Being a closet Gnarls Barkley fan, it’s no surprise that I would like this song by Cee Lo Green. Like it? I luuurve it! And have been playing it daily for weeks. And now my niece is too since we’ve been swapping notes for my Monday mix… you have been warned.
Anyway, I think why it works so well is that (a) his voice is divine; (b) it’s a perfect happy, bouncy song, there’s humour in the lyrics and yet it’s about a chap losing his gold-digging girlfriend to someone with more moolah.
NSFW Warning! Before you hit the play button check the song title – if you’re at work or taking care of young kids you might want to put the headphones on first.
p.s. This post has been in draft for a couple of weeks and the “official” video has since been released. It’s good fun but to be honest? Not a patch on this one.
Update!
Whitney Avalon has recorded a spoof response to the Cee Lo Green track: “Clearly Obsessed – There are two sides to every story…”
And here’s 50 Cent’s Freestyle version:
Meanwhile let’s bring an international flavour to the proceedings and remind you that the video lyrics are available en español (Que te jodan!) y auf Deutsch (Fick Dich!).
And lastly, UK viewers can see the whole show (available until 12:49 a.m. on Saturday 16 October 2010) but here’s Cee Lo Green singing the track live on the Jools Holland show:
Update #2:
This post wouldn’t be complete without Inverse Phase – F___ed 6502 (8-bit Cee Lo – F**k You parody). I’m not a gamer of any description but it’s so sweet, had to include it:
Two words: Bloody brilliant….
Music can be so much fun…. ooh, ooh, ooh….
I knew you’d like it! I keep singing bits of it in my head in the most unexpected places. And the ooh ooh ooh bit? Oh man, it’s like a little worm in my brain. A nice worm. But still…
I don’t like this song for one main reason. OK so the style of music isn’t really what does it for me, but more than that – well call me a grumpy old man (again) if you want to, but as I have said before, I just don’t like the gratuitous use of bad language in any song. I think it cheapens it, makes it unplayable in certain situations and well, just sounds so unnecessary and lazy.
This may be the language of the streets today, but I don’t feel any need or desire to bring it into my leisure time, so, unfortunately, this one gets the thumbs down from me. Maybe if they could redo it without the vocals…….
By the way LZ, who is Gnarls Barkley?
I’m going to have to do some investigating on that well known website – the purveyor of all good (and bad…) music…
Spacey, I hesitated before posting this because I know that many people find swearing (especially the f bomb) offensive (I wouldn’t dare send this to my father!) but the “go on, post it” voice won out because it’s so bloomin’ cheerful and really lifts my spirits. Admittedly, I’m of the Billy Connolly school of swearing:
“People say it’s a limited vocabulary that makes you swear. Well I don’t think so. I know at least a hundred and twenty-seven words, and I still prefer ****. ‘Go away’ kind of dissipates. Go away! There’s no conscience like **** OFF!”
Also, a quote from the lovely Stephen Fry:
“Swearing is a really important part of one’s life and it would be impossible to imagine going through life without swearing and without enoying swearing. There used to be mad, silly, prissy people who would say swearing is a sign of a poor vocabulary as such; utter nonsense! The people I know who swear the most tend to have the widest vocabularies!”
There’s been some interesting research on how the brain reacts to swearing and one of these days I’m going to really sit down and study swearing/cussing/blasphemy across languages and cultures (example) but until then I’ll say that I totally respect your view on this and I will always give fair warning when a video/track contains potty mouth vocabulary
.
Note: Re-reading the Stephen Fry quote, I don’t think disliking swearing is automatically the sign of prissiness (or madness!).
As an aside:
How old are you all? I’m 58/59 & imagine that your all in your 40s/50s, apart from Techy & Bert whom may be younger?
I’m a laydeee so I can choose to treat your question with a raised eyebrow and a refusal to comment…
(forty-mumble)
Christ LZ, I imagined you to be a portly gentleman,with a beard! (Joking)
Oh gosh no, I’m female, stunningly gorgeous with an hour glass figure that Sophia Loren would envy– then again…
That’s a much nicer image in my head .(The first one) From now on i shall think of you no other way!.Some say i look like a younger version of Brad Pitt! Others that aren’t wearing rose tinted specs don’t.
Ohhh – LZ…. how I chuckled when I clicked on your link.
I don’t have a problem with swearing on the whole in any circumstances, unless it’s gratuitous. This songwriter has his tongue firmly wedged in his cheek, so all good with me…. derogatory swearing and insults from Gangstaaa Rappers? Not really my cup of tea, although I can sympathise where some of them were coming from and what they were reacting to in eighties LA perhaps
Creep – Radiohead
Not Now John – Pink Floyd
Songs made worse for the swearing contained within them? – I don’t think so.
……… I’m 34 by the way.
34! You know more about music than any 34 year old i’ve ever met Techy. ( Unless LD is the same age) I’m impressed.
Thanks mate – I had a good upbringing and developed it from there…
I’m guessing Bert is a fair bit younger than me and his knowledge seems to be phenomenal!
Where is Bert?
Friday/BBC4/ Oil City Confidential:The Dr Feelgood Story
If you havn’t seen this,i urge you to do so. Brilliant! Even if you don’t like or know the band.
Also same night,The Fall: the wonderful & Frightening World Of Mark E Smith.
Great news Cheezy, been looking forward to seeing Oil City Confidential.
Even better news, believe it or not, Wilko Johnson is coming here in a few weeks time.
PS, think Bert is on holiday.
What time are these on Cheeze? I’ll Sky Plus them as I’m out on Friday….
Yeah – where’s Bert???
The Fall- 9.25pm
Dr Feelgood- 11.25pm
Just noticed The Fall is on again at 1.15am again,straight after Dr Feelgood,if thats better for you.
That works for me Cheeze….
I noticed that Walter Trout was on Jools Holland on Monday night – hope that will be repeateated as well, as I missed it…..
For a second there I thought you were talking about the book I’m just about to start reading (Fall by Colin McAdam) but erm, no. Both documentaries look fascinating, thanks Cheeze, have set to record (Friday night is rugby night!).
Aside: Those who complain about the BBC licence fee should remember that this sort of stuff would never get made elsewhere and certainly not by the Murdoch empire.
/end rant.
Jools Holland and Walter Trout? Here you go!
Ahh – it was his radio show, rather than the TV series. Thanks for this LZ. I’l have a listen later on tonight.
Updated!