I'm still pressed and compressed that you betrayed me at the 11th hour, beast. If you've forgotten, this rate was 1/3 your idea. It pleases me greatly that you feel guilty. And I'll be waiting for your catchup likes like an aunty outside the Western Union office at 8AM sharp waiting for it to open so she can cash that wire transfer.
The Sugababes Discography Rate
- Thread starter beyoncésweave
- Start date
Shsgfschfs byeeeeee!
Surprised to see Overload not make the top 5 like it deserves! I'm glad it wasn't my 11 going though.
I loved it from the start, and for some reason, just based off that 1 song I decided to start a fansite about them. There was hardly any information out there about the 'babes at the time, which kind of added to their cool mysterious image. So my site was quite sparse for a bit. Also, since Mutya was under 16 anyway they weren't legally allowed to work more than so many days in the year (can't remember how many now).
It wasn't until a few months later that their actual official website launched. Does anyone remember it? You could choose a character and walk around and speak to other characters in an interactive chat room type thing. There would be some pictures of the Sugababes up on the wall. I also remember you could download something, but I can't remember exactly what it was, but you had the option of choosing Mutya, Keisha, or Siobhan and I kept changing my mind as to which to download as my favourite member changed like the weather (great b-side).
I loved it from the start, and for some reason, just based off that 1 song I decided to start a fansite about them. There was hardly any information out there about the 'babes at the time, which kind of added to their cool mysterious image. So my site was quite sparse for a bit. Also, since Mutya was under 16 anyway they weren't legally allowed to work more than so many days in the year (can't remember how many now).
It wasn't until a few months later that their actual official website launched. Does anyone remember it? You could choose a character and walk around and speak to other characters in an interactive chat room type thing. There would be some pictures of the Sugababes up on the wall. I also remember you could download something, but I can't remember exactly what it was, but you had the option of choosing Mutya, Keisha, or Siobhan and I kept changing my mind as to which to download as my favourite member changed like the weather (great b-side).
Do you mean when I went to uni and stopped moderating it? Oops! The forum was quite fun at one point though and Mutya (supposedly) posted there, and her mum. I found some graphics recently that I made for a game of Big Brother we played on there, haha!
I tried to track down an image of the old suga chat website but couldn't find one.
https://web.archive.org/web/20010208103044/http://www.sugababes.com/sugachat2000/index.html
This page is a cache of it but it doesn't load for me. I got excited when the Shockwave player started loading, but then it goes black.
While we're waiting for number 8 lets enjoy some cool performance of Girls (out way too early)
I've been dropping so many hints, You’re still not getting it...
Seven hours since you went away...
I've got a freaky secret, everybody's sad cos...
Push The Button
Score: 9.287
11 x 2: @Robinho#1, @Uno
Highest: 10/10 x 50 (@Mikl C, @Daniel!, @Petty Mayonnaise, @VivaForever, @etienne, @Solenciennes, @tylerc904, @P’NutButter, @Voodoo, @PCDPG, @Ironheade, @lalaclairi_, @MrJames, @theincredibleflipper, @Robert, @Elysium, @Island, @CasuallyCrazed, @DoggySwami, @JamesJupiter, @xtophermorrison, @Mina, @Lost In Japan., @stopthestatic, @Reboot, @ohdenny, @londonrain, @supersoon, @Robsolete, @High Heel Feminist, @AllSixSugababes, @Conan, @berserkboi, @Filler, @Runawaywithme, @scottdisick94, @Remorque, @Aester, @LPMA, @Epic Chocolat, @Mr.Arroz, @JuanJose, @Black Topanga, @constantino, @ohnostalgia, @Blayke, @BeingBoring, @PLUTO, @roux)
Lowest: 6/10 x 2 (@AlexD, @Deborux)
My score: 10/10
––
There was a point when the Sugababes ruled the world. “Push The Button” was the epicentre of that point. It was so by being iconic in every way. We throw that word around a lot these days, but this was it. Every aspect of the song is somehow part of a moment that you can innately recall. And if you can’t, then you can at least understand.
“Push The Button” is completely, ridiculously infectious. Initially, that largely seems to be down to its bouncy, buoyant beat, which is indeed an instant earworm. But Dallas Austin does a tremendous job with the entire production to layer and build on it, adding subtle elements which compound the song’s monstrous catchiness while retaining the sonic simplicity. There are the “push the button” backing echoes, the little riff that kicks in under the second part of the verses, the harmonies underlying the bridges, the synth flares riding the choruses and the guitar thrums hitting the final chorus.
