Dinosaur (Kesha song)

File:Max Martin.jpg (pictured) co-wrote the song.]]

"Dinosaur" is a song written by Kesha Sebert, in collaboration with Max Martin, Shellback; the latter two are responsible for the song's production. The song's lyrics and conception use a metaphor, comparing an older man to a prehistoric, carnivorous dinosaur. All three composers were responsible for providing the song's instruments. The song's recording was commenced at Maratone Studios, in Stockholm, Sweden, by Martin and Shellback. While being interviewed by Rolling Stone, Kesha was asked about her writing technique and how her songs come to fruition, which she explained using "Dinosaur" as an example. The singer explained that the song's conception was auto-biographical and that it stemmed from a previous experience she had when an older man had been hitting on her, which she elaborated on: "I just write about what I live — literally, my entire record is totally autobiographical, because I think there's a great pop song in anything and everything, any situation. There's a song called 'Dinosaur' about this old guy who was hitting on me, and his toupee was kind of falling off, and I was like, 'Oh my God, you're so old, you're prehistoric, you're like a dinosaur. D-I-N-O-S-A-you are a dinosaur.'"{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/14639/81133|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121216102609/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/14639/81133|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 16, 2012|title=Party Animal: Behind Ke$ha's Big Debut|last=Scaggs|first= Austin|date=2010-01-26|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2012-05-14}}

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| description = "Dinosaur" is composed in a jungle beat tempo and incorporates a whistle-synth. The lyrics discuss an older gentleman attempting to flirt with younger females.

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According to digital sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony-ATV Music Publishing, "Dinosaur" is written in the key of E major and the tempo moves at 128 beats per minute at a jungle beat.{{cite web|url=https://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0089370&srsltid=AfmBOoqZ5v9EPJEnk-wKrv5qdCXYCMS8n75bt41N5MXeElY8_JZsl9gv|title=Ke$ha – D.I.N.O.$.A.U.R Sheet Music (Digital Download)|work=Musicnotes.com|date=December 20, 2010 |publisher=Sony-ATV Music Publishing}} Kesha's vocal range in the song spans from the lower note of E₃ to the higher note of E₅. The song encompasses keyboards, a cowbell, and a whistle in its production,

the latter of which has been described as a "whistle-synth." The song's lyrics revolve around an older man who is attempting to persuade a younger girl to leave the club with him, to which the protagonist responds with "a scattergun spray of insults."

Rebecca Blissett of The Georgia Straight described the song as a "percussion-bombed snot-rapper".{{cite news|last=Blissett |first=Rebecca |url=https://www.straight.com/article-453746/vancouver/keha-refreshingly-real-vancouver |title=Ke$ha refreshingly real in Vancouver - Vancouver, Canada - Straight.com |newspaper=The Georgia Straight |date=2011-09-10 |access-date=2012-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027113801/http://www.straight.com/article-453746/vancouver/keha-refreshingly-real-vancouver |archive-date=2011-10-27 }} According to Andrew Burgess of MusicOMH, "Dinosaur" features a "Mark Mothersbaugh-like whistle-synth" and focuses on "the grossness of older men hitting on younger girls". Burgess cites the line "hey carnivore, you want my meat, I know it" as evidence for this.{{cite web|last=Burgess |first=Andrew |url=http://www.musicomh.com/albums/kesha_0110.htm |title=Ke$ha – Animal – album reviews – musicOMH |publisher=musicOMH |access-date=2012-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004044501/http://www.musicomh.com/albums/kesha_0110.htm |archive-date=2012-10-04 }} The UrbanWire's Cheryl Chia noted that the song is similar to "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne and Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl",{{cite web|last=Chia|first=Cheryl|url=http://theurbanwire.com/2010/01/08/keha%E2%80%99s-animal-unleashed/|title=Ke$ha's Animal unleashed – The UrbanWire|publisher=The UrbanWire|date=2010-01-08|access-date=2012-05-12|archive-date=August 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120830195401/http://theurbanwire.com/2010/01/08/keha%e2%80%99s-animal-unleashed/|url-status=dead}} while Monica Herrera of Billboard found it reminiscent of Vanity 6. According to Althea Legaspi of the Chicago Tribune, "Dinosaur" contains "lyrical merit in that most women have experienced unwanted advances from a creepy way-too-old man".{{cite news|last=Legaspi|first=Althea|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/08/26/beneath-keshas-glam-party-pop-some-troubling-messages/|title=Ke$ha at Charter One review – Chicago Tribune|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=2011-08-26|access-date=2012-05-12}}

