Burlesque: Original
Motion Picture Soundtrack
Artists- Christina
Aguilera and Cher
It would seem that Christina Aguilera’s fate as a pop star
really hangs in the balance these days: despite a successful, high profile role
on the American talent show The Voice, her latest studio album Lotus performed
very poorly commercially. Yet she has also enjoyed recent success with her
feature on the Pitbull track ‘Feel This Moment’, which reached the top ten of
many charts worldwide. Back in 2010 the singer made her acting debut as the
lead in the musical film Burlesque, with her performance being met with
surprise praise from critics. Aguilera performed 8 out of 10 of the numbers on
the films accompanying track, with the record performing decently in the music
charts, reaching gold status in the United States. So I look to the soundtrack
to see why people may have loved it and whether the musical attitude she takes
in this soundtrack is something she needs to transfer to her solo career. And
as pop mega star Cher gears up to release her long anticapitated twenty sixth
studio album, I look to see if her two music contributions should have the
masses excited for her new stuff.
Track 1- Something’s
Got a Hold on Me
Track number 1 is a cover of a hit song that was an Etta
James classic. The song is all about this power sort of taking over the singer,
with the singer pinpointing this something as love. The track follows close to
the original in terms of the soulful sound and the simple production, but
whilst it does feel similar to the, it still has a slight modern sheen about it
that makes the song still feel relevant, with a catchy lyrical attitude that is
truly infectious. The jaunty piano rhythms and great use of a choir really put
the song on another level, but ultimately this cover only works because of
Aguilera, as she not only nicely conveys the emotion of the track, but she has
a powerful set of musical pipes on her that mean she can carry the song in the
way that James did, making this sound not only like a purely great cover but a
song that could have easily been an Aguilera original.
3.5/5
Track 2- Welcome to
Burlesque
The first of the two Cher offerings, Welcome to Burlesque is
a jaunty pop musical number that has a commanding essence about it. The song is
all about the singer simply introducing people to the world of Burlesque and
this awesome show that she produces. The singers powerful vocals have this
dramatic flair about them that really fits with the style of the film, and with
the horns, piano and strings of the production, this is just a sensual musical
affair that is camp but nice to listen to and is designed well in terms of its
placement within the film.
3.5/5
Track 3- Tough Lover
A short and snappy musical piece, Tough Lover is another
quite organically based music piece that has a camp energy and which fits with
the psyche of the film. The songs message is simply all about the singer
telling us of how she needs a tough lover, and how her man is a tough lover.
But whilst the song is a bit lyrically repetitive and therefore a little bland,
the song is more designed to showcase Aguilera’s vocal power, as this song is
designed to show how her character can sing within the film. The way that the
song starts off with just the singer’s vocals gives a commanding edge to the
beginning, before the jaunty piano rhythms and fun horn instruments kick in for
a lively band sound that seemingly showcases the singers growing in fun and
confidence. Another track that perhaps works better as a song within the film,
although it nicely shows Aguilera’s flair for the big band numbers.
3.5/5
Track 4- But I’m Am a
Good Girl
Another sensual and camp affair, But I’m A Good Girl finds
Aguilera giving us quite the vocal performance in terms of the tone of her
voice, which is lighter and patterned in a way that feels more suited for the
films narrative than being her own pop song. The track is a bit of a diamonds
are forever number in terms of glamour, as the singer loves the fine things but
is a good girl who won’t sleep around, although she expresses this in a teasing
way. The tracks bandstand production with the clattering cymbals and jaunty
piano rhythms gives the song a fun and frivolous edge, but at this point the
energy fades a little and the song feels a little more of an uncomfortable
listen when you’re not watching the film.
3/5
Track 5- Guy That Takes
His Time
With a Guy That Takes His Time the fact that Burlesque is
based in an old school musical sound and is sensual should be very obvious. But
because of that this makes the record more boring and makes this another tune
that really works better when your watching the film, rather than being a song
that stands on its own in the way that other movie songs can. Here we find the
singer telling us of how she would love to find a guy who takes his time, a sex
orientated lyrical piece that finds the singer in her sexy vocal mode as she
slowly stresses the lyrics and evokes passion into the song. Vocally the singer
is good and can make this song really work, but with the piano and horns of the
production we get something we have already heard and know that she can do
well, and so this song just loses the spark of power it might have had over the
listener.
2.5/5
Track 6- Express
Aguilera gives us more of a modern tune with Express, a pop
song that is a little 50’s influenced in sound but which also has this
prominent modern dance edge. The track is a sensual affair as the singer
repeatedly spells out the word express and tells of how burlesque is this powerful
art that is part of life for her and her girls in their own way, and is this
dance form that needs passion and emotion. The spelled out singing in the track
makes for a fun hook to the song, and with the finger clicking of the
production, we are given a sassy and snappy number that has this cool and
infectious energy. The song powerfully utilises bass beats and horns in the
production along with gritty electro pop based rhythms for a old school and
modern mix that marks the song out as one of the more standout pieces, and
gives us a track that works both in and outside of the film. The song also
allows the singer to both show control and power within her vocals at the same
time, and the only real issue with the track is that the last minute of the
song is dragged out for a bit too long.
