Why Jason Derulo is a rising star and not the next Rebecca Black is a mystery to me.
Go ahead, read the first two verses of ‘Don’t Wanna Go Home’ (below) and tell me those lyrics wouldn’t fit right in alongside the “Sunday comes afterwards” inanity of Black’s excoriated ‘Friday.’
On top of that is Derulo’s bizarre habit of singing his own name at the beginning of his songs. I don’t know if he does this on every song, but he does it on this one and on ‘In My Head,’ the only other song of his I know. I find that hilarious.
According to Wikipedia, the Miami-born Derulo, who is of Haitian descent, is a capable songwriter and producer respected in his field. So maybe he’s not a joke. But this, his second big hit, doesn’t change my mind about him a bit. Take away the “day-o” bits borrowed from Harry Belafonte and this thing is worthy of the ARK Music Factory.
That’s my song that’s my song
Where my drinks
I’ve been waiting much too long much too long
And this girl in my lap passing out, she’s a blonde
The last thing on my mind is going home
From the window to the wall
This club is jumping, till tomorrow
Is it daylight or is it nightime
1 o’clock 2 o’clock 3 o’clock 4
We gon’ tear the club up til
[Chorus]
Dayo me say Dayo
Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home
Yeah so we losing control
Turn the lights low cause we about to get blown
Let the club shut down
We won’t go oh oh oh
Burn it down
To the flo oh oh oh
Dayo me say dayo
Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home
[Jason Derulo – Verse 2]
We drink the whole bottle but it ain’t over over
Errbody jumping on the sofa sofa
Standing on the chairs
Standing on the bar
No matter day or night I’m shining
Bitch I’m a star
From the window to the wall
This club is jumping, til tomorrow
Is it daylight or is it nightime
1 o’clock 2 o’clock 3 o’clock 4
We gon’ tear the club up til
[Chorus]
Dayo me say dayo
Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home
Yeah so we losing control
Turn the lights low cause we about to get blown
Let the club shut down
We won’t go oh oh oh
Burn it down
To the flo oh oh oh
Ayo me say day oh
Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home
[Bridge]
I just met this sexy Haitian girl moving like a dancer
Told her and her girlfriends lets meet in my cabana
Ask me where the party’s at baby I’m the answer
Have another drink with me shawty where your manners
Take another shot another shot shot shot shot
I can make it hot make it hot we go rock into the
[Chorus]
Dayo me say dayo
Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home
Yeah so we losing control
Turn the lights low cause we about to get blown
Let the club shut down
We won’t go oh oh oh
Burn it down
To the flo oh oh oh
Ayo me say day oh
Daylight come and we don’t wanna go home
Meet Me In Montauk 
I change the station every time this song comes on. I think it’s because he sings his name at the beginning which, as you suggest, is hilarious but also very annoying. When I heard this the other day, I commented to myself that if he would do something original he wouldn’t have to say his name first; when this song starts, it’s the music of the 1993 song “Show Me Love.” I get the whole sampling thing, but when it is the base of the entire song, that doesn’t show a lot of creativity in my opinion. And the lyrics are just plain stupid, so if this guy is a big deal, I question the “authority” who says so… 🙂
I had never heard of Jason Derulo until I learned that he would be one of the acts performing at Grad Bash this year. When I asked my students who he was, they said, “you know… the guy who always says his name in every one of his songs.” I think I heard a bit of him while waiting outside the Shrek ride at Universal. It was sort of fun in that environment, but I certainly wouldn’t leave him on the radio. What’s best about this song is the part that is sampled. Still, I can’t deny that I’m dancing in my chair while I write this, so I do get why it’s a summer hit. 🙂
I don’t know this song, and I don’t think I even know the song he is sampling, and I can’t say I’m the worse for not knowing either song.