Entertainment

These Xtina Song Facts May Surprise You

by Tracy Dye

How many Christina Aguilera songs are a fixture on your iTunes? If you've lost count, then you and I already have something in common. Since debuting as a platinum-haired pop star in the late '90s, Aguilera has proven herself to be a deft supplier of hit songs we can't stop listening to. Ever the chameleon, Aguilera's sound (and look) has evolved over the years, with the singer making the leap from a coquettish pop queen in "Genie In A Bottle," to a fierce chap-clad seductress in "Dirrty," and a beacon of empowerment in tracks like "Fighter" and "Beautiful." Aguilera's powerhouse vocals and catchy hooks can make some of the lyrics get lost in translation, since many of us (me) take to dancing around our bedrooms while jamming out to these sick beats rather than shrewdly listening to the songs' underlying messages. Did you ever notice that "Genie In A Bottle" is steeped in feminism? Have you ever wondered where Aguilera got her inspiration for "Ain't No Other Man" from Back To Basics?

After thorough research — and repeated listening of my favorite Aguilera singles — I have gleaned some little-known information on nine of the singer's hottest tracks. You. Are. Welcome.

"Genie In A Bottle" Is A Feminist Anthem & Aguilera Penned The Spoken Hook

Upon your first listen of this smash hit, you may have missed the fact that this catchy track was also a feminist anthem. By scrutinizing the lyrics, we find that — although there are "hormones raging at the speed of light" — Aguilera sticks to her standards by insisting any potential suitor "rub me the right way" (i.e., treat me the right way) if they want that genie to come out of her proverbial bottle. Aguilera also penned the spoken hook for the song.

"Come On Over (All I Want Is You)" Was Aguilera's Third No. 1 Hit

According to Billboard, Aguilera garnered "a third Billboard Hot 100 No. 1" with "Come On Over (All I Want Is You)". "Genie In A Bottle" and "What A Girl Wants" preceded the honor.

Aguilera Also Wrote The Rap For "Come On Over (All I Want Is You)"

The music video for "Come On Over (All I Want Is You)" actually features a re-recorded version of the song; the original did not include the rap section (which Aguilera co-wrote) and some of the more suggestive lyrics.

Linda Perry Wrote & Produced "Beautiful" For Christina Aguilera

While Aguilera had been showcasing some of the most powerful pipes the music industry had seen in recent years, the "Genie In A Bottle" singer was more reclusive in her personal life. Perry acted as a mentor to Aguilera while she was recording her album, Stripped, and presented the song "Beautiful" to her as a way to help expose some of Aguilera's vulnerability and help the artist "find her voice." It certainly paid off, as "Beautiful" earned Aguilera a Grammy and continues to inspire with its poignant messages of self-love and overcoming issues like depression and low self-esteem.

Rolling Stone Reported That "Dirrty" Was The Most-Played Music Video Of All Time

Although that title may have changed with the advent of things like Bieber mania, it was reported in 2011 that Rolling Stone had named "Dirrty" as the most watched video of all time. Those chaps may have led to a few debates, but they also garnered a ton of success for this scandalous track.

Aguilera's "Fighter" Is Based On Her Personal Experiences

Empowering anthems are old hat for Aguilera. One of her most powerful hit singles was "Fighter" from the album, Stripped, and the song is actually based on Aguilera's personal struggles in and out of the music industry. In Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Story Behind the Song, the pop singer disclosed that she had gleaned inspiration to pen the track from a tumultuous childhood and early struggles as a pop singer:

"I grew up in a very chaotic and abusive home where I didn't feel very safe. I started writing music, both melodies and lyrics, when I was 15. In retrospect, I realize I used it as a release, a therapeutic outlet. It was the way I found my voice. I connected with the music and escaped from my home life. In school, I was picked on and alienated because of my passion for music. So I harbored a little personal pain but the seemingly negative things made me smarter and stronger. I took notice early of the people all around me in the business who were there for the wrong reasons."

Aguilera Wrote "Ain't No Other Man" For Jordan Bratman

According to IMDB, Aguilera's first single from her album Back To Basics "is said to be her favorite and was written about Jordan" who Aguilera was married to at the time. Aguilera and Bratman split amicably and the pop singer has since welcomed a child with her fiancé, Matt Rutler.

Aguilera Wrote "Oh Mother" As A Tribute To Her Own Mom

During her first performance of "Oh Mother", Aguilera tearfully acknowledged that the song was a "thank you" to her own mom, who left an abusive relationship with Aguilera's father during the pop singer's childhood. The ballad is as heart-wrenching as it is beautiful, and Aguilera's courageous presentation of the song is truly inspirational.

Aguilera's "Not Myself Tonight" Was Inspired By Her Work In Burlesque

During an interview with Ryan Seacrest, Aguilera spoke about how the new experiences she garnered from working on the movie Burlesque inspired her to explore her "wild side" again, along with new facets of her persona. She had wrapped up work on her album, Bionic, but decided she wanted to add more tracks after filming her first major motion picture. "Not Myself Tonight" was a song that she instantly gravitated toward and it also became the album's debut single.

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