Timber

"Timber" is an unapologetic party anthem that celebrates hedonism, dancing, and living in the moment. The central metaphor, yelling "timber" as things are "going down," cleverly repurposes a lumberjack's warning call for a falling tree into a declaration that a party is reaching its peak intensity. It’s a signal for everyone to get ready for the wildness to ensue on the dance floor. The song's meaning revolves around the idea of letting loose for a night of unforgettable, albeit potentially blurry, fun. The lyrics, "Let's make a night you won't remember / I'll be the one you won't forget," encapsulate this theme of creating powerful, lasting impressions through fleeting moments of intense celebration. Pitbull's verses add layers of bravado and luxury, portraying a lifestyle of wealth, travel, and romantic success, while Kesha's chorus provides the explosive, carefree energy. The song merges club culture with a country aesthetic, suggesting a universally fun time, whether in a city nightclub or a rustic bar.

The song opens with Kesha's powerful declaration that a wild night is about to unfold, using the classic lumberjack call, "Timber," as a warning for everyone to get ready to dance and let loose. She promises a night so intense it will blur into a memory, yet she will remain an unforgettable presence.

Pitbull enters with his signature swagger, employing a metaphor that the bigger the challenge or person, the more satisfying the conquest. He portrays himself as a desirable figure, referencing the then-current pop culture phenomenon of Miley Cyrus and twerking to describe the women he attracts. He uses suggestive language like "face down, booty up," which is an explicit nod to the party atmosphere and a lyric from 2 Live Crew, emphasizing a hedonistic and uninhibited vibe. He confidently states his slickness, betting that even a woman who initially says no will eventually give in to the night's energy.

The pre-chorus, delivered by Pitbull with Kesha's ad-libs, mimics a country square dance call, instructing everyone to "swing your partner 'round and 'round." This imagery reinforces the song's country-pop fusion and builds anticipation for the chorus. It paints a picture of a crowded, energetic dance floor where the drinks are flowing and the party is escalating towards its peak.

Kesha's chorus repeats, solidifying the song's central theme: an all-out party where inhibitions are shed. The phrase "it's going down, I'm yelling timber" serves as the undeniable hook, a signal that the peak of the party has arrived, and everyone should either join the frenzy or get out of the way. It’s about creating an ephemeral moment of wild fun that might not be fully remembered, but the feeling and the key players will be unforgettable.

In his second verse, Pitbull brags about his luxurious, jet-setting lifestyle. He cleverly uses the iconic line from Superman, "Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane," only to subvert it by proudly proclaiming it's just him, unchanged by his fame and fortune. He boasts about living in hotels, flying on planes, and money not being an issue, comparing the club's energy to basketball star LeBron James. This verse serves to build his persona as 'Mr. Worldwide,' a global party icon who brings excitement wherever he goes, reinforcing the idea that his presence is what causes the party to "go down." The combination of Pitbull's boastful rap verses and Kesha's explosive, melodic chorus creates a dynamic and highly energetic party anthem.

"Timber" was released on October 7, 2013, as the lead single from Pitbull's EP, Meltdown. The song was a collaborative effort, produced by Dr. Luke, Cirkut, and Sermstyle, with a long list of credited songwriters including Pitbull (Armando C. Pérez), Kesha Sebert, Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald), Cirkut (Henry Walter), and Priscilla Renea, among others. The track's signature country-pop sound was inspired by the success of Avicii's "Wake Me Up," which blended electronic music with country elements. Pitbull, hearing Avicii's hit while touring, wanted to create a similar global track with a country feel. The distinctive harmonica melody that drives the song is an interpolation of Lee Oskar's 1978 single "San Francisco Bay." Harmonica player Paul Harrington was specifically instructed to emulate Oskar's style. This led to a copyright infringement lawsuit in 2014, as the original songwriters of "San Francisco Bay" claimed they were not properly contacted for permission, despite the label securing a license. Interestingly, Kesha was not the first choice for the female feature. Pitbull had initially approached Rihanna, but she was unavailable due to her collaboration with Shakira on "Can't Remember to Forget You." Having previously collaborated with Kesha on remixes, Pitbull then brought her on board, solidifying the final version of the track.

