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OspreyQueen Staff Member
In My Head is the unlikely smash post-album single we never got. The lyrics cut like a damn knife, and with an actual video rather than...that, it would have been an effortless hit.
OspreyQueen, Nov 12, 2020
soratami, lemonsqueezyy, Music Is Death and 3 others like this.
Jesus, the lack of taste.
Now I'm regretting not giving in my head my 11. One of Ariana's finest.
Vitamin, Nov 12, 2020
Music Is Death, superultra, Aester and 2 others like this.
Dangerous Maknae
Ddd I thought I had given my 11 to In My Head but I just checked and I've actually given it to something else.
It's such a personal track for me and I obviously think it should've made the top 10 at least but what's new.
Dangerous Maknae, Nov 12, 2020
soratami, Music Is Death, Aester and 1 other person like this.
Hey now, that perfect trinity standing of Bloodline-Bad Idea-Ghostin is in sight now.
GimmeWork, Dijah., Holly Something and 3 others like this.
ghostin - in my head - NASA is the real trinity though.
savilizabeths, Espeon and superultra like this.
I'm OK with this one going, as good as it is.
slaybellz and savilizabeths like this.
Me when I put on my Gucci tennis shoes and then spot my issues
soratami, OspreyQueen, Mirwais Ahmadzaï and 9 others like this.
flop fan but that's the first time I saw that in my head video and I low key kind of love it?
Music Is Death, Laura Vanderbooben and savilizabeths like this.
It's been a minute, but guess who is writing the next elimination...?
And I'll never forgive our voters for not even getting this into the top 20! Heartless!
(For real though, I love you all and miss you greatly. A huge thank you to those who are keeping this going.)
soratami, GimmeWork, TwistedInnocence and 17 others like this.
Well hi! It's been a minute! Boy, have I missed this!
It's a shame that I'm back to eliminate one of my potential 11s...
☁️ HONEYMOON AVENUE ☁️
They say only fools fall in love​
Well, they must've been talking about us​
Sometimes I feel like I've been here before​
I could be wrong, but I know I'm right​
We're gonna be lost if we continue to fight​
Honey, I know that we can find our way home​
High: 11x2 (@chrismoyer @japanbonustrack) 10x28 (@dylanaber @soratami @savilizabeths @Dijah @WhatKindOfKylie? @boombazookajoe @lemonsqueezyy @fatyoshi @andrewdarwitan @myblood @BreatheBox @happiestgirl @Espeon @Ugly Beauty @Serg @Milotic @aaronhansome @RUNAWAY @slaybellz @Slice of Life @reputation. @Petty Mayonnaise @Cutlery @Endothelium @superultra @sapnu puas @Music Is Death @Butterfly)
Low: 3x1 (@daninternational) 5x3 (@elektroxx @Dangerous Maknae @GimmeWork) 6x3 (@Blond @Robsolete @VitaminBee) 7x7 (@blaze_dave @Remorque @Vixen @138Prince @TwistedInnocence @junkos @DJHazey) 7.25x2 (@AllGagaLike @Mirwais Ahmadzaï)
Total Points: 625.5​
My Score: 10/10​
When you start your debut album with a song like this, you are announcing to the world that a superstar has arrived. This is an absolute monster of an opening track. Every single thing about it is impeccable. Lyrics, production, vocals. It's over five minutes long yet it manages not to outstay it's welcome. 'Honeymoon Avenue' is that bitch, and we're going to talk about her today.
'Honeymoon Avenue' is one of the few surviving tracks from Ariana's original debut album, along with my beloved 'Tattooed Heart' and original album title 'Daydreamin'. This one definitely went through the biggest changes between albums. The production was completely reworked in favour of a slower, lsuh, emotional version. I recommend checking out the original mix though, because it's actually quite brilliant. It's got a bubbly, motown vibe with some awesome horns. Ariana has said that the reason for the change was because the first iteration didn't capture the true meaning of the song. It was fun, but the lyrics are so emotional and have more depth than the song initially conveyed. The Rascals got their hands on it and the version we adore today was born. Despite not being listed as a songwriter, this song is obviously deeply personal to Ariana. She has said the song is about a relationship she was in, and how confused and miserable she felt the entire time. There is a video of her crying while singing it at a concert and you can just feel her connection to the lyrics. This just makes it even more special.
So, the song itself. Masterpiece. Breathtaking. Showstopping. The second I hear those strings I get goosebumps. They are so lush and a gorgeous beginning to an album. The intro is just so lovely. The acapella group-esque male vocals fit the throwback vibe of the overall album and Ariana's soft adlibs start the song off beautifully. Somehow the "it's the Rascals" musical tag doesn't even cheapen things, as those types of things usually do for me. The production manages to sound both energetic and emotional at the same time. There is a depth to it. It has the potential to sound overly busy but somehow it supports her vocals perfectly. The beats in the first verse feel so deep and bass-y but subtle enough behind Ariana's stunning vocal delivery. The male background vocals are actually an interesting choice, as we're used to Ariana stacking her own harmonies and building everything around her own voice. It's yet another choice this song makes that I feel like I shouldn't like but I do. It just adds something unique to the song.
