The Lollygabber

“The Dutchess” is D to the E to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S!

August 15, 2008 at 6:58 am 1 comment

Fergie’s solo debut album, “The Dutchess,” came out in September 2006, but several of the singles continue to dominate on top 40 and hip hop stations. I received the CD in the mail a few months ago as a sort of gag gift and ended up enjoying it more than the sender or I could ever imagine. As far as hitting a home run track after track, I would put it on the same shelf as Alanis Morrisette’s “Jagged Little Pill,” Eminem’s “The Eminem Show,” or Lucinda Williams’s “Essence.” Here’s a track-by-track analysis of what this album has to offer:

• “Fergalicious” – This light, upbeat track kicks off the album with Black Eyed Peas band mate, will.i.am, making his first of many cameo appearances. Fergie flexes her rapping muscle by rhyming “promiscuous” with “suspicious,” “fictitious,” and “kisses.” Those who enjoyed Black Eyed Peas’s “My Humps” will definitely dig “Fergalicious.”
• “Clumsy” – Reminiscent of the soda shop pop of the 50s and 60s, “Clumsy” captures the fun and fresh vibe of a different era while still adhering to hip hop standards. Released as the album’s fifth single, “Clumsy” was the first track that reached out to me from the radio waves, luring me in with its clever coyness.
• “All That I Got (The Make Up Song)” – This song gives us a glimpse of Fergie’s vulnerable side as she asks, “Would you still love me if I didn’t workout or I didn’t change my natural hair?” It seems a bit odd coming from someone who boasted, “And I know I’m coming off just a little bit conceited / when I keep on repeating how the boys want to eat it,” two tracks before, but it showcases some of her vocal talent.
• “London Bridge” – The album’s first single came across as annoying at first, but it grew on me. If nothing else, it has a good beat, and the cockiness of the lyrics gives the song a lot of energy.
• “Pedestal” – Co-written by Fergie (like all the songs on the album), the song aptly begins with, “Your pedestal is falling down,” to the tune of the nursery rhyme, “London Bridge is Falling Down.” With clever angst, Fergie dishes out her opinion of haters in the industry.
• “Voodoo Doll” – I think this song is about the difficulty of coming to grips with sexuality, feminity, and biology.  Fergie laments, “This body’s a temple of doom,” and a lot of my ladies probably understand where she’s coming from. No, being a sex symbol is not all it’s cracked up to be.
• “Glamorous” – Although it’s not one of my favorite tracks, I can see why it became such a huge hit. There’s something glamorously ghetto about the way Fergie spits out her rhymes.
• “Here I Come” – Fergie and will.i.am sample “Get Ready” by the Temptations and, in doing so, produce a fresh and modern hit. While Fergie’s vocals fit the song, will.i.am steals the show on this one with his rapid rhymes.
• “Velvet” – This track is more sensual than Fergie’s backside with romantic poeticity (<-yes, that’s really a word…I found it hard to believe at first myself) and lyrical smoothness throughout. The last 10 or so seconds are nothing short of arousing: There’s a reason this one wasn’t played on the radio.
• “Big Girls Don’t Cry” – This smash success really allowed the world to see that Fergie was more than a pretty face and rockin’ bod. Unfortunately, I still can’t get over the following line: “And I’m gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket.”
• “Mary Jane Shoes” – It’s a little bit reggae and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, and everytime I listen to it I want to throw on a baby doll dress and some matching mary janes. I appreciate the simplicity of this song, and it’s a welcome departure from the sexed up vibe of most of the other tracks.
• “Losing My Ground” – As she did in “All That I Got,” Fergie displays a bit of vulnerability in this ballad.
• “Finally” – Stacy Ferguson could be mistaken for Christina Aguilera because of her range and vocal control throughout this song.  I must admit to having chills run down my spine the first time I heard it.
• “Maybe We Can Take a Ride” – Keep listening for this ghost track: It’s worth the few moments of silence.

Entry filed under: Pop Culture, Rave Review. Tags: Music.