Hudgens' debut album V was released on September 26, 2006. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number twenty four, and was later certified Gold. Hudgens released her second album, Identified, on July 1, 2008 in the U.S.
In 2003, Hudgens played a minor role in the independent drama film Thirteen, where she plays Noel, a friend of Tracy (Evan Rachel Wood's character). The film received general favorable reviews, critically successful, and surpassed its $4 million budget. She landed a role, eventually, in the 2004 science fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds as Tintin. Unfortunately, the film was commercially and critically unsuccessful, and received heavy criticism through the Internet prior to its release. In late 2005, she landed the role of shy and meek Gabriella Montez in High School Musical, opposite to Zac Efron.
Before she played her breakout role as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical, Hudgens has already appeared in television shows such as Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. Her performance in High School Musical received numerous nominations and awards. With the success of the film, the BBC noted that Hudgens will be a "household name" in the US.
Hudgens received a recording contract with Hollywood Records. On September 2006, the release of her debut album entitled V, charted on the Billboard 200 at number twenty-four on the chart and was certified Gold on February 27, 2007. Her first single, "Come Back to Me" became her highest-charting single and her second single was "Say OK". Billboard readers chose "V" as the seventh best album of the year. Hudgens was named Female Breakout Singer of the year at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards.
Hudgens also participated in the nationwide High School Musical: The Concert tour in fall 2006, performing the songs from the soundtrack album as well as the three songs from her debut album. She sang the duet "Still There For Me" with Corbin Bleu for his debut album. In 2007, Hudgens reprised her role as Gabriella Montez in the sequel of High School Musical, High School Musical 2. Virginia Heffernan of TV Review described Hudgens in her performance in the movie as "matte" as she "glows like a proper ingénue". In December 2007, she sang to George Bush, who was then the president of the U.S., and his family, at The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. with other singers at a Christmas event.
Hudgens reprised her role as Gabriella Montez in High School Musical 3: Senior Year. Her performance in the film made her win favorite movie actress in the 2009 Kids Choice Awards. Her sophomore album, Identified, which received generally favorable reviews, was released on July 1, 2008, debuting at #23 on the Billboard 200. The album's lead single was "Sneakernight". Hudgens's Identified Summer Tour began on August 1, 2008 and ended in early September 9 of the same year.
Hudgens performed a musical number with other artists during the 81st Academy Awards. On April 8, 2009, Hudgens's participation in a comedic short video entitled "Zac Efron's Pool Party" for the website Funny Or Die was released for public viewing. Hudgens later provided voice roles in Robot Chicken.
Hudgens played a supporting role in a musical comedy Bandslam, which was released theatrically on August 14, 2009. Hudgens plays "Sa5m", a 15-year-old awkward freshman with untapped talents. Although Bandslam was commercially unsuccessful, Hudgens' performance received praise from critics. David Waddington of the North Wales Pioneer noted that Hudgens "outshines the rest of the cast, failing to fit in with the outcast narrative and making the inevitable climactic ending all the more expected," and Philip French of The Guardian compared her acting to Thandie Newton and Dorothy Parker.
In 2009, it was announced that Hudgens will play Linda Taylor in Beastly, a film based on the book by Alex Flinn, opposite to Alex Pettyfer. She plays the "beauty" in the story. Hudgens was cast as Blondie in an action film Sucker Punch, which will release in March 2011.
And she also played in Journey 2 the Mysterious Island in 2012.
Rather Be With You
Vanessa Hudgens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To ask me if I'm interested
I see you coming my way with a smile
You say He's the guy, you caught his eye
But he's afraid to come over he's a little shy so,
Why don't you come talk for a while?
But I see your smile baby
The messenger my take the prize
[Chorus]
I'd rather be with you, baby
You know what you're doing to me
You're the one, the only one
That sets it all on fire
Yeah you, baby
(and I can see you want to be with me)
Yeah you know what I'm saying is true
I'd rather be with you
It's you and me
But then you call him over
And your buddy makes three
I know you're just trying to do right
A glance, a touch
Try not to stare just a little too much
Baby, it's impossible to fight
Best of intentions
Do you really wanna give me away
I'll take this moment to say
[Chorus]
It's only time
I'll make you mine
You know you can't deny me
Come a little closer baby
And tell your friend
That I'm not really interested
There is nothing more that you can do
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Vanessa Hudgens's song Rather Be With You speak about uncertainty in a budding romance, where the man is too shy to talk to the woman he likes, so he sends a friend to approach her. The singer of the song - the woman - finds herself caught in a tricky situation, as the friend delivers the message that the man likes her, and it's evident from his smile. But she finds the man too shy to approach her and talk, so she suggests that they talk first to ease his nervousness. However, she cannot hide her attraction to the man, and despite best efforts to control her feelings, it's impossible to fight.
