Pitchfork on Gwen Stefani's “Hollaback Girl” back when it was released in 2004:
…Elsewhere on LAMB, the Neptunes shit out a Queen pastiche called
“Hollaback Girl”, which has about as much club potential as a 13-year
old with a milk moustache and his dad's ID.
Funny line! Oh you Pitchfork, always with the attitude. Emphasis mine, by the way. Run ahead to August 2009, when they're counting down the best songs of the decade. Uh:
180. Gwen Stefani
“Hollaback Girl”
[Interscope; 2004]
“Hollaback Girl” proved divisive with critics, with this
publication decrying it as second-rate Queen, but this list's voters
evidently have latched on to Gwen's feminine sport anthem. Stefani
actually wrote “Hollaback Girl” with producer Pharrell Williams in
reaction to a derogatory statement made by Courtney Love labeling
Stefani a cheerleader. From the outset, it's pretty obvious that
Stefani is a cheerleader, and a damn good one. The cut's
Spartan beat proved wildly successful in the club, with Stefani's
invocations leading legions of ladies (and dudes) in an empowering
urban shout-along.
]
Ha, Pitchfork's basically admitting it was wrong about the song. They
like to trick people by doing that from time to time. But doesn't it
seem like, despite placement in the top tracks of the decade, Pitchfork
— or at least writer Mike Orme — still hates “Hollaback Girl?” “This
list's voters
evidently have latched on to Gwen's feminine sport anthem” is really
the only justification they've got for ranking it so highly, and “an
empowering
urban shout-along” is the closest thing to critical analysis that they
cough up. I'm wondering why they label Stefani, OC's biggest musical
export, a “damn good” cheerleader. What's so damn good about her?
Where's your evidence, tastemaking webzine!?
Anyways, the Weekly always loved this song. In 2005, Greg Stacy gave it the heavy critical treatment it deserves.
Speaking
of Pitchfork's end-of-decade countdown, anyone else a little bothered
they're doing it so soon? I get that this is kind of their
decade — for better or worse, they controlled the critical dialog on
most of the aught's noteworthy albums — and they want to get out ahead
of everyone else. Still, seems opportunistic: They get clicks (and a
Hagen Dazs sponsorship, according to the homepage banner) by making a
big event out of their end-of-decade coverage now, and then they'll get
clicks for their end-of-2009 yearly wrap-up, and then they'll get
clicks when they have to redo their 2000s list in light of their 2009
one. All the while we, the music geeks with a like/hate relationship
with the 'Fork, get list fatigue.
Actually, it's probably genius from a business stand point. B-A-N-A-N-A-S, even. Sorry.
