This week’s playlist are songs that make you want to put on your headphones and get away from the troubles of school.
Nick’s picks
- Prince – “I Wanna Be Your Lover”
- Gladys Knight & The Pips – “Midnight Train to Georgia”
- Aretha Franklin – “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”
In my household, there’s very few things we hold more sacred than Prince. Anytime he gets mentioned, my dad always says “he’s a musical genius.” It’s simply axiomatic. Music exists; Prince is great. Aside from dramatically reading the lyrics to “Darling Nikki” at dinner and scaring my little sister, the other big memory I have about the Minnesotan icon is with his song “I Wanna Be Your Lover.” Just like Childish Gambino and the actor who plays George McFly, my last name is Glover. Because of this, everytime the song comes on in our house when we sing along to the chorus — “I wanna be your lover / I wanna be the only one that makes you come running” — we all sing “I wanna be your Glover.”
Written by Jim Weatherly and originally performed as “Midnight Train to Houston,” Gladys Night and her band, The Pips, is an absolute banger. Starting with the first beats on the snare drum, the song is full of bright and jubilant energy. Knight’s powerful and epic lead vocals pair perfectly with the vocal stylings of The Pips. The backing vocals are easily the best part of the track. The “woo-woo’s” and the “going back to find” in the first verse are all-time classics to me. While some may think that background vocals are just for the background, perfect backgrounds make everything better. Functioning like a pseudo-hornline, The Pips pull the listener closer to the story of the song and, in turn, make the listening experience even better.
If you’ve ever listened to me rant at 2 a.m., you know how much I adore Arthea Franklin. I love her so much this is (at least) my second time choosing this exact song for the Weekly Spotify. With glorious and cinematic string backings and soulful piano playing, Aretha comes out swinging on “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.” Yeah, we all know that she has a monstrously strong voice and that she’s one of the most emotional performers, but her vocal delivery on this track is special. The trailing and falling off vocals on the pre-chorus mimic the youthful love the song is talking about. The pièce de-résistance is Aretha’s vocals on the bridge: Full of heart, she slows the song down, setting the ground for the best final chorus I’ve ever heard. If I were you, I’d keep my eye out for the spring so you can see me rant about how good this song is for the third time.
Sarah’s picks
- Frank Ocean – “Novacane”
- Marshmello, Jonas Brothers – “Leave Before You Love Me”
- Michael Jackson – “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”
Arguably the best song by Frank Ocean and one of the most upbeat is his 2011 song “Novacane.” It’s a love song blended with instruments that carry a joyful tune all the way through. Ocean sings about a girl he meets and goes on to describe her, comparing the encounter to the drug novocaine. The song feels like a hot summer day when your car windows are rolled down, and the breeze rustles your hair around. It’s easy to forget about the troubles of life when Ocean’s rich vocals come through your device’s speakers.
The collaboration between the Jonas Brothers and Marshmello came out during the second year of quarantine, and their song quickly became one of my favorite pop songs of 2021. “Leave Before You Love Me” is a fun, guitar-jamming song that’s perfect for any moment when you want to feel joy. Similar to Ocean’s “Novacane,” the Jonas Brothers sing about urging a girl to leave one of them before they fall too deep into each other. The chorus is what’s catchy about the song as Nick and Joe sing “Ayy, ayy, leave before you love me” four times as electronic beats pulse in the background.
The king of pop creates another loveable hit with his song “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough.” The song is about dancing until you can’t get enough of the music and about feeling the rhythm in your soul. Jackson relies on a consistent musical beat and repetitive lyrics to drive the song home. “Don’t stop ‘til you get enough / Keep on with the force, don’t stop” is repeated over 10 times by the end of the song, which makes it perfect to stand up and groove out to for a bit.
Caleb’s picks
- Grant Knoche – “Look At Me Right Now ”
- Idina Menzel – “Defying Gravity”
- Lil Nas X, Jack Harlow – “Industry Baby”
This piece is upbeat and has fast paced pop beats. A single from independent artist Grant Knoche, “Look At Me Right Now,” was released in 2023. The song feels empowering and has an intense emotional impact. The line “Made the storm but didn’t want the rain” made me really enjoy the lyrics, and I felt like they really embody Knoche’s meaning.
From the hit Broadway production “Wicked,” Idina Menzel delivers a powerful performance as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, and her formative years during her friendship with Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. The iconic song is symbolic about breaking free from others expectations and forging your own. “I’m through with playing by the rules /
Of someone else’s game.” These lyrics just really hit home for me. I understand what it feels like having the weight of someone else’s expectations on your shoulders and desperately wanting to be free. For me, this song is a liberating and empowering experience.
“Industry Baby,” is a powerful and epic song by rapper Lil Nas X featuring musical artist Jack Harlow. It was first released in 2021 in the album “Montero.” This song features an electrifying and powerful beat. I really vibed with the lyrics, “You was never really rooting for me anyway,” because despite people’s doubts and dislike of X, he proved them wrong and became successful. I think there’s something powerful about being unapologetically queer, and it’s something not seen a lot in the rap world.
