Tag: Pharrell Williams

As is the case with Lana Del Rey, Miley Cyrus is undoubtedly sitting on a lot of previously unreleased content that’s actually widely available online (e.g., in Del Rey’s latest instance of officially releasing a song that was formerly “from the vault,” there was “Say Yes to Heaven”). And, also like Del Rey, Cyrus is accustomed to some of that content leaking on the internet and then being treated as though it’s part of the “canon” (hear: “Nightmare” and “Last Goodbye”). As for “Doctor (Work It Out),” it was originally an outtake from 2013’s Bangerz. Ironically, it was when Cyrus released that album that she said of her previous output, “Right now, when people go to iTunes and listen to my old music, it’s so irritating to me because I can’t just erase that stuff and start over.” Evidently, though, she didn’t want to erase “Doctor (Work It Out),” instead reviving it not so much because it went viral on TikTok or anything, but because, according to her, “…it just felt like it was so serendipitous, and there were so many alignments and so many moments that made me know that now was the perfect time. And then sometimes things in our past make more sense in our present than they ever did then.”

Now featuring an even more polished sound from Pharrell Williams (who was already producing the song way back when), the rhythm and bassline is quintessentially him. Awash in sonic twangs and disjointedness, Cyrus seems to have been waiting for this moment to usher in her “Olivia Newton-John meets Cher” era, which she already debuted at the Grammy Awards—most notably during her performance of “Flowers.” But there’s one other diva that the “Doctor (Work It Out)” video seems to be borrowing from and that’s Beyoncé. Specifically, the Beyoncé of the “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” video—which itself famously “borrows” from a formerly obscure Bob Fosse-choreographed performance for The Ed Sullivan Show called “Mexican Breakfast.” Apart from “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)” also being a “parentheses title,” it shares visual similarities to what Miley’s doing with her own choreo—not to mention keeping the backdrop blank so as to showcase solely Miley (and her moves).  

Once again directed by Jacob Bixenman (Cyrus’ go-to for the past few videos), Cyrus is, in many ways, picking up where she left off visually with the sparse “Used To Be Young” (or even the pared-down black-and-white video for Endless Summer Vacation’s second single, “River”—yet another Miley jam chock full of thinly-veiled sexual euphemisms). Except, instead of the black backdrop that she stands in front of while staring into the camera and singing about “being old” in earnest, “Doctor (Work It Out)” goes for the “peppier” color of white to accent the ebullience of the single. Because, yes, there’s nothing more “exuberant” than songs laden with medical-related sexual innuendos. Just ask Jennifer Lopez, who took advantage of that niche musical genre on 2019’s “Medicine” featuring French Montana (who also appeared on the Bangerz track “FU”). Or Carol Douglas, the OG of “sexy” songs using doctors/medical terms as analogies and euphemisms on 1974’s “Doctor’s Orders.” Except, in Miley’s world of medicine, things are much more overt in their salaciousness and far less romantic than the sentiments of Douglas. For example, on the chorus for “Doctor (Work It Out),” Cyrus belts, “I could be your doctor (I could be your doctor)/And I could be your nurse/I think I see the problem/It’s only gon’ get worse (uh, uh)/A midnight medication/Just show me where it hurts (uh)/I need to rock you, baby/Before your body bursts.” Hmmm, wonder what part of the body could possibly “burst” in a scenario like this. 

What’s more, Miley clearly intends something else apart from the surface meaning of “workin’ it out” when she sings, “I feel like workin’ it out/If that’s somethin’ you wanna do.” In contrast, somebody like Anitta would be more direct with lyrics such as, “We can go right, we can go left/Stay up all night in the argument/Nah, I’d rather have sex.” Obviously, so would Cyrus, she’s just less direct about it (in true American fashion). Wanting to ensure she doesn’t put herself out there before she’s really certain she’s going to get some reciprocation. Ergo, the question, “Are you on the fence?/Stop playing on the side/Are you on the fence?/Don’t waste my damn time (don’t waste my damn time)/Are you on the fence?” She then transitions into even more tawdry, innuendo-laden lyrics with the assurance, “I’ll slip but I won’t slide/Don’t gotta be forever/Just together for the night.” Every man’s favorite promise—especially by 2013 standards, when this song was originally intended for release. 

Cyrus channels Del Rey in other ways on this track besides the aforementioned by repurposing lyrics of the past into her own. Namely, taking from Def Leppard’s key lyric from “Pour Some Sugar On Me” by singing, “You’re my lover (you’re my lover)/I show you sympathy/Take your sugar (take your sugar)/And pour it into me.” Incidentally, one version of the “Pour Some Sugar On Me” video also prominently features a sledgehammer and a wrecking ball…though not quite so integrally as the device was to Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” video. Which was, technically, another “simplistic” visual (directed by none other than the problematic and then-pervasive Terry Richardson) from Cyrus featuring an austere white background (granted, “Doctor [Work It Out]” has multiple color changes for its backdrop, including pink, black, white and gray) in between those infamous shots of her riding the wrecking ball. The director’s cut of the video, however, is just a close-up shot of Cyrus’ face as she sings her ballad all teary-eyed and snot-nosed (a more than slight nod to Sinead O’Connor in the video for “Nothing Compares 2 U”).

The fact that a similar form of starkness and simplicity has shown up again back-to-back for “Used To Be Young” and “Doctor (Work It Out)” appears to signal that Cyrus is presently in her “no-frills” era (or “no fucks given,” if you prefer). And even though she at least bothers to put on a wannabe Bob Mackie gown (in truth, it’s a Roberto Cavalli mini dress that looks reminiscent of the vintage Mackie dress she wore to the Grammys), it’s plain to see she wants to keep her visuals decidedly “bare bones” (while also trying to conjure bare boners). Instead, her focus is on the movements she’s making—confident, cool and casual.  

To the point of being “effortlessly seductive,” of all her previous collaborations with Williams (each one appearing on Bangerz), “4×4,” “#GetItRight,” “Rooting for My Baby” and “On My Own,” “#GetItRight” is the only track that comes close to matching the lasciviousness of “Doctor (Work It Out).” Case in point, Cyrus declaring, “I feel a surge coming over me/I feel it all around my thighs/And chills going up my legs/This is the worst coming out of me/When I came, felt like I could die.” Later, for good measure, she adds, “Don’t you wanna fuel this fire/Before it’s gone?”

Thus, in many ways, “Doctor (Work It Out)” comes across like the long-lost sister to that particular Williams-produced song. There’s even a bit of foreshadowing to “Flowers” on “#GetItRight,” with Cyrus musing, “You make flowers grow under my bed, yeah.” With any luck, “Doctor (Work It Out)” might have the same effect on your own bed…if you happen to be a gay man.