In terms of the band’s lead singles, and within their suite of more poppish bangers, it doesn’t match the forward-thinking zeal of “Overload”, but equally it feels like it’s on par with the industry sound as opposed to falling behind slightly as “About You Now” may come across as. Taking maybe just the production to account, it does seem as if “Push The Button” pushes the band towards the very edge of basicness, even though that production is extremely deceptive. But outside of that, there are enough flourishes here vocally, lyrically and about the song in general, particularly in ways that seem innate to the band, that the song can’t sustain the basic label for very long.
Vocally, “Push The Button” breaks some important new ground. We have Heidi on first verse duties for the first time on a single (allegedly the result of an unavailable Mutya at the time of recording) but she knocks it back with gusto. She is almost completely isolated with the beat, but has gained so much control by this point that she’s able to rise with the beat and not fade away. There’s an almost factual nature to her delivery, which shapeshifts into something like longing; how she delivers “and everything around it” but be one of my very favourite Heidi moments. The song’s other vocal moment, of course, is Keisha finally stepping up to the spotlight. It would be unfair to say she was in Mutya’s shadow previously, but this is the first blatant instance where it feels like she has taken charge, taking over the bridges and the chorus lead. It helps of course that she literally takes charge within the song’s narrative and video, but it really feels like the proper coming of Queen Quiche. To top it off, there’s her ridiculous spoken word answering machine message middle eight, which ramps up the song’s sexual tension to the nth degree.
“Push The Button” was written while the girls were in the US recording with Austin, evidently about another artist Keisha had a bad crush on but was not getting her signals. The “push the button” is essentially instruction to get a move on or be dropped from Quiche’s phone. In that narrative, the song contains multitudes in frustration, desire and nods to the band’s subtle brand of empowerment (especially the “I really like the way that he respects me” line), but it’s all parsed through flirtatiously and with this cheeky élan. What’s especially great about the songwriting is the positing of words for maximum impact through some very cleverly anticipated cadence: the sibilance every few clips on the verses; the subtle progression from “I'm busy throwing hints” to “I'm busy showing him” in the verses; and the bounce of the bridges. Oh, and the lyric of the decade in “my sexy ass has got him in a new dimension” which is just mind-blisteringly stupendous and almost single-handedly makes the case for the song’s carefree raunchiness.
The essence of the song then is making sex … fun. There’s such an air of playfulness to it that runs through the brimming desire. That is, still, a rare quantity in pop music, wedded as it is towards presenting sex in completely serious and sincere terms, which in focusing exclusively on the desire or the longing parts cut out the fun part entirely. It captures in brilliantly sunny terms that moment where you just want the D; you appreciate the respect but you just want to jump them now. Enough waiting. Push the button.
What seals the song’s iconicness is the utterly fantastic video. It is, like the song itself, so very simple. Just the three girls getting out of a lift to seduce and have their with three suitors. But the art direction on it is so transcendently great; from the colour palette, not just the stripes on the building and the backgrounds (though when will Little Mix?) but how they subtly play off the girls’ and their manses’ outfits, to the brilliant CCTV bits with the girls flirting with the camera. The girls look amahzing, and perhaps the best 2.0 have looked in a video: Heidi baring midriff, Keisha serving spin-class-was-cancelled-today couture; and Mutya doing her best I-had-nothing-lying-around motif. It all just underlines the playful sexiness of the song, particularly at the end when the girls really get down to rough-handling their men, grinding, riding and thrusting on them. (Heidi somehow steals it for me, with her forcing her guy’s legs apart, shaking his hands off her hips, putting on his glasses then throwing them away).
The net result was the band’s fourth number one and first to have a multiweek reign topping the charts for three weeks and further helping Taller In More Ways to become their first #1 album. By that third week, the band was simultaneously atop the singles, albums and downloads chart. It is the band’s second biggest selling single in the UK (after “About You Now”) but counting worldwide sales, their biggest ever hit. It topped the charts in a further four countries (including New Zealand yas, and I remember) and the Top 10 in a huge number of territories. But commercial success does not necessarily equate to iconicness. The song has just somehow had remarkable staying power within pop music, and is arguably the single song that the band is identifiable with (alongside “Round Round” I’d wager). It was all capped off when it was featured at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics as part of an homage to British popular music and culture. It just takes that beat to start up and you’re transported, every single time.
