1001 Songs Challenge #921: All the Things She Said (2002)

On 11 February 2019 I set myself the challenge of reading 1001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery (ed.) and following the book’s advice to the letter. I’ve previously read 1001 Films… and started 1001 Albums… but felt 1001 Songs… would be a sensible place to start for what I have in mind here.

My challenge is to read about one song per day and listen to it (YouTube and Spotify, I need you tonight!) before sharing my own thoughts. Some songs I will love, others I’ll hate, and I’m sure there will be those that leave me perplexed but listen to them I shall.

I’ll also try, and most likely fail, to pinpoint the best song from the 1001 on offer but I’m nothing if not foolhardy. Instead of one song, I’m predicting I’ll have about 100 favourites by the end and may have to resort to a Top 10 so far to maintain any semblance of sanity.

So long as I post every day (including Christmas) then this challenge should come to an end on Wednesday 8 November 2021. Staying with the Barney Stinson theme I am hoping that the whole experience will prove to be… legendary!

 

 t.A.T.u. – All the Things She Said (2002)

 

 

We’re leaving the US today, dear reader, and making our way over to Moscow in Russia. Lena Katina and Julia Volkova began their careers in children’s group, Neposedy, before both being selected by producer, Ivan Shapovalov, for a project he entitled t.A.T.u. A musical duo that began in 1999, we join them in 2002 with the release of their second album – 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane and from there 1001 Songs have gone with the track, All the Things She Said.  

All the Things She Said caused a lot of controversy on initial release. The song itself is from the perspective of a girl who has clearly fallen for another girl but she comes across as uncertain and even confused about these new feelings she is exploring. All that said, she wants to be alone with this other girl, preferably somewhere on their travels where no one can bother them. Although this sounds like a pleasant love song, the narrator is concerned they are losing their mind. These new emotions are clearly taking their toll and perhaps the narrator is fearful of how others will react to her potentially being gay.

This is a very familiar track to me. I remember this playing on the radio when I was still at university so we are talking a while ago now. The song’s controversy came with the duo in the music video kissing when both were still underage. That didn’t stop this being a big success in Europe, topping the charts in the UK. The duo continued until 2011 when they went their separate ways to pursue solo careers, though reunions have happened since then.

 

Favourite songs so far:

The Animals – House of the Rising Sun (1964)

Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence (1965)

The Beatles – A Day in the Life (1967)

The Doors – The End (1967)

Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here (1975)

Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell (1977)

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car (1988)

U2 – One (1991)

Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (1994)

Radiohead – Paranoid Android (1997)