That Britney Spears is on the ball. It was less than two weeks ago that legendary folk singer Mary Travers died, but Britney has already come out with a sensitive tribute song, "3," the main hook of which goes: "1, 2, 3/Peter, Paul & Mary/Gettin' down with 3P." We can only hope that Britney is around and primed to pay tribute when Pete Seeger passes, too! 

But just as I had my doubts about whether Spears' last Top 20 hit was really about losing track of a girl named Amy, I will have to confess some hesitations about just how bereaved a Peter Paul & Mary fan Britney really is. Because when it comes down to it, "3" really seems to be an educational children's song, its electro/nursery-rhyme feel designed to introduce toddlers to very rudimentary math principles, as well as the importance of fair play and teamwork:

1, 2, 3

Not only you and me

Got 180 degrees

And I'm caught in between...

Babe, pick a night

To come out and play...

Merrier the more

Triple fun that way 

She continues: 

Twister on the floor

What do you say?...

Three is a charm

Two is not the same

I don't see the harm

So are you game?

Let's make a team...

I am countin'!

Who said Sean Preston and Jayden James wouldn't be an influence on her work? The woman who once proudly proclaimed that "I'm not that innocent" seems to have come around to reclaiming her childlike spirit, even making the bold statement toward the end of this song that "What we do is innocent/Just for fun and nothin' meant." Word!

"3" reunites Britney with uber-producer Max Martin, who helmed early triumphs like "Oops! I Did It Again" as well as last year's more risible and less memorable "If You Seek Amy." Arguably, Martin has lately doled out better material to Pink than he has to his old protege Brit-Brit. Her best material on her last couple of albums tended to come from the brilliant, undersung hands of Bloodshy & Avant, who moved her into markedly more mature territory while keeping her safely in the land of moody dance-tronica. Some of the stuff Danja cooked up for her beat her last reunions with Martin, too. But "3" is a pretty undeniable Number 1 waiting to happen, whether you see it as good, elementary fun or pure evil (and we'll no doubt be hearing some opinions on both sides in the weeks to come). It's the only new track on her forthcoming greatest hits album—I am countin'!—so those of us who were hoping Spears might exhibit some real growth with another Bloodshy & Avant hookup will just have to be patient.

And it's in keeping with the generous spirit of things that we accept Max Martin as her sole producer of the moment, because "3" does have a sort of "Love the One You're With" subtext. (Or "Love the Ones You're With," really.) As she sings in a bridge section toward the end:

If you don't like the company

Let's just do it you and me

You and me...

Or three....

Or four....

On the floor

More important lessons for the young ‘uns: You may not always get the exact configuration you want for your playdate, but any combination will work, if you just have the right attitude. Eat her dust, Wiggles!

By the way, Britney, I did just run into Amy. Who was I to doubt? I'll send her your way!