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Cheryl Cole - 'Fight For This Love'

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Fraser McAlpine | 09:32 UK time, Wednesday, 14 October 2009

Cheryl Cole

It's hard to know how to feel when a member of a group you really like strikes out on their own. On the one hand, you want them to be successful enough that they don't embarrass themselves. On the other, you don't want them to be SO successful that they decide to stick with the solo thing permanently and not go back to the day job.

Basically, you want them to have an average amount of success - which is handy in this case, because Cheryl's first post-Girls Aloud single is deeply average.

Champagne, anyone?

(. In which every outfit is astonishing and breathtaking, but for a variety of different reasons.)

In Cheryl's favour, she's obviously made an effort to record something that sounds different from the stuff she'd be making with Girls Aloud, and as a result this solo effort is an interesting pop/dance/R&B hybrid, which actually suits her rather well, style-wise. It's just a shame it's not stronger.

The best thing about the song is the bridge, which is sassy but vulnerable at the same time, and underpinned by a sweet melody, but the rest of the song can't match up: the verses are sluggish, and Cheryl sounds like she's been autotuned to within an inch of her life.

Sadly, the chorus is mundane and overly repetitive, and doesn't even really sound like Cheryl is singing it. It's bad enough when the singers she mentors on The X Factor end up drowned out by their own invisible backing singers, but quite how it managed to happen here, I don't know.

It's a shame, really, because Cheryl's a talented woman who's been a driving force in one of the best pop groups of recent years, and with her profile currently as high as it is, there really shouldn't be anything stopping her from becoming a pop megastar in her own right.

I'm not even sure that this will stop her either, it's just a shame she's been let down by such sub-standard material.

Two starsDownload: Out now
CD Released: October 19th

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(Steve Perkins)

Comments

  • Comment number 1.

    Everything about me screams hate this record, but I cant. I hate a repetative corcus.. I hate people who cant sing hiding in pop bands ... I hate the auto tuning unless its done as obviously as Kanye West .. I hate the backing singers taking over .. I hate the stupid Disney style message in the corus ...

    Yet I cant stop liking this song. Argh.

    Number 1.

  • Comment number 2.

    Really disagree with overall review. I loved this track the first time I hear it and it bears many repeated listenings without diminishing its appeal.It succeeds on many levels and is incredibly catchy and memorable. It's poignant and uplifting at the same time. Yes, you could say its over-produced but I like its multi-tracked and auto tuned pop sheen.You can still hear the character in Cheryl's voice I'm hoping the Moto Blanco remix is included on the single which covers the dance base too.Four and a half Stars.

  • Comment number 3.

    its a shame shes going to pre-record her performance for the x-factor this weekend, im sure she would have been fine singing live? at least she'l get a number 1 from it

  • Comment number 4.

    She said on Chris Moyles that due to her costume and the setting of the stage (she remained mysterious, though who knows if that was just her ...) she didnt have time to perform AND be a judge.

    Nothing wrong with pre-recording.. can still sing "live" and do it. Seem to remember Little Miss Cyrus pre-recording, but performing and making Britney look amateur.

  • Comment number 5.

    This song certainly gets better with each listen .
    There are some really good melodies in this song , and it sounds modern.
    This song will appeal hugely to Cheryl's young fans.
    She looks fantastic in the video , the chorus is strong and memorable , and the verse leads well into the bridge.
    It has strong radio and TV support , and her pre-recorded slot on X-Factor which has a huge viewing audience , will boost interest and sales enormously !

    The only thing that lets the song down for me is the lyrics.
    I know it has symbolism to her personal life , but it reallty is a shame when EVERY single line in this song contains a lyrical CLICHE !!

    CLICHE ! CLICHE ! CLICHE !

    I have never heard a modern song in which every single line has a well used phrase in it . Try listening to it with this in mind , it's really amazing.
    Cliche after cliche.
    Having said that , it is destined to be a very big hit !

    P.S I was going to list all the cliches in the song , but I am going out in 5 hours , so I won't have time .


