Talk:Make Me Like You

Changes so far

Carbrera, I've added a bit of background to the first section -- I think a bit more of a lead-in is needed. If it's OK with you I'll work my way through the article and post any questions I have here. Please keep an eye on it and let me know if I mess anything up, or if I leave out material you feel should be included. Not sure how long it will take me to go through the article; it might be a week or two. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 12:14, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

• I added a "citation needed" tag, because I couldn't find a cite that gave that information concisely; can you find one?
• All but the first sentence of the composition and lyrics section seem to me to be more suited to the reception section; any objections if I move them? I think that would leave the composition section quite short, so I would then combine it with the previous section.

-- Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 15:51, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

Mike Christie In terms of the citation needed tag, you can use the liner notes reference. I have it in front of me right now and it covers exactly what you wrote in the first paragraph. Regarding the composition section, shouldn't the lyric mentions belong here? Other FA songs like S&M (song) and 4 Minutes mention lyrics in similar ways. Thanks for all of your help so far. Carbrera (talk) 18:09, 19 February 2017 (UTC).

Doing my taxes this afternoon so can't do much more for a bit, but go ahead and add the cite if you like -- this is a collaboration; I'm not taking over the article! I'll have another think about the lyrics. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 18:13, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

Here's every sentence in the "Composition and lyrics" section. I'll add comments as I go through and then let's talk about what goes where.

1. "Make Me Like You" is a three-minute, 36-second pop and disco song.

   The duration is in the tracklist; I don't think it needs to be here unless we have something specific to say about the duration -- e.g. the article about Bohemian Rhapsody mentions the length multiple times because it led to resistance from the record company executives to releasing it as a single. You're pulling the genre from comments made by reviewers: "Understated pop songs like the buoyant disco-rock 'Make Me Like You'" in the Slant source, for example. As the later quotes show, reviewers will use all kinds of genre descriptions, and unless there's something like consensus I don't think we're doing the reader a service by listing all of them. Is there some way to get a more definitive statement of genre -- e.g. by what charts the song shows up in? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:03, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

2. Elements of light rock, upbeat pop, and funk music are paired with guitar riffs and digital harps in an uptempo melody.

   This is sourced to:

   • "...the sticky-sweet uptempo swirls in pop, disco and light rock (check out those feathery guitar riffs) for a vibrant melody..."
   • "It’s a three-and-a-half minute nugget of creamy, upbeat pop..."
   • "The track features a radio-friendly pop-and-snap, with chiming guitars and digi-harps colluding beneath Stefani's lines..."
   • "...the disco-funkified new single..."
   • "...smart, catchy, upbeat pop that sounds utterly timeless in its execution".

   These are all comments about the song as it is heard by the reviewer; they really don't have anything to do with composition. I don't think we can justify the way you've assembled these into a single sentence -- in what way are the guitar riffs "paired" with "Elements of light rock" etc.? These sources are probably usable in the reception section if you're not already using them there, but we can get to that later. I don't think this material belongs here. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:03, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

3. The Chicago Sun-Times' Zach Gase cited the song's "beachy" sound as comparable to Stefani's two previous studio albums.

   Same here; this is a reviewer's opinion of the sound, not of the composition. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library)

4. Zach Johnson, a columnist for E! Online, called it a "bubblegum song", with its lyrics demonstrating Shelton's role as a muse when it was composed.

   The source article quotes the lyrics and then says "The bubblegum song's lyrics only get sweeter from there", followed by "Shelton, who no doubt served as his girlfriend's muse for the song...". We've already told the reader that the song is about Shelton, so I don't think we need to mention that. "Bubblegum" might be usable in the reception section. He does mention the lyrics, but just to say they're sweet; there's no analysis or detail. I think we can drop this too. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:09, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

5. According to Robbie Daw of Idolator, the recording "contains the best echoes" of "Lovefool" by The Cardigans and classic Kylie Minogue; Carl Williot wrote for the same website that the song reminded him of Phoenix's "Too Young" and the music of indie pop group The Bird and the Bee.

   The source is a set of four short reviews; again, no reason we can't use this, but none of the comments are about the composition or the lyrics. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:12, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

6. The lyrics of "Make Me Like You" deal with the pluses of a breakup, when one must learn to start over and "the gloom lifts".

   The source for this is "This is about emerging from the other side of a break-up, when the gloom lifts and you have to face the possibility of starting over". I think this is usable, either here or if we can't find enough to fill this section, then it could be used to expand the comment about Shelton inspiring the song in the previous paragraph. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:16, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

7. Like "Used to Love You", Stefani "inflect[s] emotion in her voice".

   The source is "Under their pop exterior, the lyrics in most of the tracks tell a story of heartbreak, but this can be easily lost amid the ticking drum samples and heavy downbeats. While Stefani does an excellent job of inflecting emotion in her voice, audiences may be able to ignore it completely." I think we should drop this. The source is a university's daily news site, so it's not high on the list of quality sources, and probably has little editorial oversight. The point being made is that the arrangement sometimes drowns out the emotion Stefani conveys in her voice, so it's really a comment about performance and so it belongs in reception, if we're going to use it at all. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:21, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

8. She confronts her lover in the song's hook, "Why'd you have to go and make me like you?", and continues the confrontation into its chorus, "I'm so mad at you, 'cause now you get me missing you".

   Sources:

   • 'And then there’s the hook: “Why’d you have to go and make me like you?”'
   • '"Why'd you have to go and make me like you?" she croons in the chorus. "I'm so mad at you, 'cause now you got me missing you."'
   • 'Later on the chorus, Stefani chastises her new lover, asking, "Why'd you have to go and make me like you? / I'm so mad at you cause now you got me missing you."'