Solenciennes (10) swiffers his taint all over my rate, “what a triumphant return to form. They looked sexy, sleek and mature; a far cry from the “don’t give a shit” streetwear attire that 1.0 and early 2.0 wore religiously. The music video is still great, the raunchy routine doing a little too much and it’s a good look for Keisha to be commanding the song. There’s a definite step up on Keisha’s behalf from this point onwards, she was always playing second fiddle (or third fiddle) to someone else on previous singles, but with Mutya’s priorities lying elsewhere and Keisha and Heidi’s ambition burning brighter than ever, it’s no wonder her confidence came on in leaps and bounds. I wonder if Keisha’s boy ever figured out who he was?” It was Sean John. ohnostalgia (10) prefers to bop and be left out of anything else, “I must admit that a great deal of my affection for this song is tied up in the video. I’ll just say I enjoy watching all three of them boss some men around and leave it at that. Musically, I’m a huge fan of the confidence on display in the lyrics and the shout out to respect as part of a mutual healthy relationship – weren’t they such a gift to teenage girls? I’ve had some discussions about how “Push The Button” could be seen as a basic bop and I understand where they come from, but when a song is executed so perfectly with amazing vocals you get swept away and forget.”
Let’s thank Sprockrooster’s (7) boyfriend for giving them taste, “My boyfriend’s favourite, so I upped it one score. I feel like it goes top 10, but if it doesn’t colour me very pleased. I do like the video concept.” Oh that’s nice then. kal (7) is a little tew phased by too much of a good thing, “This is cute but overexposure kind of ruined it for me. The bright music video sure was a treat though and all three of them looked snatched.” “My score for this song really depends on my mood. I hated it for years and it’s grown on me since then,” to an unfortunate 6 for Deborux. Chanex (8) withers that they are “Not as enthused as most but it’s an undeniable jam I suppose.” DJHazey (8) refuses to take the bops that are offered on a platter to him, “Nothing really stands out enough about this one. It’s a strong pop song, but I don’t consider it as one of their best like many others do. The chorus/synth combination becomes a little tired after a while. The video is still incredible though, so I get more enjoyment from it on plug.DJ than by simply hitting play myself.”
VivaForever (10) recalls losing her shit circa 2012, “The Babes song I play the most for sure, though “No Can Do” is an equally sure second. That intro is absolutely everything and a half. But then, Dallas Austin can do no wrong. I absolutely lost my shit when they played this at the start of that ‘British music through the decades’ sketch at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. It was legit almost as exciting as Annie Lennox performing, even though it was only like a 10-second sample and Annie sang a whole damn song in person. (Not very well, though, it has to be said.)” Remorque (10) deems it “Definitely one of their modern classics. It’s Keisha’s time to shine here, with the other two doing their utmost to cater to the general feeling of the song. I remember this one being criticized for sounding like video game music, but really… This is a bop and a half, isn’t it?” Yep.
PCDPG (10) had some concerned friends, “This song was a big hit and everybody loved it. I remember watching the music video with all my friends at that time. It’s truly a classic. Just last week the song played on the radio and everybody at work sang along. This week I got a text message saying: ‘Remember this song? Look at that music video, were we seriously watching that at the age of ten?” mrdonut (9) identifies that “This is one of those deceptively simple-sounding pop singles that goes on to reveal itself to be expertly crafted and produced. HUGELY contagious and an excellent choice of lead single and album opener. Oh and all three of them look a-m-a-z-i-n-g in the video.” ssa (9) is rather weak to Mutya’s touch, “Mutya turnin’ da gayz str8 again. I remember I had to watch the video on some Polish satellite channel. Softcore straight porn and Sugababes. My autobiography.”
acl (9.5) deducts points on a rather generous scale, “This is a tough one because this should be their most memorable single along with “Overload”. It’s original and iconic. Their vocals are on point and the structure with Heidi and Mutya on verse and Keisha on pre chorus and add libs is perfect. Keisha really owned this song in their later live performances. It deserves a 10 really BUT I never listen to it, i’m bored to death of it so it gets a respectful 9.5.” Blayke (10) being an Australian hunty, backs me up on the international #impact of this, “It goes without saying why this song is a 10. It is their biggest international hit and the most memorable song they’ve ever done. Everything about this song is brilliant and really is the mould of a perfect pop song. Heck, even Korea took notice and sampled the song in Brown Eyed Girls’ “Hold The Line”. Mutya’s verse is forever iconic, talking about her “sexy ass”. I can’t find it on my computer at the moment but there is an amazing Studio-Acoustic version of the song where you can hear their British accent throughout the chorus. I also LOVE that version.”