    P.P.S First person to post the correct number of separate cliches in this song , wins an " I SLEPT WITH THRANJAX " T - shirt ...

    Happy counting !

  • Comment number 6.

    I was listening at work & didn't know it know it was Mrs Cole, all I thought was decent tune, will be a big hit. Fraser is a typical critic who cannot be seen to admire anything popular, just my 2p

  • Comment number 7.

    But Danno, this song was reviewed by Steve?

  • Comment number 8.

    Yep , it's gonna be a very big hit , but to get to number 1 , it will have to outsell Young Soul Rebels AND Alexandra Burke's second weeks sales figures, which I reckon will still be extremely high , so don't uncork the champagne just yet , you Number 1 predictors .

  • Comment number 9.

    'Cheryl's a talented woman, who's been the driving force in one of the best pop groups of recent years'

    Right...

    1) I like Girls Aloud, but Cheryl always came across to me as the pose-and-look-pretty member.
    2)Talented? Seriously? It's autotuned and she STILL sounds out of tune in the verses. Note: 'Love ain't no walk in the park'. Painful.

    Don't get me wrong, I do like Cheryl. I think she's grown up in recent years and become a good role model. I mock her talent, but she works well in the band; most girl groups need members like her to be successful. She isn't the driving force though. She didn't plan the tours, the image, the songs, the advertising. Keisha Buchanan is (or was *blub*) a better example of a driving force than her.

    I gave up counting for cliches.
    'Now everyday ain't gonna be no picnic'
    I like it when people use kooky terminolgy but COME ON.








    picnic?

  • Comment number 10.

    Ha ha Vicki love it .

    I find it mildly amusing when Fraser gets grief for reviews that you , Grant OR Steve have written .

    Priceless ! lol

  • Comment number 11.

    Love it MOZ.

    My favourite is

    "Can't be afraid of the dark . "

    So enLIGHTening !

  • Comment number 12.

    It's a 'nice' song.

    I just can't help feeling it needs something extra, either go a bit more big and orchestral with it or stick a funky disco beat behind it and it would be awesome.

  • Comment number 13.

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.

  • Comment number 14.

    Well perhaps this review should have gone under Steve's name ? But I humbly offer my unreversed apology to Fraser in that case:)

  • Comment number 15.

    Don't you worry, Danno, it's fairly common. Steve's like a guest reviewer, and I have yet to find a way to adequately telegraph that he wrote the review, short of writing his name at the bottom.

    I don't really mind the flak either. Everyone's entitled to an opinion!

  • Comment number 16.

    Chipmunk got 4 stars from Fraser. It was popular enough to go to number 1... that not good enough for you?

  • Comment number 17.

    spot on review frase, falling asleep during the verses.. i thought silly people like danno had been educated by now? 'cannot be seen to admire anything popular'.. its chart music being reviewed... vast majority of its pop so of course there have been 5 stars awarded to pop songs.

    at least when i had a go way back then i had read some other reviews!

    new shakira album anyone?

  • Comment number 18.

    No thanks, I've already got one...Oh I SEE!

    Thanks Flatters. Glad you stuck around!

  • Comment number 19.

    Well,

    I don't like it.

    All the hype it was given gave me false hope and when I first heard it, I was definitely disappointed and wasn't sure what all the fuss was about. I kinda felt like I had to like it though, that I was missing something that made it so fantastic.

    I haven't found what's missing.

    It's a terrible song.

    LURVE AINT NO WALK IN THE PURRRRRRRK!!!

    Get back hiding behind Nicola, Cheryl and be quiet.

  • Comment number 20.

    Nicola ! Gorgeous !

  • Comment number 21.

    The song is dull. Even accepting that I'm not the target market, it's dull by chart-pop's own standards.

    However, the video is hilarious. Watching her try to dance reminds me of Gary Barlow in early Take That. She does have a charisma which works in Girls Aloud, but this type of American-style ensemble-dance-routine video does NOT work for her. It's way too Britney.

