I don’t actively seek out mainstream pop hits like I used to, so when two songs are bouncing around my brain at the end of 2010, you know they were the two most ubiquitous songs of the year.
I had heard about “California Gurls” before I heard it, and I assumed it would be good, since Katy Perry had delivered “I Kissed a Girl,” “Hot N Cold” and “Waking Up in Vegas” on her previous album. Also, it was only one letter off from a great Beach Boys tune.
I had heard the buzz about Cee Lo’s “(Expletive) You,” but shamefully, I didn’t hear it until Gwyneth Paltrow’s amazing performance on an episode of “Glee.” That, of course, was the clean version, “Forget You,” which I slightly prefer. The changing of that one word makes Cee Lo more cuddly and sympathetic.
Either version, though, is superior to “California Gurls.” And yet, these two earworms are crawling around my head in equal amounts right now. I’m alternating between “Cal-i-for-nia gurls/They’re unforgettable/Ohohoh, oh, ohohoh” and “I see you drivin’ ’round town with the girl I love/And I’m like, forget you!”
Clearly, they are both catchy. So why is Cee Lo’s song great and Perry’s not so much?
First of all, there’s the subject matter. Perry sings about the girls who hang out on southern California beaches, and although that’s a heavily populated area, it’s still just one slice of the country. There are many more people who don’t live in California than who do.
Certainly, there’s an allure to the mythology of the unattainable California girl, and I’d argue that Perry captures that better in her video than in the forcefully hooky song, with it’s clunky breaking up of the state’s syllables. In the video, a naked Perry is strategically positioned on a cloud eating cotton candy; later, she shoots whip cream from her lady bits. She and all of her friends are dressed in colorful beachwear that calls to mind tasty, summery fruit.
And then Snoop Dogg shows up to do a guest rap, saying “I really wish you all could be California girls” ala the Beach Boys. But even this ultimate lady’s man doesn’t get the girls; they just toy with him and bury him in the sand.
Perhaps understanding that California girls are a fantasy, many YouTube practitioners came up with parodies of “California Gurls” that bring it closer to home for them. A standout is “North Dakota Bois,” who admit “We’re unreliable” but argue that their accents are adorable: “Ya know, ya know/Ya know, ya know, ya know.” My favorite, though, is “Minnesota Gurls,” partly because the gals in the video are wearing Twins jerseys and partly for the great line: “Wind-chafed skin/Will turn your legs to popsicles,” which puts a literal spin on Perry’s sexually suggestive “We’ll melt your popsicle.”
(No one has made a “Mid-Missouri Gurls” video yet. I’m a bit disappointed in the AV clubbers at UCM and MU for that oversight.)
On the other hand, “Forget You” (and it’s swear-word brethren, which is truthfully the version playing in my head) doesn’t need to be adjusted for the audience. It’s universal. The video chronicles Cee Lo, played by younger actors and then himself, who has the worst luck with women. As the backup singers note, “She’s a gold digger/Just thought you should know.” And they’re referring to Cee Lo’s first crush when he can’t be a day over 10. Ouch.
It only gets worse from there. Cee Lo laments, “If I was richer/I’d still be witcha … Ain’t that some sh–!” The backup singers add “Aint’ that some sh–!”
And indeed it is, but there’s something cathartic about sharing your pain in a great song and having everyone relate to it. You don’t even have to be a guy, as Paltrow proves by simply changing the line to “I see you drivin’ round town with the guy I love …”
“California Gurls” and “Forget You” both have colorful videos. Both singers have unique voices. Cee Lo’s song is smooth while Perry’s is a bit forced. Cee Lo’s lyrics go more in-depth than Perry’s. But ultimately, I think it’s the subject that makes the difference. “California Gurls” is a flighty fantasy with a cherry on top: That twinge of regret that you’ll never get the girl. “Forget You” is about the real pain of rejection followed by the catharsis that comes from writing — or at least listening to — a great, F-you song (literally, in this case).
What were your favorite singles of 2010? Share your thoughts below.
Comments
Cee Lo’s track was the “Hey Ya” of this year. Its a really great track. Hopefully it wins the Grammy for record and song of the year. A song with the F-word in the title winning would be awesome. Sadly, Eminem or Lady Antebellum will probably win. Maybe my second favorite track of the year is “Infinity Guitars” by Sleigh Bells. Kanye West’s “Power” was a really strong single as well. Also loved “The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire, “Zebra” by Beach House, “Oh, the Divorces” by Tracey Thorn, “Bloodshot Eyes” by Trampled by Turtles, “All the Things” by Darren Hanlon, “When I Still Have Thee” by Teenage Fanclub, and “If Time Was For Wasting” by Dylan Leblanc. There are others but those are the first that come to mind# Posted By Matt | 12/24/10 1:13 AM
And the record of the year goes to … “Fuck You!”
I will have to check out some of those tracks you mentioned. Nothing from the Jenny & Johnny disc made your cut? At least three pure pop gems on that one.
That Eminem single isn’t bad. I’m not as impressed with the singles off of Perry’s second album compared to her first. Also nothing new from Lady Gaga this year. Kind of a down year for singles, in terms of the mainstream.
Are you going to have more in-depth top 10s on The B-Side? I always look forward to your music picks.# Posted By John Hansen | 12/24/10 2:49 AM