{{Clear}}

"Dinosaur" received generally negative reviews from most music critics. Ian Gittins of The Guardian called it a "bitchy put-down of ageing suitors".{{cite web|last=Gittins|first=Ian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/dec/17/kesha-review|title=Ke$ha – review – Music – The Guardian|work=The Guardian |date=2010-12-17|access-date=2012-05-12}} Doug Rule of Metro Weekly criticized the song's chorus, which according to him is "spelt out like a "modern-day Toni Basil", saying: "Are we supposed to think that's cute, even clever? It's neither."{{cite web|last=Rule |first=Doug |url=http://www.metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/music.php?ak=4834 |title=Di$po$able Pop: The dollar sign in Ke$ha's name serves as shorthand for not just all that's wrong with her music, but pop music today: Music section: Metro Weekly |publisher=Metro Weekly |date=2010-01-27 |access-date=2012-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305083806/http://metroweekly.com/arts_entertainment/music.php?ak=4834 |archive-date=2012-03-05 }} The UrbanWire's Cheryl Chia was critical of the song, saying that it "has the potential to be very annoying after a few rounds." Billboard{{'}}s Monica Herrera also gave a negative review. She used the song as an example of one of the album Animal's "missteps", stating that it could "only appeal to the most heartless of teens".{{cite magazine|last=Herrera|first= Monica|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/review/1069906/keha-animal|title=Ke$ha, "Animal" - Billboard.com|magazine=Billboard|date=2010-01-06|access-date=2012-04-14}} Ailbhe Malone of NME stated that "Dinosaur" contains the pay-off "Honey, your toupee is falling to the left side/Get up and go bro/Oh wait, you're fossilized".{{cite web|last=Malone|first=Ailbhe|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/keha/11029|title=NME Album Reviews - Album review: Ke$ha - Animal (Sony) - NME.COM|publisher=NME. IPC Media|date=2010-01-22|access-date=2012-05-12}}

Fraser McAlpine of the BBC was positive in his review of the song. McAlpine felt that "Dinosaur" was the album's best track, and went on to note that its conception was enough to "drive rock-bores into a state of spluttering fury." McAlpine's consensus on the song was that "it is made of nothing but sugar and sass and additives, a song from a young girl to an older man who is attempting to pick her up in a club. All she has to offer him is a scattergun spray of insults, and cutie-pie whistling. It's childish and Parental Advisory Required at the same time, and is going to infuriate any adult within hearing range."{{cite web|last=McAlphine|first=Fraser|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9m5c|title=BBC – Music – Review of Ke$ha – Animal|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|date=2010-01-29|access-date=2012-05-12}}

