Music Review: Bridgit Mendler "Ready Or Not"

Bridgit Mendler

Ready Or Not

Album: Hello My Name Is…

Year: 2012

        Bridgit Mendler goes after a cute guy in the boastful “Ready Or Not.”

         A shrieking piano opens the single along with a thumping bass, setting a superficial tone. She claims to be quiet and doesn’t take risks. Lately, she wants to be somebody else who is more outgoing. A cute guy turns his head, eyes her up and down and she decides to shed her serious image in that instant. He’s hot enough and she thinks he would fall for her hard, willing to do whatever she asks. (“I'm the kind of girl/Who doesn't say a word/Who sits at the curb/And waits for the world/But I'm about to break out, about to break out I'm like a crook tonight/I caught you staring at me/And I was thinking clearly/Now I'm like a bee/And I'm hunting for the honey/And I'm kinda shy but, you super fly yeah, I could be your kryptonite.”)

          She wants to make out with him so badly. (“Like/Oh oh oh oh oh oh/Light my heart up baby, like a matchstick/Oh oh oh oh oh oh ooh/And hit the gas quick.”)

         In the chorus, she declares that she’s going to search for him at the party she knows they were both invited to attend. She looks at her clock. It’s only 11 pm. She has plenty of time to get him. She moves around the dancing couples and groups of friends laughing. She still can’t see him. She thinks of a pick-up line to grab his attention. (“Ready or not, here I come/Where you at? /The night is young/In the crowd the music's loud/But I will find you/Ready or not, here I come/I like your face, do you like my song?/Just sing it /La la la la la la la/And I'll find you/Ready or not, ready or not.”)

       Finally, she finds him among chatting him near the pool. She breaks in and introduces herself. He has to be a celebrity. She wouldn’t be interested otehrwise. She asks if they have met at another party. She immediately likens them to Prince William and the Duchess of Cornwall, Kate and says the media will be reporting all about them. They will have so much money, half of their mansion will be devoted to cars.  (“Hello, my name is (Bridgit)/Nice to meet you/I think you're famous/Where have I seen you?/You'll be my William, I'll be your Kate living like a fairytale/We could have a palace right next to Oprah/Thirty-seven cars and a yacht down in Boca/Take me away, wherever you say,/Yeah we could be setting sail.”)

       The pre-chorus and chorus are sung again.

       In the bridge, she announces he doesn’t stand a chance. He won’t be able to ignore her. (“Ready or not, here I come , here I come/You're like a breath of fresh air in my lungs/You and me dance from the night to the dawn/Ready or not, here I come boy/It's on/Ready or not, here I come, here I come/You're like a breath of fresh air in my lungs/You and me dance from the night to the dawn/Ready or not, here I come boy/It's on.”)

     The chorus is sung again.

      She sings “ready or not” about seven times to close the single.

 
        Mendler’s conceited, pushy vocals tack on gaudy embellishments with glued on jewels. She’s an outgoing, popular girl who is known for her singing. A lot of people want to be around her because she is so great and people love her voice (or so she thinks). She’s noticed the type of guys she likes usually go for the plain girls. In order to land one of them, she pretends to have a docile demeanor.

        The one-dimensional “Ready Or Not” isn’t as cool as it thinks it is.