One Direction launched their post X-Factor career with one of pop's most glorious lyrical connundrums - What Makes You Beautiful. In that (frankly still) effortlessly euphoric ditty, the boys sang of how not knowing you are beautiful makes you beautiful. But then, presumably because the girl/guy now knows that they are beautiful they may well not be beautiful anymore - which once more (I presume) makes them beautiful! It was totally bonkers yet utterly brilliant - and the chipper chaps went from strength to strength after that single topped charts around the world. Their latest tune sees them return to conundrum status - once again in the most effusively magnificent pop way possible. In the very capable hands of Ed Drewett, Wayne Hector, John Ryan and Julian Bunetta (the songs composers), the 5 funky fellas sing about a night of romance, passion and giddy love (aka they hooked up) & reminisce about how they "danced all night to the best song ever". So in essence, they are not singing of their own tune but the sentiments towards that mythical song (I like to think it was the Manhatten Clique remix of Champagne Lemonade) become the titular refrain of their own song. And the song is so darn tooting good, that it will no doubt be considered the best song ever by other people who get all lovey dovey to it (and then sing of it the morning after)! Are you still with me?! Pop conundrum-ness at it's most invigorating finery... Seriously though, it's the perfect summer single (up there with Ed's own Undefeated - see here, here and here!) thanks to a driving percussive beat and their rockiest vocals yet - all of which make it perfect for driving along with the top down and fist pumping along to it's glorious nature. And as if the ridiculously catchy refrain wasn't enough, it leads straight into a second chorus that is as riDONKulously infectious AND gives you ample opportunity to bust out your very best worst dance moves to impress the lady/fella of your choice. And that's part of the genius of the song - the lyrics tap into that wild & free abandon you feel when you are consumed by the heady nature of crazy attraction mixed with the all consuming power of music. It's the combination of this clever song construction and the One Direction blokes own ebullient vocal delivery that make this a winner from start to finish. Trust me - one listen and you'll be singing this all the live long week. And the video clips look off the hook - I'll be returning on Monday to analyse frame by frame :)
UPDATE (22.7.13) ~ So the video is here :) Now it may have been overshadowed somewhat by the birth of Britain's future king, but I'm sure the boys will forgive that. Actually the BSE marketing campaign has been one of the best timed, best executed in pop in recent years. There wasn't too long to wait between the announcement of the song and it's actual release. The video teasers all last week were perfectly done. Sure it leaked a few days early - but keeping radio play til a few days before release probably kept a much earlier release from happening. And this new video shows Lady G'Gah that a 6 minute opus can be entertaining. Hurrah! And now it's no.1 in about 3 billion countries. Hurrah the sequel. Here are my fave observations from the video :)
- The boys are in Hollywood to meet with some producers/agents about their new movie. The studio execs look remarkably familiar. WHO ON EARTH COULD THEY BE?!
- ZOMG! Zayn as a sexy secretary. He could so make season 6 of RuPaul's Drag Race if he got himself a decent lace front weave and learned how to throw shade, etc. Oh no he better don't...
- The studio execs (one of whom is channelling Tom Cruise in Tropcial Thunder) love One Direction. Who doesn't? Liam checks out Lady Zayn's shapely ass. Who wouldn't?!
- A familiar but can't quite put my finger on it marketing guy Marcel enters (I'm playing along with the gag. I love a good gag me). He flirts with every single one of the boys. "Cute as a button every one of youse". Always nice to be lumped into the same category as a puppy Shih Tzu :D
- PS, when did buttons get cute? Are we talking American buttons (badges to us common English folk)? Or more universal buttons as in buttons on your shirt? Either way they are not very cute. I half expect Louis to stand up and go "I don't get cute, I get drop dead gorgeous". Or something.
- Marcus brings in Leroy who enters with a flourish. I get the impression Leroy has also entered Marcus with a flourish in the past, but that's probably a video for another song at another time. Somewhere in the universe, Louis Spence is comparing himself to Leroy and feeling incredibly butch...
- (Note, the song hasn't actually started yet!)
- The boys aren't overly happy with the dance routine (we don't want Zayn storming off in a huff a la his X Factor auditions now do we?!) but personally I think it would bring a bit of glitz to the video. Because these boys have NEVER done camp have they?! (Rewatches Kiss You video on a loop for the sailor outfits)...
- Marcus presents some styling options which seem to look a bit The-Wanted-As-Backstreet-Boys. Hope this sparks some more twitter war between the two groups because I live for that catty shit :)
- (Catty shit is such a horrible expression. I'm regretting using it as it can be misinterpreted can't it? But I'm too lazy to go back and delete even though it's taken me five times as long to type this explanation)
- The outfits get steadily worse, though I secretly (not so secretly) share Marcus' tie-loosening excitement at the bondage trouser look! 1D getting all kinky! Don't mind if they do! But in other news, the frigging music has finally started to play! Hurrah!
- Harry gets his rock on and gets all up in the grill of the studio exec. Then he gets his rock hard and gets all up in the basoomas of LadyZayn. Get a room you two...
- Naughty Liam gets all rock and roll and starts breaking stuff. As a fellow Midlands boy I can confirm we were bought up better than this and it must be Harry's unruly hair influencing him. The little scamp.
- Whilst clips from the forthcoming movie play, the boys continue to trash the room including bashing poor Marcus with his very own outfit designs! Hoisted by his own petard. Whatever that means...
- Second verse, same as before only a little more rowdy and a little bit more... More flirting from Harry with LadyZayn who does her best "oh mister, you better get me dinner and a movie before I let you in my panties. You ain't getting the milk before you buy the cow" (or something. I have no idea what I'm talking about. I haven't flirted with and ergo not been rejected by a girl for over 22 years)
- The boys run out of the office (after Leroy and Niall get their thang on. Oh you two are as cute as that button that was mentioned) and trash the secretarial pool. Whatever did those poor ladies do to you?! Someone tie those boys to a chair and force them to watch 9 to 5...
- Niall gets a nice ride in the mail cart. I assume this makes up for the lads trapping him in that phone box. In unrelated news, Louis does actually look very good in denim. That is all.
- 4m40! Yay! ONE DIRECTION DANCE ROUTINE. It may be incredibly simple but a dance routine is a dance routine and they all look good when lots of people do them in harmony. Cue the gay clubs being all over this one at the weekend ;) Especially that botty wiggle at 5m22s. Oh yes please, etc.
- Oh, i totally get it now. The studio execs wanted them to be someone they are not and at the end they reveal that actually This Is Us. The name of their movie. God, I'm as simple as their dance moves sometimes!
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