Ironheade (10) finally starts revealing his 11 deliberations, “Well, duh. Had a good shot at the 11, but then "Run for Cover" screamed into my ear - still a solid #3 here. First of all? This is one of the most purely seductive dance jams that has ever come along. The girls sound coolly sensual and absolutely born for this (Mutya, your phrasing is something), with Keisha’s soaring but totally in control prechorus coming through as a highlight. And as for the production, it’s pure fire. So many interesting little touches behind its surface simplicity - the double taps on the bass drum to signal transitions, the trancy arpeggio synth in the chorus, the teasing backing vocals, the ringing guitar chords in the prechorus that just rise and rise until it seems like release might never come - seriously, you could spend days unravelling them. Hey Mutya, I’ve got a green tie! *insert creepface here*” Let’s … move on. “Perfection!” screams lalaclairi_ (10). MrJames (10) reminds us of “That flawless run of lead singles though.” Voodoo (10) concurs enthusiastically that “Say what you want about Sugababes, but literally no one can deny they had the best run of lead singles. Every other girl group could quite literally never.” Indeed. Like, what comes close? Across so many albums as well? “Bills Bills Bills”–“Say My Name”–“Survivor”–Lose My Breath” is the closest I can come up with but that is still a touch below “Overload”–“Freak Like Me”–“Hole In The Head”–this.
CasuallyCrazed (10) crosses the Atlantic, “This somehow still sounds fresh & current in 2016 and should have been a massive radio hit in America back when.” Mina (10) laments the end of something, “I feel like this was the end of an era - the last ever Sugababes single with their classic sound and attitude.”Ugly" and "Follow Me Home" were sappy, and "Red Dress" went more electronic/dance.” Lost In Japan. (10) is still seduced by Heidi, “This was my favourite song of theirs for a long time, and is still very close to the top. I LOVE “I’m busy throwing hints that he keeps missing…” as an opening line.” londonrain (10) runs through all the iconic reasons this slays, “This is one of the best pop singles by any girl group ever (and was my #2 single of 2005). Everything about it is great, but the most memorable bit for me is Heidi basically terrifying Emrhys Cooper (and his lovely abs) in the video. This deserves its 10 just for "my sexy ass has got him in a new dimension" alone, frankly.” tylerc904 (10) totally agrees, “Mutya’s verse is fire, "my sexy ass has got him in a new dimension" is one of my favourite Sugalyrics ever. Deserved to smash.” It did! Filler (10) shades Will.I.Am, “Dallas Austin’s career peak. Tough luck, “T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)””
Runawaywithme (10) of course has a bevy of memories on this, “This song is basically my childhood. I have so many happy memories connected to this song like rushing home from school, closing my eyes, running up the stars and putting the cd single in my crappy Argos value cd player and making up my own dances, singing the song and pretending to be a Suagababe for hours. I didn’t have many friends in school so I didn’t like going that much but when I came home and listened to this it was like an escape for me and a very happy one where I could really be myself. It also reminds me of visiting my grandparent’s at the weekend and listening to this song on their old fashioned wooden radio and dancing around the house with my nana, whenever I listen to it now I get a really nice warm feeling of nostalgia as it reminds me of those nice sunny days in their lovely little house where I would listen to this song and not have a care in the world at all, I remember the big smiles on my grandparent’s faces when I would dance to this song with them and tell how I was going to follow my dreams and how happy that made me so this song will always have a special place in my heart.”
Epic Chocolat (10) likes their eggs a certain way, “A signature song, emblematic of their sunny side.” Constantino (10) flips their right leg in the air and screams “ICONIC! This is one of the most distinctive and, yes, iconic songs of the decade and you can FIGHT ME if you disagree. It’s very pop-by-the-numbers, but Sugababes just have this innate sense of danger and sex that takes what is quite a light song to the next level. The video is EVERYTHING, too. Storytime: This reminds me of McDonalds everytime I hear it because I once got a toy in my Happy Meal in Cyprus that played this song on loop.”
