I resisted the pull for as long as I reasonably could. I’d heard the name, in whispers and shouts, but dismissed her as another pop tartlet whose 15 minutes of fame would be up shortly.
Only she kept getting more famous. Creeping further into my consciousness. Gaining purchase in my mind.
It turns out Lady Gaga might be a genius.
When I was growing up, the Eagles were always on the radio. Their steady stream of hits made this a pretty solid programming decision, I suppose. I heard just as much Aerosmith. Hit singles get airplay, especially on classic radio station formats, where it’s less about how it actually was than about how it’s remembered.
So, a steady diet of “Desperado” and “Hotel California” and “Life in the Fast Lane”. I didn’t mind. I’d even go so far as to say I enjoyed the Eagles.
That changed.
This idea is difficult for me, possibly the most difficult post of this entire project.
Some people just have a je ne sais quoi about them, something that makes it clear they enjoy perfect little Swedish pop rock songs. Apparently, I don’t have that something.
I have to preface this: I don’t believe that anything should really be a guilty pleasure; I don’t believe we should feel guilt over pleasure.
I don’t know. Maybe it would make more sense if I were Catholic?
Anyway.
Once upon a time, there was a boy. This boy had friends, and they were driving around trying to find something to do on some random night.
I first heard this song as the backing track to a fan-made commercial for the iPod touch. I was intrigued by it then, but didn’t pay it much mind.
Then, a few weeks later, I saw what appeared to be the same commercial on TV. Confused that what I’d thought was a fan project was on TV and officially advertising the product, I did a little more research.
Turns out, Apple had hired the fan, Nick Haley, to direct a professional version of the commercial he’d made, licensed “Music Is My Hot Hot Sex”, and put it on the air for real. I found that inspiring.
You know what else I found? A song that makes me shake my ass.
Have you heard me sing? Then you’ve heard me sing this one.