Enrique Iglesias may have strayed from father Julio’s smoldering tux-and-mic persona. But he’s no less a sex symbol. And so far, the younger Iglesias has matched, or even surpassed, his pop’s success, selling more than 55 million albums and recording a host of hit singles in his 15-year career. With his latest album, Euphoria, kicking into high gear, Enrique doesn’t show signs of slowing.
“I Like It” is the second single—and the first English-language track. It’s a dance/party track that indulges in lyrical doublespeak, with lines referring to coupling both on the dance floor and between the sheets. Some are simply suggestive (“I’m trying to keep my hands off/But you’re begging me for more”), while others—if given the latter reading—are downright dirty (“Turn around I’ll give you more … Shout it out, scream it loud, let me hear you go”).
Those lewd lyrics become even more problematic in light of the obvious infidelity going on here. “My girlfriend is out of town, and I’m all alone,” Iglesias confesses. “Your boyfriend is on vacation and he doesn’t have to know.” Matters aren’t helped much when rapper Pitbull name-drops Tiger Woods and Jesse James—pop culture’s most recent poster boys for infidelity.
The video for “I Like It” stresses the song’s feel-good party vibe: Both Iglesias and Pitbull are shown frolicking with a crowd of lax ladies in a cranked-up nightclub. It doesn’t feel too far removed from an old Miami Vice episode—at least at first. But when women start jumping around on a bed wearing only tiny bits of lingerie, and dripping wet “bikini babes” prance around too, things take an even naughtier turn.
And if you need any more evidence about the lowbrow cultural aspirations of “I Like It,” Iglesias and Pitbull recorded a second video … with the cast of Jersey Shore. Nothing like setting your sights high.
Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.
