Celebrate - First single radio listening! + Discussion & Lyrics

[suzie]

No, I probably would not actually break anything either, but you never know

I agree, because I the feeling is"worst" when the robot voice sings: 'all I wanna do is make you happy' which is really monotone and I think it makes me frustrated or something... At least I know the song doesn't make me happy.

I don’t feel monotony – in fact, the opposite, a kind of unrest Droopsy mentioned, out of which some tranquil moments give relief now and then. Both the rhythm and the melody are unpredictable and shapeless, so that’s totally the opposite of monotony, IMO. I actually think this song is about someone giving relief to the other one who is depressed and perhaps even drugged.

[Lilasko]

I feel disappointed too, but somehow, I don't believe it's Mika's fault. It has seemed strange to me that all the news lately has been put out by Label Barclay, and usually in French. What is going on with Mika's record label? I seriously think someone has let him down.

I was concerned when I read the translated interviews and someone said Mika had been shaking like a leaf (or words to that effect) and that he was concerned that Celebrate mightn't be a hit (that's how it came accross to me anyway)

That started to get me worried for him. I know he said he loves MYH, but was a bit shocked when it leaked before it was supposed to. It strikes me that The Powers That Be are possibly doing stuff he doesn't want.

I could be wrong, this is just my point of view, but after sleeping on the problem, I woke this morning and in my gut I feel that this thing with not putting the song out in the UK is not down to Mika at all.

But this could seriously damage him over here, because it would seem he doesn't care about the UK now and he could loose fans because of this. But even though he's done stuff in France and is so popular there, I can't imagine he would purposely ignore the UK. He's not daft, he knows how important it is to be popular here, and in the USA too. He wouldn't ignore the country who gave him his start. There has to be something else behind this. That's what I think anyway

 

After reading your post I think you can have right, because it seems strange that he would release his single in France but not in the UK. Does anyone even know when it will be released in the rest of the world?

It could damage him a lot, people who aren't fans they forget fast, you don't remember artists if their songs aren't played on the radio, and it would just be stupid of him to ruin the status he has in the UK and be forgotten! I mean if a Swedish artist would start to care more about Denmark or some other country we would reject that artist, forgotten him/her and repress the memory of him/her. Out of sight, out of mind...

[robertina]

@sariflor

totally agree on:

- tropicana by wham

- performing new song 1st time at a private gig

- his outfit

 

exactly my thoughts too!

[Lilasko]

I don’t feel monotony – in fact, the opposite, a kind of unrest Droopsy mentioned, out of which some tranquil moments give relief now and then. Both the rhythm and the melody are unpredictable and shapeless, so that’s totally the opposite of monotony, IMO. I actually think this song is about someone giving relief to the other one who is depressed and perhaps even drugged.

 

I don't think the verses are monotonous, but the refrain is because I want the voice to sing 'all I wanna do is make you happy' with more feelings, and when it doesn't I feel restless almost frustrated... But I think the song has a lot of feelings in it, and I actually do like it after listening to it and tried to figure out the meaning of the song. It isn't a happy song...

I think the song is about someone who doesn't think he loves her, but he do and he's trying to show her that the world do love her. And I think you can be right, I get the feeling that the one he's singing it to is depressed or in some way don't feel physically well. She/he has given up on the world.

[suzie]

@Lilasko @Marilyn yes, that's what I keep thinking, too, especially that someone mentioned earlier either that 'Celebrate' will not be released in UK until later in the year. So I really don't understand what is going on but it would be good for Mika to take his head out of the sand and explain what happened. There is no way a UK artist holds album review parties and launches first single in France only / first.

I can see he is still signed with Casablanca but in terms of distributing his record he may no longer have a worldwide deal ( ? ) or they'll use France as a test market for the first single, trying to repeat the success of EMD What his fans may perceive as him suddenly having transformed himself into a French artist over the last year may simply have business reasons behind.

[suzie]

I think the song has a lot of feelings in it, and I actually do like it after listening to it and tried to figure out the meaning of the song.

 

Yes, that's partly why I find MYH much more appealing than the single they chose to release. It is open to interpretations and complex in the musical format as well. Unfortunately, the assumption is that these characteristics won't make it suitable as a single, so he comes back with a song that fits the production line. I hope at least it will go according to plans.

[krysady]

@Lilasko @Marilyn yes, that's what I keep thinking, too, especially that someone mentioned earlier either that 'Celebrate' will not be released in UK until later in the year. So I really don't understand what is going on but it would be good for Mika to take his head out of the sand and explain what happened. There is no way a UK artist holds album review parties and launches first single in France only / first.

I can see he is still signed with Casablanca but in terms of distributing his record he may no longer have a worldwide deal ( ? ) or they'll use France as a test market for the first single, trying to repeat the success of EMD What his fans may perceive as him suddenly having transformed himself into a French artist over the last year may simply have business reasons behind.

 

Maybe Celebrate is only for France,and they will release a more powerful single for the international market?