3.5/5
Track 7- You Haven’t
Seen the Last of Me
The second and final musical offering by Cher, You Haven’t
Seen the Last of Me is a powerful piano led ballad from the pop star that was
written by song writing veteran Diane Warren, who is also known for quite a few
of her stellar soundtrack contributions to other films. Here we find Cher
singing of being at seemingly at her lowest point, but finding this strength in
herself and firmly telling us of how this isn’t the last we have seen of her.
The emotional simplicity and honesty of the track is very powerful and
heart-warming, with the singer giving us a commanding vocal performance that is
full to the brim with promotion and which also has this fragile but visceral
edge that is a pleasure to listen to. The songs production powerfully builds
from just the piano to this epic sound filled with drums, guitar and an
orchestra, giving us a fine pop ballad that is perhaps not the most original
soundtrack number but which still has a majesty and beauty that is attention
grabbing and great to listen to. And whilst the song also works really well
within the narrative of the film, the song also perhaps acts as a sign of the
greatness of Cher and how she may have had a long career, but her music career
is definitely not over yet.
4/5
Track 8- Bound to You
This time Aguilera takes centre stage for another pop ballad
that is a little bit richer and subtler in sound than the previous track, but
still features a big vocal performance and a powerful emotional essence. The
song is all about Aguilera telling this boy of how she is bound to him because
with him she has finally found her way. Co-written by frequent Aguiera
collaborator Sia Furler, the songs lyrics are perfectly executed to be poetic
but also quite simple and honest, and with the swaying rhythm of the piano led
production along with the stirring strings and steady drumbeats, the song has a
glamorous feel that feels a little bit influenced by the past and showcases how
the singer has this old school glamour about her. The song finds Aguilera
unleashing her vocals in an impressive way, but also creating a nice build
within the song and showing some control, although at times it does feel like
she is just singing to show how great she is and therefore the track has its
moments of being emotionally lacking.
3.5/5
Track 9- Show Me How
You Burlesque
Bringing the tempo back into high gear, Show Me How You
Burlesque is one of the more snappier musical moments that nicely blends old
school glamour with modern pop and dance sensibilities. The song finds the
singer telling us of this world that is completely different from the outside,
and asking us to get dressed up and show her how you burlesque. The song
invokes this sense of empowerment that some women will find appealing and
fulfilling, and vocally the song is great in the way that the fast paced
rhythms of the song don’t catch the singer out, as she fully controls the song.
But at the same time it is also great as she shows reserve whilst still showing
of some vocal power. The snappy backbeat combined with the funky drumbeat
groove and the punchy horns gives the track and infectious upbeat dance energy
that can captivate the listener, making for a fun pop number.
3.5/5
Track 10- The
Beautiful People (from Burlesque)
Album closer and the end credits song, The Beautiful People is
a fun up tempo pop and dance number that is the most modern orientated track on
the record and is perhaps a little awkward compared with the rest of the
record, as the sound of this track is markedly different. The song’s lyrics
sample the Marylyn Manson song of the same name and focus on how the people of
Burlesque are glamorous, beautiful and carefree. The message may be a bit
egotistical and perhaps even bitchy in a way, but if you just take the song at
face value in terms of being a cheesy, pop musical number, then you can have
fun listener to this track. The singer gives us a feisty and quirky vocal
performance that is tonally rich, although sometimes the use of Auto Tune does
seem unnecessary. The songs sound is a powerful electro pop and dance pop based
sound that combines this jingly piano melody with stomping electric guitar
riffs and shimmering synth notes for a vibrant and fun dance driven sound that
may not work in the film and may feel a bit clichéd, but is ultimately just
fun.
3.5/5
Final Review
The Burlesque soundtrack seems to be a record that is
pristinely created for it’s accompanying film, and finds both artists giving
their all vocally and creating some truly catchy numbers. Some of the songs
don’t work outside of the film, but others nicely ties in modern sensibilities
with this past fuelled glamour that is a pleasure to listen to. On songs like
Somethings Got a Hold of Me and Bound to You Aguilera oozes this glamorous persona
that can captivate her listeners, with her vocals being undeniably brilliant.
But she also sounds equally strong in some of the more modern dance driven
numbers, and so it would just seem that a pop record with a 50’s twist is her
best work, and although she did that with her great Back to Basics record in
2006, she should recapture that sound and twist it up just a little to avoid
copying herself. However, this record also is great in that although she only has
two cuts, Cher produces some great tracks and shows that she is still a great
artist after all these years.
7.5/10
Best Track- You
Haven’t Seen the Last of Me
Worst Track- A Guy
That Takes His Time
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