   Giving the song's hook, "Why'd you have to go and make me like you?", seems worthwhile; we have two reviewers who found it worth mentioning. It explains the title, and it effectively summarizes the emotional arc of the song -- she's on the rebound and finds herself unexpectedly falling for someone. So we need to get that in. I'm not sure that the "I'm so mad at you..." line tells the reader a whole lot more; it's kind of more of the same. I don't really like "confronts" and "continues the confrontation"; the only support for that is "chastises", which is evident to the reader from the lyrics, and doesn't say anything new. In fact it's better for the reader to just read the hook -- the reader will immediately see she's not really telling her lover off. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:30, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

9. In the bridge, Stefani expresses gratitude for Shelton: "Oh God, thank God that I found you", which Mehera Bonner of Marie Claire called "ridiculously romantic".

   Sources:

   • 'Stefani later sings, "Thank God that I found you!"'
   • 'Plus, let's not forget the ridiculously romantic bridge where she muses, "Oh God, thank God that I found you" over and over again.'

   Not sure what you're using the first source for; did I miss something? Beyond just quoting the lyrics, this gives us "ridiculously romantic", but she's really talking about the bridge, which includes the lyrics -- she doesn't just say "these lyrics are ridiculously romantic". If we're going to use this I think it should be in the reception section. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:35, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

   Mike Christie, I can't say for sure but I think I may have included the lyrics and later found the Marie Claire source hence why both are used. What do you think of keeping this particular lyric here but having Bonner's opinion of the bridge in the reception section like you pointed out? Carbrera (talk) 23:32, 19 February 2017 (UTC).

   I think to include the lyric in this section we'd need to have a source that discussed it in terms of the composition, rather than the reviewers reaction to it. Take a look at "Like a Rolling Stone", which is an FA; there are plenty of quoted lyrics but they're in a section on thematic analysis, where the comments are about the meaning of the lyrics. Or look at ""The World Is Not Enough", which has a long composition section. The only mention of the lyrics there is to give a lyric that was taken from the film's dialogue; that's not about how a reviewer saw the lyric. I think it's OK to cut this material from here. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 10:37, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

10. Stefani refers to first meeting Shelton: "I was free before I met you, I was broken but free / All alone in a clear view, but now you are all I see".

    Not sure what you're using for this -- the source does quote big chunks of the lyrics, including these lines, but I don't see anything specific about how these lines refer to Shelton. And if they do, is that worth mentioning? We already know the song is about Shelton. I think specific analysis of the lyrics and how/why they refer to something might be worth including, but I don't see that here. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:41, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

Phew. Sorry for the length of that; it's partly because I know nothing about Stefani and don't know these sources, so I have to do this analysis anyway if I'm going to help on the article, and if we're going to collaborate I need to put it down where you can see it so we can discuss it. That's probably it from me for today; let me know what you think of the above (might be best to do threaded comments under each point, but up to you) and I'll go work on another article for a bit and then go watch a movie. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:41, 19 February 2017 (UTC)

Mike Christie, I'll try to respond to these as quickly as possible. The next week or so I will be busier than ever with my schoolwork. Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication; it will not go unnoticed. Carbrera (talk) 23:32, 19 February 2017 (UTC).

You're welcome. By the way, no need to ping me for every comment; the article's on my watchlist and I'll see changes. Let me know if you want me to ping you but I assume the same is true for you. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 10:38, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

Cut section on composition and lyrics

Here's the section on composition and lyrics; I've cut it for now but some of it can be re-added to the reception section, so here it is for reference:

"Make Me Like You" is a three-minute, 36-second pop and disco song. Elements of light rock, upbeat pop, and funk music are paired with guitar riffs and digital harps in an uptempo melody. The Chicago Sun-Times' Zach Gase cited the song's "beachy" sound as comparable to Stefani's two previous studio albums. Zach Johnson, a columnist for E! Online, called it a "bubblegum song", with its lyrics demonstrating Shelton's role as a muse when it was composed. According to Robbie Daw of Idolator, the recording "contains the best echoes" of "Lovefool" by The Cardigans and classic Kylie Minogue; Carl Williot wrote for the same website that the song reminded him of Phoenix's "Too Young" and the music of indie pop group The Bird and the Bee. The lyrics of "Make Me Like You" deal with the pluses of a breakup, when one must learn to start over and "the gloom lifts". Like "Used to Love You", Stefani "inflect[s] emotion in her voice". She confronts her lover in the song's hook, "Why'd you have to go and make me like you?", and continues the confrontation into its chorus, "I'm so mad at you, 'cause now you get me missing you". In the bridge, Stefani expresses gratitude for Shelton: "Oh God, thank God that I found you", which Mehera Bonner of Marie Claire called "ridiculously romantic". Stefani refers to first meeting Shelton: "I was free before I met you, I was broken but free / All alone in a clear view, but now you are all I see".

References

Just a comment. I'd go as far as saying that all FA songs (like 4 Minutes, Rehab (Rihanna song), S&M (song), and What You Waiting For?) feature Composition sections to justify the song's genre, with most of them covering its lyrics and comparisons to other artists. Carbrera (talk) 15:31, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

• @Carbrera:@Mike Christie: I apologize for intruding on this review, but I do not see a problem with the removed section. I would have to agree with Carbrera that this type of section and approach to Composition and Lyrics sections appear to be routine for featured articles on songs (with other examples Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Cry Me a River (Justin Timberlake song), Don't Say You Love Me (M2M song), and Diamonds (Rihanna song)). From what I can see, it is pretty common to include critical opinion and discussion of the composition and lyrics of in this section rather than the "Critical reception"/"Reception" section. I hope I do not come across as rude or intrusive as I have a great deal of respect for Mike Christie, but I just have to respectfully disagree on this matter. I do think that the prose of the above section could use improvement (for instance, the "pluses of a breakup" is too informal in my opinion). Also on a different note, at least from what I have seen on articles about songs, the genre is typically supported through critical reviews/genre commentators in which the song is clearly identified as something (example: X is a pop song or Y is a funk song). I am not sure if only looking at the charts is the best way to track this, but genre can be a very difficult thing to pin down and has caused a number of debates with song articles in the past so it is tricky. Aoba47 (talk) 15:49, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

