Missundaztood [ECD] - Pink

...Can’t Take Me Home (2000), Missundaztood (2001), Try This (2003), I’m Not Dead (2006) and Funhouse (2008). Can’t Take Me Home is classified as having an R&B sound but Pink wanted to perform the type of music she liked and so the rest of her albums have a more consistent Rock-Pop sound.

== Missundaztood ==

Missundaztood was the album that saw Pink take more control over the music that she created and therefore the tracks ...
...to portray. The album was a worldwide success peaking at number 6 in the US and number 2 in the UK. Most of the songs on the album tell stories close to Pink’s heart or at least one that are very prominent to society and therefore have the ability to have a large impact on the listening audience. Four of the fifteen songs on the album were released as singles with one reaching the top spot in the UK charts.

This album comes complete ... more

Who is Pink?

Pink (or P!nk) is the stage name of two-time Grammy award winning American singer-songwriter Alecia Beth Moore who after gaining prominence in 2000 has had continued success around the world. Pink’s music fits into many different genres including Rock, Pop and R&B and generally her albums consist of a mixture of musical types. Her songs have also appeared in numerous films, including Princess Diaries and Moulin Rouge and she herself has also made movie appearances.

Her Albums

Up to date Pink has released five studio albums: Can’t Take Me Home (2000), Missundaztood (2001), Try This (2003), I’m Not Dead (2006) and Funhouse (2008). Can’t Take Me Home is classified as having an R&B sound but Pink wanted to perform the type of music she liked and so the rest of her albums have a more consistent Rock-Pop sound.

Missundaztood

Missundaztood was the album that saw Pink take more control over the music that she created and therefore the tracks on this album highlight the sound that she herself wished to portray. The album was a worldwide success peaking at number 6 in the US and number 2 in the UK. Most of the songs on the album tell stories close to Pink’s heart or at least one that are very prominent to society and therefore have the ability to have a large impact on the listening audience. Four of the fifteen songs on the album were released as singles with one reaching the top spot in the UK charts.

This album comes complete with a small 10 page booklet, which contains a couple of pictures of Pink plus the lyrics to all of the songs on the album. I must say however that the lyrics can be a bit difficult to read as some of them are printed in pink font on a black or brown background and because the font is small this can make it a little uneasy for the eyes.

Track Listing

1. Get The Party Started
2. 18 Wheeler
3. Missundaztood
4. Dear Diary
5. Eventually
6. Numb
7. Just Like A Pill
8. Family Portrait
9. Misery featuring Steven Tyler
10. Respect featuring Scratch
11. Don’t Let Me Get Me
12. Gone to California
13. Lonely Girl featuring Linda Perry
14. My Vietnam
15. Catch-22

Track Breakdown

ONE – GET THE PARTY STARTED
This track was the first single release from the album and peaked at number 2 in the UK charts. The song has a strong rock-pop feel from the start and extremely catchy lyrics. The vocal style of the track is also quite unique and gives the song a bit of an edge.
‘Get this party started on a Saturday night
Everybody’s waiting for me to arrive
Sending out a message to all of my friends
We’ll be looking flashy in my Mercedes Benz’
********8/10********

TWO – 18 WHEELER
This song has a very strong beat from the outset and once again the lyrics are rather catchy and off the cuff like in the previous track. There is though a couple of points in the track were swear words are only just cut. The vocals are however more harmonising than before and this mix really adds something to the song as a whole.
‘You can push me out the window
I’ll just get back up
You can run over we with your 18 wheeler truck
And I won’t give a f***’
********8/10********

THREE – MISSUNDAZTOOD
This track begins with a steady beat but no other backing sound, this enables Pink to show off her voice on a plain background and I must admit it sounds rather good. The catchy backing track then filter in and out throughout the song and adds another dimension to the voice being shown off. At moments however I must say that the voice seems to sound better with the accompaniment. Furthermore the somewhat grunting and talking at the end of the track isn’t particularly appealing. The lyrics for the track are also reasonable and tell a decent story of being misunderstood.
‘There’s a voice I am hearing
Saying it’s alright
I was taken for granted
But it’s all good’
******6/10******

FOUR – DEAR DIARY
This track has a more sombre feel to it than the previous ones despite the steady beat. The song is also the first one that tells a solid story from the start to the beginning. If you listen to the words closely you get a real feeling for the emotion behind the written (or sung) words.
‘I’ve been down every road’
You could go
I’ve made some bad choices
As you know’
********8/10********

FIVE – EVENTUALLY
This track is another one with a more sombre and emotional feel to it like the last track. The harmonising in this track however is much better in my opinion and the emotion within the lyrics comes through from the outset. This in itself makes the song more personnel to the artist and allows the story inside to filter through.
‘Surrounded by familiar faces with no name
None of them know me
Or want to share my pain
They only wish to bask in my light
Then fade away’
*********9/10*********

