HUGE_Hefner

I've noted before that "Umbrella" has been covered by a bajillion different artists and "artists", but one of my very favorites has to be the version done by Italian emo-punks Vanilla Sky, the video for which is not only practically a shot-for-shot cover of the vid linked above, but is even SFW:

[youtube.com]

Rob Murphy

my opinion: "Just Fine" >>> "Umbrella" >>> all the other horrible bullshit written by The-Dream

Al Shipley

The Dream co-wrote "Me Against The Music" as well so presenting the song to Brit makes loads of sense.

rhythmchyc

I also read that MJB was supposed to have done it and turned it down. She used Chris Applebaum, who directed the "Umbrella" video, for her "Just Fine" video, though. It's too bad neither her video or song have the same kind of magic.

rhythmchyc

Anyhooo, as the interviewed continued he mentioned to me he intially "wrote the song for the poptart Britney Spears." He and Producer Tricky Stewart approached Britney with the song, but being the idiot she is- of course she turned it down! The Dream went on to say he "figured the song was perfect for Britney and all the drama she was experiencing at the time...it would've been a perfect message for her kids." But when LA Reid heard the song, he knew Rihanna would be perfect for the song and of course Rihanna jumped at the hit...and the rest is history! Poor Britney had a golden opportunity to make a major comeback with such a hot a song but thanks to her stupidity she's just doomed!

Maura Johnston

I can't remember where I first heard the Britney-turned-it-down story -- maybe here??? -- and it's not easy to search, as googling "britney" and "umbrella" together mostly brings up a whole bunch of links to pages about a crazy woman attacking a car.

Rob Murphy

According to a recent Billboard cover story, it was (also?) offered to Mary J. Blige, which woulda been...interesting, and strange.

Chris Molanphy

...even though 2007 was a year that was chiefly marked by my patience being worn thin by everyone..."Umbrella" was my always-one-dial-flip-away security blanket, a song that I could rely on whether I was spending my days staring into a monitor or staring out a car window...

You're 100% spot-on about the Jay-Z intro. The intro always feels extraneous -- and over-long -- until you hear the track without it.

Do we know for sure that Britney was offered this track first and turned it down? Or is that maybe just an urban legend that has sprung up around the track, made believable by the fact that Britney wouldn't know a good career move if it were on the "Today's Specials" board at her neighborhood Starbucks?

Also, I think this is the best video I've seen in years. Rihanna martial-arting the CGI'd water to keep her -- and us -- dry is awesome. And the director was wise to do one basic thing -- keep the camera focused on the Barbadan (?) model. But, alas, the very artful sensuality makes the video somewhat NSFW [there's a nude 19-year-old in the video, fer pete's sake!], so readers would be wise to keep that in mind if they're tempted to press play and judgmental co-workers or bosses might be around.

P.S. This song actually rocks! Kudos for using a real band instead of simply a bunch of computers.

Rob Murphy

rhythmchyc

This is why I listen almost exclusively (and still rather frequently) to the remix featuring Lil Mama.

lastclearchance

Ned Raggett