There is just something so Big about this track. It's got a sweeping, magical feeling to it that just captures my heart every time I hear it. The melody is absolutely beautiful and Ariana's voice soars through it so effortlessly. This is a huge song vocally, and she makes it sound like nothing despite this being one of her first songs ever. She announced herself as a true vocalist from the moment she debuted. How does she manage to sound like a veteran in the music industry this early in her career? It's incredible. I could listen to her sing this over and over again. Her delivery isn't only technically gorgeous, but it is so packed with emotion as well. I can really feel the lyrics, especially in the bridge. She's not just singing words, she's feeling them as well and that's the mark of a true performer. Her voice sounds slightly raspy in part of the first line of the bridge and for some reason that's one of my favourtie moments of the entire song. Can I explain why? No. Honestly, this might be one of her strongest bridges. The way the melody, production and electronically affected background vocals (Ariana's own this time instead of the male ones) just work so well together. The sweetness of the background strings, the softness in her delivery of the final lyric...Masterful. THEN THE POST-BRIDGE CHORUS! It sounds like a goddamn lullaby. This song is such a journey and I never stop wanting to travel it with her.
And somehow, on top of how brilliant the vocals and production are, the lyrics are top notch too. Perhaps the strongest track lyrically on Yours Truly. The song uses the metaphor of driving to explore a relationship where the "honeymoon phase" was perfect but now they're on a dangerous road where it looks like they could crash, but the boy refuses to turn around. Each and every line in this song is gorgeous. It fully commits to the metaphor. I especially love the "you know how to drive in rain" lyric. The boy knows how to be in a miserable relationship without ending it. He's perfectly comfortable where they are so he keeps driving instead of changing anything. He's fine with going the wrong way even if neither of them are happy. Describing the honeymoon phase dying out by saying that the butterflies she felt 'encountered a stop sign', using 'looked in my rear view mirror' to say that she's thinking about their past together, phrases like 'bumper to bumper traffic', 'my heart is at a yellow light', and the title lyric of 'honeymoon avenue' just really sell the imagery so well. To this day, this remains one of her most well written songs. It's detail rich with a perfect metaphor and so much emotion behind each lyric. Just...who begins their debut album with such a masterpiece? I can't even comprehend her power!
Overall, 'Honeymoon Avenue' is a signature song for Ariana fans, and Ariana herself. It's been a part of the fandom since before her official music debut and that's always going to be something special. It feels more like her first song than 'Put Your Hearts Up' does. At least to me. It will always have a place in the hearts of those who have been there since the beginning. Deservedly so, as it remains one of her greatest.
I suppose that's enough nonsense from me. Let's hear from our voting panel. God, I missed you guys. Going to get the negativity out of the way becasue I have no time for it. @daninternational (3) is not on my team at all: "Works as an intro to the whole rate, but hate the acapella male voices and it feels very immature." This feels immature? It feels more mature than some of her later work! Now that we're through with that. Someone please help @138Prince (7) find their wig: "That outro… wig." Yes! Wig indeed! @DJHazey (7) and I have somewhat differing opinions as we often do: "The album's shining moment (EDIT: or so I thought) but it's still not as good as the middle-ranking songs on her next two albums." This song is better than every single song on My Everything. Period. @pop3blow2 (8) doesn't sound overly impressed: "A solid opener, I guess…. if not a tad overly busy (that ending is a bit much.) I think I've only heard this album a couple of times, to be honest…. and its been awhile. We'll see how this goes." I guess....? I guess this is one place we don't at all agree. @Crisp X (9) gets it: "The lush 90's R&B vibes are so strong I have to stan. What an opener, especially for a debut album. She's not coming to play." EXACTLY! What a way to begin a music career!
