Paula Abdul's Straight Up

Had much surgery there Paula?

Paula Abdul's Straight Up

Check the music video here.

Looking back at the Paula Abdul of old, you can see a woman with ambition and who was into her work. Yet, when you look at her today, she's on a popular show, if annoying, and she looks out of it. She brings nothing to the show or to her singing career. I think sometimes people reach a certain point in their lives and they forget where they came from. You know the hard work that got them there. People forget she was a Laker Girl before becoming a choreographer.

Anyway, this song is simple. Keep in mind that this song was written in the late 80s and it a product of 80’s pop music. If you listen carefully, you hear the computer enhancement on her voice in this song.

The lyrics are simple and you can’t go wrong with

Straight up now tell me
Do you really want to love me forever oh oh oh
Or am I caught in a hit and run
Straight up now tell me
Is it gonna be you and me together oh oh oh
Are you just having fun

The synthetic instrumentation is a bit annoying, but this was still technically the 80s.

The Video

Movie director David Fincher (Zodiac, Fight Club, and Seven) directed the video. Yes, that Fincher.

The video is in black and black and it fits in nicely with song. Since Arsenio Hall was banging Paula at the time, she had him in the music video. He mostly grins and laughs while everyone around him dances. You would too if your were dating a young Paula post-Lakers Girl.

The video is far better than what the song deserves. And, I can’t see anything from the directing that tells me that this was the same director from Fight Club.

The video also gets points for not having a damn cartoon cat dancing with her.

Music grade: C

Music Video grade: C+

Here's a guy doing a cover of the song and it actually sounds better than the real song.