Throughout the song, the woman conveys that she is interested in the man who sent his friend to pass on the message. She feels that he is the one for her and that he is causing her heart to set on fire. But the man who likes her, despite his hesitation, ultimately brings his friend to make it a trio, where the woman finds it impossible to ignore her feelings. She wants the man for herself and declares that she wants to be with him instead of the messenger who brought the message.
The song depicts a common story of attraction, uncertainty, and fear of rejection that everyone can relate to. It also portrays a woman's power to articulate what she desires and go after it, despite societal norms that discourage women from taking the initiative in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
He sends a friend
He asks his friend to know if I'm interested in him.
To ask me if I'm interested
He sends his friend to me to check if I'm interested in him.
I see you coming my way with a smile
I see you approaching me with a joyful face.
You say He's the guy, you caught his eye
You tell me he's the guy he likes, and you caught his attention.
But he's afraid to come over he's a little shy so,
But he's scared to come to me because he's shy, so...
Why don't you come talk for a while?
Why don't you come up and chat for a bit?
But I see your smile baby
However, I see your lovely smile.
The messenger my take the prize
The mediator might get the reward.
And you see the look in my eyes
And you can detect the expression in my eyes.
I'd rather be with you, baby
I prefer being with you, darling.
You know what you're doing to me
You know how you're affecting me.
You're the one, the only one
You're the one and only person who sets me on fire.
That sets it all on fire
You're the one who sets everything ablaze.
Yeah you, baby
Yes, you, darling.
(and I can see you want to be with me)
(and I can tell you want to be with me)
Yeah you know what I'm saying is true
Yes, you know my words are all accurate.
It's you and me
It's just you and me.
But then you call him over
But then you beckon him towards us.
And your buddy makes three
And your friend joining us makes us three people.
I know you're just trying to do right
I know you're only attempting to do the right thing.
A glance, a touch
A look, a contact.
Try not to stare just a little too much
Just trying not to stare too much.
Baby, it's impossible to fight
Baby, it's impossible to resist.
Best of intentions
Despite your best purposes.
Do you really wanna give me away
Do you truly want to give me away?
I'll take this moment to say
I'll seize this opportunity to say.
It's only time
It only takes time.
I'll make you mine
I'll win you over.
You know you can't deny me
You understand you can't refuse me.
Come a little closer baby
Come a little closer, dear.
And tell your friend
And inform your friend.
That I'm not really interested
That I'm not actually interested.
There is nothing more that you can do
There's nothing else you can do.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW NIKOLA BOJANIC, ELIZABETH HOOPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lara
He sends a friend
To ask me if I'm interested
I see you coming my way with a smile
You say He's the guy, you caught his eye
But he's afraid to come over he's a little shy so,
Why don't you come talk for a while?
But I see your smile baby
The messenger my take the prize
And you see the look in my eyes
[Chorus]
I'd rather be with you, baby
You know what you're doing to me
You're the one, the only one
That sets it all on fire
Yeah you, baby
(and I can see you want to be with me)
Yeah you know what I'm saying is true
I'd rather be with you
It's you and me
But then you call him over
And your buddy makes three
I know you're just tyring to do right
A glance, a touch
Try not to stare just a little too much
Baby, it's impossible to fight
Best of intentions
Do you really wanna give me away
I'll take this moment to say
[Chorus]
And tell your friend
that I'm not really interested
There is nothing more that you can do
Alexia Anne
THIS SONG WAS MY ABSOLUTE FAVE! Still jam to this album all the time. 2020 anyone? 🙋🏻♀️
Stoned Mermaid
I’m still here all these years later
tilbmerokleugim
I really think this is a brilliant song and obviously underrated
Christa Evans
I absolutely love this song!! :) This is how I feel about someone. When I need to drown out my sorrows about a guy I like I listen to this song!! :) Love this song!! Such a good song! She has a real voice compared to many other artists out there....
Lara
He sends a friend
To ask me if I'm interested
I see you coming my way with a smile
You say He's the guy, you caught his eye
But he's afraid to come over he's a little shy so,
Why don't you come talk for a while?
But I see your smile baby
The messenger my take the prize
And you see the look in my eyes
[Chorus]
I'd rather be with you, baby
You know what you're doing to me
You're the one, the only one
That sets it all on fire
Yeah you, baby
(and I can see you want to be with me)
Yeah you know what I'm saying is true
I'd rather be with you
It's you and me
But then you call him over
And your buddy makes three
I know you're just tyring to do right
A glance, a touch
Try not to stare just a little too much
Baby, it's impossible to fight
Best of intentions
Do you really wanna give me away
I'll take this moment to say
[Chorus]
And tell your friend
that I'm not really interested
There is nothing more that you can do
Emleandroo
2015 and still playing.
Isa Cipriana
love this song
Smoke and Mirrors
Excellent song.
The Healing Garden
My mom thought this song was inappropriate lmao.I was singing this song and dancing to the part where she says "sets it all fiiiire" and she was like "girl" and rolled her eyes
Althea
My jam when i was 9 hahaha 😂😭