You Better Cross The Line

Christina Aguilera “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)”

“Come On Over Baby” exists in many versions, largely because Christina Aguilera’s label was eager for it to be a hit and paid a lot of money to tinker with it until it clicked in various formats. This radio edit version, with a pepped-up bridge and more openly sexual lyrics, is my favorite. As far as I’m concerned, this is the apex of early 2000s teen pop – catchy and dynamic without the overbearing keyboard chords and dinky melodies Max Martin favored at the time, and highly effective at conveying the horny-but-wholesome aesthetic of the era. This might be a happy accident in some ways, since when you go beyond the surface level of the production, it’s pretty clear the real goal of this song is to provide the young Aguilera with a hit in the mode of Whitney Houston’s most ecstatic up-tempo numbers, like “How Will I Know” and “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me).” The songwriting is rooted in gospel, and it’s constantly pushing you up towards total euphoria.

In both sound and sentiment it’s closer to “How Will I Know,” as it’s a joyful crush song grounded in doubt and insecurity. Aguilera is singing from the perspective of someone who is absolutely certain how she feels about the object of her affection and is doing everything she can to invite them into her life, but is frustrated that they don’t seem to be brave enough to go for it. But frustration isn’t really the point of this song, just the context. “Come On Over Baby” is thrilling because it’s so bright and optimistic, and Aguilera sings it all with casual confidence and genuine empathy for her shy, awkward suitor. She ultimately just wants to make them loosen up and feel comfortable, and for the opportunity to be affectionate. Like I said: Horny-but-wholesome.

Buy it from Amazon.