American Idol’s sixth season left a lot of folks feeling ambivalent, so I guess it should come as no great shock that its big winner, Jordin Sparks, is kicking off her post-Idol career with a shoulder-shrug of a single called "Tattoo" (now streaming at AOL Music).
It’s not that "Tattoo" is a terrible song — not by any stretch. It’s got a pretty little melody — I keep thinking "Irreplaceable," only with an extra cup of water added to the stock — and Jordin’s vocal is surprisingly restrained (not a quality you necessarily expect early in an Idol champ’s careeer).
That said, a couple things about "Tattoo" are bugging the heck out of me. What’s that yelping business going on in the background? Did one of the Stargate guys (who, incidentally, also produced "Irreplaceable") grab a too-hot bag of popcorn out of the studio microwave while Jordin was cutting the vocal? And while I dig the central theme of Jordin striding into the sunset alone, telling her old flame that "you’re on my heart just like a tattoo," when you really listen to the lyrics, they seem more a collection of attractive words than actual sentiments. For example, there’s that line, "I can’t waste time, so give it a moment." Um, if you can’t waste time, then how is it you have a moment to give in the first place? And the truth is a stranger? Her soul is in danger? What the devil?
Anyway, P-Dubs, I’m curious what you think about "Tattoo." (Click here to hear it.) Our fabulous photo editor Samantha Harmon just popped into my office while I was playing it and declared, "It sounds like everything I’ve ever heard in my entire life." She may be right. I may be crazy. But it’s really your opinions that we’re looking for.
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It reminds me of Rihanna’s “Good Girl Gone Bad.”
It does have an “irreplaceableish” quality to it. Very catchy when you hear it, but real subtance when you actually listen.
Wow this song is so boring. I enjoyed Jordin Sparks this season, unfortunately I don’t see this rocketing her to superstardom.
Ok song – but I hated that yell in the background. Pretty much reuined it for me. I was hoping for a great pop song (like most of Kelly Clarkson’s – or my other favorite post Idol songs – “Invisible” and “8th World Wonder”)
Jordin, Jordin, Jordin…
Pull this single and head back to the studio. There’s more to you than this.
I hated Jordin during this season, but was willing to give her music a chance since everyone seemed to think she had this incredible recording potential. Still waiting to hear it after this song…
Bring on Melinda’s first single!!!
Was wondering when you were going to get to this, Slezak…
The yell in the bg is definitely a misguided attempt to make the some seem at least a little edgy. It sounds like a solid Hilary Duff song. I was hoping Jordin would do something a little more unexpected.
Perhaps she’ll do a duet with Sanjaya next?
I agree– not terrible, just thoroughly innocuous. Very playing-over-the-end-credits-of-a-Disney-channel-movie, but not in a totally bad way.
Yeah, the yelping is a little strange.
Upin a second listen, I realize how sad the song is. I mean, this is what Melinda lost to? Jordin’s got the pipes, but I guess this is what Clive Davis meant when he said ‘radio friendly’ to Kelly Clarkson.
mostly harmless
If I have any recollection of this song by tomorrow I will be amazed. It just about matches my expectations for Jordin though.
Does anyone know if Clive Davis ever signed Melinda?
If I have any recollection of this song by tomorrow I will be amazed. It just about matches my expectations for Jordin though.
Does anyone know if Clive Davis ever signed Melinda?
I heart Slezak. He’s the thinking man’s Joel Stein.
I think the song is FANTASTIC. It’s a smash. I think you guys need to give it a chance. I looooove the synth lines and the chorus is really strong. I agree about the yelping – it doesn’t add to the song and can be distracting. Overall, I think it’s a solid and catchy tune. I’ll be buying it on iTunes. I always preferred Melinda and Blake, but Jordin does herself proud with this song. Great job. BTW, Kelly’s “Sober” is AMAZING!
It reminds me of nothing so much as Jessica Simpson’s “With You.” A pleasant enough song, but Jordin can sing rings around Jess and I would like to hear it.
I personally love this song. It’s catchy and fun. The yelping is weird though.
Hmmm. A love song with lovely sentiment.
But they forgot something. Tattoos can be removed.
Jordin’s talent is wasted on this song. She sings it well, but there’s really nothing to it. It’s typical and forgettable, and she’s too good a singer to have this be her first big single.
I was disappointed. It sounded like a lame and easily forgettable Disney power ballad. Jordin has a great voice, but it’s wasted on such a bland and generic song.
she sounds like the missing member of eden’s crush (you that band from the show popstars?). it was really only okay but this is as good as i expected it to be.
Liked her, liked Blake more, don’t like this song so much. She sounds good and the melody is sort of pretty, but its your basic Hannah Montana type of song. The yelping in the background is horrid too.
Tough crowd tonight! I think it’s a great initial low risk release. Recall number one objective – radio friendly. She needs air time and this one will get played. And, true to Jordin’s desire and ability, it blends several elements some more subtle than others – mostly pop, a little hip hop (very little)and her country voice shows in a few of the lyrics. I expect the November CD will have more of cross section including the power vocals everyone seems to expect of Jordin whene ever she sings. Stay tuned.
omg. jordin sparks sings songs from the trash – ones that real artists threw out becauase they sucked. and from jordin’s aol interview, she must be the most IMMATURE winner of AI, forget about being called “the youngest”. this song is NOT catchy and actually sounds like a watery, run-down version of Rihanna’s Umbrella, with that weird techno beat in the background. and dude! did the producers of this single and CD not pay ANY attention to what jordin’s strengths are from her AI performances??! oh right, jordin said it herself in her aol interview, she WANTED this song to be her first single…omg. jordin’s 15 minutes are SOOOOOO up and over. i just could not WAIT for this song to be over with about 20 seconds into it. next.
Well, we all must admt, it’s a heck of a lot better than “This is my Now.”
Stephen – agreed. But then “This is my Now” had the necessary potential emotional impact that the shows producers wanted/needed and only Jordin could have delivered as a finale. The song fit the contestants situation. Great for public consumption – TV viewing,ratings and replays. Poor Blake, there was zero ammofor his vocal guns in this song.
Which brings up another point – the poster before you “no name – OMG” is no doubt a young non-Jordin fan (Disgruntled ________ Blake? fan). Remarks are a bit over the top negative and well,…. immature.
The lyrics are so-so cheezy. THe vocals are good though.
The best thing that I can say about this song is that it’s better than Britney’s new single.
It’s not a terrible song, but I have to agree with Slezak that the yelping is a distraction. It’s like the Stargate guys sat around a table, listened to Nelly Furtado’s “Say It Right,” and said “We HAVE to incorporate someone shouting in the background on one of our gazillion upcoming releases…it really doesn’t matter who, because all of our songs are basic, like IKEA!!!”
I see this song performing roughly the same as Kat McPhee’s “Over It,” another song that restrained vocals in favor of production.
uh….the yelping is just plain strange. And the song. Lame. Been there, done that. Don’t usually mind that…but expected something stronger out of the box. Maybe next time.