A Year In America October 30, 2008

[koganbot]

This week brings good news for fans of the subjunctive.

Beyoncé "If I Were A Boy": If she were a boy she'd be a better man, 'cause she'd listen to her, 'cause she knows how it hurts. I was mad at Beyoncé for 15 seconds for doing what Ciara'd done first and better and more bitter, but this has its own character, is unexpectedly major key and triumphantly fierce in its insights (even if the insights are clichés). TICK.

Shontelle "T-Shirt": No dressup clothes for her, no sirree, 'cause nothing feels right when she's not with you, the result being that she's at home and she's GOT YOUR T-SHIRT ON - a revelation that it takes a full minute's worth of exposition to arrive at. Scene receives further elaboration, incl. whereabouts of her and your T-Shirt (in bed) and status of the other apparel that completes this ensemble (nonexistent). NO TICK.

Comments

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

'If I Were A Boy' and 'Single Ladies' disappointed me initially, but I've grown to love both of them. The key with IIWAB was realising that the gender-reversal conceit wasn't the point, the core of the song is her hurt.

[koganbot]

I'd say the same about "Like A Boy."

i pedantify that...

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

shd be "were i a boy?"

Re: i pedantify that...

[koganbot]

I think "If I were a boy" and "Were I a boy" are equivalent, and that the latter - fortunately* or unfortunately - has almost completely dropped out of usage in the U.S. What's the argument that "Were I a boy" is preferable to "If I were a boy"?

*I'd say "fortunately," since its rarity makes me more special when I use that construction.

[dubdobdee.livejournal.com]

one less word = more expressive torque, w.subjunctive RIGHT IN YOUR FACE

absent another reason -- like fitting into a song-line rhythm; need to keep joe the plumber sweet* -- i would always opt for the less timid form

*bcz he is in yr house plumbing

[koganbot]

Jennifer Hudson's album dropped from 5 to 9 in its fourth week, which is what you'd expect from a new album that started with some strength but doesn't yet have a string of hits and that's by a performer who's popular but not through the roof. The single, which has been around for over three months, rose from 28 to its peak of 24, after staying more or less even the previous three weeks. Anyway, I'm surprised that the attention given to her family tragedy wouldn't have given the single more of a bump and prevented the album from having a fall. Shows what I know about such things. (Maybe, also, the election and the economy are simply blotting out other news.)

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

The UK gossip email from Popbitch noted this week that the J-Hud tragedy had only given her single a "surprisingly small" boost (No 10 in the midweeks). I was surprised, too: she's reasonably but not very well known here, her single and album haven't been promoted heavily, so you'd expect some people only to be aware she even had product out after reading the news. And she was referred to in fairly glowing terms in the news reports so you'd expect more people who hadn't heard of her to d/l 'Spotlight' out of curiosity. But the ways of consumers are strange and alien to me these days.