Sterling Terrell

recovering economist

Britney Spears On Star Search

Britney Spears On Star Search

I totally forgot Britney Spears was on Star Search.

And that’s not event the crazy part. The insanity of it is that she got second place!

Of course, maybe fate chooses us all.

Because Britney – apparently – could have been an actress.

I mean, the very thought seems outlandish today but:

For an acting gig, Natalie Portman was brought in as a back-up to Britney Spears.

She was cast as the understudy to the star, Laura Bell Bundy, in the off-Broadway musical Ruthless! In 1992, before the musical premiered, she got to the finals of Star Search, the Ed McMahon–hosted television talent show. But she finished second, which crushed her, and after four months of long nights backstage at the theater, she and Lynne called it quits and went back to Kentwood. Britney was replaced by another unknown child actor named Natalie Portman.

-John Seabrook, The Song Machine

Melodic Math

Melodic Math

Depending on the type of song we are talking about, it’s just nuts that the melodic math of the song can be even more important that the lyrics.

I mean, half the lyrics of many pop songs are nearly incomprehensible.

Take Natural, By: Imagine Dragons, as a quick example.

After the building of the first two verses, the chorus explodes into:

A beating heart of stone
You gotta be so cold
To make it in the world
Yeah, your a natural
Living you life cutthroat
You gotta be so cold
Yeah, your a natural

Uh. That doesn’t really make sense. But set to the beat behind it, the song is a total jam.

Or what about I Can Lift A Car, By: Walk The Moon. A favorite of mine (btw).

When I come home
When I come home
Oh I hear you washing in the shower
Mirages of you
Mirages of you
Even steam pouring through the crack at the floor
I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it
I won’t lose it, I won’t lose it
Hold it steady, hold it steady, hold it steady,
Hold it steady, hold it steady
All by myself/I can lift a car
All by myself/I can lift a car
I can lift a car up all by myself

The lyrics have to follow the melody and pop with the rhythm to get it just right.

Yes. There are naturally exceptions and many wonderful lyrics out there, but the point is this:

It matters much more how a song makes you feel than the exact lyrics.

Amiright?

The lyrics contain typical Swedish neologisms like “crazy wildin’ static” and lines like “Keep it ruthless when I get wet.” Melodic math had pretty much taken over from lyrical logic. But did anyone care?

-John Seabrook, The Song Machine

Sterling Terrell