The Official VSU Spectator Music Blog

Rebecka McAleer here, Web Editor for the VSU Spectator. Welcome to my music recommendation blog, Additive Noise! Here I'll be discussing snippets from the music culture that surrounds our lives. From Theory of a Deadman to Rascal Flatts to Pink!, you'll find great music here every week! Ready to get started? Just scroll down, and remember to [Listen Out].


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

"Hips Don't Lie" - Shakira feat. Wyclef Jean [Groovin' It Up]


Good day my musical darlings! Are you ready to kick it up a bit this week?
So far we've covered a bit of rock and a bit of country, so this week we're going for some exciting dance tunes!

As it came out in 2006 and was a major chart-topper for several years, I'm going to assume that most of you have heard Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" before. Promise not to think less of me for having not really stopped to listen to it until recently? That very fact is what makes me want to blog about it. I love the fact that a song is prevalent enough for me to make me drag it out of the woodwork and feature it six years later! How many songs can claim to have such an impact?

It's truly the cultural influences that make this song what it is. Shakira brings her Colombian heritage and her Arabic dance interests, plus Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean- this song is a real schmorgasbord of culture. Shakira herself is a cultural craze! Did you know she speaks English, Spanish and Portuguese fluently, plus bits of Arabic, French, Catalan, and Italian? If only I were that good! I'm barely keeping up with college French!

Choreography is really Shakira's strong suit. Her voice is unique and beautiful, but her body is her most-used instrument. I've seen Moroccan belly-dancers who don't manage to captivate me as much as this woman does! She manages to take something as ethnically significant as belly-dancing and twist it to incorporate her Spanish costuming and hip-hop interest. She has excellent control over muscle isolation- the ability to move a singular part of one's body without moving others. Go ahead and try it. Hold up your hand and try to curl one finger into a full fist position without moving any other muscles. Hard? Stand up and try moving your hips from side to side without moving your torso at all. It's crazy how hard muscle isolation is! But Shakira is a master.

Not only can the lady dance, she can sing as well. Her strong vibrato is what sets her apart from other musicians. She puts emotion into her voice, but doesn't overdo it. Have you ever heard someone try to be emotional and hit sixteen notes without taking a breath OR changing their syllable? Some folks like that, but for me, it's a bit of a pet peeve. I love artists like Shakira who can add even more feeling to their music without driving me away by overdoing it.

Of course, madame Shakira isn't the only talented one here. In this song, her lovely voice is balanced with the smooth operations of Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean. Having not heard most of his music before, I can't say much about his overall talent, but I can definitely say that he did a good job with this one. Just look at the list of things he says during the song! He brings in a "gangster" opening like any American rap star, but also manages to throw in his Haitian accent and even pick up bits and pieces of the Spanish influence when he calls Shakira "senorita", among a few other Spanish words. All of this in addition to the African drums- that part speaks to me personally, since I actually do play world hand drums in my spare time. I love hearing ethnic drumming! Most of us feel and sound out of place when we're not in our own comfort zone culture. Wyclef Jean and Shakira both get ten stars for their ability to just flow from feel to feel without a thought. That's what makes their music appeal to all of us.

If you're not busy, you should also watch the "Bamboo" version of the song used for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Linked here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op3XAETs9Io
It's a tad bit different, but equally as amazing in quality. From the very sound of the audience's voices echoing from around the world, you can tell taht this song reaches everyone. I can't stress enough how amazing that is.

Ladies, can I give you a tip? Next time you're cleaning, put on a skirt and let this song play in the background. Sing along, don't be afraid to dance around while you do it. It's a great way to exercise, and it's just plain fun. Don't we all need some of that sometimes?
I know, I know, I sound like a crazy person. Just try it. You might be surprised by how much fun you have!

Well, time for this web editor to step away from the keyboard and  try out her dancing skills!

Tune in next week for your fix of Additive Noise!

[Listen Out]

2 comments:

  1. Especially the suggestion to dance around in a skirt singing along. I would pay to see that.

    ReplyDelete