Out From Under: Britney’s Best B-Sides & Bonus Tracks

“Get Back” Bonus track: Blackout

Back during the dark days of the Blackout era, rumors were abound regarding the tunes brewing all year inside the recording studio. In the days leading up to the release of her 2007 opus “Gimme More,” tabloid reports suggested that a song called “Get Back” would serve as the lead single from her upcoming album. As it turned out, the song was real — but it wasn’t on the actual album.

Instead, “Get Back” found itself getting to the back of Blackout as a bonus track. Unjust? Certainly, yes. The Danja-produced track fits in snugly with the rest of her icy, space-age urban-pop stompers like “Break The Ice” and “Perfect Lover,” set atop a stinging electro beat, insane 8-bit video game blips and bleeps and a chugging drum machine. “Standing in the line? Ha! I think not,” she teases. “If you can’t take it then…get back.”

It’s an anthem for shoving basics away in the club while screaming and shouting — or standing in line for a Femme Fatale Tour meet and greet photo.

“Over To You Now” B-Side/Bonus Track: “Someday (I Will Understand)”/Britney & Kevin: Chaotic

Imagine, if you will, a song co-penned by Imogen Heap, Guy Sigsworth and Robyn sung by Britney, with Kate Havnevik on backing vocals. What?! It already happened! Yes. It’s real.

“Over To You Now” is a fabulously catchy oddity tucked away in Brit’s back catalog, full of stuttering vocal layers, mystical beats and a set of lyrics that are, well, uh…suspect. “I know this place, it’s still a secret / And I don’t think you ever been / It’s kinda hard to find the entrance / You need some juice, but you’ll love it once you get in,” Britney casually offers. Erm, but what place are you referring to exactly, Britney? Is it in Kentwood? “Can’t you see what I’m thinking?” she urges. Uh. No need to over-analyze. Next question?

Dodgy subject matter aside, with all the star wattage going into “Over To You Now,” it’s sort of incredible to think that the song was cast off into bonus track world. Luckily, Robyn made her way back onto Brit’s radar (on her ray-duh) with “Piece of Me” on 2007’s Blackout.