  Hi, Aoba47 -- thanks for joining in. You're not rude; you're helping. I'm at work and will post more tonight, but briefly, my concern is not that the composition section is unneeded, it's that I don't think it's supported by the sources given, which seem to me to be more review comments than discussion of the composition process. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 15:57, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

• Thank you for the clarification! I agree that making sure all of the information matches and is supported by the sources is one of the most important things. I have certainly been guilty in the past of misreading or misidentifying a source before when creating an article. Hope everything is going well for you at work. Aoba47 (talk) 16:13, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

Sorry, out of time for tonight; I'll try to come back to this tomorrow. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 02:21, 22 February 2017 (UTC)

I've looked at the examples Aoba47 linked, and they're right that those articles have composition sections that are constructed in a similar way to the section I cut and moved here. Not every featured article on a song has a section like that, though, so I think the question is whether we have enough sources to give the reader useful information. Here's what I think could be put in a composition or lyrics section, if we had the sources:

• How the composition or lyrics evolved in the studio or in the writing process
• Technical structure -- 12 bar blues, what key it's in, time signature, lyrics format
• Influences acknowledged by the composers as affecting the writing process
• Genre
• Instrumentation

Anything I've missed?

What I don't think belongs here includes:

• How a reviewer reacted to the lyrics or the melody (they "only get sweeter from there", or "creamy, upbeat", or "smart, catchy, upbeat pop")
• A reviewer's guesses about the song ("Shelton, who no doubt served as his girfriend's muse"), even if we know from other evidence they guessed correctly.

In the "Changes so far" section above you can see most of the snippets of text that were used to source the section as it stood. Clearly the genre is pop. The instrumentation is mentioned briefly by two reviewers, it's true. Is there a listing on the liner notes of who plays what instruments? That might be a better source for that. Other than that I think most of the material in these sources isn't really about composition or lyrics in the sense I give above.

As you know I don't work on many music articles, so if what I'm saying is totally out of line with how these articles are normally written, please say so. I'd still want to make the argument, but I'm OK with being overruled if there's an established consensus to point to. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 13:23, 22 February 2017 (UTC)

• @Mike Christie: I understand your point, and I agree with your idea of how the composition and lyrics section should be arranged. I am not sure the reviewer's quote about the "muse" is necessary as it is a little bit repetitive considering this information has already been stated in other places. I am not completely against using reviewer's reactions to the lyrics or the composition as I have seen other articles do this, but I would advise being careful with tone and using them wisely if that makes any sense. I am definitely not an expert on this at all so I am not sure either, but I agree with your points. Aoba47 (talk) 17:26, 22 February 2017 (UTC)

FYI, I asked another editor for an opinion; their comment is here. That's not definitive, of course, but I like his comment that we should be more interested in allocating the information into sections of the article that are appropriate, and less in finding material for a section because other articles cover that area. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 01:40, 24 February 2017 (UTC)

Commercial performance section

I read through the commercial performance section again and it seems like nearly all this information is in the chart table. Exceptions are:

• Details of the ups and downs on the Hot 100 -- not sure we really need this.
• Date of distribution to radio. This could probably go into the production and release section.
• Sales figures in France. Not that important, but could go in a note if necessary.
• Spotify streaming numbers and chart positions. Any reasons this can't go in the chart table? Do we not have peak numbers?
• UK Singles Downloads Chart -- same question; can't this go in the chart?

-- Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 10:59, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

Regarding the Spotify/UK Download: Per WP:CHARTMATH, dependent/component charts should not be included on the table. Per WP:BILLBOARDCHARTS, the Spotify charts are not included on the table because it is a streaming chart, and streaming charts should not be used if the song charted on the main Billboard Hot 100. Carbrera (talk) 15:25, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

Thanks for the links; I didn't know about those. Doesn't that imply we shouldn't mention the Spotify/UK Download chart then? WP:CHARTMATH says it would have to be an "unusual case"; can we justify that here? Similarly, under WP:BILLBOARDCHARTS it says we shouldn't mention the Digital Songs chart if it charted in the Hot 100, so wouldn't we cut that too? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 18:05, 21 February 2017 (UTC)

I guess it would be best to remove this info, but definitely keep the first week sales figures. Carbrera (talk) 02:23, 22 February 2017 (UTC).

OK -- do you want to go ahead and make the edits? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 13:06, 22 February 2017 (UTC)

Yes, that would be lovely. Carbrera (talk) 13:49, 22 February 2017 (UTC).

Sorry, I meant to ask if you wanted to do it yourself. That'll stop me from cutting too much! Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 01:03, 23 February 2017 (UTC)

Sure thing; I misread that. I think I'm gonna rewrite the entire section in my sandbox then I'll put it into the mainspace very soon. Regards, Carbrera (talk) 01:10, 23 February 2017 (UTC).

Music video

Currently we have:

While practicing about 30 minutes before the live broadcast, Stefani stumbled and received a minor head injury. During the video's final rehearsal, she missed her exit to a rising platform while inline skating and her stunt double accidentally turned to face the camera. According to a Music Times review, Stefani joked that the mistakes "'knocked some sense' into her".

