leotard, with no body hair and no tail, it would be a good idea to spend some time getting the howl right. In a song about wolves, the howl is the key thing you can't mess up. You know it, I know it, and the people who made Being Human DEFINITELY know it.
Shakira's howl is so half-hearted it makes a hilltop lit by the full moon at midnight seem more like a dark back garden under a gibbous cloud.
(. That is one bendy wolf.)
Have a listen...go past the 'Music Sounds Better With You' pulsating filter-disco - complete with strings, robot burps, chuntery funk guitar and orchestral stabs - past the verses, which are the best thing about the song by a country mile, even with the odd warbly vocal bits in. What you're looking for is the chorus, the moment where, if this were a film, the clouds would part, the moon would shine down and Shakira's toes would become awfully hairy.
"There's a she-wolf in the closet", sings Shaky, "open up and set us free...", and THAT'S where the howl happens. "Ah-wooo" , she goes, sounding for all the world like a bored child-minder, sitting with her toddlers on that fairground ride which is essentially giant plastic ladybirds going around in a bumpy circle.
"Ah-wooo" , she says, eyes a-rolling, "are you having fun yet? Johnny? Jemima? It's exciting, isn't it? Ah-wooo. Ah-wooo."
Oh wait, did I say the verses are the best bit? Can I qualify that by adding that the best verse of all is the vocoder-harmony robo-choir climax in verse 3? That makes up for EVERYTHING...
Download: Out now
CD Released: September 21st
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comment number 1.
At 14th Sep 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Hah what a review. So spot on its not even funny.
Id 4 stars this too... its a good track. Not fantastic, but good.
I do get the impression she's trying a bit hard in the video though. Its no Single Ladies video (but a song I MUCH prefere).
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Comment number 2.
At 14th Sep 2009, flatknees wrote:liam please please please tell me that you are saying that single ladies is a lesser song than this.
i have awaited this for a long time.. the video is sublime. as i am previously mentioned.
now you mention it fraser, the howl is hardly letting go.. and the verses are the best part.
anyone else see the CSS? especially in the build up to the chorus. 4 stars dead on
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Comment number 3.
At 14th Sep 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Yeh my comment came out a bit wrong. I MUCH prefere this song to Single Ladies. Just that had a better video.
CSS?!? What a band.
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Comment number 4.
At 15th Sep 2009, pinkparadox wrote:Not a fierce howl, but a very cute one.
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Comment number 5.
At 15th Sep 2009, ant_in_wales wrote:Decent song, fantastic video. Worth looking at it on Youtube to read the moronic mis-spellings & weird hatred.
So, back to the CharShow (this is the ChartShow blog, after all).
My favourite bit was when Reggie did the album chart, which had high placings by Vera Lynn & The Beatles.
So pop music, traditionally a young person's game, was being dominated by the deceased.
And Reggie's comment on this? That Calvin Harris had noticed that Vera Lynn is not young. Class.
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Comment number 6.
At 15th Sep 2009, ant_in_wales wrote:Though to be fair to them, they were pleased about Temper Trap doing well, and they did stop the "Billy_Ears thinks Shakira for No. 1" in the second half too.
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Comment number 7.
At 15th Sep 2009, ant_in_wales wrote:But what will happen once Fearne leaves? Reggie can't manage 150 minutes of airtime on his own, no matter how much we all love Mums.
I'm not sure a new partner would work, as he & Fearne are both in the kids' telly presenter mould. Pairing him up someone who knew about music and/or had a sense of humour would be cruel.
I keep suggesting Fraser should do it, but such comments keep getting deleted.
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Comment number 8.
At 15th Sep 2009, Daniel wrote:I used to hate this song, but it's certainly a grower. I really like it now!
I mean, in all fairness, it does have some awful, awful lyrics:
I'm starting to feel just a little abused like a coffee machine in an office
Being the worst/best. But the dancey beat makes up for it, making it a fun little dance number.
4 stars for the song. 5 stars for the video - I love her cheeky little smile during her Ah-wooo's
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Comment number 9.
At 16th Sep 2009, spirit wrote:YO DAN , talkin of lyrics .
It was good to see you the other day !
It was also good to see that your breasts were small and humble !
Was this , so that I couldn't confuse them with mountains ?
LOL
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Comment number 10.
At 16th Sep 2009, Daniel wrote:It certainly was
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Comment number 11.
At 17th Sep 2009, fluffyfinches wrote:Is this the theme tune for the next twilight movie? Wow. TEAM JACOB!
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Comment number 12.
At 21st Sep 2009, jesklmo wrote:You haven't mentionned the panting - 'let it out so it can breath ''he-huh-he-huh'' ' - she's so funny!
Good though other than these two silly sound bites...
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Comment number 13.
At 23rd Sep 2009, nancys22 wrote:she looks more and more like beyonce! a cross between her and paula abdul- but more bendy
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Comment number 14.
At 23rd Sep 2009, spirit wrote:Its a shame the album was leaked online . They have had to bring the release date forward , so the effect of this single could be dimmed . Still a top 5 single is still great .
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Comment number 15.
At 24th Sep 2009, VF21F4 wrote:100% perfect she did it the way she wanted it to look and sound she is the artist and knows how to sing and make a killer video!!! You can have your opinions but she is the pro and i vote we make shakira queen of the universe!
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Comment number 16.
At 24th Sep 2009, MrsRandomEnigma wrote:I really hated this song when I first heard it!!! But now I really like it, its so cool! Shes so bendy too!
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Comment number 17.
At 25th Sep 2009, spirit wrote:Ha ha , this is great .
Mrs Random Enigma , you are very welcome on these pages.
Your husband is a bit of a star here with an obvious ear for music .
Let's have more families...
Next week Fraser's second cousin (twice removed ), will review the new Saturdays single , and the day after that the new Empire of the Sun single will be reviewed by Liam's Auntie Betty !
lol
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Comment number 18.
At 25th Sep 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:What the Hell? MrsRandomEnigma, are you who I think you are or am I so famous on this blog that I already have a stalker! I certainly don't have a wife...as far as I know anyway *nervous laugh*!
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Comment number 19.
At 25th Sep 2009, spirit wrote:Love it !
Can't wait to meet MRS Danny Boy and Mr Fluffy finches !
I wonder if Mrs Fraser will be popping in ......
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Comment number 20.
At 25th Sep 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:Haha, I am both flattered and a little afraid of this enigmatic MrsRandomEnigma. I suspect I might know who she is...but I can't be sure! Haha I can't wait to meet Spirit, The Warrior Princess on this blog!
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Comment number 21.
At 26th Sep 2009, spirit wrote:Me too ! Bring it on ! X
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Comment number 22.
At 8th Oct 2009, spirit wrote:Shakira's album She wolf , has had it's release brought forward , due to leaks .
It's now out this next Monday.
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