As I've grown older, when it comes to music (as well as other interests) I've tended to fall back on the familiar (most of which occurred prior to my leaving Camelot Music in the late nineties), which is why there is a dearth of songs featured here that were released between the year 2000 and today. Doesn't mean that I've completely forsaken new music--I've discovered several artists and more than a few songs in the last twenty years...as evidenced by this pop gem from the turn of the century....
Other than this week's single and its follow-up (which I didn't much care for), my knowledge of the trajectory of Nelly Furtado's career would sit just slightly above nothing. Undeterred by my lack of interest, Furtado has assembled a successful and varied musical journey. Furtado was born in Canada in 1978 (she is the daughter of Portuguese immigrants), and she began entertaining at the ripe old age of 4. By the age of nine she was learning musical instruments (trombone and ukulele--she added guitar and keyboards later), and she began writing songs at the age of 12. By the time she'd turned twenty-two she had released her first LP, which went on to be both a critical and commercial success. Over the course of the last twenty years Furtado has sold 40 million records, been nominated for seven Grammys (winning one), and won a Latin Grammy, a Brit Award, and ten Juno Awards from her native Canada. For her career, she has released six studio albums (with one #1 here in the States), and twenty-eight singles (with four reaching the top ten, two of which hit #1). Furtado continues to record and perform and has embraced numerous genres as well as cultures in her music through the years.
"I'm Like a Bird" was the first single Furtado ever released, and appeared on her debut LP, the wondrously titled Whoa, Nelly! The single would hit #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the album peaked at #24 on the Billboard 200.
Fun Fact: Unlike some artists who disdain their biggest hit singles, Furtado fully embraces the success of "I'm Like a Bird" having said of the song, "I just think I'm lucky I have it--it's paying the bills!"
Regular readers (both of you) will take one listen to this week's tune and think "Female vocalist? Check. Inspired vocals by said female vocalist? Check. Uplifting but not sappy lyrics? Check. Catchy as all hell chorus? Check. A piece of pop music heaven? Check. Yup--this sounds like an emaycee fave!" And you'd be perfectly right. Not much else I can add to that other than how much I love the way she scats her way through the line "And baby, all I need for you to know is..."--literally knocks me out every time I hear her sing it....
Lyric Sheet: "And baby, all I need for you to know is/I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away/I don't know where my soul is (soul is)/I don't know where my home is..."
Enjoy:
Republican = Traitor
Peace,
emaycee
No comments:
Post a Comment