“Push The Button” received two 11s, and both scorers are here to preach the Word. uno goes through a lot of introspection before coming up on their 11, “Every single thing about this song is perfect. I really feel like Keisha stepped up as a strong member of the group after this song - her vocals on the pre-chorus (along with Mutya’s vocalising) and final chorus ad-libs are integral to “Push The Button”’s brilliance. I remember being in 8th grade trying to convince all my friends that this song was amazing, and they were NOT having it. I thought about giving “Ace Reject” my 11 [Ed: ooh, if only you did!], but then I looked at my iTunes play count and this has got 170 plays up on the 2nd nearest Sugababe song -- I think “Push The Button” is the clear winner when it comes to their best song.” Finally, Robinho#1 calls it as being “Up there with some of the most iconic British pop singles. Y’all can sit there and seethe. It has lasted the test of time.” Oh, and more.
“Push The Button” is completely, ridiculously infectious. Initially, that largely seems to be down to its bouncy, buoyant beat, which is indeed an instant earworm. But Dallas Austin does a tremendous job with the entire production to layer and build on it, adding subtle elements which compound the song’s monstrous catchiness while retaining the sonic simplicity. There are the “push the button” backing echoes, the little riff that kicks in under the second part of the verses, the harmonies underlying the bridges, the synth flares riding the choruses and the guitar thrums hitting the final chorus.
In terms of the band’s lead singles, and within their suite of more poppish bangers, it doesn’t match the forward-thinking zeal of “Overload”, but equally it feels like it’s on par with the industry sound as opposed to falling behind slightly as “About You Now” may come across as. Taking maybe just the production to account, it does seem as if “Push The Button” pushes the band towards the very edge of basicness, even though that production is extremely deceptive. But outside of that, there are enough flourishes here vocally, lyrically and about the song in general, particularly in ways that seem innate to the band, that the song can’t sustain the basic label for very long.
Vocally, “Push The Button” breaks some important new ground. We have Heidi on first verse duties for the first time on a single (allegedly the result of an unavailable Mutya at the time of recording) but she knocks it back with gusto. She is almost completely isolated with the beat, but has gained so much control by this point that she’s able to rise with the beat and not fade away. There’s an almost factual nature to her delivery, which shapeshifts into something like longing; how she delivers “and everything around it” but be one of my very favourite Heidi moments. The song’s other vocal moment, of course, is Keisha finally stepping up to the spotlight. It would be unfair to say she was in Mutya’s shadow previously, but this is the first blatant instance where it feels like she has taken charge, taking over the bridges and the chorus lead. It helps of course that she literally takes charge within the song’s narrative and video, but it really feels like the proper coming of Queen Quiche. To top it off, there’s her ridiculous spoken word answering machine message middle eight, which ramps up the song’s sexual tension to the nth degree.
“Push The Button” was written while the girls were in the US recording with Austin, evidently about another artist Keisha had a bad crush on but was not getting her signals. The “push the button” is essentially instruction to get a move on or be dropped from Quiche’s phone. In that narrative, the song contains multitudes in frustration, desire and nods to the band’s subtle brand of empowerment (especially the “I really like the way that he respects me” line), but it’s all parsed through flirtatiously and with this cheeky élan. What’s especially great about the songwriting is the positing of words for maximum impact through some very cleverly anticipated cadence: the sibilance every few clips on the verses; the subtle progression from “I'm busy throwing hints” to “I'm busy showing him” in the verses; and the bounce of the bridges. Oh, and the lyric of the decade in “my sexy ass has got him in a new dimension” which is just mind-blisteringly stupendous and almost single-handedly makes the case for the song’s carefree raunchiness.
The essence of the song then is making sex … fun. There’s such an air of playfulness to it that runs through the brimming desire. That is, still, a rare quantity in pop music, wedded as it is towards presenting sex in completely serious and sincere terms, which in focusing exclusively on the desire or the longing parts cut out the fun part entirely. It captures in brilliantly sunny terms that moment where you just want the D; you appreciate the respect but you just want to jump them now. Enough waiting. Push the button.
