Adam Lambert’s ‘For Your Entertainment’ Turns 5: Stan & Deliver

Name: Mark Gilroy | Location: York | Twitter: @markgilroymusic

3. Whataya Want From Me

Released as the second single from his debut album, “Whataya Want From Me” is a great example of what a mature artist Adam Lambert is, even at this early stage in his recording career. Penned by the winning team of Pink, Max Martin and Shellback, in someone else’s hands, this could have been a radio-friendly pop-rock flash in the pan. (Pink originally rejected it from her Funhouse album.) Yet with Adam in the driving seat, he lifts it beyond the mundane. Many vocalists with Adam’s sizeable range would blast straight in from the start, showboating and displaying the Aguilera-esque gymnastics to attempt to prove “Listen to me, I can sing you know.” But not Adam – he underplays his vocal, croaking through the verses (I love his delivery of “It’s me/I’m a freak.)

It’s only with a minute to go that he really lets rip, ad-libbing the final chorus and unleashing that multi-octave range. Even co-writer Pink admits: “I honestly have to say, Adam did a much better job. I mean, he hits notes that I couldn’t hit when I was twelve.” Don’t forget to check out his various acoustic versions of the track, which in typical Adam style, transform the song from a pop-rock anthem into a heartfelt, tender ballad.