@Holly Something (9) puts it simply: "Strong album opener." Yes it is! @Dijah. (10) also keeps things simple: "A timeless track." Yes to this too! @reputation. (10) puts Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper in my head: "The fact that this is the first song on her first album says it all. A Star Was Born." I am really loving these absolutely correct takes! Poor @superultra (10) loses their 11 AND would be 11 one after the other: "If [redacted song that I gave my 11 to] didn't exist, I would totally have given this my 11. I'm not a Yours Truly stan, but GOD this song is magnificent." I am so sorry for your losses! @Milotic (10) cites this as his first Ariana love: "This is the first Ariana song that really "clicked" with me, and it still sounds great today. The lyrics are hella relatable, and she sounds fantastic. The production on this one is also a standout." Facts are facts, and these are facts! @stoicist (9.5) says: "One of the best debut album track 1's I've ever heard." I don't think I can think of one I love more off the top of my head, but I could be wrong. Like me, @RUNAWAY (10) is about to be disappointed: "It was….a cultural reset. Absolutely iconic, and MUST be in the top 10. It still makes me feel so many emotions and things. Absolutely legendaric song. Absolutely amazingggggg~" It should have been top 10. You all did me dirty. @Cutlery (10) articulates things better than I do: "What a fantastic, fresh, sweeping opener. The strings flow like honey poured on some hot tea, Ariana emotes the fuck out of the song, you have a bit of the charm she exploited during her early career, a nice beat, an eclectic lower pitching. Overall a great little moment for her." No wonder your post was more coherent than mine ever are! Damn! My lovely @Music Is Death (10) hits the nail on the head: "What an AMAZING and ICONIC opener. I can't even fathom anyone not loving this. I mean that FUCKING chorus ALONE deserves a damn 10, much less everything else practically ordering you to award it as well. Literally just perfection. It deserves top 10, but it won't make it cause y'all are tasteless." This just in: PopJustice is tasteless. (Kidding, I love you guys!)
Only one of our top scorers provided commentary. Let me give the floor to @chrismoyer (11): "Forever my favorite song by her, the intro, the production, the Disney like sound, just a magical song. It means a lot to me, and to Ari herself, she has said this is her favorite song she's made. Still the longest track in her discography for the right reason. After all the songs and brilliant masterpieces she's got and have been released, it's still this fantastic opener to her first ever debut album that will always be a fantastic song and what she and her music was all about. It gets me a little emotional ngl because it just has this charm that her newer songs just don't have, I picture the good old days of the Listening Sessions, The Honeymoon Tour, and even before Yours Truly came out. The fact that, that song was the best and still is today even beating all of her newer songs over the years and even recent stuff of today. I also like how it's the very first song you ever listen of her's if you listen to her albums in date order, sets the perfect intro to her discography. Just a classic Ariana Grande song. Honeymoon Avenue is a musical milestone, a song that is as stunning today as it was the day it was released." What a lovely tribute! Thank you for giving this an 11. I couldn't so your taste makes up for it!
Well that's that. I apologise that it took longer than expected to get this result to you. I hate being this unreliable. However, I have an update on the eviction for those who are curious, as it's what delayed this post. We have a new house to move into and we have the next month to pack up and move! My mother and stepfather (god, they're so amazing and I can't even express how grateful I am to them) decided to buy a house to rent to us. They decided it's a good investment for their future as well as ours and they settle on Monday. So I'm a little stressed and overwhelmed because we have a lot of work ahead of us, but I'm ridiculously happy and grateful for how lucky I am. I may not be able to be as active on the forum over the next few weeks, but I will try and pop in where I can and maybe even write eliminations a few times. We'll have to see. Thank you all for being on this journey and being so understanding. Thank you guest hosts for being your amazing selves. I love you all. And, as I always say. Stay safe!
soratami, lemonsqueezyy, ufint and 37 others like this.
TwistedInnocence
Lovely to see one of your write ups again @savilizabeths <3
TwistedInnocence, Nov 19, 2020
soratami, Blond, thommyh and 8 others like this.
Oh, we're at that point in the rate where my mid-tier scores will place me in the Lowest Scorers category.
pop3blow2, slaybellz, berserkboi and 1 other person like this.
Damn, the lack of taste on this forum...
BeingNormal, thommyh, sapnu puas and 13 others like this.
This is home of phobic.
soratami, Dijah., BeingNormal and 11 others like this.
berserkboi
So glad to hear your real life update too @savilizabeths - a very good twist (despite a stressful few weeks ahead)!!
berserkboi, Nov 19, 2020
Aester, pop3blow2, Ugly Beauty and 5 others like this.
YET AGAIN, Honeymoon Avenue is done wrong.
@daninternational
SophiaSophia
Honeymoon Avenue deserved so much better than #22 in fact every song that has left so far from Yours Truly deserved so much better.
SophiaSophia, Nov 19, 2020
soratami, happiestgirl, WhatKindOfKylie? and 4 others like this.
God looks like we're at the part of the rate where I tank everything that other people love.
Honestly that acapella intro I just cannot.
Congrats on the new home though!
Thank you guest hosts for being your amazing selves. I love you all. And, as I always say. Stay safe!
aww it's no trouble, I've loved being able to have some provisional fun with the write-ups, and it's reassuring to hear from you and that things are slowly but surely coming together!
This song is better than every single song on My Everything.
yes gather her
every single one of you who called this immature, middle of the road or gave it less than... an 8, I hope you see the light one day
BeingNormal, savilizabeths and Music Is Death like this.