I think these are actually the same incident, aren't they? The first one is cited to a Billboard article which says "during the final scheduled rehearsal -- with just 30 minutes before go-time -- when Stefani missed her roller skating exit cue and banged her head resulting in utter disarray on set as a befuddled stunt double wearing a peroxide wig turned to face the camera" and the second one to Music Times, which says 'just two takes before the actual live video itself, Stefani actually did fall and land on her head, though she played it off, saying that it "knocked some sense" into her".' There's nothing to indicate in either source that there were two falls where she hit her head. I'm going to trim this and use both refs. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 01:14, 23 February 2017 (UTC)

Thanks for catching that. I also need to formally thank you for all of the attention you're giving this article. It is beyond anything I could have imagined. Carbrera (talk) 01:17, 23 February 2017 (UTC).

You're welcome; it's nice to be thanked, but I'm also learning. These music articles are hard. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 01:18, 23 February 2017 (UTC)

Music video synopsis

Two questions about this: when I watched the video I didn't see the hanging clocks that are mentioned in the synopsis; and is there a source for saying that the piano bar is a reference to Shelton? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 12:33, 25 February 2017 (UTC)

At 0:24 - 0:40 you can see that the background has various clocks and circular objects hanging. As for the piano bar, Billboard notes that the bar is named "Blake's" and Entertainment Tonight describes it as a "shoutout" to Blake. I can remove the reference part if you'd prefer. Carbrera (talk) 17:25, 25 February 2017 (UTC)

No, I think that's fine. I think the synopsis is in pretty good shape, but if I was going to copyedit it I wanted to make sure everything was sourced. I'll have a go at it tomorrow, but I don't think much is needed. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 17:29, 25 February 2017 (UTC)

Sections status

Here's what I think the status is on each section.

• Production and release -- done.
• Critical reception -- needs rework; I'll have a go at this later.
• Commercial performance -- Carbrera to cut some of this information per comments above.
• Music video
  • Background and development -- done.
  • Synopsis -- done.
  • Release and reception. I'll work on this later in the week.
• Live performances. I think we should cut the material on her clothes and the visuals. Could this be turned into a table, with a column for notes if there is additional information to be added?

-- Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 16:00, 26 February 2017 (UTC)

Thanks for laying everything out. In regards to "Live performances", I've never seen the information placed into a table before. I'm not completely opposed to the idea, but I believe it should be experimented with here before heading to the mainspace. This would probably be a first for a song article. Carbrera (talk) 21:56, 26 February 2017 (UTC).

Well, OK, I don't want to be a bomb-thrower. Are you OK with me cutting out the info on her clothes, and the visuals? Seems like that would belong in the articles on the tours, if it's important enough to mention at all. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:05, 26 February 2017 (UTC)

Yes, I'd very much appreciate it. Carbrera (talk) 22:32, 26 February 2017 (UTC).

Done. The main remaining work is on the reception sections. I'll have a go at that probably mid-week; I need to get some FAC reviews done. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 22:50, 26 February 2017 (UTC)

Thanks. Do you think some mention of the outfits should be included to be some extent like they are on 4 Minutes? Carbrera (talk) 23:01, 26 February 2017 (UTC).

I don't think it would be a problem at FAC; I doubt anyone would complain about it. I've been thinking about it since I cut it, and I guess the rule would be if a reliable source mentions the clothing in the context of the song -- that is, they're describing the song's performance, and the outfit is part of the performance as far as that source is concerned. Looking at this source, which is one of the ones I cut, it seems clear that it is part of the performance in some cases, so I agree we should think about putting it back. However, that source doesn't seem to mention "Make Me Like You" specifically; the "red track pants and a red sequined cage top over a black bra" that was mentioned in the article seems to refer to another song. Of the other sources, this one doesn't mention "Make Me Like You"; this one doesn't mention her clothing; and this one does specify her clothing but it doesn't seem to match what's in the article. Let me know if I'm missing something, but I'd say based on this that the SNL reference could be used, and the others need more justification. All the SNL one says is a "lacy, babydoll dress"; probably too hard to rephrase so I'm just going to quote it. Let me know what you think about whether we can use the other refs. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 01:22, 27 February 2017 (UTC)

Sorry Mike, I've been meaning to look at his lately. Regarding the live performances, I think a teeny bit more should be said about her performances during the This Is What the Truth Feels Like Tour, mainly because there is corresponding sentence for the MasterCard tour and the photo I took is from the TIWTTFL Tour. Carbrera (talk) 23:42, 2 March 2017 (UTC).

I think you're right; the fact that the later comment refers to the Tokyo visuals ties the two comments together and makes it more useful to the reader. I re-added part of it; I didn't include the costume information, but let me know if you think we can justify it. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 16:31, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

Critical reception

Here's a list of the sources for the critical reception section.