[Anney]

After reading the posts on here I´m getting slightly worried too. It so weird indeed to release celebrate in just france and I wonder what effect it will have that MYH has been released before time. How is his advertising going to work out with such confusing circumstances ?

 

didn´t like his outfit on the secret gig btw. seriously meeks?

[Anney]

Maybe Celebrate is only for France,and they will release a more powerful single for the international market?

 

I thought celebrate was the first single on the album?? or did I get it wrong?

[krysady]

I thought celebrate was the first single on the album?? or did I get it wrong?

 

I have no idea I thought EMD was the first single on the album??

[mari62]

It reminds me of

 

Holiday by Madonna

I gotta feeling by Black Eyed Peas

Home by Boublè

 

[Anney]

I have no idea I thought EMD was the first single on the album??

 

really? so it´ll be released on each cd? I thought it´s just for the french-speaking countries?

 

(why is everything so confusing?)

[krysady]

really? so it´ll be released on each cd? I thought it´s just for the french-speaking countries?

 

(why is everything so confusing?)

 

I've read on the reviews from yesterday that it will be an english version of EMD as well.

 

(very confusing,indeed )

[Anney]

I've read on the reviews from yesterday that it will be an english version of EMD as well.

 

(very confusing,indeed )

 

wow. had no idea. thanks.

wonder when mika himself will explain the whole lot

[Lilasko]

@Lilasko @Marilyn yes, that's what I keep thinking, too, especially that someone mentioned earlier either that 'Celebrate' will not be released in UK until later in the year. So I really don't understand what is going on but it would be good for Mika to take his head out of the sand and explain what happened. There is no way a UK artist holds album review parties and launches first single in France only / first.

I can see he is still signed with Casablanca but in terms of distributing his record he may no longer have a worldwide deal ( ? ) or they'll use France as a test market for the first single, trying to repeat the success of EMD What his fans may perceive as him suddenly having transformed himself into a French artist over the last year may simply have business reasons behind.

 

Yes maybe there's business reason behind, but the I think he should be straight forward and explain why he released the single on the French market, explain the situation, and I really hope it's not because he's trying to repeat the success with EMD. Because if that's the answer I feel betrayed and sad, like Mika have loosen all he's hope in us (the other countries) and don't trust that the single can success in the rest of Europe. He wanted to do something new and then you can't play safe.

 

Maybe Celebrate is only for France,and they will release a more powerful single for the international market?

I hope not! I don't want to have any sort of special treatment, or that France get it.

 

I thought celebrate was the first single on the album?? or did I get it wrong?

 

No, I thought so too, but since he only have released it in France I don't know

[Lilasko]

I've read on the reviews from yesterday that it will be an english version of EMD as well.

 

(very confusing,indeed )

 

It is indeed

but then will we in non-French countries get the French EMD?

[mari62]

It was mentioned here and I was chatting to some people last night who were thinking it may be about Paloma/his family and how he escaped to Montreal to write some songs, etc. I am hearing "we are not like this forever" (although like Deb I keep hearing different things on these two lines so I don't know ). If so I wonder if he is talking about getting past the crisis and celebrating life and the future, etc.

 

Of course it could be a song about simply being happy, like Love Today.

 

I was really hoping he would talk about it today but it sounds like it was a pointless interview. Maybe later he'll discuss it in some later interviews today.

I thought of Paloma as well: when you have almost lost someone, you want to celebrate life itself, despite all the problems.

That's why I like the song so much, it's very meaningful and encouraging to me.

It's simple, but deep at the same time: it's about important basic life values, which we might take for granted: home, family, gratitude for being alive.

 

Maybe I'm imagining things, too and it's just a commercial party summer hit, but IMO there's way more than that.

 

The song gives me warm, intimate, comforting positive vibes.

Edited June 16, 2012 by mari62

[DerMoment1608]

@Lilasko @Marilyn yes, that's what I keep thinking, too, especially that someone mentioned earlier either that 'Celebrate' will not be released in UK until later in the year.

 

Personally I don't think it's a bad move. It seems like the UK media sees Mika as a one-hit-wonder, one of the artists which no one is interested now anymore, so the don't play him / recognize him... Radios choose the songs they think the audience wants to hear. And for me it seems like they think "no one wants to hear Mika anymore, it's not cool anymore", so they wouldn't play him even if they think the song is good.

 

So, if "Celebrate" becomes a huge hit in France they can see, that a lot of people love the new song. So it's more likely they choose to play it if they like it because they see it appeals to people.

[Christine]

I am definitely getting a Club Tropicana and Holiday vibe from the song, especially the opening.

 

I really hope someone knows what they are doing regarding these single releases. It seems a bit odd to me having two songs floating around the internet before there's any talk of a single in the UK, holding record listening parties for the press when the album is not even complete yet, etc.

 

I guess I tend to agree with DerMoment that they are rushing this single to France the way they rushed EMD last summer and are hoping for the same result.

 

Someone in the UK was telling me that they can't see Radio 1 playing this song and it would go to Radio 2 (at best). If that's the case then I hope they've got another single ready for the UK and they say "later in the year" for Celebrate because it will be the second single.

