Friday 24 April 2009

Maxi Priest Featuring Shaggy 'That Girl'

Chart Peak: 15

YouTube

I don't know if there's a name for that little subset of pop music where men warn or console each other about the beautiful but dangerous woman. Whatever you call it though, this song seems to want to join the likes of 'Runaround Sue', 'Poison Ivy' and, er, 'Easy Lover'. Of course, it's closest of all to the latter since it's an all-star duo. This turned out to be Maxi Priest's last major UK hit, although it appears somewhere in the middle of Shaggy's on-off chart career.

The trouble is, it all feels a little too low-key. No prizes for recognising the sample from 'Green Onions', but the singing rather precludes the laid-back vibe that the original sometimes gives off. At the same time, sticking rigidly to the original tempo seems to keep the song from taking on a life of its own: Priest's sung sections work out OK, but Shaggy seems a bit lost trying to fit his usual lascivious act over the top of this. It's pleasant enough but it doesn't seem to gel somehow.

Maxi Priest also appears on: Now 12, 25 (with Shabba Ranx)
Shaggy also appears on: Now 24, 31 (with Rayvon), 32, 33 (with Grand Puba), 48 (with Rikrok), 51 (with Ali G)
Available on: The Best of Maxi Priest

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