What seals the song’s iconicness is the utterly fantastic video. It is, like the song itself, so very simple. Just the three girls getting out of a lift to seduce and have their with three suitors. But the art direction on it is so transcendently great; from the colour palette, not just the stripes on the building and the backgrounds (though when will Little Mix?) but how they subtly play off the girls’ and their manses’ outfits, to the brilliant CCTV bits with the girls flirting with the camera. The girls look amahzing, and perhaps the best 2.0 have looked in a video: Heidi baring midriff, Keisha serving spin-class-was-cancelled-today couture; and Mutya doing her best I-had-nothing-lying-around motif. It all just underlines the playful sexiness of the song, particularly at the end when the girls really get down to rough-handling their men, grinding, riding and thrusting on them. (Heidi somehow steals it for me, with her forcing her guy’s legs apart, shaking his hands off her hips, putting on his glasses then throwing them away).
The net result was the band’s fourth number one and first to have a multiweek reign topping the charts for three weeks and further helping Taller In More Ways to become their first #1 album. By that third week, the band was simultaneously atop the singles, albums and downloads chart. It is the band’s second biggest selling single in the UK (after “About You Now”) but counting worldwide sales, their biggest ever hit. It topped the charts in a further four countries (including New Zealand yas, and I remember) and the Top 10 in a huge number of territories. But commercial success does not necessarily equate to iconicness. The song has just somehow had remarkable staying power within pop music, and is arguably the single song that the band is identifiable with (alongside “Round Round” I’d wager). It was all capped off when it was featured at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics as part of an homage to British popular music and culture. It just takes that beat to start up and you’re transported, every single time.
Solenciennes (10) swiffers his taint all over my rate, “what a triumphant return to form. They looked sexy, sleek and mature; a far cry from the “don’t give a shit” streetwear attire that 1.0 and early 2.0 wore religiously. The music video is still great, the raunchy routine doing a little too much and it’s a good look for Keisha to be commanding the song. There’s a definite step up on Keisha’s behalf from this point onwards, she was always playing second fiddle (or third fiddle) to someone else on previous singles, but with Mutya’s priorities lying elsewhere and Keisha and Heidi’s ambition burning brighter than ever, it’s no wonder her confidence came on in leaps and bounds. I wonder if Keisha’s boy ever figured out who he was?” It was Sean John. ohnostalgia (10) prefers to bop and be left out of anything else, “I must admit that a great deal of my affection for this song is tied up in the video. I’ll just say I enjoy watching all three of them boss some men around and leave it at that. Musically, I’m a huge fan of the confidence on display in the lyrics and the shout out to respect as part of a mutual healthy relationship – weren’t they such a gift to teenage girls? I’ve had some discussions about how “Push The Button” could be seen as a basic bop and I understand where they come from, but when a song is executed so perfectly with amazing vocals you get swept away and forget.”
Let’s thank Sprockrooster’s (7) boyfriend for giving them taste, “My boyfriend’s favourite, so I upped it one score. I feel like it goes top 10, but if it doesn’t colour me very pleased. I do like the video concept.” Oh that’s nice then. kal (7) is a little tew phased by too much of a good thing, “This is cute but overexposure kind of ruined it for me. The bright music video sure was a treat though and all three of them looked snatched.” “My score for this song really depends on my mood. I hated it for years and it’s grown on me since then,” to an unfortunate 6 for Deborux. Chanex (8) withers that they are “Not as enthused as most but it’s an undeniable jam I suppose.” DJHazey (8) refuses to take the bops that are offered on a platter to him, “Nothing really stands out enough about this one. It’s a strong pop song, but I don’t consider it as one of their best like many others do. The chorus/synth combination becomes a little tired after a while. The video is still incredible though, so I get more enjoyment from it on plug.DJ than by simply hitting play myself.”
VivaForever (10) recalls losing her shit circa 2012, “The Babes song I play the most for sure, though “No Can Do” is an equally sure second. That intro is absolutely everything and a half. But then, Dallas Austin can do no wrong. I absolutely lost my shit when they played this at the start of that ‘British music through the decades’ sketch at the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. It was legit almost as exciting as Annie Lennox performing, even though it was only like a 10-second sample and Annie sang a whole damn song in person. (Not very well, though, it has to be said.)” Remorque (10) deems it “Definitely one of their modern classics. It’s Keisha’s time to shine here, with the other two doing their utmost to cater to the general feeling of the song. I remember this one being criticized for sounding like video game music, but really… This is a bop and a half, isn’t it?” Yep.
