I don't normally understand "world music" *, but I guess her hips spoke to me.
I like her obvious delight at performing, she does not seem jaded like many big pop stars are.
*I put it in quotes, because like "ethnic" it's a typically anglo-centric term. Isn't all music from the world?
I dunno, like that Kate Bush parody, it seems more like a case of sour grapes...
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the Kate Bush one. I don't see how it could be sour grapes. It was pretty much spot on - if you watch the real video, it's clear she can't speak a word of English and is relying on her smoking hot body and wildly gyrating hips to get her through. Ripe for parody.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a lot in common with Ned Flanders, actually, apart from religion - you both want to live in a bland world with no edge to anything. Just my opinion, of course; I hope that doesn't make me come across as too much of an asshole.
Here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMjCq6ye_ZM
I thought the Shakira video was not in English?
Ned Flanders?? LOL! Have we met? That's ridic-diddlidick-ulous.
I thought that "Whenver, Wherever" was originally in Spanish but they did an English version. I seem to remember that. It wouldn't make sense to do a parody otherwise. Then there was "Underneath Your Clothes" which was also in English (sort of).
ReplyDeleteThing is, Richie Valens couldn't speak Spanish but he faked it convincingly.
Joe Dick said: I like this version better.
ReplyDeleteVersion? But that's not the same song.
... if you watch the real video, it's clear she can't speak a word of English
Huh? Most of her interviews are conducted in English.
... and is relying on her smoking hot body and wildly gyrating hips to get her through.
But isn't that what you are supposed to do if you are a dancer?
Thanks, I hadn't seen the interviews. Seems to me she speaks English better than some US-born politicians I can think of...
ReplyDelete"Whenever Wherever" was originally in Spanish and it was titled "Contigo" (With you). She can speak English, but due to the funny things she does with her vocals, I can't understand a f*** when she sings in English. To me it is a tragedy that she's trying to sing in English, what she does does not translate. I love her stuff in Spanish though, plus she seems rather nice and down to earth.
ReplyDeletebut due to the funny things she does with her vocals, I can't understand a f*** when she sings in English.
ReplyDeleteAt least someone is able to understand the simple things. That's it exactly.
To me it is a tragedy that she's trying to sing in English, what she does does not translate. I love her stuff in Spanish though
I agree. The Spanish versions, even though I don't understand the words, are much better.
ttl:
But isn't that what you are supposed to do if you are a dancer?
Call me crazy, but if you're a singer/dancer your singing should be on par with your dancing. But I guess that's just crazy talk. Maybe in Finland they prefer singer/dancers who can't sing (although Shakira can sing well in Spanish).
ttl:
Huh? Most of her interviews are conducted in English.
Great, ttl! Watch her interviews then. Based on her videos it appears she can't speak English. As Magnetic Mary said, that impression is created mainly by the "funny things she does with her vocals."
ttl:
Version? But that's not the same song.
Extra points there, ttl! Well done!
I never really thought of Shakira as "world music", that term is typically reserved for blending of musics from around the world, and sometimes for the popularizing/Westernizing of other musics.
ReplyDeleteShakira I thought would either be grouped as Latin or Dance/Pop.
A classic example of "world music" would be Peter Gabriels album "Passion". Wow, it's been an age since I saw "Last Temptation of Christ".
A classic example of "world music" would be Peter Gabriels album "Passion". Wow, it's been an age since I saw "Last Temptation of Christ".
ReplyDeleteYou know, me too. And I'd like to keep it that way! If I ever see that piece of crap again it'll be ten billion years too soon.
Sorry, the song is actually titled "Suerte" (~Luck).
ReplyDeleteDuring the Olympic Games I heard a Spanish press guy say that, if Spanish (language) was "solid", and English was "liquid", then Chinese was "gas". It's a cool analogy. Her vocals work brilliantly with our "solid" language but she loses most her powers in a "liquid" language.
I have a huge problem with the label "Latin"; there are so many things that could be labelled "Latin" that it means nothing to me (beyond obvious things like "not anglo, not black, not asian"). Shakira is extremely popular in Spain and South America and a big part of her success is her unique original style, blending pop-rock with south-american folk music. She is from Colombia but has Libanese ascendence on her father's side, there's where she picked up the belly dance. She had been in the market for over 10 years (6 albums?) when she started singing in English and making videos with Beyonce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IidbWvl66VI only to come across like the new disposable pop sensation in a market that can not understand her. Bad bad move, imo.
Well, if she keeps making good stuff, people will learn to respect her, like we did with Madonna after the eighties.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the term "Latin" being a fuzzy term. In California it seems to be a catch all for anything from Mexico and further South. Listenening to the radio most tracks seem be either some sort of Mariachi(sp?) band or some Salsa derived pop tune.
ReplyDeleteLatin is not used to embrace all music from Latin America, you find Aztec and Inca music under the "World" or "Ethnic" category.
I have trouble with a lot of other music genres. Would you put Mike Oldfield in Classical, Ambient, Trance, Electronica, New Age, Avant Garde, pop or world.
The label is there it get a broad, forgiving guidance. I found Crace's "The Pesthouse" in literature where I would initially expect it, but reading it, it was patently SF. To this day I've never seen it in SF.
like we did with Madonna after the eighties.
ReplyDeleteI lost all respect for Madonna after the 80s. Sure, back then she did really lightweight, forgettable stuff (see the conversation at the beginning of Reservoir Dogs), but then in the 90s she became a real whore. I wouldn't care about her using sex to sell, but there was nothing to her beyond that.
I deg to biffer. Sure, all the sex stuff was boring, but go late nineties, to _Ray of Light_. This was the first of her albums that caught my attention, and it's awesome. Truly excellent music.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with that one myself. I have heard maybe two or three Madonna songs total. I have nothing against her, it's just worked out that way.
ReplyDeleteWould you put Mike Oldfield in Classical, Ambient, Trance, Electronica, New Age, Avant Garde, pop or world.
ReplyDeleteHe has produced music in all of those genres. Well, not Classical (I don't think Music of the Spheres is classical, just orchestral). And probaly not Avant Garde either. But the others yes. Individual pieces belong to different genres.
CAPTCHA: samplic
I deg to biffer. Sure, all the sex stuff was boring, but go late nineties, to _Ray of Light_. This was the first of her albums that caught my attention, and it's awesome. Truly excellent music.
ReplyDeleteYes, Frozen, the song, is brilliant. And the video (YouTube) for it is simply stunning! This I think is the only one where she's ever flirted with a dark (satanic) theme.
If only she had maintained this kind of quality in her work. But no, she decided to sample Abba instead. :-/
Yeah, that was a bit weird.
ReplyDeleteI think it may have been the collaboration with William Orbit on Ray of Light.
I came this close to posting "Frozen" yesterday, now I have to.
Frozen blows. I wonder, are all male Madonna fans homosexuals or just most of them?
ReplyDeleteFair enough, you don't like it. So what do *you* think is really good?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know this is an old post, but I couldn't pass up the chance...
ReplyDeleteWould you put Mike Oldfield in Classical, Ambient, Trance, Electronica, New Age, Avant Garde, pop or world.
In the dust-bin.
Ron,
ReplyDeleteI think it'd be better if you put it in that stack of other CD's you don't want and take it to the 2nd hand CD store. Sure, it won't get you more than a dollar or so, but that's better than nothing. And then someone like me could pick it up cheap ;-)
I wonder what Branson would be doing now if Tubular Bells hadn't been a big hit for his failing record label?
Alex