The rhythm of "Timber" is a driving four-on-the-floor dance beat, set at a fast tempo of 130 BPM, designed for high-energy dancing. The song's rhythmic structure is straightforward and repetitive, which enhances its catchiness and club-friendly nature. Lyrically, Pitbull's rap verses utilize a mix of rhyme schemes. For instance, in the first verse, he uses couplets like "fall/dog" and a multi-syllable rhyme in "Miley Cyrus/bras and thongs," though the rhyme is loose. The rhyme scheme becomes more consistent in the pre-chorus, with an AABB pattern in "'round/'down." Kesha's chorus also follows a simple, memorable rhyme scheme. The interplay between the lyrical rhythm of Pitbull's rap and the steady, thumping musical rhythm is a key component of the song's energy, pushing the track forward relentlessly.

"Timber" is defined by its fusion of genres, blending dance-pop, EDM, and pop-rap with distinct country and folktronica elements. The most notable musical technique is the use of a prominent harmonica riff, sampled from Lee Oskar's "San Francisco Bay," which runs through the entire track and provides its unique country flavor. This is layered over a driving, upbeat dance beat with a tempo of 130 beats per minute, making it ideal for club play. The song's structure alternates between Pitbull's rap verses and Kesha's sung choruses, creating a dynamic call-and-response effect. Pitbull's vocal delivery is characteristic of his 'Mr. Worldwide' persona—confident and boastful. Kesha's vocals are powerful and anthemic, delivering the hook with a celebratory tone. The pre-chorus incorporates a variation on square dance calls ("Swing your partner 'round and 'round"), further enhancing the country-dance hybrid style.

"Timber" was a massive commercial success, significantly impacting the pop charts in the mid-2010s. It reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, holding the top spot for three consecutive weeks, and also topped the charts in over fifteen other countries, including the UK, Canada, and Germany. It became the sixth best-selling song worldwide in 2014, with 9.6 million units sold. In the United States, it was certified Diamond by the RIAA for selling over 10 million units, a first for both Pitbull and Kesha. The song's blend of dance-pop and country elements was part of a broader trend in the 2010s, popularizing the fusion sound on mainstream radio, often compared to a modern-day "Cotton Eye Joe." The music video has garnered over 1.5 billion views on YouTube. The song has been featured in various media and has been covered and parodied numerous times, including a polka medley by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Its success solidified Pitbull's status as a global hitmaker and gave Kesha another major chart-topper in her discography.

The most prominent metaphor in "Timber" is the titular word itself. Traditionally yelled by lumberjacks as a warning when a tree is about to fall, the song re-contextualizes it as a triumphant shout announcing that a party has reached its chaotic and energetic peak. "It's going down" is a slang phrase for an event starting or something exciting happening, and pairing it with "yelling timber" creates a powerful and memorable image of people 'falling' or letting loose on the dance floor. Pitbull's line, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall," is a classic aphorism used here to imply that the more resistant a woman might seem, the greater the satisfaction of winning her over. He also uses the Superman reference, "Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane / Nah, it's just me," to symbolize his larger-than-life, globe-trotting persona.

The most significant recurring motif is the lyrical and musical hook: "It's goin' down, I'm yellin' timber." This phrase is repeated throughout the song, serving as its central theme and most memorable element. Its repetition drills the party-starting message into the listener's head. The word "Timber" itself is shouted as an ad-lib throughout the track, reinforcing the title and central metaphor. The harmonica riff is the primary musical motif; its consistent presence from beginning to end gives the song its signature sonic identity, blending the worlds of folk/country and pop/dance music. Another recurring element is the pre-chorus call to "Swing your partner 'round and 'round," which conjures images of country line dancing and further solidifies the song's stylistic fusion.