PCDPG (10) had some concerned friends, “This song was a big hit and everybody loved it. I remember watching the music video with all my friends at that time. It’s truly a classic. Just last week the song played on the radio and everybody at work sang along. This week I got a text message saying: ‘Remember this song? Look at that music video, were we seriously watching that at the age of ten?” mrdonut (9) identifies that “This is one of those deceptively simple-sounding pop singles that goes on to reveal itself to be expertly crafted and produced. HUGELY contagious and an excellent choice of lead single and album opener. Oh and all three of them look a-m-a-z-i-n-g in the video.” ssa (9) is rather weak to Mutya’s touch, “Mutya turnin’ da gayz str8 again. I remember I had to watch the video on some Polish satellite channel. Softcore straight porn and Sugababes. My autobiography.”
acl (9.5) deducts points on a rather generous scale, “This is a tough one because this should be their most memorable single along with “Overload”. It’s original and iconic. Their vocals are on point and the structure with Heidi and Mutya on verse and Keisha on pre chorus and add libs is perfect. Keisha really owned this song in their later live performances. It deserves a 10 really BUT I never listen to it, i’m bored to death of it so it gets a respectful 9.5.” Blayke (10) being an Australian hunty, backs me up on the international #impact of this, “It goes without saying why this song is a 10. It is their biggest international hit and the most memorable song they’ve ever done. Everything about this song is brilliant and really is the mould of a perfect pop song. Heck, even Korea took notice and sampled the song in Brown Eyed Girls’ “Hold The Line”. Mutya’s verse is forever iconic, talking about her “sexy ass”. I can’t find it on my computer at the moment but there is an amazing Studio-Acoustic version of the song where you can hear their British accent throughout the chorus. I also LOVE that version.”
Ironheade (10) finally starts revealing his 11 deliberations, “Well, duh. Had a good shot at the 11, but then "Run for Cover" screamed into my ear - still a solid #3 here. First of all? This is one of the most purely seductive dance jams that has ever come along. The girls sound coolly sensual and absolutely born for this (Mutya, your phrasing is something), with Keisha’s soaring but totally in control prechorus coming through as a highlight. And as for the production, it’s pure fire. So many interesting little touches behind its surface simplicity - the double taps on the bass drum to signal transitions, the trancy arpeggio synth in the chorus, the teasing backing vocals, the ringing guitar chords in the prechorus that just rise and rise until it seems like release might never come - seriously, you could spend days unravelling them. Hey Mutya, I’ve got a green tie! *insert creepface here*” Let’s … move on. “Perfection!” screams lalaclairi_ (10). MrJames (10) reminds us of “That flawless run of lead singles though.” Voodoo (10) concurs enthusiastically that “Say what you want about Sugababes, but literally no one can deny they had the best run of lead singles. Every other girl group could quite literally never.” Indeed. Like, what comes close? Across so many albums as well? “Bills Bills Bills”–“Say My Name”–“Survivor”–Lose My Breath” is the closest I can come up with but that is still a touch below “Overload”–“Freak Like Me”–“Hole In The Head”–this.
CasuallyCrazed (10) crosses the Atlantic, “This somehow still sounds fresh & current in 2016 and should have been a massive radio hit in America back when.” Mina (10) laments the end of something, “I feel like this was the end of an era - the last ever Sugababes single with their classic sound and attitude.”Ugly" and "Follow Me Home" were sappy, and "Red Dress" went more electronic/dance.” Lost In Japan. (10) is still seduced by Heidi, “This was my favourite song of theirs for a long time, and is still very close to the top. I LOVE “I’m busy throwing hints that he keeps missing…” as an opening line.” londonrain (10) runs through all the iconic reasons this slays, “This is one of the best pop singles by any girl group ever (and was my #2 single of 2005). Everything about it is great, but the most memorable bit for me is Heidi basically terrifying Emrhys Cooper (and his lovely abs) in the video. This deserves its 10 just for "my sexy ass has got him in a new dimension" alone, frankly.” tylerc904 (10) totally agrees, “Mutya’s verse is fire, "my sexy ass has got him in a new dimension" is one of my favourite Sugalyrics ever. Deserved to smash.” It did! Filler (10) shades Will.I.Am, “Dallas Austin’s career peak. Tough luck, “T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)””
Runawaywithme (10) of course has a bevy of memories on this, “This song is basically my childhood. I have so many happy memories connected to this song like rushing home from school, closing my eyes, running up the stars and putting the cd single in my crappy Argos value cd player and making up my own dances, singing the song and pretending to be a Suagababe for hours. I didn’t have many friends in school so I didn’t like going that much but when I came home and listened to this it was like an escape for me and a very happy one where I could really be myself. It also reminds me of visiting my grandparent’s at the weekend and listening to this song on their old fashioned wooden radio and dancing around the house with my nana, whenever I listen to it now I get a really nice warm feeling of nostalgia as it reminds me of those nice sunny days in their lovely little house where I would listen to this song and not have a care in the world at all, I remember the big smiles on my grandparent’s faces when I would dance to this song with them and tell how I was going to follow my dreams and how happy that made me so this song will always have a special place in my heart.”
