P!nk Puts Together One Of Her Most Emotionally Charged Efforts...Just For Us

If you've been anywhere near the music scene lately you know that P!nk's a true battler. She'll tell you exactly what's on her mind whether you like it or not. This time she's hit very close to the cosmic nerve. That says something given this is the woman who gave us the tear jerker "Family Portrait". The oft times cited musical question she asks is "What About Us" and she does so as we might expect...ferociously. She lets out each note as if it were to be her last. The dance routine in the video gets you right in the old ticker. This is a P!nk production after all which means no pathos spared. Using minimal synth drum and keyboard to back her up, her vocal talents reach the most world weary listener. We're talking major morale shakeup. P!nk speaks out on behalf of the marginalized around us who don't feel American society hasn't given them a puncher's chance at succeeding. These lyrics can and will melt your heart. Let's get those water works started with "We are billions of beautiful hearts and you sold us down the river too far. The chorus can bring even the most miserly man to his knees begging for a chance at redemption. How about, "What about us? What about all the times you said you had the answers? What about us? What about all the broken happily ever afters? What about us? What about all the plans that ended in disaster? What about love? What about trust? What about us? If that wasn't enough she goes for our weak spots with heart breakers like, "We are problems that want to be solved. We are children that need to be loved. We were willing, we came when you called. But man you fooled us, enough is enough." Like I said P!nk knows how to strip away the bullshit without you knowing there's a lump in your throat. The accompanying video could easily be extended to its own feature length movie. The anonymous orator at the outset hints at that idea. "What About Us" shows off its versatility. You can dance to it, cry to it, maybe even fornicate to it. It's hard to imagine P!nk ever having been a twentysomething R & B light performer. Ever since her encounter with Linda Perry, the one time 4 Non Blondes singer turned writer, she's turned up the edge. It's put plenty of butts in the seats and dollar bills in her pocket. "What About Us" is about as good as this Philadelphia native gets. The album this comes from may be called "Beautiful Trauma", but to my ears it's a gorgeous resurrection.