• Adams, Gregory Exclaim The track features a radio-friendly pop-and-snap, with chiming guitars and digi-harps colluding beneath Stefani's lines about being lost and uncertain in life. That is, until she met the "you" in this particular number. It goes on to have the artist using her signature pipes to note she's getting used to their lips being on her lips. Genre/description: "radio-friendly pop-and-snap". Instrumentation: "chiming guitars and digi-harps". Emotions: "being lost and uncertain in life...until she me the 'you' in this particular number'.
• Billboard It’s a three-and-a-half minute nugget of creamy, upbeat pop, produced by Da Robin and Matt Man. “Why'd you have to go and make me like you?/I'm so mad at you cause now you got me missing you,” Stefani sings Genre/description: "a three-and-a-half minute nugget of creamy, upbeat pop".
• Cinquemani, Sal Slant The infectious “Make Me Like You” is decidedly more buoyant, reminiscent of 2006's “The Sweet Escape,” but it still scans as a peek into the newly single—and clearly revitalized—singer's personal life. Praise: "infectious". Genre/description: "decidedly more buoyant". Emotions: "a peek into the newly single—and clearly revitalized—singer's personal life."
• Dykan, Amanda Altwire “Make me Like You” may be my favorite track on the album. This is definitely worthy of what we’ve been waiting for. So glad you’re back Gwen. We’ve missed you, even though you never really went away. Praise: the whole quote.
• Fekadu, Mesfin The National (Abu Dhabi) But songs such as Naughty and the singles Used to Love You and Make Me Like You don’t feel connected to Stefani – it’s as if another pop star could sing the tracks and you wouldn’t notice the difference. That’s disappointing for a singer who is usually a standout on the pop music scene. Criticism: the whole quote.
• Holz, Adam R. Plugged In "Make Me Like You" includes honest lyrics describing her hesitancy to plunge into a new relationship ("I really like you, but I'm so scared/Why'd you have to go and make me like you?"). Emotions: "includes honest lyrics describing her hesitancy to plunge into a new relationship"
• Kennedy, Christian Michigan Daily Her newest, “Make Me Like You,” is the song no one knew they needed...The track doesn’t bring any revelations or real solutions to the feelings, but the lyrics are catchy without leaning towards the tepidity of much of today’s pop music; the individual beats and instruments blend to form well-oiled production over which Stefani frosts her laid-back lyrics, completing this sweet, sweet pop tune. Praise: the whole quote.
• Kivel, Adam Consequence of Sound The other heart-eyed tracks stick to a bland warmth, which while inoffensive, won’t win anyone over. “Make Me Like You” feels a lot like “Lovefool”, which is as much compliment as it is complaint. Criticism/praise: "“Make Me Like You” feels a lot like “Lovefool”, which is as much compliment as it is complaint."
• Kornhaber, Spencer The Atlantic “Make Me Like You,” a strong single that adds a dash of her signature pout to Sheryl Crow strumminess, neatly charts three distinct emotional phases in verse, pre-chorus, and chorus. “Hey, wait a minute / No, you can’t do this to me,” she protests to an exciting new love interest during the second phase, perhaps also speaking for anyone trying to resist the song’s charm. Praise: "strong"; also the comment about resisting its charm. Genre/description: "adds a dash of her signature pout to Sheryl Crow strumminess". Emotions: "charts three distinct emotional phases in verse, pre-chorus, and chorus".
• Lawler, Kelly USA Today Just after the singer and Voice coach revealed her new album and track list she has released the second single off the album and goodness if it isn't the sweet pop candy you remember. Make Me Like You is catchy AF, and with lyrics like this, "Why'd you have to go and make me like you? / Yeah this is a feeling I'm not used to / I'm so mad at you cause now you got me missing you / Cause now you got me missing you," we can't help but wonder if maybe it's just a little bit about a certain new love of hers. His name is Blake Shelton, in case you forgot. Praise: "Goodness if it isn't the sweet pop candy you remember. Make Me Like You is catchy".
• Mapes, Jillian Pitchfork There’s only one “Gwen Gets Back On the Horse” song that really works—second single “Make Me Like You,” a disco confection that captures the deliciously complicated feeling of falling hard when you least expected. Praise: "really works". Emotions: '“Gwen Gets Back On the Horse” song'; "captures the deliciously complicated feeling of falling hard when you least expected". Genre/description: "a disco confection".
• Menyes, Carolyn; Middleton, Ryan; Niles, Jon Music Times JN: I genuinely enjoyed "Where Would I Be?," "Make Me Like You," the songs that Carolyn just mentioned, and the closing song, "Rare." These songs made me tune out judgement and allowed a real listening experience. Other songs had too many distractions for me. RM: songs like "Make Me Like You" and "Truth" stand out as some of the most memorable for being at least temporary earworms and solid production. CM: here was a good bit of potential on this album -- the power and poppy punch of "Make Me Like You," "Misery" and "Used to Love You" proved that. JN: a handful of okay songs with an occasional spike in enjoyment thanks to "Make Me Like You" and one or two more. Praise: "genuinely enjoyed", "made me tune out judgement and allowed a real listening experience". "memorable for being at least temporary earwoms and solid production". "an occasional spike in enjoyment thanks to 'Make Me Like You' and one or two more". Genre/description: "power and poppy punch".
• Robinson, Gregory Redbrick Four paragraph review. Praise: " yet another delicious slice of pop perfection", "fresh and as can be expected from Gwen, incredibly catchy", "quirky vocals and alluring ad-libs", "the ten year hiatus from her solo career has not stunted her ability to churn out pop ear-candy". Genre/description: "upbeat", "a polished, somewhat retro production which harks back to funky electro-pop music of the 1980s", "reminiscent of Gwen’s 2006 single ‘The Sweet Escape’ and ‘Lovefool’ by The Cardigans". Emotions: "sheer happiness", "all about moving on from the bitter past and unexpectedly finding love". Instrumentation: " prominent guitar riff which bubbles into charming synths in the chorus".
• Wass, Mike (1) Idolator Seems to be an announcement with nothing about reception; what is this used to cite?
• Wass, Mike (2) Idolator Several editors, a couple of paragraphs each, specifically on this song.
  • Robbie Daw Praise: "she really struck Spring Pop Anthem gold", "More of this, please, Gwen — so much more of this". Genre/description: "contains the best echoes of the Cardigans’ ’90s staple “Lovefool” and classic Kylie Minogue".
  • Bianca Gracie: Praise: "pure, vibrant and cheeky", "so damn good". Genre/description: "pop". Emotions: "will have you eager and unafraid to jump back into love".
  • Carl Williott: Genre/description: "disco-pop", "reminds me of Phoenix’s “Too Young,” or a blown-out The Bird and The Bee song", "it’s gooey and spiky at the same time, giving it a TRL pop-rock lightness, which is probably harder to pull off than it seems".
  • Mike Wass: Praise: "one of the better ballads of 2015", "that rarest of pop specimens — a hook-filled pop song for adults with actual life experience", "“Make Me Like You” is a worthy addition to Gwen’s discography". Emotions: "about emerging from the other side of a break-up, when the gloom lifts and you have to face the possibility of starting over. A process that gets more frightening with each passing year on planet earth". Criticism: "The breezy anthem took a couple of listens to worm its way into my head", "It doesn’t quite hit the heights of “What You Waiting For?” or “Early Winter”.'
• Weber, Theon Spin “You’re My Favorite,” “Make Me Like You,” and “Truth” are all spacious, twinkling liteness. Praise: "spacious, twinkling liteness".
• Wilkins, Vanessa ABC News The upbeat tune tells the story of the No Doubt front-woman falling for someone after feeling "lost and uncertain," plus some quoted lyrics and a note about the reference to Shelton. Genre/description: "upbeat". Emotions: 'falling for someone after feeling "lost and uncertain"'.
• Wood, Mikael LA Times For "Make Me Like You," Stefani changes tack, summoning a bit of the appealing insolence that helped make her a star with No Doubt. With a wink, it's basically saying, Thanks, buddy, for wrecking my hard-won independence. But the song's sweeping melody puts across the same wide-eyed optimism as the gushier stuff. Emotions: the whole quote.
• Zoladz, Lindsay Vulture The charm of the great lead single “Make Me Like You” is that it finds, in new love, not simple (or cheesy) euphoria but playful vexation at its tendency to disrupt your best-laid plans. “Why’d you have to go and make me like you?” she pouts. It feels irrepressibly, convincingly teenage — which is maybe why it’s my favorite Gwen Stefani song in ages. Praise: "charm", "my favorite Gwen Stefani song in ages". Emotions: "it finds, in new love, not simple (or cheesy) euphoria but playful vexation at its tendency to disrupt your best-laid plans".

