That’s My Jam is a weekly feature where one person from the Selective Hearing staff goes to wax poetic about music that is pivotal to their musical tastes. Whether that would be an album, a song, or anything in-between. We all had to start somewhere.
Release Date: September 30, 1998
Track Listing
- … Baby One More Time
- … Baby One More Time (Sharp Platinum Vocal Mix)
- … Baby One More Time (Davidson Ospina Club Mix)
Review
In the fall of 1998, former Mickey Mouse club member Britney Spears made her debut with this song from her debut album that shares the same title. Written and produced by Max Martin (with Rami) … Baby One More Time became a global mega-hit reaching number one in every country it charted in.
Even though the lyrics may have been considered suggestive for a young girl to be singing, they’re not as raunchy or sexually suggestive as current pop songs these days. In fact, it’s pretty squeaky clean compared to what’s playing on Top 40 radio now.
Some may consider this one of the songs that spearheaded the pop uprising during that time in music. It certainly has the credentials to be given that praise.
For those who are into the whole ’90s pop resurgence, this is one of the classic songs that will never get old. The opening piano notes are enough to make it instantly recognizable to anyone within earshot and make them cream/shit their pants in excitement. Even among those who are not huge fans of “vapid” pop music.
Not many pop songs from 10+ years ago manage to maintain that kind of momentum.
Two remixes are included in the single package I bought so many moons ago. The Sharp Platinum Vocal Remix and the Davidson Ospina Club Mix.
Both are typical mainstream club fare of the time, and it’s personal preference as to which fits your tastes. I preferred the Davidson Ospina Remix since it retains the pop appeal of the original and did not deviate from the winning formula.
When this came out, I was well out of college and about a year into my first real job in the IT industry. I wasn’t much older than the demographic Britney Spears was focusing on at the time, except that I’m not a girl. Well, maybe that’s not exactly a true statement; the video certainly appealed to males.
High-class art, this ain’t, but hey. Schoolgirl Britney was pretty damn hot.
While I was in full Hip-Hop/R&B mode at the time this was released, I still appreciated a good pop tune every once in a while, and this certainly fit the bill nicely.