    I don't really see her as a solo pop star, myself. Being the most beautiful (and she is) isn't enough. Besides - and I won't pretend to know definitively - but isn't Nadine the strong voice in Girls Aloud?

  • Comment number 22.

    Oh, and I don't know if the vocals have just been messed with for effect or not, but given that we live in cynical and informed days, where everybody is well aware of Autotune and what it can do, it does tend to give the impression that she just couldn't hit the notes properly.

  • Comment number 23.

    This song was the second most heard song on UK radio last week , and with Cheryl's non - live appearance on X-FACTOR this weekend , this song is gonna be huge at retail .
    News reaches me that the reason why Cheryl was reluctant to sing live on X- factor is because of the other star that will be singing live , the same night.

    WHITNEY HOUSTON.

    Arguably one of the best female voices of all time .

    It would be like me Curtains and Liam forming a barber shop trio called BLOG AND JERK WITH SPIRIT, appearing on live t.v , and realising that we had to sing our latest single , after a performance by THE THREE TENORS .

    I am sure we would wanna mime !

  • Comment number 24.

    I just want everyone to know that I wanted our name to be "The Blogging Curtain Warriors", but I was outvoted.

    It's always the same in this bloody trio. We never sing any of my songs, either...

  • Comment number 25.

    Too right !

    Who has heard of a barber shop trio only singing OASIS and DELAYS covers ?

    We had to kick you in the central goodie every night , so that you could sound like Greg Gilbert's falsetto , and Liam , despite sharing the same name of Mr . Gallagher sounded more like PATSY KENSIT !

    We HAD to change !

  • Comment number 26.

    I am also glad that that our record company got us to change our original name of :

    SPIRIT JERKS LIAM WITH CURTAINS !

    That name sucked !

  • Comment number 27.

    MozFoz - I said that Cheryl was "talented", not that she's a great singer. Talent comes in many forms...

  • Comment number 28.

    Mhm I do love the curtains.

    It pains me to say (Simon quote I know) but Cheryl was fantastic on saturday. Her vocal was great (shakey first verse) and the performance as a whole was pretty epic. Hated the costume but she did look good. Im very surprised. Also ... cant get the song out my head. Number 1 for sure (as I said in comment .. who knows but I said it!!)

    Whitney on the other hand was a bit of a state.

  • Comment number 29.

    Thoroughly enjoyed Cheryl's performance on X Factor last night. Its ironic that she put on a better show than Whitney if the reason she was initially reluctant to sing live, as Spirit said, was that she was going to be up against her.

  • Comment number 30.

    OK , time for me to spread some love and respect !

    Love to CHERYL COLE , for an absolutely fantastic "live " performance of this track on X-Factor last night. Absolutely first class.
    Cheryl , Simon and her management realised that for her integrity and reputation to still shine on this must-see programme , and as a professional performing artist , she HAD to sing and perform live.
    If she hadn't the fall out and repercussions may have proved too damaging, and have had far-reaching consequences.

    She made the RIGHT choice , and came out of this with immense respect , added kudos , and a PROBABLE number 1 single.

    On a side note , for me the new series of X-FACTOR is becoming compulsive viewing.
    Such a well made , programme ,the most watched show in the UK . and if you are able to forgive SIMON COWELL for the EOGHAN QUIGG album , then you gotta show him respect for masterminding such a fantastic programme , that has got a LOT of people talking .

    I actually think JOHN AND EDWARD are extremely entertaining!
    All that early "bullying" of them by certain members of the British public , was extremely out of order , and just made me like and support them even more !
    I know they are not the best singers , but I would rather watch their performance than a lot of the others . They ARE fun !

    I think DANYL JOHNSON is a future star , and has an amazing talent , and is a very good performer.
    STACY also has that lovely quality that the public will like.