Plus sources used in the composition and lyrics section that was cut:

• CD liner notes.
• Cinquemani, Sal Slant Understated pop songs like the buoyant disco-rock “Make Me Like You” and the midtempo “Truth,” which, rather than blast off, chugs along unassumingly, give Stefani the sonic space necessary to mourn the loss of her partner and dream of her future with a new one. Praise: "Understated pop songs like the buoyant disco-rock “Make Me Like You”'. Emotions: "give[s] Stefani the sonic space necessary to mourn the loss of her partner and dream of her future with a new one".
• Ryan, Patrick USA Today smitten single Make Me LikeYou is a pure pop confection at its most delectable. Praise: "smitten single Make Me LikeYou is a pure pop confection at its most delectable".
• Gracie, Bianca Idolator the sticky-sweet uptempo swirls in pop, disco and light rock (check out those feathery guitar riffs) for a vibrant melody that is an immediate departure from the heartbreaking “Used To Love You.” “Why’d you have to go and make me like you? / Yeah this is a feeling I’m not used to / I’m so mad at you cause now you got me missing you,” she presumably pleads to current boyfriend Blake Shelton over the punchy, summer-ready beat. Genre/description: "the sticky-sweet uptempo swirls in pop, disco and light rock", "punchy, summer-ready beat". Instrumentation: "feathery guitar riffs". Praise: "a vibrant melody". Emotions: "she presumably pleads to current boyfriend Blake Shelton".
• Carley, Brennan Spin After announcing her third solo album This Is What the Truth Feels Like, Gwen Stefani just dropped the disco-funkified new single from the project, “Make Me Like You.” Written by Stefani, Justin Tranter, and Julia Michaels, and produced by Mattman & Robin, the song is exactly what the No Doubt singer needed in 2016 — smart, catchy, upbeat pop that sounds utterly timeless in its execution. Some structural layers of the song sound a bit like the Cardigans’ 1996 hit “Lovefool,” and we mean that as the highest compliment. Genre/description: "disco-funkified", "upbeat pop", "Some structural layers of the song sound a bit like the Cardigans’ 1996 hit “Lovefool,”". Praise: "smart, catchy", "sounds utterly timeless in its execution", "<like Lovefool> and we mean that as the highest compliment".
• Gase, Zach Chicago Sun-Times a more poppy, up-beat track for her second single. “Make Me Like You” draws sounds from her No Doubt beachy sound and the four-to-the-floor pop sensibilities of her previous solo work. Genre/description: "more poppy, up-beat", "draws sounds from her No Doubt beachy sound and the four-to-the-floor pop sensibilities of her previous solo work".
• Johnson, Zach E Online she sings about her boyfriend and fellow coach on The Voice, Blake Shelton...The bubblegum song's lyrics only get sweeter from there. Emotions: "she sings about her boyfriend and fellow coach on The Voice, Blake Shelton". Genre/description: "bubblegum". Praise "lyrics only get sweeter from there".
• Piwtorak, Colin Daily University of Washington Under their pop exterior, the lyrics in most of the tracks tell a story of heartbreak, but this can be easily lost amid the ticking drum samples and heavy downbeats. While Stefani does an excellent job of inflecting emotion in her voice, audiences may be able to ignore it completely. The track “Used to Love You” is the only song where these feelings are fully clear, but songs like “Make Me Like You” and “Me Without You” have a similar tone in their lyrics. Praise: "While Stefani does an excellent job of inflecting emotion in her voice". Criticism: "<emotion in Stefani's voice> audiences may be able to ignore it completely."
• Bonaguro, Alison CMT The song is one of her best, with lyrics like, “I was broken but fine/I was lost and uncertain/But my heart was still mine.” And then there’s the hook: “Why’d you have to go and make me like you?” Praise: "The song is one of her best".
• Willis, Jackie ET Online Gwen Stefani sounds pretty smitten in her newest single, "Make Me Like You." Fans will most certainly compare the romantic, upbeat lyrics to Stefani's relationship with country crooner, Blake Shelton. "Why'd you have to go and make me like you?" she croons in the chorus. "I'm so mad at you, 'cause now you got me missing you." Emotions: "Gwen Stefani sounds pretty smitten in her newest single, "Make Me Like You." Praise: "romantic". Genre/description: "upbeat".
• Kreps, Daniel Rolling Stone Stefani's new pop-oriented track, like her life presently, is all about renewal and finding love again following a fractured relationship. Genre/description: "pop-oriented". Emotions: "all about renewal and finding love again following a fractured relationship".
• Bonner, Mehera Marie Claire Gwen's lyrics include sweet nothings like "You're on me like jewelry, I really like you, but I'm so scared" and "It's getting harder to leave it, your lips on my lips." Plus, let's not forget the ridiculously romantic bridge where she muses, "Oh God, thank God that I found you" over and over again. Genre/description: "lyrics include sweet nothings". Praise: "ridiculously romantic bridge".
• Schillaci, Sophia ET Online We already knew that the song, "Make Me Like You," was written about Blake, but there is plenty more where that came from. Emotions: "We already knew that the song, "Make Me Like You," was written about Blake."

