Track: Everytime (Album Version)

Album: In The Zone

Release: Jive, 2003

One of the best scenes from the one of the best films I’ve seen in years, Spring Breakers, is a proper ‘knock you sideways’ piano rendition of this track by James Franco’s ‘Alien’ character.

Given one of EP’s good friends, Stephanie, is a well respected internet authority on all things Britney, we asked her to give her overview of the track. It’s a weeper this one…

It was her response to Timberlake’s Cry Me A River – following a very public relationship breakdown and whirling rumours of exactly whose fault it was – the magazine rumour mill told us Britney had been unfaithful and Justin did little to dissuade this chatter.

Prior to Everytime, her ballads had been predominantly written for her, Dido gave us the saccharine ode to maturity with Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman, Shania Twain had been drafted in for Don’t Let Me Be The Last To Know. All Spears had to do was turn up and lay down her distinctive vocals in the booth, prettily lip sync for the video. There was no heart or soul in there, pop princesses didn’t need to become emotionally involved with their work.

Everytime stands out from her previous work because you can feel the emotion behind the soft vocals, the simple piano melody that is reminiscent of the chime from a jewellery box might not be the most complex but it’s her own composition. A glimpse into the heartbreak of a twenty year old who can’t take to Facebook to send out angst laden updates, she writes the words for others to copy; “this song is my sorry”.

Accompanied by an eerily prophetic video, who knew three years later we’d see fiction become fact – a bedraggled wild eyed girl in various states of undress running away from cameras, causing commotion in convenience stores, arguing publicly with her boyfriend, tied to a stretcher as she was lifted into an ambulance. However bad Britney felt in 2002 when she wrote the song, she had no idea the darkness ahead that was in store.

But heartbreak passes for all of us, gloomy clouds will part and there is light at the end of the tunnel. Or to articulate it more topically “If Britney can get through 2007 – you can get through anything”

No download on this one in case Britney’s lawyers get all napster on us.

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