It’s a little bit hard to complain about the break-up of Outkast, since André 3000 (André Benjamin) and Big Boi (Antwan Patton) have both gone on to be stellar solo artists, but still… they were soooooo gooooood together. Back in 1996, a friend gave me Outkast’s ATLiens album as a birthday present. The “Dirty South” sound still hadn’t really broken into the mainstream, and I had not yet heard of Outkast. Although I really loved ATLiens, I didn’t become a fully-converted Outkast fanatic until a few years later when Stankonia was released.
Stankonia was my jam. (Still is.) In fact, I’d put it in the top 2 or 3 albums of the 2000’s. Each time I listen to it again, I wish Outkast would get back together for just one more. There isn’t a single weak track on Stankonia. Every one of them holds up just as well today as they did at the turn of the century. If you do not own or are not familiar with Stankonia, please stop reading now and correct that existential error. Then, listen to it 2000 more times.
[Plot twist!]
My pick for today isn’t from Stankonia. Instead, I’m picking a track from the 2003 double-album Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, because it highlights an Outkast talent that I really miss the most. André 3000 and Big Boi were masterful musicians and storytellers, but they also had a way of sneaking in a bit of wink-wink humor that was not only refreshing, but often ingenious. So, I’m picking one of their best of that ilk, “Roses.” Here it is:
Admit it, we all know a “Caroline,” that certain someone who like to think her sh*t don’t stink. She’s the reason for the word “bitch,” André 3000 tells us, before launching into an epic smash up of ultra-petty fantasy lyrics to elaborate Just. How. Extra. Caroline. Is.
Ihopesshe’sspeedingonthewaytotheclub /
tryingtohurryuptogettosomeballerorsingerorsomebodylikethat /
andtrytoputonhermakeupinthemirror /
and crash, crash, craaaaaash into a ditch!
(Just kidding!)
Now, that’s some extra extra. Caroline was Becky-ing before #Becky, and I often wish Outkast was still together so we could all have the benefit of their translation of this current funhouse-mirror world we’re living in, where almost everything really smells like poo-poo-poo.
Runners-up for #30DaySongChallenge, Day 27:
[I’m only picking Outkast songs for runners-up. That’s how much I wish they were still together!]