I'll mark this up in a bit. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 16:52, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

OK, done. The above contains all the relevant text I could find, except for a couple where there was too much to quote. I'll see if I can organize it next. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 19:03, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

Carbrera, looks like the Altwire review should be credited to Amanda Gail, not Amanda Dykan, unless I'm missing something -- can you take a look? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 18:43, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

And see the note about the first Mike Wass cite above. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 19:04, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

Yes, I don't know why I put Gail. My bad. And I must've used the wrong Idolator source due to Wass being the author of both articles. I'm amazed at all of the work you're putting into this. Carbrera (talk) 23:25, 4 March 2017 (UTC).

Thanks! I'm enjoying it, though. I've been shooting my mouth off about how reception sections for music and video games are often badly done, and I think it's time for me to actually do one and see if I can do any better. By the way, the song (as I'm sure you're well aware) is appalling catchy. I hardly ever listen to bubblegum pop, but I watched the video of this and made the mistake of leaving the sound on, and now it's become a major earworm, although I've only heard it twice. There ought to be a warning label on it. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 23:34, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

Criticism

• "The breezy anthem took a couple of listens to worm its way into my head", "It doesn’t quite hit the heights of “What You Waiting For?” or “Early Winter”.'
• "“Make Me Like You” feels a lot like “Lovefool”, which is as much compliment as it is complaint."
• "<emotion in Stefani's voice> audiences may be able to ignore it completely."

Emotions

• "being lost and uncertain in life...until she me the 'you' in this particular number'.
• "a peek into the newly single—and clearly revitalized—singer's personal life."
• "includes honest lyrics describing her hesitancy to plunge into a new relationship"
• "charts three distinct emotional phases in verse, pre-chorus, and chorus".
• '“Gwen Gets Back On the Horse” song'; "captures the deliciously complicated feeling of falling hard when you least expected".
• "about emerging from the other side of a break-up, when the gloom lifts and you have to face the possibility of starting over. A process that gets more frightening with each passing year on planet earth".
• "sheer happiness", "all about moving on from the bitter past and unexpectedly finding love".
• "Gwen Stefani sounds pretty smitten in her newest single, "Make Me Like You."
• "We already knew that the song, "Make Me Like You," was written about Blake."
• "she sings about her boyfriend and fellow coach on The Voice, Blake Shelton".
• "give[s] Stefani the sonic space necessary to mourn the loss of her partner and dream of her future with a new one".
• "she presumably pleads to current boyfriend Blake Shelton".
• "all about renewal and finding love again following a fractured relationship".
• "will have you eager and unafraid to jump back into love".

Genre/description

• "a disco confection".
• "a three-and-a-half minute nugget of creamy, upbeat pop".
• "decidedly more buoyant".
• "adds a dash of her signature pout to Sheryl Crow strumminess".
• "power and poppy punch".
• "disco-pop", "reminds me of Phoenix’s “Too Young,” or a blown-out The Bird and The Bee song", "it’s gooey and spiky at the same time, giving it a TRL pop-rock lightness, which is probably harder to pull off than it seems".
• "contains the best echoes of the Cardigans’ ’90s staple “Lovefool” and classic Kylie Minogue".
• "upbeat", "a polished, somewhat retro production which harks back to funky electro-pop music of the 1980s", "reminiscent of Gwen’s 2006 single ‘The Sweet Escape’ and ‘Lovefool’ by The Cardigans".
• "upbeat".
• "pop-oriented".
• "lyrics include sweet nothings".
• "the sticky-sweet uptempo swirls in pop, disco and light rock", "punchy, summer-ready beat".
• "disco-funkified", "upbeat pop", "Some structural layers of the song sound a bit like the Cardigans’ 1996 hit “Lovefool,”".
• "more poppy, up-beat", "draws sounds from her No Doubt beachy sound and the four-to-the-floor pop sensibilities of her previous solo work".
• "bubblegum".
• "pop".
• "radio-friendly pop-and-snap".

Instrumentation

• "chiming guitars and digi-harps".
• "prominent guitar riff which bubbles into charming synths in the chorus".
• "feathery guitar riffs".

