Katy Perry - 'Waking Up In Vegas'
When the list of Most Very Horrible Noises In Popular Music is finally compiled, you can be sure that Katy Perry's swoops up into her upper vocal register will feature strongly. OK, possibly not as strongly as Madonna's attempts at rapping, or the introductions to hip hop records where rappers say who they are, or preposterously widdly-widdly guitar solos*, but it is definitely up there with the best/worst.
(. Given the song title, you could probably make the same one in your own head.)
It's odd, because she does have a fine voice, if a little mooey. And that's OK if you're belting out loud rockin' pop like Cher junior, but not so great whenever a little sensitivity is called for. Even on 'Hot And Cold', a song so good that hardened Katy haterz still bought it (Hi Steve!), the verses were plagued by her strange habit of popping into falsetto and then hyperpronouncing certain syllables, almost as if she was crying and singing at the same time:
"HuhYOO change your myiind like a guHERL changes clOHwethz"
The noise got so bad in her last single, 'Thinking Of You' that it became almost impossible to understand the verses, and when the chorus arrived, it sounded like she had become besotted with someone called Hugh. Possibly the fella who plays House in that TV show...
Thankfully, there's only one line in each verse of 'Waking Up In Vegas' which suffers from this strange affliction. The rest is either nasal purr - what? Cats have noses too - or the full throaty roar of the chorus. It's OK though, it's a good chorus. The kind of sharp, riffy chorus Avril Lavigne would be very happy to have a go at.
Which reminds me, the way Avril Lavine says "pose" in 'Uncomplicated' 'Complicated', that's gotta go on the list too...
Download: Out now
CD Released: June 8th
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(Fraser McAlpine)
* Someone should really write a randomised guitar solo creation engine. The speed at which the faster flurries of notes arrive is almost impossible to process in any case, so why not build something which creates that effect for you, the guitarist, and then you can focus your energy on creating quality riffage. You won't even need to set the key, just some idea of tempo and length of solo.
Over to you, boffins, and if you can come up with a way to fix Madge's rapping too, the Nobel Prize is yours for the taking.
"Notably bereft of melody in both verse and chorus."
"The chorus is big, brash, anthemic and you must shout along to it at the top of your voice."
Comment number 1.
At 6th Jun 2009, fluffyfinches wrote:I don't really like Katy Perry's music, it's a bit bland and pop rocky (and hot and cold got unbearable when it was so overplayed). This is more of the same.
My own additions to the Most Very Horrible Noises In Popular Music list:
-Sugababes trying to do the "oooh"s when covering Spiralling.
-The Autotune in Girls Aloud's The Loving Kind. Man, that killed the song!
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Comment number 2.
At 6th Jun 2009, Ttoby89 wrote:Oh LORD that Thinking Of You business...
Cos when I'm with him I am-uhhh thinking of hyeeeeuuuurgheeeyooooo!
However, I'm ridiculously obsessed with Waking Up In Vegas. The chorus couldn't really be any catchier.
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Comment number 3.
At 8th Jun 2009, pinkparadox wrote:Avril's Canadian - "pose" just comes out that way. I kinda like it. The way they say "couch" and "out and about"... :)
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Comment number 4.
At 8th Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Can I have the way Nicole Scherzinger insists on singing "jay ho" in 'Jai Ho' then?
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Comment number 5.
At 8th Jun 2009, catman231 wrote:Yes, definitely! I really would have like to be there during the recording, people wanting to tell her how it was pronounced but being too scared etc.!
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Comment number 6.
At 8th Jun 2009, CurtainJerker wrote:Point of information: Avril Lavigne's song is called "Complicated", no?
Yeah, I do pedantic.
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Comment number 7.
At 8th Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:I think we'll have to put 'writers who don't check stuff properly' on the list too...*sigh*
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Comment number 8.
At 8th Jun 2009, catman231 wrote:"I do pedantic" ... possibly my favourite comment on this blog EVER! rofl
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Comment number 9.
At 8th Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:I think you'll find he's called CurtainJerker, not Rolf. And you spelled it wrong.
I do pedantic....badly.
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Comment number 10.
At 8th Jun 2009, catman231 wrote:Erm, is that a a serious comment or not - my sarcasm detector (trademarked and patented) is in meltdown! Just for reference, I meant Rolling On the Floor Laughing. To be honest, that's slightly hyperbolic although it did make me chuckle !
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Comment number 11.
At 8th Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Not serious. Hence the '...badly'.
Sorry, my humourizer is (once again) emitting smoke....
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Comment number 12.
At 8th Jun 2009, CurtainJerker wrote:Actually, my name IS Rolf. Rolf Jerker. "Curtain" is just a nickname.
I have distant cousin in Latvia called Rofl, too.
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Comment number 13.
At 8th Jun 2009, pinkparadox wrote:"Can I have the way Nicole Scherzinger insists on singing "jay ho" in 'Jai Ho' then?"
Hellz yeah.
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Comment number 14.
At 9th Jun 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:Umm hwy are you taking the mick out of her other songs, and not actually do what you were supposed to do :S
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Comment number 15.
At 9th Jun 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:why*
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Comment number 16.
At 9th Jun 2009, Fraser McAlpine - wrote:Cos it's FUN!
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Comment number 17.
At 10th Jun 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:And because its another awful song from Miss Perry. She had potential to be some kind of Lily Allen / Kelly Clarkson cross thing.. but all we've got is drivvel. Ah well, the female market is saturated at the moment.
Most Very Horrible Noises in pop music .. the intro to poker face?
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Comment number 18.
At 10th Jun 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:Lol Umm if you say so FraserMcA.
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Comment number 19.
At 10th Jun 2009, catman231 wrote:cheer up NOSH33N_x
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Comment number 20.
At 10th Jun 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:lol catman231 ive got nothing to cheer up for :( x
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Comment number 21.
At 11th Jun 2009, madmax2k4 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 22.
At 11th Jun 2009, NOSH33N_x wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 23.
At 13th Jun 2009, Daniel wrote:Don't hate me but, I actually really like this song!
Moving on...
Annoying pop noises? The way artists have all of a sudden taken it upon themselves to announce who they are in their songs!
Just Dance: "On Red One, Konvict, GaGa"
Taking Back My Love: "Red One, Ciara, Enrique!!"
Love, Sex, Magic: "Ciara" He says Ciara alot!
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Comment number 24.
At 13th Jun 2009, spirit wrote:Wakin up in Vegas is probably my favourite Katy song..
The video is very , very well made with so ,many scenes that are memorable and well filmed.
The money spiralling around the phone box as they kiss is a stand -out scene for me.
Also some of Katy's outfits and her facial expressions work a treat with the song.
Credit must also go to the guy who plays her husband in the video... utter class. The chemistry between him and Katy is brilliant.
For the fourth track off the album it's a strong track with commercial appeal and loads of hooks.
This is pop music done well... and will provide Katy Perry with another top 20 hit !
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Comment number 25.
At 13th Jun 2009, spirit wrote:Yo Danny... good to have you back... what are thr songs that are rocking your world at the moment ?
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Comment number 26.
At 16th Jun 2009, SteveChartBlog wrote:If you ask me (and I'm aware that no one did) Katy Perry herself qualifies as a Very Horrible Noise In Popular Music. Even when she isn't singing.
But 'Hot 'n' Cold' really is ace, though.
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