Christina Aguilera is a guilty pleasure. There, I said it.

After several months of seeing the music I’ve posted here, you’re going to think I’m friggin’ nuts saying this, but I have something to confess.

Christina Aguilera is a guilty pleasure. There, I said it.

It started simply enough: Of all the pop-tarts - Britney, Jessica, and so on, I thought Christina was the most attractive. I never liked “Genie In a Bottle” or “What a Girl Wants.” Then came the Xtina phase and the “Lady Marmalade” cover with Lil Kim. “Beautiful” was the first time I guiltily thought, “Hmm, that’s a nice song,” but didn’t dare say anything out loud.

Last year’s hit, "Ain't No Other Man" and Christina’s November appearance on SNL made it official - I no longer mind hearing her music. Let’s get one thing straight, though. I do not actually own any Christina Aguilera albums. Or singles. And it is unlikely I will ever own any Christina Aguilera albums. Or singles. I just think her voice as matured as she's gotten older and moved away from bubblegum pop. Not quite Madonna, but definitely beyond Britney.

Anyway, I watched her pay tribute to James Brown on Monday’s Grammy Awards and thought she did a decent job for a little white girl (I know she’s a Latina - whatever). I’ve only read a couple of comments and they were neither positive nor negative, but, to offer my opinion, I think it went pretty well. God knows she could have really sucked. Or worse, she could have lip-synced like Shakira did. If you watched, you saw the camera on Jamie Fox as Christina finished and he was sort of nodding as if to say, “Not bad. Not bad.”

I’m going to share my guilty pleasure with you and post Christina doing James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World” from the Grammys. And because actually liking Christina makes me feel guilty, I’m also posting James Brown’s original version.

Just don’t tell anyone I said any of this.

It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.mp3 Christina Aguilera
It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World.mp3 James Brown

posted by aikin @ 11:26 PM