Outrageous? Really?

I’ve recently downloaded some fun dance songs from itunes and even created a playlist especially for them entitled “Dance,” appropriately. I’ve been shaking my thing all over my kitchen while doing the dishes, washing my clothes, “cooking” dinner, practicing my juggling skills with some recently purchased nectarines and really getting to know some of these songs pretty well. The thing is, not all of the songs I bought were new. Some were new, and I really enjoy them, particularly Rihanna’s stuff, but some of them are…older. Like Brittany Spears and Shakira. I’ve always loved both of these ladies and decided that some of my favorites should be a part of this new playlist. But, it seems, that during this particular trend in pop music history that lyrics were not the top priority when creating a hit. Though, in their defense, they were hits.

I’m talking about such biting lyrics as Brittany’s “Outrageous” in which “when I move my body” and “when I’m at a party” stand alone to create the rhyming chorus that’s repeated throughout the song. (Oh, and, by the way, both of those things are apparently outrageous which I feel Brit may be using a bit too liberally). She also uses the line “trench coat and my underwear” without context. Exactly where is she wearing a trench coat and underwear? Is it out and about town or is it just in her kitchen? Does she unbutton the trench coat so people can actually see that all she has underneath is underwear or is it simply a secret for her own amusement? Is it really outrageous? I mean, really?

And then there’s Shakira. I happen to know that Shakira graduated from UCLA (or USC, I can’t actually remember which but it’s one of those) and is probably a pretty clever girl. But her lyrics, come on! I was listening to “My Hips Don’t Lie” which isn’t a bad title, I like it. “Reading the signs of my body,” not bad, really. But the song is featuring Wyclef and he says, during the chorus, “Como se llama. Bonita. Mi casa. Su casa.” Um, this roughly translates to, “What’s your name? Pretty. My house. Your house.” Caveman speech but in Spanish so it’s deceptively smooth-sounding. The thing is, this is totally forgivable as Wyclef is not a native Spanish speaker and can therefore say these short, simple lines without too much judgment. But Shakira, who, being from Columbia (as the song also states), speaks Spanish fluently and responds to Wyclef’s stutterings with, “Oh, baby, when you talk like that, you make a woman go mad.” For reals? Mad? I dunno, Shakira, I’m gonna have to go ahead and disagree with on that one.

Now, there are songs like The Black-Eyed Peas “My Humps” which is a very silly song but it knows it’s silly. The band is aware of how ridiculous it is and has fun with it. I have to admit, I absolutely hated that song when I first heard it but it grew on me and when I realized that they were just being silly, as they’re apt to do, I enjoyed it even more. But some lyrics are downright unforgivable when you stop shakin’ it long enough to really pay attention. But, maybe that’s the point, we’re not supposed to stop shaking it. Just dance.

-Age