Hello, and welcome to Radio Rants. Which not-Katy Perry Top 10 hit are we doing today?

Pink got big at a golden moment. Her breakout Mizunderstood album came out just far away enough from the bubblegum pop boom that its tackiness didn’t sink the album, but a year or so ahead of the platoon of female singer-songwriters, meaning that she had time to stand above the pack. Following it up proved kind of tricky, but since 2006’s I’m Not Dead, she hasn’t slumped. What’s weird is that she’s never been big, either. She’s had massive singles (say what you will about “So What?” as a song, but the last half of 2008 sucked if you hated that hook), but never took over the world in the way that someone like, say, Katy Perry has. Regardless, a Pink album/single cycle is always good for a few hits, so let’s take a look at “Blow Me (On–heheheh.

I love that title. I like an unexpected dick joke as much as anyone, and let’s be real here, Pink is one of the few pop artists that could name a song “Blow Me”, and have it not sound like schtick. And it’s possibly the first song I’ve seen that knew how to use parentheses effectively (ahem). Not only that, it’s also the Pinkiest song title out there: Pink’s songs tend to either be self-empowering kiss-offs (“U + Ur Hand”, “So What?”, etc.) that would have a title like “Blow Me”, or vulnerable ballads (“Sober”, “Don’t Let Me Get Me”), hence the “One Last Kiss”. And, even better, the whole thing fits together so well. Not since “Fuck You” has a song title filled me with such glee.

“Blow Me” (heh) is a little more electro dance pop than Pink’s been before. It’s still her trademark pop rock sound, but a little shinier than normal, probably the influence of indie/synthpop producer Greg Kurstin. Either way, between the guitar hook and the skittering drum beat, “Blow Me” starts off strong, and surprisingly perky.

“White knuckles, and sweaty palms from holding on too tight/clench of jaw, I’ve got another headache tonight” Well hell, that’s kind of dark for this music.

“Tie a knot in the rope, trying to hold, trying to hold/But there’s nothing to grasp, so I let go” These lyrics are fine, but I really like what the melody does here.

And, of course, “Blow Me” has a big chorus. The drums stomp, there’s a little bit of bass, and a distorted synth repeats the guitar hook from the intro. It works, but the music sounds a little clipped, and doesn’t come through as clear as it could. But hey, it’s catchy, and the melody’s strong.

And, like the title, the lyrics are a mix of kinda funny and kinda sad. “Just when it can’t get worse, I’ve had a shit day/You’ve had a shit day?/We’ve had a shit day!” should bug me rhyming “shit day” with “shit day” with “shit day”, but it’s so almost silly that it makes me smile, instead. At the same time, it’s followed up with “I think that life’s too short for this/Want back my ignorance and bliss/I think I’ve had enough of this (Blow me one last kiss)” which is so subtly sad.

“Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” takes place at a fairly uncommon time for pop songs: that moment when you decide that a once great relationship isn’t fucking worth it anymore. It’s not just another lover’s revenge song, or a total fuck you (although the second verse does get into that), but something a little nuanced. And it works just great.

On top of all that, the music never sulks or pouts the way that it could. Overall, it’s bouncy, and surprisingly light, considering the tone of the lyrics. As the Break-Up Song of the of the Week, “Blow Me”‘s a notch above most others–the lyrics are a little more fun, and the delivery a little more lively than, say, “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” or “Part of Me”. Definitely worth giving a listen.