Marina & The Diamonds - 'Hollywood'
I tell you what, Glee could do an AMAZING version of this. As a singer, Marina doesn't so much deliver her lines in one idiosyncratic style as lurch entertainingly from one vocal persona to another, an approach which would lend itself well to a cast of actors.
You'd need one to recreate the glassy moan of the choruses, another for the "up yours, grandad!" Lily Allen voice, then there's the impossibly deep Florence moo of the first verse, and the fiery, shouty, witch-warble of the second - peppered with squeaks, as if she's being tickled. Four voices, one throat.
Rather than making Marina come across as scatty, unable to make her mind up as to what accent, vocal register or tone of voice to sing in, this vocal mucking about serves to prove how important personality is in a pop star's vocal arsenal, even if it's multiple-personality.
(. Party on, patriots!)
Personality helps to sell the song, which in this case is a good thing. On the one hand, the level of insight displayed about America, culturally and politically, is on a par with the Razorlight song about America (the name of which temporarily escapes me). Marina, for all that she's spotted that Hollywood is something of an upsettingly fake place, with scope for quite exciting things to happen, seems to get as much enjoyment out of just singing the word as she does from puncturing its ego.
There again, "your mind is just like mine, all filled up with things benign" is pretty hard to beat as lyrics go, especially as it follows the scene in verse two during which Marina gets chatted up by a fat security guard.
Ultimately, as is so often the case, it's all about the chorus. Pop scientists can witter on until the end of time about how many hooks per half-minute squared a good pop song needs in order to be a success, but that's obsessing over formula, and worse, misses the bigger picture. What a properly amazing pop song needs is a bit which turns the tummy over. One is fine. Two is fine. Three is fine. And four is...well you get the point.
This has three: the melty bit just before the chorus, the bit where she swoops up to sing "puking American dreams" in the chorus, and the repeated bit at the end of the chorus where she sings "I'm obsessed by the mess that's Americaaaa". And those are just MY three. You might have EVEN MORE.
Feel free to list them below, we can compile a definitive list and send it to Ivor Novello's house, or something...
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(Fraser McAlpine)
Comment number 1.
At 25th Jan 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:Great song, at first I didn't like it but after I got used to her singing style I fell in love with it. Catchy chorus, intelligent lyrics, a memorable voice/style what more could you possibly want from a pop song!
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Comment number 2.
At 25th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:Yep we had to coax you into liking this Harry . I remember your hesitation , glad you like it now.
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Comment number 3.
At 25th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:The real Chartblog Panel have been liking this song for over a month now over on Rybak , and it seemed to get a huge thumbs up .
Star performance , supercharged chorus and a glorious video .
Marina says that the Diamonds ARE HER FANS ! Interesting.
I will be meeting and seeing Marina live in February , and look forward to seeing this gorgeous lady shine for her Diamonds.
The album THE FAMILY JEWELS is out on the 15th of February.
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Comment number 4.
At 25th Jan 2010, harrythedog10 wrote:It's just there was something about her voice that didn't sit well with me to start off with, I always loved the chorus.
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Comment number 5.
At 25th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Oh. My. God.
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Comment number 6.
At 25th Jan 2010, jonesybcfc wrote:hated it at the start, loved it by the end. she just needs to cut out that low bit, she makes JLS sound falsetto-high.
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Comment number 7.
At 25th Jan 2010, OddOne wrote:I agree, the start is a bit... ermmm.
Her deep voice was slightly cringy to start but when it gets going this is a brilliant song.
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Comment number 8.
At 25th Jan 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:Love this chick! You know the lyric when she sings "Oh my God, you look just like Shakira/no maybe Catherine Zeta/actually my name's Marina" or something along them lines, I actually realised she really does look Catherine Zeta Jones. She is from Wales, isn't she?
Anyway what's the deal with all these artists making out like they're bands. We have MARINA & THE DIAMONDS, FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE, OWL CITY and a few others that I can't think of from the top of my head.
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Comment number 9.
At 25th Jan 2010, flatknees wrote:she's half greek half welsh and i shall be proposing to her soon... great track.. she already has a load of songs out thou.. i am not a robot is good too... she hasn't actually made a bad song..
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Comment number 10.
At 25th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:At 8 .
Here is why I love you Randy , we also love the same line .
Comment 894 on Rybak , a month ago !
High five !
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Comment number 11.
At 25th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:I keep writing Oh. My. God. every time we talk about Marina. Its such a brilliant line.
