I haven’t posted about a song in a while and thought that it was time to do so. There are few albums that I’ve gotten and actually regretted the fact that I didn’t buy it the day that it was released and this is one of them. This entire CD is fire and Jazmine has a unique sound that can’t be replicated. This song is in first person and describes a woman who decides to go against the grain. While it’s not ridden with expletives there are a few for effect. The song continues on to describe a woman who decides to work smart instead of hard and allow others to finance her life while she provides certain incentives. One of the stipulations in the agreement is that she makes a deliberate effort to never not look good. This song is not the easiest to sing but Jazmine makes it seem easy as she transitions from falsetto to her chest voice effortlessly while still respecting and displaying her amazing vocal skills Now, I can’t give you all the reasons why I love this song and why it’s been on repeat for the past two weeks straight except to say that it’s one of the most well-written songs I’ve heard in the while. The lyrics match the music and Jazmine’s voice in a flawless coming together of emotion and melody that moves you. The thing I like about this album is that there are no bad songs. Each song is different and unique in its own right and conveys real human emotion. That’s what separates good music from great music.
Tag Archives: music
Mine -the song
I love Ledisi’s voice and about a week ago I went and bought her latest album that was released early last year entitled “The Truth.” It’s been the best album that I’ve gotten this year so far. This particular song has been replaying over and over on my phone and in my head. I’m listening to it as I’m driving, writing, and even working out. The lyrics and the melodies in this song are amazing. There’s not a huge amount of extras added but it keeps your attention without becoming one of those washed up songs about love that isn’t reciprocated. The thing that I love about Ledisi is that she’s such a versatile artist and her songs on this album are a showcase of her range and her musical flexibility. The lyrics to her songs also make sense and they express genuine human emotion and feelings that make it easy to relate to.
Ready Aim-The Song
I like some acoustic versions of songs and this piece is one of them. For some reason it’s been playing on my computer for the past week. I love the way that the words to the song match the melody–even to the point that the melody tells a story that the lyrics mirror. I looked up the lyrics and Mali seems to be describing the process of pushing through obstacles as you try to make a tangible difference in the world. I admit, that his playing is not all that great but his unique voice is so perfect for this particular version. You can feel that he’s passionate about what he’s singing and makes the declaration “you can’t shoot me down” you can tell that he believes it. One thing I really like about this rendition is that you can feel the emotion through the song. These days, that’s not really typical.
It’s Over
I don’t know if I’ve ever posted a John Legend song in the time that I’ve had this blog and it’s been a shame. Now, I would not go as far to say that I know ALL the lyrics to ALL of his songs, but I will say that I’ve been listening to his music since before I was allowed to listen to secular music and had to sneak around. Quite a feat for a homeschooler. This is one of my all time favorite songs that he’s done. It’s been on repeat all this week for some strange reason. John has a way or writing songs that are super easy to relate to. The melodies are unique but not distracting from the lyrics. And John’s voice has a signature sound that adds to the genuineness of his music. This song reminded me of some of the times where I’ve had to delete numbers and then re-save them in my phone under “never EVER answer.” The thing about this song is that it’s catchy but also makes a declaration in some fashion. There will always be people who have trouble letting go. Whether it’s their favorite food, or a relationship they are incredibly intricately involved with, sometimes things have an expiration date. It doesn’t mean that it’s a bad thing, it just means that we have to make some adjustments. Life changes and people change as well. Sometimes those changes require some reconsideration of close relationships. There will always be people who don’t want to take “no” for an answer. But if it’s over, it’s over.
Dontchange
Musiq’s songs have some of the best lyrics and this one is no exception. It’s pretty self explanatory but I will say that this song is so idealistic in nature. Musiq is singing the words that many women would love to hear. Like I’ve always said, the idea of security and commitment in a relationship is comforting. I had the change to attend one of his concerts and this was one of the songs I really enjoyed hearing him perform live.
Over the Hill is Home
I frequently post songs that I enjoy listening to and this one is not an exception. To be honest, I heard this song for the first time at the end of 2010 after my first semester of my senior year of college. I had a college classmate who was sick and in the hospital. People started saying that if anyone wanted to see them they needed to go ASAP to the hospital. This person was someone I knew rather casually but often spoke to on occasion since we had several classes together. Needless to say I visited them at the hospital and while I was thankful for the experience, it was also sobering on how short life really is. Nobody teaches you what to say to someone on their deathbed. This year I’ve talked to a decent amount of people on their deathbed and I’ve still been stuck on appropriate words to say in that situation. I say all this to say that this song is one of hope. It’s a reminder to press forward and to keep pushing despite obstacles that come. Great melody and I like the optimism in the message.
Fight for You (the song)
This song has been going through my head nonstop for the past few days. I first heard it about a week ago while I was traveling and the melody is so catchy. Unlike the vast majority of the songs that I like, i can’t really say exactly why I really like this particular song. It might be the fact that it depicts a conversation that Mali is having with himself and I rarely listen to songs that involve an internal dialogue with a self-empowerment twist. Or maybe even the fact that the beat is perfect to ball up your fists and do a little boxing move of duck and cover when he gets to the “fight for you” line. It might even be that this song is PERFECT to do a slow groove version of the dance “The Wobble.” I think Mali does a pretty decent job of explaining his own song so you can watch that as well.
I Blame You (the song)
I don’t know why, but this song reminds me of the winter feeling. I don’t know why but I just has an “it’s cold outside and I’m sitting by the fireplace sipping hot cocoa” feel. Let me start off by saying that Ledisi is one of the most versatile and talented female artists that I’ve ever heard. Her range is amazing and her runs are very crisp. I had the opportunity to hear her live when she came and sang at my church and subsequently released this single not that much later. There are few artists I’ve heard who sound better live than their recordings and she is without a doubt one of them. This song is a happy “I’m in love” sorta song with Ledisi singing about how her perspective has changed once she has met this special person. She feels like a different person and it’s something that other people notice as well. When I first heard this song I listened to it at least five times in a row because it was just so well written. The melody is clear and catchy and the lyrics fit perfectly with the whole concept of the song. Ledisi is another one of the artists I consider to be melodically articulate because she has such great control in her voice but there’s also emotion and soul behind it that comes through when she sings.
PYT
I am a fan of Tori’s voice. These days there aren’t a lot of singers who sound exactly like they do in on the CD in person. I can honestly say that after hearing Tori sing live in person that this is one of my favorite covers that she’s done. Not only is this song a classic, Tori makes it her own without overpowering on the melody. She has such an amazing range and control along with the fact that she’s great with the guitar. One of the reasons why I like his cover so much is that Tori almost completely remakes the song while still remaining true to the original concept. This is something of a balance act but Tori pulls it off effortlessly.
I Wish (the song)
Unlike some of the songs that I’ve posted, this one definitely has the distinction of being one the songs I like that has very distinct memories associated with it. This album came out when I was 12 and I can still remember the excitement of putting it into the CD player of our van for the first time while we made one of our numerous family road trips. This song was one of my favorites from the album because it had a nice beat but it also had substance. The song talks about about wishing that someone was with you and the emotions that come along with missing them. It speaks of loyalty and the disappointment that sometimes comes along with relationships when you are emotionally invested. The melody fits the words and the message perfectly. It’s the song that I requested that we all listen to as we drove around town on my 13th birthday. Even at 13, there was an identified person I remember thinking about with the lyrics “I wish that you were here with me.” Regardless, this is my throwback song. A classic that I will always remember because there are a lot of memories associated with it.
Alisha's Angle 