{{Main|Prom-asaurus}}

File:Heather Morris by Gage Skidmore.jpg

The song was first performed live for MTV Push, a program broadcast by MTV Networks worldwide.{{cite web |url=http://www.columbia.co.uk/news/15023/0/ |title=Watch Ke$ha on MTV Push! |work=columbia.com |publisher=Columbia Records |access-date=2012-05-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100101132048/http://www.columbia.co.uk/news/15023/0 |archive-date=2010-01-01 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.mtvnetworks.co.uk/worldstage |title=MTV NETWORKS INTERNATIONAL ROLLS-OUT MTV WORLD STAGE & MTV PUSH |work=MTV Networks |publisher=Viacom |format=Press release |access-date=2012-05-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110729073419/http://www.mtvnetworks.co.uk/worldstage |archive-date=2011-07-29 |url-status=dead }} The song was later performed as part of her world tour, the Get Sleazy Tour, as it was part of the concert's set-list.{{cite news|url=http://www.kansascity.com/2011/02/21/2670675/kesha-90-minutes-of-excess-at.html|title=Ke$ha: 90 minutes of excess at the Midland|author=Finn, Timothy|date=2011-02-21|newspaper=The Kansas City Star|access-date=2012-05-14|archive-date=September 27, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927160518/http://www.kansascity.com/2011/02/21/2670675/kesha-90-minutes-of-excess-at.html|url-status=dead}} During the performance, Kesha was backed with dancers and band members that were dressed in an array of dinosaur costumes.{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view.bg?articleid=1330643&srvc=rss|title=Ke$ha fans Get $leazy, and then some|author=Carter, Lauren|date=2011-04-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005102702/http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/general/view.bg?articleid=1330643&srvc=rss|archive-date=2012-10-05|work=Boston Herald|publisher=Boston Herald and Herald Media|access-date=2012-05-14|url-status=dead}} Actress Heather Morris covered the song in the television series Glee in the episode titled "Prom-asaurus".{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/glee-recap-youre-insecure-dont-know-what-for-20120509|title='Glee' Recap: You're Insecure, Don't Know What For One Direction, Selena Gomez and Ke$ha soundtrack a lackluster prom episode|author=Futterman, Erica|date=2012-05-09|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2012-05-14}} It was aired on May 8, 2012, and is the 19th episode of the third season. The episode's plot revolves around prom with its theme involving dinosaurs.{{cite magazine|url=http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/glee-season-three-episode-19-prom/|title='Glee' recap: Dinosaurs or Bust. Rachel throws an anti-prom party and Quinn is keeping a big secret|author=Strecker, Erin|date=2012-05-09|page=1|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=2012-05-14}} Morris' character, Brittany S. Pierce, covered the song in the episode, performing a choreographed dance routine to it. Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone wrote that the episode's performance was "a small victory", and concluded that it was the best performance of that episode. Erin Strecker of Entertainment Weekly wrote that the song was "auto-tuned within an inch of its life", but praised Morris' performance, writing "but Brittany can totally move."{{cite magazine|url=http://tvrecaps.ew.com/recap/glee-season-three-episode-19-prom/2/|title='Glee' recap: Dinosaurs or Bust. Rachel throws an anti-prom party and Quinn is keeping a big secret|author=Strecker, Erin|date=2012-05-09|page=2|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=2012-05-14}} Glee{{'}}s cover was released for digital download through the iTunes Store on May 8, 2012.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dinosaur-glee-cast-version/id523219115 |title=Dinosaur (Glee Cast Version) |publisher=iTunes. Apple Inc |access-date=2012-05-14 }}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

;Recording

• Recorded by Max Martin and Shellback at Maratone Studios, Stockholm, Sweden.

;Personnel

• Songwriting – Kesha Sebert, Max Martin, Shellback
• Production – Max Martin, Shellback for Maratone Productions
• Keyboards – Max Martin
• Cowbell – Kesha
• Whistle – Kesha, Shellback

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Animal, Kemosabe Recordings, via RCA Records.{{cite AV media notes |title=Animal|others=Kesha |date=2010|type=liner notes |publisher=RCA Records}}

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{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Kesha|title=Dinosaur|award=Gold|relyear=2010|certyear=2018|access-date=December 20, 2018}}

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{{Reflist|2}}

{{Kesha singles}}

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Category:2010 songs

Category:Kesha songs

Category:Song recordings produced by Max Martin

Category:Song recordings produced by Shellback (record producer)

Category:Songs written by Kesha

Category:Songs written by Max Martin

Category:Songs written by Shellback (record producer)

Category:Songs about dinosaurs

Category:Songs about old age

Category:Sexuality and age