ROXETTE - THE LOOK

Publicació: 12 de gener de 1989

Llistes : Regne Unit: #7   EUA: #1 (1 setmana)

"The Look" és una cançó del duo pop suec Roxette. Va ser llançada a principis de 1989 com a senzill del seu segon àlbum d'estudi, "Look Sharp!". Es va convertir en un èxit internacional, i va ser un dels senzills amb més èxit de l’any. Va encapçalar les llistes de 25 països i va ser el primer dels seus quatre números 1 al Billboard Hot 100.

Gessle va explicar a la revista Billboard la història darrere de la cançó: "Volia escriure una cançó del tipus ZZ Top. Al final va resultar ser una cosa totalment diferent, cosa que sempre sol passar. Mai vaig pensar que seria una gran cançó. La vaig treballar durant un parell de mesos abans de tocar-la per a Marie i Clarence Ofwerman, el nostre productor. Tots dos van dir: ‘Això és el millor que has fet en molts anys: hem de gravar-ho’." Gessle a la demo original: "Estava intentant barrejar un ambient de ball amb guitarres potents. La vaig escrire per a Marie, però sonava terrible quan la va provar. Necessita més melodia perquè es pugui gaudir correctament la seva fabulosa veu! Sempre, per instint, vam optar per singles on Marie feia la veu principal. Quan vam sentir a parlar que una cançó s’estava emitint als EUA vam pensar de seguida que era 'Dressed For Success' o 'Listen To Your Heart' la que triomfava. La gran sorpresa per a tots nosaltres és que era 'The Look'. Badabam!"

Aquesta cançó tracta sobre una dona que és alhora atractiva físicament i captivadora pel que fa a la seva personalitat i aura. El tema la descriu com a poderosa i irresistible, amb trets que remarquen la seva atracció juvenil i el seu costat més salvatge, que la fan emocionant i seductora. La lletra suggereix que la dona està segura de si mateixa, simbolitzat per les frases "walking like a man, hitting like a hammer" (camina com un home, colpeja com un martell). La tornada repeteix la frase "she's got the look" per emfatitzar com l'aspecte i la personalitat d'aquesta dona és el que la fa destacar i atraure la gent. A més, la lletra "what in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue?" (Què pot fer que els ulls marrons d’una noia es tornin blaus?) suggereix que, tot i que sembli impecable, també pot sentir dolor i tristesa. El pont instrumental de la cançó mostra encara més el poder i la força de la dona, amb un fort ritme de bateria i riffs de guitarra. "The Look" mostra una dona que traspua confiança, atractiu sexual i una personalitat magnètica.

El vídeo va provocar certa controvèrsia per mostrar a Fredriksson tocant la guitarra mentre estava asseguda en un vàter (completament vestida, amb la tapa tancada). "La van prohibir en alguns llocs dels Estats Units i no volien possar-la per això", va dir Gessle al bloc de música I Like Your Old Stuff. "Crec que hi ha una versió sense aquesta escena, perquè alguns països no la volien posar. És una bogeria".

ROXETTE - THE LOOK

Released : January 12, 1989

Charted:  UK: #7   US: #1 (1 week)

"The Look" is a song by Swedish pop duo Roxette. It was released in early 1989 as a single from their 1988 second studio album, “Look Sharp!”. It became an international hit, and was one of the most successful singles of 1989. It topped the charts in 25 countries, and was the first of their four number ones on the Billboard Hot 100.

Gessle gave Billboard magazine the story behind the song: "I wanted to write a ZZ Top-type of song. It turned out to be something totally different in the end, which is always the case. I never really thought it would be a big song. I had it around for a couple of months before I played it for Marie and Clarence Ofwerman, our producer. They both said, 'This is the best thing you've done in ages - you have to record it.'" Gessle on the original demo: "I was trying to mix a 'dance-vibe' with powerful guitars. It was written for Marie but it sounded terrible when she tried it out. She needs 'bigger' melodies so you can hear her fab voice properly! We always, by instinct, went for singles where Marie did the lead vox. When we heard about the airplay in the US we instantly thought it was 'Dressed For Success' or 'Listen To Your Heart' that started to happen. Big surprise to all of us that it was 'The Look.' Badabam!"

This is a song about a woman who is both physically attractive and captivating in terms of her personality and aura. The track describes her as powerful and irresistible, with traits such as being a "juvenile scam" and a "wild dog" that make her exciting and alluring. The lyrics suggest that the woman is confident and self-assured, symbolized by the lines "walking like a man, hitting like a hammer." The chorus repeats the phrase "she's got the look" to emphasize how this woman's appearance and personality are what makes her stand out and draw people in. Additionally, the lyrics "what in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue?" suggest that even though she may seem flawless, she too can feel pain and sadness.

The song's instrumental bridge further showcases the woman's power and strength, with a heavy drum beat and guitar riffs. "The Look" celebrates a woman who exudes confidence, sex appeal, and a magnetic personality.

The video caused some controversy for showing Fredriksson playing the guitar while sitting on a toilet (fully clothed, with the lid closed). "It was banned in some places in the United States and they didn't want to play it because of that," Gessle told the music blog I Like Your Old Stuff. "I think there's actually a version without that scene in it, because some countries didn't want to play it. It's crazy."