For all my efforts, Junior doesn’t quite have the weight of cultural history on her small shoulders, so true innovation won’t astonish her just yet. To her, ‘Get Ur Freak On’ has a slinky groove that makes those unburdened shoulders shimmy, but – as far as artistic impact goes – it faces tough competition from the Rice Krispies.
So, what makes ‘Get Ur Freak On’ so great? Is it the much-imitated-but-then-truly-original bhangra shake turning hip-hop inside out? Is it Timbaland’s beats cutting up sharp enough to slice through Run-D.M.C.’s gold chains? Is it the punctuating “holla”s that stop the record stone dead to let you catch a breather before the nagging resumes at twice the power? Is it hindsight – or even prescience – that Missy and Timbaland have reached their creative peak here and all that’s left are old skool retreads and a steady stream of career revivals for Furtado, Ciccone and whoever’s next? Is it the “hach-TOO” flying in your face? Is it the pie-eyed mix of vocal tics and screams rubbing up against punishing techno twangs that makes you think you’ve stepped into some sci-fi jungle nightmare, shortly before you realise you actually have?
Yes.
Jukebox Junior 
If anyone has anything to say, they’re most welcome.
And if anyone wants to put in a shout for a new pop year to tackle, that would also be welcome. Anything (reasonable) except 1969, 1973, 1977, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2007. I’ll eventually import the old years from the other place.
Hope 2001 was as not bad for you as it was for me.
do 1972. I could really do with just how fucking old I am being hammered home.
1997.
Oh.
CLOSE THE…..
1994 – gives you the set of 1990s 🙂
1975. The year of the space oddity reissue. It had 2 (two) songs on the b side, yer know.
Yes. I believe Missy is all that.
F.O.Y.C.
I’d be interested in Juniors views on the work of Half Man Half Biscuit. Any year, really.
1979 had it all – Chic and their acolytes, the Jam, Clash etc maturing, and TWO-TONE
GET UR FREAK ON TO THAT
Do 1979, yeah. I know stupid Arsenal won the cup but I kept a diary through 1979 and elected a ‘song of the week’ in it. Oh Superman, Pictures On My Wall, Are Friends Electric. I also copped off with Claire Hollier. And Claire, this is the sort of weird shit you come across if you insist on Googling yourself.
I think the wee yin should tackle 1979
I kind of stopped bothering after that
I say that we should go with 1980, horse. It’s the year I was born and I’d like to know if there were any other releases of true genius in those 12 months.
Looks suspiciously like block-voting, but democracy is democracy. 1979 to start all over again later in the week (maybe even tomorrow).
And thanks everyone for the suggestions. Unfortunately, the vacancy has now been filled, but they will be kept on file for future reference etc. etc.