Praise

• "infectious".
• '"Make me Like You” may be my favorite track on the album. This is definitely worthy of what we’ve been waiting for. So glad you’re back Gwen. We’ve missed you, even though you never really went away
• "But songs such as Naughty and the singles Used to Love You and Make Me Like You don’t feel connected to Stefani – it’s as if another pop star could sing the tracks and you wouldn’t notice the difference. That’s disappointing for a singer who is usually a standout on the pop music scene."
• "Her newest, “Make Me Like You,” is the song no one knew they needed...The track doesn’t bring any revelations or real solutions to the feelings, but the lyrics are catchy without leaning towards the tepidity of much of today’s pop music; the individual beats and instruments blend to form well-oiled production over which Stefani frosts her laid-back lyrics, completing this sweet, sweet pop tune."
• "strong", "No, you can’t do this to me,” she protests to an exciting new love interest during the second phase, perhaps also speaking for anyone trying to resist the song’s charm"
• "Goodness if it isn't the sweet pop candy you remember. Make Me Like You is catchy".
• "really works".
• "genuinely enjoyed", "made me tune out judgement and allowed a real listening experience". "memorable for being at least temporary earwoms and solid production". "an occasional spike in enjoyment thanks to 'Make Me Like You' and one or two more".
• "yet another delicious slice of pop perfection", "fresh and as can be expected from Gwen, incredibly catchy", "quirky vocals and alluring ad-libs", "the ten year hiatus from her solo career has not stunted her ability to churn out pop ear-candy".
• "she really struck Spring Pop Anthem gold", "More of this, please, Gwen — so much more of this".
• "pure, vibrant and cheeky", "so damn good".
• "one of the better ballads of 2015", "that rarest of pop specimens — a hook-filled pop song for adults with actual life experience", "“Make Me Like You” is a worthy addition to Gwen’s discography".
• "lyrics only get sweeter from there".
• "While Stefani does an excellent job of inflecting emotion in her voice".
• "The song is one of her best".
• "Understated pop songs like the buoyant disco-rock “Make Me Like You”'.
• "smitten single Make Me LikeYou is a pure pop confection at its most delectable".
• "smart, catchy", "sounds utterly timeless in its execution", "<like Lovefool> and we mean that as the highest compliment".
• "romantic".
• "a vibrant melody".
• "ridiculously romantic bridge".

Next step for reception section

I'm probably done for the night, but I think the next step is to use the sorted phrases to decide on a structure. I think this might work:

• Genre/description, maybe including some of the instrumentation
• Emotions
• Praise
• Criticism

More tomorrow. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 23:24, 4 March 2017 (UTC)

Draft reception section

My movie finished early so here's a first draft; this is quite short so we should look to see what could usefully be added.

"Make Me Like You" is an upbeat disco-pop light rock song, in 4-4 time, with musical similarities to the Cardigans' 1990s hit "Lovefool", described by reviewers as "buoyant", "bubblegum" and as having a "punchy, summer-ready beat". The "honest", "ridiculously romantic" lyrics, about Stefani's transition from a breakup into a new relationship with Blake Shelton, drew positive comments; Pitchfork described them as capturing "the deliciously complicated feeling of falling hard when you least expect it". Most reviewers praised the song, commenting on the catchy tune and lyrics, and several suggested it was one of the best songs on the album. Stefani had not produced a solo album in a decade, but Redbrick commented that the "ten-year hiatus from her solo career has not stunted her ability to churn out pop ear-candy". The song was considered to be well-produced, and drew comments such as "Goodness if it isn't the sweet pop candy you remember", and "yet another delicious slice of pop perfection". For Mike Wass of Idolater, it was "one of the better ballads of 2015", and Country Music Television agreed that it was one of Stefani's best songs. USA Today's review described it as "a pure pop confection at its most delectable". Among the few criticisms, Mike Wass commented that "It doesn’t quite hit the heights of 'What You Waiting For?' or 'Early Winter'", from her first and second studio albums, saying also that it "took a couple of listens to worm its way into my head".

Comments? What have I left out that should be included? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 02:55, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

Well right off the bat, the flow is spectacular. However, I do feel like when "one reviewer" is used, the actual critic's name should be mentioned in addition to the publication that he/she works for. I'm gonna look a bit more into this as well. Also, I'm glad you like the song. I'm watching Nocturnal Animals at the moment and it should be over within twenty minutes. Thanks again for your hard work and dedication. You have wowed me to an entirely different level. Carbrera (talk) 03:19, 5 March 2017 (UTC).

I don't know some of these websites so I wasn't sure who to name and who to skip. In some cases I'd guess the corporate name is the important thing -- CMT and the Chicago Sun-Times are clearly more important than the University of Washington student newspaper, for example. I think you're right that some reference to the source helps for individual opinions; I'll go through and add. Do we have to have both the website and the person named, though? It really hurts readability, and the information is right there in the footnotes (or it will be when we add them). Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 14:14, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

Added Pitchfork where I had "one reviewer". Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 14:15, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

So does this mean that both the previous "Composition and lyrics" and "Critical reception" sections would be reduced down to the draft above? Carbrera (talk) 18:16, 5 March 2017 (UTC).

As the draft stands, yes, but since I pulled all the relevant quotes from both sections, above, if there's anything from either section's original text we want to keep that's not included, we can talk about it. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 18:19, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

Sorry it took me so long to respond. I feel like a few more reviews should be added (I'll look 'em over and tell you which ones) or else it may not be broad in its coverage. Thanks again for everything. Carbrera (talk) 00:58, 8 March 2017 (UTC).

No hurry. I added "light rock" and "ridiculously romantic"; still thinking about other possible additions. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 02:48, 10 March 2017 (UTC)

Composition section

What happened to it? No one responded to the talk page so I guess it's gone, was interested on reading up on the song until it struck me this is a good article without a composition section....it's good to have detail. --Aleccat 04:44, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

Some of the material that was removed from the composition section is included in the draft section for the reception, above. Is there anything else in the old text that you think needs to be kept? Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 14:10, 5 March 2017 (UTC)

I'm sorry, I honestly fail to understand how crticial reception could effectively encompass composition. At this point, 'light rock' isn't even sourced, for example. --Aleccat 23:31, 7 March 2017 (UTC)

Well, you can only write sections if you have the sources. Carbrera may not agree with me, but I think the sources above (all the sources for the composition section are quoted extensively above) don't give us enough to write an independent composition section. There's enough to source a genre description, but that won't support a section by itself. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 01:07, 8 March 2017 (UTC)

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