Kendrick Lamar provides the grit and Alicia Keys brings the soaring sensation to “It”s On Again,” from “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”
The tune, written by the film”s composers, Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams, as well as Keys and Lamar (and produced by Williams) does everything it needs to: the “It”s on again” refrain reminds us that the sequel is coming, while Lamar”s opening rap over Keys' piano -and the only time we hear from him in the song, credited to Alicia Keys featuring Kendrick Lamar-gives an Eminem/”8 Mile”-like urgent build into the song as he compares Spider-Man”s battles to David and Goliath and makes other Biblical references.
Lyrically, the song focuses on Spider-Man”s return and his dedication to saving all, despite the personal cost: “I am a lonely hero trying to fight my battles/life likes to blow the cold wind/sometimes it freezes my shadow,” Keys sings in Spider-Man”s persona in the mid-tempo track, propelled by a steady beat and tasty strings. A spoken-word refrain breaks up the last third nicely.
Perhaps due to Williams” handiwork, there are parts of the song that are reminiscent of “Get Lucky,” the chart-dominating Daft Punk tune that he sang on last year.
Can this have a similarly successful chart run? Not likely-the song isn”t nearly as catchy, but given the recent good chart fortune of Williams” “Happy,” from “Despicable Me 2” and Idina Menzel”s “Let It Go” from “Frozen,” radio seems open again to the idea of playing movie music.
What do you think of “It”s On Again?” Does it get you excited for “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” which opens in the U.S. on May 2 and stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx?