Listening to this song, one leaves with a better understanding of Ocean’s mind. Suddenly, the realism of his lyrics, marked by his shift from pyramids to clubs and from Queen Cleopatra to bathroom hookups, shows how lost he is. But when he shows a new side of the metaphor in the song’s second half-a grittier, less fantastical side-all of his allusions become clear. As Ocean strives to reach for Cleopatra, she is the axis around which his aspirations revolve: he wants her, but he never can have her. Cleopatra is a lover, a ruler, a deity, and an icon of power. It is not easy to digest, as Ocean digresses into black history, love, and worship, blending all of these themes into an extended metaphor about Ancient Egypt. “Pyramids,” on the other hand, accumulates his life experiences into a 9-minute, multi-part track. No amount of creative slackening will not rob him of his trademark frankness. But even though “Thinkin Bout You” is relaxed, Frank Ocean remains as honest as ever. It’s markedly different from the rest of “Channel Orange,” in which each line has multiple levels of meaning. Even as Frank turns melancholy in the bridge, the gentle rhythms and soothing ambiance still make “Thinkin Bout You” an easy, uninvolved listen. ![]() Even though Frank Ocean implied that this song isn’t his favorite (“the best song wasn’t the single”), it matches the high bar that he maintained throughout “Channel Orange.” The lyrics are playful, and his opening trope about a tornado defines the rather low limit for worry in the song. This song is easily one of the most recognizable it is the one track that most flock towards when asked about his artistry. When “Channel Orange” comes up in conversation, “Thinkin Bout You” is bound to be involved, as it has become a staple for laid-back coffee-shop covers. ![]() But in “Channel Orange,” his debut studio album, he takes all the things that make him him, intertwining both idiosyncrasy and nonconformism and expressing them in ways that are truly his own. Ocean has always been an iconoclast in the making, weaving criticism with comedy, happiness with melancholy. ![]() Now that his third album, “Blonde,” is out, we can look back at his previous work with an eye for maturity and personal progression.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |