The funk soul brother works it out or, How to Swear Properly
If you haven’t been paying attention to the Internets lately, then I’m sorry that you haven’t been able to hear Cee-Lo Green’s caustic, catchy kiss-off song, plainly titled “Fuck You.”
According to Wikipedia, “Fuck You!” was a viral hit. It registered over two million plays on youtube in less than a week. There’s no barometer for stuff like this, but I think we can safely consider that “a hit.”
To make a song that is easily the jam of the summer that cannot, by its very nature, be played on commercial radio or television because the chorus is made up of what society deems one of the most taboo four letter words you can say takes a huge set of balls. Thankfully, Cee-Lo appears to have dem nutz to spare.
I always love it when people I’ve put in certain categories defy expectations. Watching Cee-Lo step into the role of weirdness required by Gnarls Barkley was interesting, and watching him subvert pop music with a straight-up paen to swearing is pretty sweet, too.
Everybody takes it to be a joke, but I think “Fuck You” is the real deal. There are elements of Motown, funk, soul, R&B, hell, even some gospel! All that’s missing is maybe a few handclaps. Imagine if Al Green had been a little less preacher, a little more oh no you didn’t! It’s the male’s answer to Blu Cantrell’s “Hit Em Up Style” except way, way better. It is sweet revenge for anybody who was ever thrown over for somebody richer, prettier, younger, smarter, whateverer.
There’s nothing more cathartic than swearing when the situation absolutely calls for it. For what it’s worth, this reporter swears like a sailor on shore leave and operates on the friendly advice of one Mark Twain: When angry, count to four. When very angry, swear.
There’s a new video for the song featuring girls in matching dresses crooning his catchy chorus, an animated segment, three different “younger versions” of Cee-Lo, a retro diner and choreographed dancing.
Let’s see you tackle this one, Glee!
