Shakira: Top 5 Songs

[kinglouiexviii]

In an effort to spice up this forum, I thought we could do something a little different: take one prominent Latin artist and list our Top 5 favorite songs by them. Since Shakira is an ever-present figure on this board, I'd figure it would an easy way to go. So, here are my personal Top 5 favorites from the Colombian, hip-swiveling hottie:

5. "Que me quedes tu" - Laundry Service (2001)I personally think Shakira is at her best when she is musically stripped down and subtle. This is one of the finer moments from Laundry Service, the album that skyrocketed her into the global pop scene.

4. "Para obtener un si" - Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 (2005)
Again, another great ballad--an homage to 60's bossa nova influenced jazz. The single best track from the all-over-the-place Fijacion Oral Vol. 1. Her voice really shines on this offbeat, quirky song.

3. "Estoy aqui" - Pies Descalzos (1995)One of Shakira's first mega-hits from the album that launched her career. I think in terms of great lyrics, she has never been as good as on Pies Descalzos, and this song is one of her best on that album.

2. "Ojos asi" - Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (1998)Yes, I prefer her ballads, but when Shakira records an uptempo, dance track--she hits it out of the ballpark. Waaaaay before "hips don't lie" and "la tortura", she showcased her belly dancing techniques in this alternative, Middle Eastern, killer dance number.

1. "Moscas en la casa" - Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (1998)Wow! This song still gets me everytime I hear it. Slow, moody, and oozing heartbreak, I don't think Shakira has ever been as vulnerable. My favorite track off DELL? and my favorite song by Shakira ever.

Ok, now it's somebody else's turn...

[How Do You Do?]

Since Shakira is my favorite artist, I couldn't do just 5, so here's my top 10 songs by her:

1. No - Fijacion Oral Vol. 1 (2005) My favorite song of all time by any artist. Beautiful, haunting lyrics coupled with perfect music. And the video is absolute perfection.

2. Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos - Pies Descalzos (1995) My favorite Shakira rock song. This is the song that made me a Shakira fan for life. This is her most cynical song and very un-Shakira.

3. Sombra de Ti - Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (1998) - Though I prefer the Unplugged version. The song is so sad and this is one of my favorite lines in a song ever:

O quizá deba esperar [Or perhaps I should wait]
a que el insulto del reloj [for the insult of the clock]
acabe de planear mi fin [to finish planning my demise]

4. Pure Intuition - Promotional Tour Song (2007) I cannot stop playing this song. It's absolute perfection the way she plays with her vocals in this song. And I adore the little pause after "I want to see you sliding in" before "my underworld".

5. Inevitable - Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (1998) Shakira considers this her best song and I can see why. The guitar in this song kicks-ass and the lyrics mix longing and frustration at a relationship ending brilliantly.

6. Donde Estan Los Ladrones? - Donde Estan Los Ladrones? (1998) Another song with great harmonica bits. I absolutely adore her voice on this song.

7. Te Dejo Madrid - Laundry Service (2001) Favorite song on Laundry Service by far and she's playing it on her current tour!! I love the harmonica bits on this song. And the music is so damn catchy.

8. Antologia - Pies Descalzos (1995)

9. La Tortura - Fijacion Oral (2005) - I completely understand why this song ruled Latin America in 2005. The music is catchy and Shakira and Alejandro's voices blend perfectly.

10. The Day and The Time - Oral Fixation (2005) - I was always bummed she didn't release this song as a single. The lyrics to this song are excellent in particular:

Who's to say that we always have to agree
I think we both can take this one mistake
Like some kind of amnesty

Why to love and with such brutality?
We're compatible
Maybe a bit too much
That's our ambiguity

[kinglouiexviii]

askew said:

Since Shakira is my favorite artist, I couldn't do just 5, so here's my top 10 songs by her:

2. Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos - Pies Descalzos (1995) My favorite Shakira rock song. This is the song that made me a Shakira fan for life. This is her most cynical song and very un-Shakira.

10. The Day and The Time - Oral Fixation (2005) - I was always bummed she didn't release this song as a single. The lyrics to this song are excellent in particular:

Great choice on "pies descalzos, suenos blancos." I really wish Shakira would write more deep and socially conscious lyrics. As for the "the day and the time," I think the spanish version is so much better. The english translation on that song is somewhat weak IMHO.

Thanks for sharing your picks!! ;)

[joster]

Hard one

1. No - Fijacion Oral Vol. 1....Also my favorite song, shows that Shakira can still make powerfull lyric and music.

2. Inevitable - Donde estan los ladrones?..... Her best song ever written, atleast she thinks so....and I also think its one of her best.

3. Pies Descalzos, Suenos Blancos - Pies Descalzos... always been one of my favorites and same goes to the video.

3. Antologia - Pies descalzos.... One of her best ballads, just listen to it its pure beauty.

4.Octavo Dia - Donde estan los ladrones?..... She won a Grammy for this one and dam its obvious why....one of her best lyrics ever.

5. Don't bother - Oral Fixation Vol. 2..... I love this song, have loved it since the day a part of it was leaked from promosquad...its amazing.

HONORABLE MENTION:
Lo Imprescindible (was tought....almost made it to the top 5)
Te espero sentada
How do you do?
Se quiere se mata
Tu

[kinglouiexviii]

joster said:

3. Antologia - Pies descalzos.... One of her best ballads, just listen to it its pure beauty.

That was one of the best moments of the Fijacion Oral Tour. It is one of her better ballads.

[tortuga]

01. Pies Descalsos: yep, the lyrics on this one are great. The climax of the song is good too!
02. Antologia: the structure of this song is pretty unique.
03. Inevitable: like my other favorite Shakira song. This one has such a satisfying and dramatic ending.
04. Moscas En La Casa: the strings on this one is what makes the song for me.
05. Si Te Vas: trashy fun

[Jeice]

1. Inevitable- I love the lyrics.
2. ¿Dónde estás, corazón?- Because is the first song I heard from her.
3. Se Quiere, Se Mata- She combines humor and satire to critize society, but in a fun way.
4. La Tortura- It gets the party moving!
5. Ojos Así- Great for karaoke.

[🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾]

Overall, I have preferred more of Shakira's songs that were in Spanish.

01. Ojos Asi
02. Estoy Aqui (the live version that had Shakira's cover of that Fairuz song)
03. La Tortura
04. Pure Intuition
05. How Do You Do

[strong4PMB!]

1. No Creo
2. Estoy Aquí
3. Un Poco de Amor (mostly for her "jomping out and jomping eeeeen!" adlib )
4. Ciega, Sordomuda
5. Dónde Estás Corazón

[MRT]

1. Octavo Dia
2. Tu
3. No
4. La Tortura
5. Ciega, Sordomuda

I can't understand Spanish & how well the lyric is written so I choose it just from my feeling.

[galvanize]

Too hard to rank! But my favorite is always "Ojos Asi".

Top 5 albums though:

01 Donde Estan Los Ladrones
02 Fijacion Oral Vol. 1.
03 Pies Descalzos
04 MTV Unplugged
05 Oral Fixation Vol. 2