SIX – NUMB
This song sees a return to the heavier rock style of track that the start of the album saw. The track still has a story within it but I must admit that it is harder to understand because of the punctuating backing track and the sections of whispered lyrics.
‘At times I would push my feelings aside to let you feel
I’m novocaine I’m numb and nothings real
Like the coldest winter
I am frozen from you’
******6/10******

SEVEN – JUST LIKE A PILL
Just Like a Pill tells the story of Pink’s drug addiction as a teenage and was the third single release from the album. The track did exceptionally well and became Pink’s first number one single in the UK. The track has a steady and direct beat but the harmonies within the chorus are what stand out the most. The emotion that is transferred through the verse lyrics in also very impressive.
‘I haven’t moved from the spot where you left me
It must be a bad trip
All of the other pills were different
Maybe I should get some help’
**********10/10**********

EIGHT – FAMILY PORTRAIT
This track tells the story the effect of arguments and divorce on the children within the family. The track was released as the fourth single from the album and peaked at number eleven in the UK charts although I personally think it should have done much better. The track like most of the others on the album has a strong and steady beat. The vocals themselves are very strong and the harmonised chorus is wonderful with a rather unique sound. The lyrics themselves are sublime in my opinion and overall the track is strong enough to rival Just Like A Pill.
‘In our family portrait
We look pretty happy
Let’s play pretend, let’s act like it
Comes naturally
I don’t want to have to split the holidays
I don’t want two addresses’
**********10/10**********

NINE – MISERY FEATURING STEVEN TYLER
From the outset this track has a more R&B feel than any of the other on the album and the style of the song really suits this. Pink and Tyler harmonise together very well throughout the track and seem to compliment and contrast each other perfectly.
‘Misery… Misery
Tell me why does my heart make a fool out of me
Seems it’s my destiny
For love to cause me misery’
*********9/10*********

TEN – RESPECT FEATURING SCRACTH
I must admit that the start of this song is a little strange and the rap style of the song doesn’t in my opinion suit the song. Once the track moves into a more harmonising style however it is much more effective in my opinion and becomes rather enjoyable to listen to. Unfortunately however the spoken sections just ruin the song for me.
‘hey ladies, yeah?
Let ‘em know it ain’t easy
R-E-S-P-E-C-T'
****4/10****

ELEVEN – DON’T LET ME GET ME
Don’t Let Me Get Me was the second single release from this album and peaked at number 8 in the UK charts. I must admit that I really do like this song and the story that it is telling. In fact this song is probably my favourite song on the album and I can’t understand why it didn’t do better in the charts. The harmonies throughout are exceptionally song and the overall feel of the song is quite up beat despite the downtrodden message of the lyrics.
‘Everyday I fight a war against the mirror
Can’t take the person staring back at me
I’m a hazard to myself
Don’t let me get me
I’m my own worst enemy’
**********10/10**********

TWELVE – GONE TO CALIFORNIA
This track has a completely different feel and sound to all of the other tracks on the album. It starts of with some near spoken lyrics and then moves into a still near spoken chorus, although harmonies do move. I must say however that all though I am not generally a fan of this type of song I don’t mind this track at all, as the story it tells makes up for the spoken sections.
'Everybody’s dying
Have you heard the news today?
A woman in north Philly is mourning
The bullet took another son away’
*******7/10*******

THIRTEEN – LONELY GIRL FEATURING LINDA PERRY
The steady beat with an infiltration of guitar sections makes the backing track for this track quite effective. This combined with some rather lovely harmonised sections, the contrasting voice of Linda Perry and a strong set of lyrics makes this track a real pleasure to listen to.
‘Do you even know who you are?
I’m still trying to find
A borrowed dream or a superstar?
Everybody wants to be
Is life good to you, or is it bad?
I can’t tell anymore’
********8/10********

FOURTEEN – MY VIETNAM
This is another of my favourite tracks on the album simply because of the story that the lyrics tell. Furthermore the limited backing track allows some rather unique vocals to come through. In my opinion Pink really shows is in this track that she is both an exceptional songwriter and singer.
‘This is my Vietnam
I’m at war
Life keeps on dropping bombs
And I keep score’
*********9/10*********

FIFTEEN – CATCH-22
This song is rather humorous in my opinion and the lyrics do make me titter a little bit. I must say now however that some people will be rather taken by the language used within it, which at times really doesn’t seem necessary. The song starts and ends as if Pink is an airline stewardess and sections in-between verses reinstate this adding dimension to the track. The chorus to the track is very catchy in my opinion and the harmonies are solid. The verses however aren’t as consistent and the spoken style makes another return.
‘Here we go
We’re jumping off the wings
We’re going round in circles
It’s a Catch 22’
*****5/10*****

On the whole this album is an exceptionally strong one for Pink and definitely one that is wroth listening to. I will admit that there are a couple of songs that I would class as weak links but the rest of the tracks are definitely worth a place on your I-Pod.  

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