Artist: Michelle
Title: Your Hand Is Your Friend
Genre: Hip Hop
Length: 3:54
Written By: M.Hamilton
Produced By: Deneil
Format: Free Digital Download
Label: Unsigned
From The Album: TBC
"Your Hand Is Your Friend" is a song written and performed by English singer/songwriter Michelle Hamilton. The track is taken from her yet to be titled fourth studio album which is expected to be released in August 2014. "Your Hand Is Your Friend" is NOT an official single and therefore will not be promoted or eligible to chart. The song serves as the second free download from her new record, following the critically acclaimed and controversial "Aggro" which was made available for download back in January 2014. "Your Hand Is Your Friend" was produced by Deneil and incorporates a hip hop influence, yet another new musical venture for Michelle. The song is also Michelle's second ever track to carry a "parental advisory" label, following "Aggro". This is showing a bolder, edgier sound and image, which is something that will really come to light when the official releases and the promotion for the fourth album finally begins.
The lyrics of the song describe a man that sees all females as sexual object who also likes to boast about his money and how many girls he has slept with. However, it is believed that this is all just talk and he is only acting like this as he thinks it's what everyone wants to hear - that clearly isn't the case. Michelle has stated that this song was inspired by a story she heard from her mother.
"My mum used to work in office many years ago and she told me about this co-worker of hers. At the water cooler during breaks he'd always be boasting about how many girls he's been with, he'd openly flirt with someone then move on to the next girl that was stood there right next to them. At the Christmas parties, he'd be the one trying to get off with people and he just wouldn't take no for an answer and thought he was God's gift. I found it quite funny but also really sad that someone is actually like that." When writing the song, Michelle imagined being in the office alone at night with that person and telling him a few home truths after he tries to make a move.
BackgroundHamilton released her third studio album "Live To Tell" in the third quarter of 2013, an album which saw a genre shift to a more commercial dance and synthpop sound, rather than the indie-pop influence incorporated throughout her first two albums; "The Voice Of Me" and "Exiled". The release of her third album was not the only big event for Michelle in 2013. In the same year she married her long time boyfriend, Riley Hamilton, embarked on a world tour with Ellie-Grace Summers and later gave birth to her first child, Orson Tobias Hamilton. Although taking on Riley's surname, she decided to switch her professional name from Michelle Green to simply, Michelle. The reason for this being that people may confuse "Michelle Green" and "Michelle Hamilton" as two different artists whereas most of her fans already referred to her as just "Michelle". After finishing up the world tour with Summers, Michelle announced that she had already wrote the majority of her fourth album and had began writing for it even before the official release of "Live To Tell".
Michelle contacted all of the producers for the fourth record herself and recorded the entire album without backing from a label or without management following Chaos Records closing down and Michelle parting ways with her management team. Hamilton stated that she wanted to work on the record within her own terms as it enabled her to have full control and not answer to any record label head. "Your Hand Is Your Friend" was chosen as the second free download as Michelle wanted fans to appreciate the song as a standalone track and not only as a track on an album which people may or may not skip over in order to play the singles.
"I really wanted people to hear this track with nothing else surrounding it. No other songs to skip to, no music video to distract from the lyrical content or the sound. I really like this track because it's something a bit different and while I have tracks that are more personal and have deeper lyrics, this one still stands out for me....it's quite bold. If I were with a label, I doubt that this song would get much attention as it's not radio friendly and it's a big jump from my other stuff so that's why I've decided to give it away as a free download." Another reason for yet another free track is for record labels to hear all the different styles she is capable of and what she can do without the help of a big team or co-writers.
Critical ReceptionUpon release the song was met with generally positive reviews with the majority of them highlighting Michelle's ability to reinvent herself yet again and carry it off with ease. Lewis Hopkins of ThatMusicSite praised the song for its "witty lyrics" as well as Hamilton for her "feisty vocal delivery" and Deneil Khan for the "dark, minimalist beat". Alice Wilkins from Digital Spy rated the song five out of five stars, calling it "Michelle's most outstanding piece of work to date." She also went on to praise the song for aiming it at one exaggerated character rather than aiming it at all men; "Calling men all the names under the sun may be acceptable in one song but when artists replicate that it can be rather tiring and offending. Rather than being "anti-men", Michelle takes a comical approach and tells this one guy to act like a real man. She's more "anti-silly boy" than anything else." Rolling Stone also gave the song a positive review but stated that her shift in sound may confuse fans and might mark the end of her chart reign as well as he likability factor; "While the song itself is interesting and an overall good show, we can't help but wonder if this is more of a forced change in sound rather than a natural one. Unlike Miley Cyrus who bridged the gap between "sweet" and "outrageous" with the "Can't Be Tamed" album which was a bit of both, Michelle has jumped right in and has went from clean cut pop numbers to songs about men masturbating. She's not swinging from a wrecking ball naked or licking phallic shaped objects just yet but if this new ballsy, outspoken and foul mouthed image slowly takes over her public persona it could be a car crash in the making."
Your Hand Is Your FriendYou've got a good job, done quite well for yourself
Rolling in the cash, yeah you love to show off your wealth
You've got it all, well maybe except from one thing
Where's your girl, where's your expensive wedding ring?
Yeah there's one problem and I can't excuse it
You see all ladies as just a pair of legs and tits
Flash your bling, that just won't do
I hate to think this is how your parents raised you
Yet you love it, say that you're a total player
Maybe on Xbox, locked in your room like a sad little gamer
Better loosen up that wrist, your hand is your friend
It's not the real thing but at least you can pretend
Keep your eyes up front and all your smiles for your mother
Keep both feet on the ground and all your bullshit for some other
I'm not here to pick you up, I'm not here to please you
Just because I wear a mini skirt don't mean I'm here to get screwed
You say I'm a tease, I'd say that you're an embarrassment
You think you're such a catch but this is nothing but harassment
Have you looked in the mirror lately, you're no Riley Hamilton
So you can take your sad self home and knock out another oneYou say you can get any girl down on her knees
Mate she's just praying, hoping, begging for release
What makes you think you're something special?
Bad attitude, no style plus you're a fucking mental
Case closed, you really need to get a grip
And I mean in life, I'm not talking about your dick
You could brush up, you could be a gentleman
Good job, got money, nice car, could be the envy of every man
But all these games and all this bravado
It just don't wash and you wonder why all the girls go?
I'm trying to give you a little wake up call
In one ear out the other, I'm talking to a brick wall
Keep your eyes up front and all your smiles for your mother
Keep both feet on the ground and all your bullshit for some other
I'm not here to pick you up, I'm not here to please you
Just because I wear a mini skirt don't mean I'm here to get screwed
You say I'm a tease, I'd say that you're an embarrassment
You think you're such a catch but this is nothing but harassment
Have you looked in the mirror lately, you're no Riley Hamilton
So you can take your sad self home and knock out another oneOops I dropped my pen,
I want you to check me out as I bend
I am such a tease, I want all eyes on me
Yeah in your dreams, in your dreams
Your hand is your friend,
Don't you have some business to attend?
As things begin to heat, bet you wish that it was me
Yeah in your dreams, in your dreams
Keep your eyes up front and all your smiles for your mother
Keep both feet on the ground and all your bullshit for some other
I'm not here to pick you up, I'm not here to please you
Just because I wear a mini skirt don't mean I'm here to get screwed
You say I'm a tease, I'd say that you're an embarrassment
You think you're such a catch but this is nothing but harassment
Have you looked in the mirror lately, you're no Riley Hamilton
So you can take your sad self home and knock out another oneCan Be Compared To;