[Lilasko]

Personally I don't think it's a bad move. It seems like the UK media sees Mika as a one-hit-wonder, one of the artists which no one is interested now anymore, so the don't play him / recognize him... Radios choose the songs they think the audience wants to hear. And for me it seems like they think "no one wants to hear Mika anymore, it's not cool anymore", so they wouldn't play him even if they think the song is good.

 

So, if "Celebrate" becomes a huge hit in France they can see, that a lot of people love the new song. So it's more likely they choose to play it if they like it because they see it appeals to people.

 

I actually don't think that that is the case. I think the radio stations don't play him anymore because they have forgotten him, and I don't think it helps if Celebrate becomes a big hit in France 'cause EMD did but it was only played a few times on Swedish radio, at a radio station that does not play mainstream songs and only like 2 am in the night. And the fact that it wasn't played on Swedish radio is because it's in French but also because of the fact that Swedish radio only play songs from USA and UK barely anything else.

That's why I think releasing the single only in France is a really bad idea, don't think it will help the song, at least not in Sweden...

[DerMoment1608]

I don't think it helps if Celebrate becomes a big hit in France 'cause EMD did but it was only played a few times on Swedish radio, at a radio station that does not play mainstream songs and only like 2 am in the night.

 

I think it's not the same with EMD and Celebrate, because EMD is in French and wasn't marketed in the UK or other countries. This song was only for the French market.

 

I think the radio stations don't play him anymore because they have forgotten him

 

But you can they "hello, I'm still here and have great new songs" in two different ways: "Hello, look that's my new single Celebrate, I hope you will play it" or "Hello, look that's my new single Celebrate, it's already number one in France". And I think the last one is much more effective

[Lilasko]

Yes, that's partly why I find MYH much more appealing than the single they chose to release. It is open to interpretations and complex in the musical format as well. Unfortunately, the assumption is that these characteristics won't make it suitable as a single, so he comes back with a song that fits the production line. I hope at least it will go according to plans.

 

I agree with you, and I think they released the right song. Even if MYH is good it wouldn't have been sutibal as a single at least not if you want it to be played at the bigger radio stations. Can imagine MYH to be played on the radio but only at one station...

[Tannu]

Sounds new

[suzie]

Radios choose the songs they think the audience wants to hear. And for me it seems like they think "no one wants to hear Mika anymore, it's not cool anymore", so they wouldn't play him even if they think the song is good.

 

So, if "Celebrate" becomes a huge hit in France they can see, that a lot of people love the new song. So it's more likely they choose to play it if they like it because they see it appeals to people.

 

In theory I agree with you. However, what audience wants to hear in France may be significantly different than what audience wants to hear in the UK. In France, an elderly singer basically branded Mika as a kids' entertainer at one of the awards shows this year, that's the vibe they get from him / EMD. So do they want to transition success with that type of image to the UK? I personally don't think it would work

and here is the reason why:

 

Someone in the UK was telling me that they can't see Radio 1 playing this song and it would go to Radio 2 (at best). If that's the case then I hope they've got another single ready for the UK and they say "later in the year" for Celebrate because it will be the second single.

The UK is is tricky market as you need to show a level of innovativity and act nonchalant to be considered 'cool' on the music scene - or you need to conform fully - music, lyrics and image. Mika does neither at the moment and with 'Celbrate' he can only choose the second path.

 

Swedish radio only play songs from USA and UK barely anything else.

That's why I think releasing the single only in France is a really bad idea, don't think it will help the song, at least not in Sweden...

it is the same across Europe, I guess, that's why the UK market is key.

[Marilyn Mastin]

@Lilasko @Marilyn yes, that's what I keep thinking, too, especially that someone mentioned earlier either that 'Celebrate' will not be released in UK until later in the year. So I really don't understand what is going on but it would be good for Mika to take his head out of the sand and explain what happened. There is no way a UK artist holds album review parties and launches first single in France only / first.

I can see he is still signed with Casablanca but in terms of distributing his record he may no longer have a worldwide deal ( ? ) or they'll use France as a test market for the first single, trying to repeat the success of EMD What his fans may perceive as him suddenly having transformed himself into a French artist over the last year may simply have business reasons behind.

Yes, I'm wondering if they're trying it out in France. But I do think it would do well there. I'm wondering though, if they're guaging reactions to Celebrate, in case they decide to put out a different song.

But it's all so confusing, and if it's confusing for us, what must it be like for Mika! If I was him I wouldn't hardly know what day it is.

I suggested on the Lovebox gig thread (although I won't be there) that maybe fans could hold up the two letters O and K, or put them on a poster to encourage him. Because he must be wondering how the UK are taking the fact that the song won't be out yet, and if I was him, I'd be worried about it.

But I do think he should tell us what's going on. We're not going to think less of him. No matter what we, as individuals, think of one song, or the other song. Whether we like one, and are not quite as keen on the other, what we all agree on is that we love Mika, and want him to know that and trust us about that.