The addition of this song to a list of ‘greatest songs of the decade’ may leave many shaking their heads in “they’ve-only-picked-it-in-a-overly-knowing-and-deliberately-ironic-‘pop-can-be-intellectual”’ disbelief. Well, in many ways, that is true. But this song, aside from being a very well crafted example of modern American pop also contains within it an interesting slant on the complex life of the modern American teen.
On the surface, this is a fairly benign R’N’B pop song. The faux-guitar riff, syncopated drum beat and multi-vocals arranged into crisp, ‘Logic Pro’ perfection are reminiscent of the Destiny’s Child and TLC tracks of the previous decade – and honestly both these acts have released better songs. What gives this song a place on the list is the singer. Joanne Noëlle Blagden Levesque was thirteen years old when ‘Leave (Get Out)’ reached number one in the USA, the youngest solo artist to do so apparently. When listening to the track it is instantly obvious that Jojo is technically a very good singer – and the melody provides sufficient vocal gymnastics to demonstrate this. Particularly impressive is the yodel-like flitting between falsetto and modal vocal ranges immediately before the track’s disappointingly throw away middle eight.
But crisp production and vocal prowess are not enough on their own; rather they are pre-requisites for a career in pop. What sets this song apart is Jojo’s conviction in delivering a lyrical message almost laughably at odds with her age. The song details Jojo’s apparent conversation and subsequent break-up with an unfaithful boyfriend – concluding that he has to leave; get out right now. What?! She’s thirteen! Leave where exactly? Her parents’ house? The school? Where?
Now I’m not going to enter into a Richard Littlejohn-esque ‘Hell-in-a-handcart’ diatribe about the sexualisation of youth and the loss of innocence that has been going on long before Jojo and this song. Whether this song is indicative of the encouragement of childhood sexuality as discussed in Aldous Huxley’s ‘Brave New World’ is a moot point. What is interesting about the song is the patent ridiculousness of a thirteen year old girl getting so worked up about a thirteen year old boy phoning another thirteen year old girl. Having said that, perhaps the song owes its success to the connection other thirteen year old girls have to the emotional significance of said scenario. The fact that this message is presented in a very accessible musical package makes it, for me anyway, one of the best songs of the decade.
TA
Nicely put.
Joanne Noëlle Blagden Levesque!
I’d also like to put forward the 2/3-years-later comeback ‘Little Too Late’ as worthy of everyone’s attention. Not quite so much quasi-paedophilic frisson with this one, just a beltaz tune written by the same people who did The Bangles ‘Eternal Flame’ and Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’.
I’d like very much to second that, Too Little Too Late is freakin sweet.