Favorite Songs of the '00s, #3: "You, Yes You," Beauty Pill

Allow me to preface this post with a clarification: “You, Yes You” was released in 2003, not 2009. In other words, before the “text-message-heard-‘round-the-world” shock of the summer came into our respective inboxes, this song still had a wry lick of humor to it rather than coincidental sincerity. Certainly, the loss of Michael Jackson has more substantive disappointments attached to it than something as trivial as a line in a song, but I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit saddened the edge is now potentially lost.

In reality, “Michael Jackson” was pretty much the most overplayed punch line in the book before he died. Yet, the status quo dictates that any dig at a man whom everyone acknowledges was both strange and misunderstood is no longer acceptable. Untimely tragedy, for better or worse, can do that whenever adulated art and/or celebrity enter the equation.

And maybe it’s neither Chad Clark’s (who wrote it) nor my place to judge when Jackson’s youthful spirit truly “died,” but I think we can still be forthcoming about the quirks of the star’s adult life: It may be unacceptable to stomp upon Michael Jackson’s grave, but I’d like to believe we can still dance on it a bit.

To that end, and as any luck would have it, the sentiment should still be intact. And that’s really what this one has going for it—pure charm. I’ll vouch for the warped strings at the end, and Clark’s distinctive coo, but if you aren’t smiling at some point during the song then this post has pretty much been in vain.

(To see the previous "favorite song" entry, click here.)