Shakira - 'Gypsy'
In some ways it's too easy to poke fun at the lyrics to Shakira songs. English isn't her first language - she speaks four, apparently - and cultural idioms are different from country to country in any case. That said, there's an interesting moment in the chorus which could stand a closer look:
"I'm a gypsy, are you coming with me?
I might steal your clothes and wear them if they fit me"
And that's what people of Romany extraction do, is it? Steal clothes? Chu-HARM-ing.
(Can't show you the video. It's got adverts)
Anyway, accidental slurs aside, this is rather charming, isn't it? Sparkling mandolins, gently-strummed guitars and tabla drums in the verses, with the addition of snakey bowed instruments and castanets in the chorus. Then there's some extra handclaps later on, and a harp breakdown.
It's like a trip around the musical world, incorporating elements of bluegrass, flamenco and raga. And it suits Shaky's sobbing warble beautifully.
What really makes it fly is that it manages to be at one and the same time conservative acoustic music which some people would describe as 'real', and radical exotic world music which some people would describe as 'worthy'. But as it all hangs on Shakira's unique personality, charm and, yes, strange way with words, it just sort of magically works. It is, in fact,what I would describe as 'not boring'.
Whether that makes it a hit record or not is a whole other question. But I'm smitten.
Download: Out now
CD Released: April 12th
www.shakira.com
BBC Music page
(Fraser McAlpine)
Comment number 1.
At 15:47 7th Apr 2010, DanRhyn wrote:I really love Shakira, and I think this song is amazing, but I was a little surprised it was chosen as a single, it doesn't quite sound like it could be a hit, although I hope the great British public prove me wrong.
I wish you could link to the video, I was just stunned by it the first time I saw it. (For those yet to come across it, it stars Rafael Nadal and will make men the world over extremely jealous of him, as if his tennis skill wasn't enough to do that already)
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Comment number 2.
At 17:03 7th Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:I really like this track. After the quirky electro of She Wolf and Did It Again, this is a nice change that shows Shakira's versatility as an artist. Yes, Rafael Nadal is one lucky man. The She Wolf album was one of the most criminally under appreciated albums of last year.
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Comment number 3.
At 17:04 7th Apr 2010, NoahBoy wrote:Shakira has got the most annoying voice since that one out of the Cranberries. It actually makes me feel nauseous, which is a shame because she's quite nice to look at.
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Comment number 4.
At 18:06 7th Apr 2010, OddOne wrote:I sort of agree with NoahBoy (welcome btw). It's alright, but her voice is a tad annoying, and it's one of her lesser ballad-y tracks.
I'd give it three stars, it's very much a grower.
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Comment number 5.
At 19:41 7th Apr 2010, spirit wrote:I must say "Linger" and "Zombie" by The Cranberries are both brilliant 5 star songs .
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Comment number 6.
At 19:58 7th Apr 2010, spirit wrote:While watching the video for Gypsy , and watching tennis star Nadal gyrate in a sexy manner with Shakira , the phrase that immediately springs to mind is :
"New balls please ! "
:)
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Comment number 7.
At 20:37 7th Apr 2010, RandomEnigma wrote:Sorry for my complete lack of subtlety here but I don't think Rafael would want new balls if Shakira was in contact which original pair. I'm literally talking about tennis balls of course and its not a poorly disguised metaphor for a part of the male anatomy.
Oh boy, this is gonna be removed.
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Comment number 8.
At 08:28 8th Apr 2010, Jordansair White wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 9.
At 09:37 10th Apr 2010, zoe wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 10.
At 01:51 12th Jan 2011, U14750494 wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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