Dizzee Rascal - 'Holiday'
Post categories: Reviews
|16:31 UK time, Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Oh, the irony. Here I am, about to write a review of a song called 'Holiday' (which incidentally is where Fraser is this week) and not only is it raining outside, but I am stuck in bed, ill, feeling very sorry for myself and very bitter that I have to write about such a subject. Hmmm... not the best start to a review, is it?
So, bitterly, I press play and, bitterly, I listen to Dizzee Rascal's new track. In an instant I am taken back. I'm taken back to the festival from the weekend just gone; I'm taken back to last month's Cyprus break; I'm taken out of this flipping bed and taken well and truly on a little holiday of my own. There is no bitterness and there are no snotty tissues (ming). In fact, the experience is a lot like that exotic juice advert where the working girl is whisked away to a tropical paradise, but there are way less men in sarongs here (never a good look).
(Here's the vid. It's a bit of a bikini fest...)
'Holiday' is Dizzee Rascal's third big attempt at mainstream-osity and whilst it's a rather barefaced effort in that it's clearly capitalising off the success of the 'Dance Wiv Me' sound (I mean, it's even produced by Calvin Harris), this doesn't stop it being a great, fun, summer tune that'll fill floors everywhere. Blurring the boundaries between dance and rap, this song escalates into a massive rave-off; move over Venga Boys because Dizzee makes "we're going Ibiza" cool again.
The lyrics are one of the best bits about the song. Largely self aware with a good dose of irony, my favourites are: "Don't judge my passport photo, I know I look local" and "When we get there they're strictly VIP/No ID, security know me", which do well to mock those oh-so-serious holiday songs by artists such as J.LO and Mariah Carey.
'Holiday' is a totally cheesy but totally harmless, fun song. It's designed to give people that are on holiday a great excuse to dance madly and us folks back home in Britain who need that holiday an even greater one. This song hasn't got the explosive feel that 'Bonkers' has and thus it doesn't have the same sense of longevity, but what it does have is a very now feel (not least because this song wouldn't have worked so well in November...)
Looking out the window now as i reach the end of this review, I'm amazed to see it has stopped raining and that the sun is trying to peep through the clouds. But then, maybe I shouldn't be that surprised - after all, this has officially been Dizzee's summer and this song is a little ray of sunshine.
Download: Out now
CD Released: August 31st
https://www.dizzeerascal.co.uk/
BBC Music page
(Vicki Lutas)
Comment number 1.
At 14:00 26th Aug 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:You hit the nail on the head when you said "'Holiday' is Dizzee Rascal's third big attempt at mainstream-osity and whilst it's a rather barefaced effort in that it's clearly capitalising off the success of the 'Dance Wiv Me' sound (I mean, it's even produced by Calvin Harris)".
However I believe that this does actually stop it being good. I get bored of the same kind of sort quite quickly.
I miss the old Dizzee Rascal :(
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Comment number 2.
At 15:20 26th Aug 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:Yeah, I don't really like this song either! Dizzee Rascal just has such a brash voice that is suited to rap, but not dance music.
That said I hated 'Bonkers' when I first heard it until it became the anthem of the Summer and it eventually grew on me! No doubt if 'Holiday' gets as much airplay as 'Bonkers', it will probably become so hammered into my head that I won't get enough it.
Dizzee is some form of genius!
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Comment number 3.
At 15:55 26th Aug 2009, Daniel wrote:I'm not a big fan of this song either. The chorus just doesn't have the same massive hook that Bonkers and Dance Wiv Me had and the lyrics are so-so.
The worst being: And I'll never let your belly get empty. Even when your belly's full you're still sexy.
Why are we talking about bellies here?
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Comment number 4.
At 17:15 26th Aug 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:Exactly Dannyboy_! I dunno but the word belly somehow makes me feel sick! Not one bit sexy at all!
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Comment number 5.
