Ai Se Eu Te Pego: The Argument

So, Guilherme hates Ai Se Eu Te Pego by Michel Teló. He's not the first Brazilian to say things like,

It's an abomination to Brazilian culture!

Regardless, one thing remains irrefutable: this song has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Despite its release over four years ago, it's remained among the top charts in nearly all countries with very little decrease in popularity.

Brazilians like my boyfriend Guilherme are scratching their heads and cannot comprehend the universal success of this song and especially the artist in general.

Teló's one-hit-wonder can be generally classified as folk pop. Folk music incorporates traditional sounds from the culture where it originates. Ai Se Eu Te Pego combines primarily pop and Brazilian folk, as well as beats and styles from other Brazilian regional genres.

With that being said, it's common knowledge that pop music is meant to be fun and please the masses. Lyrical genius for most pop songs is nonexistent. Teach a monkey how to write, and even he could pitch lyrical feces as well as any top lyricist working in the mold of pop music. If the song is catchy enough, holds a competent rhythm and sounds far too similar to its TopChart neighbors, you have yourself a genre. And it's called Pop.

But do you want the honest, straightforward explanation? Ai Se Eu Te Pego is fun, and it's not quite as retarded as most folk pop from other cultures. Allow me to elaborate by way of a few examples.

from Germany...

Scary....... moving on.

**Note: Having lived in Germany for nearly 4 years, this song grows on you... kind of like a tumor.

from India...

Fun, utterly ridiculous and creepy all at the same time, right?

**Note: I (not so) secretly love this song.

Keep in mind those were also international hits.

Now, let's return to folk pop from Brazil:

And let's end with one of my favorites from Brazil:

So, let me say something to all of you Teló haters reading this:
Why would you hate this guy and/or his music? Sure, he's making millions while butchering your language and the profession of a few, talented lyricists out there. However, Teló is not "ruining good music" or giving the world a bad impression of Brazilian culture -- it's Pop music.
So before going on a crusade about the redundant Ai Se Eu Te Pego, just remember that someone, somewhere on this planet is producing a massive shit pickle of a pop song at this very moment. And based on my musical experience and personal taste, I'd rather that catchy, shit pickle come from Brazil.
So... Be proud?