Objection (Tango)

"Objection (Tango)" and "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio (Tango)" (English: I Warn You, I Announce You) are latin pop-rock/tango songs written and composed by the Colombian pop star Shakira for her 2001 breakthrough English language album, Laundry Service.

Song information

"Objection" is the first song written by Shakira purely in English. "Te Aviso, Te Anuncio", on the other hand, is sung in Spanish. Both songs share the same rhythm, which is quite similar to the Uruguayan-Argentinian tango "La Cumparsita". It is uncertain if this tango is sampled in the intro, or is the base of both songs.

The English song reached #55 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, while the Spanish version reached #16 on Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks chart. Although "Objection" did not live up to the success of Shakira's previous Top 10 singles - "Whenever, Wherever" and "Underneath Your Clothes" - the song became a hit on MTV's TRL, peaking at #1 and staying on the countdown for 45 days. In addition, the song fared well commercially in Europe where it peaked at #12. The Spanish version of the song became another hit for Shakira in the Spanish-speaking world as well.

On the booklet for the album, "next to her cheap silicon I look minimal" is written. The correct spelling would be "next to her cheap silicone I look minimal". Silicon is a chemical element, while silicone, what was intended, is the name of the implant used in breast enlargement. The segment of the music video where that line is said has subtitles, and the correct word is used.

Music video

The music video opens with Shakira and her ex-lover doing a tango. When the tango stops, he leaves, the music picks up, and Shakira begins dancing. Shakira goes to a club where she finds her ex-lover and his new girlfriend, played by porn star Tabitha Taylor. An animated sequence begins in which Shakira pokes holes in the new girlfriend's breast implants and knocks her ex-boyfriend through a window into another room. The animated sequence ends and Shakira confronts the lovers but is pushed down onto a glass table. Two superhero parodies (one played by Daniel Southworth, best known for playing Eric Meyers in Power Rangers Time Force) of Batman and Superman (referred to in the "Making the Video" as Package Man and Zuperman by the music video's director Dave Meyers) come to her side and, with their help, she knocks out both lovers. Shakira is then seen from a Tarantino style trunk shot, smiling sadistically at the two lovers who are now bound and gagged in the trunk of her car. They attempt to scream from behind the gags, begging for freedom, but Shakira simply continues to smile at them and the slams the trunk shut. The video then switches to Shakira performing in a mechanical room and reveals that she tied both of them to a spinning wheel. The wheels accelerate until they come loose and fly away.

Instruments

The song starts out as a classical tango with allusions to La Cumparsita, with a piano, accompanied by a contrabass, and a bandoneon. However, when the drums join in, it turns more into a latin rock song, with two e-guitars, and bass. Interestingly, the bandoneon (on the off-beat) turns into an accordion. In the music video, Shakira is later depicted playing an e-guitar.

Charts

Chart (2002) Peak position Argentina Top 40 3 Australian ARIA Singles Chart 2 Belgian Singles Chart 9 Canadian Singles Chart 32 Chile Top 100 5 Denmark Singles Chart 20 Dutch Top 40 4 Euro 200 12 Billboard Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 13 Finnish Singles Chart 10 French Singles Chart 10 German Singles Chart 19 Greek Singles Chart 8 Hungarian Singles Chart 1 Irish Singles Chart 12 Italian Singles Chart 6 Japanese Tokyo Hot 100 21 Mexican Top 100 2

Chart (2002) Peak position New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 8 Norwegian Singles Chart 8 Portugal Airplay Chart 5 Peru Top 40 1 Romanian Singles Chart 1 Swedish Singles Chart 7 Swiss Singles Chart 10 Spain Los 40 Principales 16 UK Singles Chart 17 U.S. Billboard ARC Weekly Top 40 9 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 55 U.S. Billboard Top 40 Tracks 29 U.S. Billboard Top 40 Mainstream 21 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play 25 U.S. Billboard Hot Latin Tracks 16 U.S. Billboard Latin Pop Airplay 7 United World Chart 13 World Latin Top 30 Singles 16

References