At 18:57 26th Aug 2009, CurtainJerker wrote:Um... doesn't he say
"Don't judge my passport photo, I know I look LOCO"?
I think this makes a bit more sense. And actually rhymes.
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Comment number 6.
At 19:28 26th Aug 2009, Daniel wrote:Yeah he does. I was thinking that earlier when it came on 4Music.
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Comment number 7.
At 20:02 26th Aug 2009, spirit wrote:Well apart from the obvious lyrical mishap , that review by Vicki is excellent , and almost makes me wanna swoon out loud !
Holiday has got a real in your face charm that is gonna give DIZZEE RASCAL his third number 1 in a row !!
The Calvin Harris production that builds to it's inevitable ravey finale is pure pop heaven !!
I said this song was going to number 1 , all the way back on the JLS review for Beat Again.
While not as ground- breaking or spectacular as BONKERS , this song will help DIZZEE'S album TONGUE N CHEEK , become his biggest selling album by the end of the year .
Fix up !
Look sharp !
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Comment number 8.
At 20:47 26th Aug 2009, Vicki wrote:ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT... I made a mistake with the lyrics... I blame it on the dizzy spells. Or should that be 'dizzee'? ;)
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Comment number 9.
At 23:16 26th Aug 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Its not going to number one :)
(Ive not looked at midweek sales. Im just hoping)
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Comment number 10.
At 14:55 27th Aug 2009, keithfusco wrote:Hew Dannyboi.
Bellies are sexy, that's why he's talking about them.
Lol.
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Comment number 11.
At 15:02 27th Aug 2009, spirit wrote:Liam , I could have said number one for this weeks ago ! lol
Your hoping isn't working .
All the tabloids are even saying it now , and Radio 1 DJ'S .
On the plus side , both you and RANDOM ENIGMA , are saying that it won't !
Now who will the neutrals believe ? lol lol lol
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Comment number 12.
At 15:07 27th Aug 2009, Daniel wrote:Aw, Lutas. Get well soon!
Woah, I've never seen a 'Hew' in the Chartblog before haha. I'm not sure the Southerns will understand!
She's a pretty sexy lass in that video, wouldn't mind her belly one bit if I'm honest
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Comment number 13.
At 15:08 27th Aug 2009, spirit wrote:Now here's some exclusive DIZZEE RASCAL news that I have been given the green light to say ..
His next single , out in NOVEMBER , will be DIRTY CASH , A COVER OF THE 199O , THE ADVENTURES OF STEVIE V, top five hit !
But if that wasn't enough ! His next single after that , out in early 2010 is scheduled to be a collaboration with...........
THE PRODIGY !
Now , does that sound exciting or what ?
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Comment number 14.
At 16:05 27th Aug 2009, keithfusco wrote:Haha, we'll have to add some extra's hew's whenever we can, just to bring some North-East into the place.
See, the little rascal is doing good for himself, talking about bellies and having some fitties with nice bellies in the video. Can't be bad, hew!
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Comment number 15.
At 18:42 28th Aug 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:Wow Dizzee Rascal and The Prodigy together! I am excited!!!
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Comment number 16.
At 18:58 28th Aug 2009, spirit wrote:Me too !
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Comment number 17.
At 18:51 30th Aug 2009, spirit wrote:DIZZEE RASCAL is NUMBER 1 !!!!
Randy , Liam , anything you wanna say ?
lol lol lol
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Comment number 18.
At 23:42 30th Aug 2009, RandomEnigma wrote:Well, he's not Number 1 in my country so HA!
lol!!
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Comment number 19.
At 11:02 31st Aug 2009, Jonny705 wrote:Wow, thespiritwarrior... I so hope you are serious. That would be epic.
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Comment number 20.
At 14:16 31st Aug 2009, spirit wrote:Of course I am serious .
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Comment number 21.
At 00:30 1st Sep 2009, BloggingLiam wrote:Get out.
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