Vibeology

Album: Spellbound (1992)
Charted: 19 16
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a funky song about a funky relationship, or as Paula Abdul puts it in the song lyrics:

    Vibeology, now you ask what does it mean?
    Why, it's the study of the chemistry between you and me
  • In 1991, Abdul performed this song at the MTV Video Music Awards. It was an ambitious performance, with Adbul dressed as a man and blending in with her backup dancers before ripping her costume off about a minute in to the song. The elaborate choreography came at a cost to her vocals, as she was singing it live. (Early in her career, many of Paula's performances were lip-synched. She was part of the Club MTV Tour, which is where Milli Vanilli's tape skipped and exposed them as frauds.) Abdul's performance was cut from reruns of the show.
  • This was penned by the songwriters Peter Lord, Jeffrey Smith and Sandra St. Victor, who were in the band The Family Stand. The trio wrote the majority of Abdul's second album, Spellbound, which spawned two #1s - "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day" - and three Top 20 hits - "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" (#6), "Vibeology" (#16) and "Will You Marry Me?" (#19). Songfacts asked Lord what the album's magic formula was: "Never any formula other than writing great, well-structured songs."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star Riders

Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy and Black Star RidersSongwriter Interviews

Writing with Phil Lynott, Scott saw their ill-fated frontman move to a darker place in his life and lyrics.

Eric Clapton

Eric ClaptonFact or Fiction

Did Eric Clapton really write "Cocaine" while on cocaine? This question and more in the Clapton edition of Fact or Fiction.

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"

Jackie DeShannon - "Put a Little Love in Your Heart"They're Playing My Song

It wasn't her biggest hit as a songwriter (that would be "Bette Davis Eyes"), but "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" had a family connection for Jackie.

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About Transgenderism

Trans Soul Rebels: Songs About TransgenderismSong Writing

A history of songs dealing with transgender issues, featuring Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Morrissey and Green Day.

U2 Lyrics

U2 LyricsMusic Quiz

How well do you know the lyrics of U2?