Greatest Hits:: EXID: Every Night

 I'm calling this a title track because it was a single, even though the version two wasn't a title track on the album it ended up going on. Thank you to the fan over on Reddit for suggesting this one. You also gave me a few others that I put into my "To Do" playlist so that I have that organized and I won't forget to do it (that playlist is also where I put anything that gets submitted from The Form, fun fact, so don't worry about it getting lost somewhere or me forgetting)

Okay, some basic facts about this song. It's actually a rearrangement of their song, Call, from their first mini album, HIPPITY HOP. Written by member LE and produced by LE and Shinsadong Tiger, it looks like it did fairly well on the charts, although unfortunately it didn't get any wins. Okay, that would be leading into this on a downer, which I don't like, so, instead, I'm going to say congrats to EXID for winning Super Rookie of the Year from Arirang's Simply K-Pop Awards in 2012! There we go. That's the right vibe I want.

• Group: EXID
• Debut Date: 2012 February 16
• Company: Yedang Entertainment
• Status: Hiatus
• Album: Every Night
• Song: Every Night
• Release Date: 2012 October 02

I'm also going to take a listen to Call and take a look at the lyrics because that feels important.

Now, having done that, the two songs seems to be a call and response, pun not intended, or cause and effect, which genuinely, I love. These two aren't just linked by lip service, there's a close tie between them and it shows. I think the biggest callback is the telephone ringing sound, not that it was there in Call, but, well, I hope you see the connection. The second is where some of the lines were repeated with the same melody, and that's very noticeable, but it doesn't make for as good of a pun.

Can we take a minute to be impressed by them? They were rookies in their first year, rocking up with the girl crush concept, the smoky eyeshadow, and heels that could kill a man and then doing choreography in them to boot. And speaking of boots (this is apparently the mood I'm in for this, so my apologies in advance for the rest of what this is going to be like), I'm half in love with the boots Hyerin is wearing. 

So at this point, if you have not watched the music video, please do so now because I'm about to get into spoilers. Spoilers for a twelve year old song. Yes. I'm aware.

Ready?

Did you actually watch it or are you just saying you did to get on with this post?

Fine, fine. I'm not policing your watching habits. 

Spoilers incoming. Also, this might be the most sexual I get.

I find it really, really funny that the chili pepper is a metaphor for a dick, and after the girls (not the members) take in the essence of the peppers, they then spit all over the dude with the sneezing in slow motion. Which is objectively hilarious because it comes so completely out of left field after the artistic and gorgeous previous bits of the video. Also bearing in mind that this is essentially a song about post-break-up booty calls, that kind of makes it even funnier. A little controversial? Yeah, but that's the norm for EXID.

However, that being said, the emotions of the song (grief, uncertainty, longing, frustration) are still so fully present despite the fact that the music video is fun and a little bit ridiculous, nothing is detracted from it. The  music video just adds an extra dimension to the song by letting them take those emotions out, sort of, on the culprit.

The music video has comments that are full of praise for the group and for the fact that EXID was always releasing bops, it's just a shame that Every Night couldn't be acknowledged like Up & Down was. Like, seriously. Go take a look because that's what we call both loyalty and love.

I shared this dance practice before any of the other stages because I want you to see how goofy the members are and because holy crap on a cracker, Solji is incredible. I could fall in love with that voice. I mean, are you hearing that? It's dance practice, but she's like "Nah. I'm going to show off a little for the fans because I know I'm good."

The other thing I really like is that they're clearly having so much fun. Yes, they're doing their choreography, and they're doing it well, but once they loosen up and start to play around with each other, the collective charisma of the group quadruples.

And this one is because I'm still riding on the "I Love Solji's Voice" love train. Those are live voices and they're here to slay and take names. And their list of names is already full.

Anyway. Back to other performances. Listen to that fanchant, y'all. It's so loud and I love it. I also really like how it looks like they're all dressed the same way, but we get a return of those amazing boots, and the members are wearing different shoes. And they're stunningly gorgeous. And I love how at the very end of the choreography, they turn their heads and look away from the crowd. That's what we call a statement. 

So this one, delightfully, has recent comments. I mean, we're talking a couple of weeks to a month ago. At least some of them have their eye makeup applied so that it looks like they have tears sparkling in their lashes, which is fantastic and great attention to detail for the emotion of the song. This is also going to be where I mention how much I love the Mickey Mousing happening at the "get down" part. It's so satisfying for my brain.

And last, but not least, their 2022 version. You can hear the increase in vocal maturity from the get go, making them sound about twelve times better. There is a slight delay between the audio and the video, so just be prepared for that, but LE was looking so good! Heart eyes from me, all over the place. And Solji backs off a little at the very end so that her magnificent voice doesn't step on Hani's part, which is technically the melody, and that improves on perfection. Also, I think it's really cute that they're doing the choreography for it sort of while sitting there. It's cute.