    More respect for our very own BLOGGING LIAM.
    Comment 1 , saying that this song will go to number 1.
    Spot on, my friend !!
    Big up to Blatent lies and Kylie.
    Yep , some people can hear big songs that will appeal to a lot of other people.
    There is a skill and art in making predictions , and Liam , you have this skill . It's one thing , hearing yourself that a song is gonna be a big hit , but that ability to put yourself in the shoes of the great British PUBLIC , is another thing entirely and shows great understanding of music .(And this isn't the first time he's done it ! )

    Love to all !

  • Comment number 31.

    she really doesn't have a good voice at all.. made to look very average next to people with good voices..

  • Comment number 32.

    Hey! I found out where the cool military jacket is from which all the dancers are wearing with cheryl, its from

  • Comment number 33.

    Now almost certain to be number 1 after beating Alexandra Burke's first day sales figures and setting a fastest sales record so far this year.

  • Comment number 34.

    Shes hammering the charts with this one.

    Cheers Spirit, but Im afraid after reading that Im gonna be unable to fit my head through the door :)

  • Comment number 35.

    "Basically you want them to have an average amount of success .... which is handy in this case ."

    Oh dear !

    I don't know if you are aware how well this song is doing ?

    lol

    P.s I think we should leave all the predictions to the magnificent Liam.....

  • Comment number 36.

    OH IF ONLY... ;-)

  • Comment number 37.

    I sense that by the time Sunday comes , this song will have broken a fair number of records , due to it's outstanding success !

    Champagne anyone ?

  • Comment number 38.

    I'll join you for a glass!

    Enjoying the album as well. Some of the less R'n'B tracks put me in mind of something Rachel Stevens might record if she made a follow up to Come and Get It. Come on Rachel, get in to the studio again. Also enjoying the new Annie album, another purchase this week.

  • Comment number 39.

    Cheryl Cole enjoys "an average amount of success " by going to NUMBER 1 with this song !

    I think this has also achieved the highest first week sales of any single so far this year !

    I would say "champagne anyone ? " but MRS COLE has finished the last glass !

  • Comment number 40.

    I bet it was her band mates that chugged every drop of booze in sight actually..

  • Comment number 41.

    FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE sold 282,686 copies last week to debut at NUMBER 1 !

    This is the highest first week sales of ANY single this year !

    This song has had higher first week sales than the last 15 GIRLS ALOUD singles .

    As her first debut solo single proper , this is an OUTSTANDING success .

    Well done .

    The album 3 WORDS is out now !

  • Comment number 42.

    love the song....so what if it's auto tuned?it still sounds pleasing and endearing, which is what i wanted to hear from it anyway! The best thing about it is that it doesn't become stale after many listens, and I should know, i've got it stuck on repeat (sorry Little Boots, couldn't resist..) in my car for quite some time now!!




    WELL DONE CHERYL!!:D:D

  • Comment number 43.

    Unless by "many listens", you mean more than two.

  • Comment number 44.

    With the runaway success of this platinum selling track , which has outsold every other previous Girls Aloud single , and the fact that the album 3 Words has long since gone platinum and houses 3 top 5 singles , this , the title track and current single Parachute , there is no denying that Cheryl Cole's solo career has been a HUGE, commercial success .

    It is now common knowledge that Nadine Coyle has been working on reportedly "brilliant" songs with songwriting giant , Guy Chambers and the results are allegedly stunning .

    Some journalists are trying to suggest that there is a "frostiness " between the two , and that Cheryl's stupendous solo success has caused dis-content in the GA camp .

    All these factors seem to beg the questions :

    What is the future of Girls Aloud ?

    Should Cheryl continue as a solo star ?

    If Nadine's solo career is a perceived credible and commercial success , how does this affect the group dynamics ?

    What will the other 3 do ?

  • Comment number 45.

    EXCLUSIVE!

    Cheryl Cole is working on her sophomore album over in the US. It will sound much darker than her debut as it will deal with the break-up of her marriage.

    Sarah Harding is supposedly also working on solo material and claimed she wanted to be "the next Lady GaGa" although there are no plans in the pipeline for an album or anything.

    I think Girls Aloud will, of course, get back together although it will be a longer hiatus than originally planned. I'd say the next album will arrive in 2012.

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