Epic Chocolat (10) likes their eggs a certain way, “A signature song, emblematic of their sunny side.” Constantino (10) flips their right leg in the air and screams “ICONIC! This is one of the most distinctive and, yes, iconic songs of the decade and you can FIGHT ME if you disagree. It’s very pop-by-the-numbers, but Sugababes just have this innate sense of danger and sex that takes what is quite a light song to the next level. The video is EVERYTHING, too. Storytime: This reminds me of McDonalds everytime I hear it because I once got a toy in my Happy Meal in Cyprus that played this song on loop.”
“Push The Button” received two 11s, and both scorers are here to preach the Word. uno goes through a lot of introspection before coming up on their 11, “Every single thing about this song is perfect. I really feel like Keisha stepped up as a strong member of the group after this song - her vocals on the pre-chorus (along with Mutya’s vocalising) and final chorus ad-libs are integral to “Push The Button”’s brilliance. I remember being in 8th grade trying to convince all my friends that this song was amazing, and they were NOT having it. I thought about giving “Ace Reject” my 11 [Ed: ooh, if only you did!], but then I looked at my iTunes play count and this has got 170 plays up on the 2nd nearest Sugababe song -- I think “Push The Button” is the clear winner when it comes to their best song.” Finally, Robinho#1 calls it as being “Up there with some of the most iconic British pop singles. Y’all can sit there and seethe. It has lasted the test of time.” Oh, and more.
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F
Former member 21294
Yas come through Run for Cover
and @AlexD too.
And with this, Ace Reject becomes the last Taller track standing...and one of my only two remaining 10s.
Cant say im surprised given that we saw few people requesting PTB to leave soon.
I do prefer Push the Button over Round Round and Hole in the Head. Its just more catchy, fun and it was more unique single choice for Sugababes than these two were at the time
I do prefer Push the Button over Round Round and Hole in the Head. Its just more catchy, fun and it was more unique single choice for Sugababes than these two were at the time
"My sexy ass has got him in a new dimension" will acutally be my leavers quote
Well it's a toss up between that and "if you get asked to do something do it really badly so you never get asked to do it again" - Paris Hilton.
Well it's a toss up between that and "if you get asked to do something do it really badly so you never get asked to do it again" - Paris Hilton.
He/Him
@beyoncésweave - My commentary did not make it it seems or did I skip through it with all the great comments from everyone?
Also, I am shocked at this exiting so soon, I thought both it and Overload would be top 5 so colour me shocked!
Also, I am shocked at this exiting so soon, I thought both it and Overload would be top 5 so colour me shocked!
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ohnostalgia
Staff member
She/her
Ace Reject getting that rightful Taller crown!!!
londonrain
Staff member
The perfect electropop song. Still brilliant over a decade later.
"Who's had the best run of lead singles?" is an interesting game. It's a bit of a shame that Girls and Get Sexy don't quite live up to the run of great lead singles that preceded it, but it's pretty flawless otherwise and I'd argue that the run of eight leads (including Easy) is still pretty solid compared to their peers.
Destiny's Child managed No, No, No/Bills, Bills, Bills/Independent Women/Lose My Breath, which has the advantage of zero duds but is also a shorter run. Same problem with TLC and Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg/Creep/No Scrubs/Girl Talk. Girls Aloud tended not to release their best singles as leads.
The Saturdays... have both problems.
"Who's had the best run of lead singles?" is an interesting game. It's a bit of a shame that Girls and Get Sexy don't quite live up to the run of great lead singles that preceded it, but it's pretty flawless otherwise and I'd argue that the run of eight leads (including Easy) is still pretty solid compared to their peers.
Destiny's Child managed No, No, No/Bills, Bills, Bills/Independent Women/Lose My Breath, which has the advantage of zero duds but is also a shorter run. Same problem with TLC and Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg/Creep/No Scrubs/Girl Talk. Girls Aloud tended not to release their best singles as leads.
The Saturdays... have both problems.