Laundry Service - Shakira > Reviews (16)

Believe me, I want to hate Shakira ("woman full of grace") for being so beautiful, slim and successful (I take comfort in the old pictures of her!). It's just that there's something endearing about her lyrics. If I had to describe her style I'd say she was a kooky mic of Alanis Morissette, Gwen Stefani (No Doubt) and Gloria Estefan, but that would be unfair because Shakira has a style of her own, leaning on many influences but making them new.

"I was born and raised in Colombia, but I listened to bands like Led Zeppelin, the Cure, the Police, the Beatles and Nirvana," said Shakira. "I was so in love with that rock sound but at the same time because my father is of l00% Lebanese descent, I am devoted to Arabic tastes and sounds. Somehow I'm a fusion of all of those passions and my music is a fusion of elements that I can make coexist in the same place, in one song."

The Arabic tastes that Shakira mentioned shows up in 'Eyes Like Yours (Ojos Asi)', there's a distinctively Beatles sound in 'Underneath Your Clothes', and the tango-influence of 'Objection', her sound is much more rock than I had ever imagined. I was partly dreading a very Spanish CD. Whilst some of the songs are sung in Spanish (she speaks 3 languages), the CD has a very international sound. The lyrics can appeal to any modern woman - she amusingly sings about how she shaves her legs more often and learns to cook to reward 'The One'. She is an odd little thing but it works - which is reflected in the fact that her album "Laundry Service" has gone double platinum.

1. Objection (Tango)

Starts off slowly, like traditional tango, but speeds up into a fast paced rock-pop song about a love triangle. Anyone who has had to fight for attention of someone they love they can relate to this song.

"It's not her fault that she's so irresistible
But all the damage she's caused isn't fixable
Every twenty seconds you repeat her name
But when it comes to me you don't care
If I'm alive or dead

Objection I don't wanna be the exception
To get a bit of your attention
I love you for free and I'm not your mother
But you don't even bother."

This isn't really a self-pitying song because of its fast tempo but the meaning isn't lost.

****

2. Underneath Your Clothes

Much slower than the pervious song, quite sad sounding, with a Beatles undertone. She really knows how to sing about love, even if English isn't her first language.

"Underneath your clothes
There's an endless story
There's the man I chose
There's my territory
And all the things I deserve
For being such a good girl."

There's a resemblance in style with Alanis Morissette on this song, yet Shakira retains her own distinct style.

***

3. Whenever, wherever

Co-written by Gloria Estefan

This is my favourite song on the album, probably of this year so far. It is so upbeat, yet the lyrics are so sweet and romantic.

"Baby I would climb the Andes solely
To count the freckles on your body
Never could imagine there were only
Ten million ways to love somebody"

This song makes me want to dance, and I can do the Shakira dance you know.

If only I looked like her…

*****

4. Rules

An upbeat song about jealousy, quite rocky in its style, it is here she is a little like Gwen Stefani. There is also an 80s rock influence.

"Use your eyes
Only to look at me
Use your mouth
Only to kiss my lips
We are branches of the same old tree"

She sings of a very possessive love her.

***

5. The One

A modern ballad about finding 'The One', slower in tempo than the previous songs. To reward him she shaves her legs every day and learns to cook.

"So I learn to cook
And finally lose my kitchen phobia
So I've got the arms to cuddle in
When there's a ghost or muse
That brings insomnia"

Anyone who is in love can appreciate this one.

****

6. Ready For The Good Times

More upbeat again, this one also sounds like 80s pop-rock. It is a good one to listen to as you get ready to go out.

"I'm ready for the good times
I'm ready for the good times
Ready to get it on"

A bit cheesy but it's ok.

***

7. Fool

A little slower in tempo, this song is about getting hurt over & over in a relationship. What I love about Shakira is her quirky, poetic lyrics.

"But I can't help it if I'm just a fool
Always having my heart set on you
Till the time you start changing the rules.
I'll keep chasing the soles of your shoes
Ahh, fool"

The only fault with this song is the "Ahh" that sounds like Janice from Friends' laugh! *shudder*

****

8. Te Dejo Madrid (I leave you Madrid)

Many thanks to http://www.shakiraheaven.com/ for the translations

"Ay me voy otra vez
Ahi te dejo Madrid
Tus rutinas de piel
Y tus ganas de huir
Yo no quiero cobardes
Que me hagan sufrir
Mejor le digo adios
A tu boca de anis"

"O I go again
O I leave you Madrid
The patterns of your skin
And your habits of hating
I don't want bad vibes
That make me suffer
It's best I say good-bye
To your mouth of anise"

Although the song is about leaving it is quite upbeat and positive. To be honest, this one wouldn't be far out of place on the Eurovision song contest!

***

9. Poem To A Horse

An odd song about a man who is in love with himself - trying to be close to him is as pointless as reading poems to a horse.

"I'll leave again 'cause I've been waiting in vain
But you're so in love with yourself
If I say my heart is sore
Sounds like a cheap metaphor
So I won't repeat it no more"

This isn't one of my favourite songs on the CD but anyone who has experienced unrequited love can relate to it.

***

10. Que Me Quedes Tú (If You Stay With Me)

A slower ballad in Spanish.

"Pero que me quedes tú y me quede tu abrazo
Y el beso que inventas cada dia
Y que me quede aqui despues del ocaso
Para siempre tu melancholia
Porque yo si que dependo de ti
Y si me quedas tu
Me queda la vida"

"But if you stay with me and your hug stays with me
And the kiss you give everyday
And if you stay here after the occasion
Forever you melancholy
Because its true that I depend on you
And if you stay with me
Then my life will stay with me"

It sounds beautiful and now I know the meaning of the lyrics it is a very deep song, but it is harder to appreciate the Spanish songs.

***

11. Eyes Like Yours (Ojos Asi)

An upbeat Middle Eastern influence to this song makes it incredibly catchy. She was inevitably influenced by her father's Lebanese roots. I dread to think how much she will wiggle her hips int he video for this one!

"My one desire, all I aspire
Is in your eyes forever to live
Traveled all over; the seven oceans
There is nothing that I wouldn't give
Came from Bahrein, got to Beirut
Looking for someone comparing to you
Tearing down windows and doors
And I could not find eyes like yours."

This song is very different to anything else in the charts but it is good.

****

12. Suerte (Whenever, Wherever)

Suerte actually means lucky. Whilst this song sounds the same some of the lyrics were actually changed - the original song expresses more commitment

"Contigo mi vida
Quiero vivir la vida
Y lo que me queda de vida
Quiero vivir contigo"

"With you
My life
I want to live my life
What that keeps me living
I want to live with you"

I like the original lyrics - there's more meaning to them, but I prefer the English version of the song because I can sing along to it!

***

13. Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)

(I warn you, I announce to you)

The Spanish version of Objection (Tango) is very different to the English in terms of its lyrics, although it sounds the same. The Spanish lyrics speak of a sadness and betrayal that is trivialised as jealousy in the English version.

"Nunca pense que doliera el amor asi
Cuando se entierra en el medio de un no
Y un si
Es un dia ella y otro dia yo
Me estas dejando sin corazon
Y cero de razon"

"Never thought that love would hurt like this
When it enters the middle of a No
And a yes
Its one day her and the other me *
You're leaving me without heart
Nor reason"

(I had to translate this line myself so forgive me if it is wrong!)

Again I prefer the lyrics that are used in the Spanish song, but not being fluent in Spanish leaves me at a distinct disadvantage.

***

Overall this a great album. Shakira is very different to most artists around at the moment, so much so that it is hard to categorise her music. It is like latino pop-rock! Listen to a friend's copy first if you're not so sure but I for one don't regret buying it.

**** stars