As I said elsewhere, complete fitty. She is stunning. Look at the video for Mowgli's Road. Obviously able to support many looks. Good track too.
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Comment number 12.
At 26th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:At 8 , second paragraph , excellent observation on band names Randy , although Florence will tell you that the Machine IS her band , but I know what you mean . :)
Get Cape , Wear Cape , Fly would be another one.
AKA Sam Duckworth
And White Town who had a number 1 in the 90's with Your Woman , was basically one man banging stuff out in his bedroom .
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Comment number 13.
At 26th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:I do believe its full stops not commas in Sam's band's name Spirit. Wow Im pedantic I know, but he made an album that made my top 10 ever... I gotta be!
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Comment number 14.
At 26th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:The Divine Comedy. Band, but one guy.
Anyway, Marina is indeed a hottie. This song is great too, it's growing on me and I can now see a gap in the fine young woman singing quirkily department which I didn't see earlier if you read back my comments. Little Boots may have a love rival / break from being stalked (delete as appropriate).
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Comment number 15.
At 26th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:thranjax I already shotgunned Little Boots. Nobody understood what I meant at the time I seem to remember. But basically she is mine.
I'd probably trade for Marina though. I think Marina might be ahead in the stakes.
It's a shame Pixie Lott's not that good musically isnt it? Imagine putting Amy's ability to write in her body. Maybe mix their voices up a bit. Wow.
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Comment number 16.
At 26th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:I'm afraid Little Boots is mine. She says so in my head.
Might trade though...
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Comment number 17.
At 26th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:If I get Lea Michelle as well as Little Boots.
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Comment number 18.
At 26th Jan 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:Michele* I don't deserve her. I guess I'll just have to keep Marina then.
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Comment number 19.
At 26th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:Do Marina and Little Boots not have a say in ANY of this then ? :)
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Comment number 20.
At 26th Jan 2010, flatknees wrote:erm.... no spirit..
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Comment number 21.
At 26th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:What will someone give me for Lady Gaga?
What, nothing?
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Comment number 22.
At 26th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:A jock strap?
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Comment number 23.
At 26th Jan 2010, Daniel wrote:Wow, Marina IS hot!
I too wasn't sure on this song at first but it grew on me by the end.
I think I like Mowgli's Road more than Hollywood though. Plus, she's hotter in that video.
But hey! Since when did we judge artists on their looks!
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Comment number 24.
At 26th Jan 2010, spirit wrote:Curtains , as you are a dear friend , I will swap you Susan Boyle for Lady Gaga .
Aren't I kind ?
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Comment number 25.
At 26th Jan 2010, CurtainJerker wrote:You fiend!
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Comment number 26.
At 26th Jan 2010, flatknees wrote:little random music query.. have you guys been listening to the Baseballs.. a du-op group that do covers of chart hits.. their cover of hot'n cold is brilliant
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Comment number 27.
At 27th Jan 2010, kutox wrote:I love Marina and everything about her! Every one of her songs that I've heard is brilliant, I love her personality in interviews that I've seen and her live performances, she's a self-taught musician, she's different, and as others are rightly saying - she's absolutely stunning, which can't hurt.
Have to admit this song did take many plays to grow on me, and I think I still prefer Mowgli's Road, but Hollywood is still a brilliant first single, and I'm definitely buying her album.
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Comment number 28.
At 29th Jan 2010, thranjax wrote:Curtains, you say fiend, but was that you the other night in her house trying to swap her back?!!
I wouldn't mind, but I got lumbered with the Belle Stars twenty years ago and now I can't shift them for anything.
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Comment number 29.
At 5th Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:I am seriously loving 'I am not a robot'.
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Comment number 30.
At 5th Apr 2010, spirit wrote:Me too ! And it's the next single.....
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Comment number 31.
At 5th Apr 2010, OddOne wrote:Hmmm, I'm not sure on that song actually. A lovely little piano melody makes it very cute but in my opinion, the song is too long and repetative and the "Guess what, I am not a robot" vocal line is just repeated in lots of different ways for most of it.
'Mowgli's Road' was better.
However... 'Oh No!' should be released. It is v good.
'Oh No!' for president!
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Comment number 32.
At 5th Apr 2010, BloggingLiam wrote:"Well let the drum beat drop" brilliant.
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Comment number 33.
At 5th Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:After I'm Not A Robot, Shampain is the next single, due for release at the end of July.
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