Britney's Videography: 'Sometimes'

Britney Spears 'Sometimes' # # # # #
Coming on the heels of her controversy-igniting '...Baby One More Time' video, her clip for the second single, 'Sometimes,' almost appears to be a step backwards for her. Whereas '...Baby One More Time' was in-your-face and persistent in its mission to catapult Britney into the limelight, 'Sometimes' is quieter, more subdued and less willing to make any of the bold statements '...Baby One More Time' does. This isn't a direct criticism of the video--in fact, this treatment works better for both the song and as a response to the criticism she received from '...Baby One More Time.' 'Sometimes' is a sweet, simple pop song about the rocky road known as young love, and the video's modest nature matches. She pines from afar, mopes with her girls (whose heads are curiously cut off in the scene where she hangs with them), recalls fond memories with the hot boy who can't quite figure her out and performs a dance of love and devotion on a pier. There's nothing flashy here, no attempt to add unnecessary plot, which, judging by today's GaGa complicated standards, is a complete relief. Even in the video's simplicity, Britney is able to make a sly commentary on her sexuality. Many of her outfits in 'Sometimes' are white, obviously referring to the color's connection with virginity. Again, she's flaunting her innocence in our faces, laughing at our misconceptions about her before winking to (maybe) affirm after all what we've always thought (possibly). Britney, for all her innocence and instant fame, almost remains an enigma who is impossible to truly decipher. And instead of answering those questions, 'Sometimes' merely raises more while maintaining a poker face.