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The energetic playlist “10 Songs Overflowing with Power” includes songs courtesy of Bastille, Lana Del Rey, Ryan Beatty, and Rae Sremmurd among others.

Prepare to feel the power! This playlist is exactly what the title says it is: 10 Songs Overflowing with Power. Still confused what that entails? Well, every single song has the word ‘power’ in its song title.  Not only is the word featured in the song title, each song focuses on power in some context.  Musicians lending their talents to this powerful playlist include Bastille, Lana Del Rey, Ryan Beatty, and Rae Sremmurd among others. Without further ado, we unleash the power!

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1. Ryan Beatty, “Powerslide”

Boy in Jeans • Boy in Jeans • 2018

Ryan Beatty, an openly gay, former teen-pop artist, is honest about love and sex throughout the course of his stellar debut album, Boy in Jeans.  Boy in Jeans is an eclectic album, encompassing pop, R&B, and a dash of alternative. Standout “Powerslide” plays up the soulful summer, West Coast vibes (Beatty is from Cali BTW). The record screams infatuation and sex, making a couple of references to pleasure.

“He gave me pleasure underneath the water
And it felt so good
Now we’re power sliding till the flood spurts stop us…”

On the second, he’s playful with words, while being explicit at the same time:

“Now we share a couple of cigarettes before we go to bed and you 
Got the plastic
That’s fucking fantastic.”

The relationship between Beatty and his boyfriend is LIT.

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2. Rae Sremmurd, “Powerglide”

Ft. Juicy J

SR3MM • Eardruma / Interscope • 2018

The Rae Sremmurd triple album actually happened.  After releasing a number of singles – some attributed to Swae Lee, some to Slim Jxmmi, and some to Rae Sremmurd – SR3MM dropped on May 4, 2018.  Among the standouts from the album is “Powerglide” (featuring Juicy J). “Powerglide” is dark from the start, set in a minor key. The rhythmic string ostinato is a standout feature of the production.  Ultimately, the patch blends well with the hard, anchoring drums. Swae Lee flaunts his tenor pipes, particularly when employing falsetto, in all its glory. He handles the catchy hook, as well as the first two verses of the record. The hook is catchy.

“What's in ya mug? Toasted up, no I ain’t hostin’
Kush all in my lap because these hoes don’t want to roll it
I was sliding in the Lamb’ with the powerglide (oh)
Slime green paint, peanut butter inside (oh)
She wanna fuck, speak up
Comin’ out her clothes (oh)
I’m in wonderland when she comin’ down the pole (whoa)
And I don’t care if she take all of mine (oh)
Like it ain’t shit but a dollar sign.”

Slim Jxmmi arrives for the third verse of the record. He provides a great contrast to the pitched vocals of Swae, though both exhibit a certain degree of toughness. Juicy J is the hardest of them all, killing it on the fourth verse with filthy sex references and being utterly foul-mouthed.

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3. YG, “Power”

Ft. Ty Dolla $ign

Stay Dangerous • Def Jam • 2018

At times, YG isn’t exactly ‘transcendent’ on his 2018 third studio album, Stay Dangerous.  Case in point? “Power.” Yes, ‘power’ itself can be ‘dangerous’ (“no one man should have all that power”), but the “Power” that YG raps about is all a three-letter word – sex.  There’s nothing making the rap game or the world a better place when Ty Dolla $ign delivers a line such as “Oh, yeah, that pussy got power / Yeah, but my dick like a tower.” #Shallow.

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4. Katy Perry, “Power”

Witness • Capitol • 2017

Katy Perry had a lackadaisical 2017.  Her fifth studio album, Witness, was considered a flop, at least by her lofty standards. Critically, it wasn’t exactly ‘the second coming’ either.  Nonetheless, there’s some ‘power’ – literally. “Power” is one of the better non-buzz records from Witness.  Vocally, Perry delivers a respectable vocal, even if she’s not a powerhouse per se. To her credit, the theme of empowerment adds more weight, exemplified on the chorus.

“You can’t clip my wings, can’t wilt my flowers / Stole my time, but I’ll make up the hours / ‘Cause I’m a goddess and you know it / Some respect, you better show it / I’m done with you siphoning my power.”

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5. Gorillaz, “We Got the Power”

Ft. Noel Gallagher & Jehnny Beth

Humanz • Parlophone • 2018

“We Got the Power” fittingly concludes Humanz, the highly-anticipated, Grammy-nominated, 2017 comeback album by Gorillaz. “We Got the Power” features Noel Gallagher and Jehnny Beth. The song title falls in line with the script of the album, which definitely supports the RESIST movement.  No, President Donald Trump isn’t explicitly mentioned, but it’s clear this is an anthem of love trumps hate.

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6. Bastille, “Power”

Wild World • Virgin • 2016

“Aim, throw your best shot right at me / ‘Cause pain, I can take it easily.” Alternative band Bastille seems to have a knack for dramatic flair. “Power” keeps their sophomore album Wild World firing on all cylinders.  Frontman Dan Smith sings about the power his ex-girlfriend had over him during their relationship.  Safe to say, he’s glad that the relationship is over.

“Power, power / I will never understand the power you were holding over me / Power, power / Oh you had it too long, yes you had it too long.”

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7. Lana Del Rey, “Money Power Glory”

Ultraviolence • Interscope • 2014

One has to question the intentions of Lana Del Rey on “Money Power Glory.” “I want money, power, and glory / Alleluia! I wanna take you for all that you got.”  Clearly, the alternative pop singer/songwriter doesn’t come over as the most kind, thoughtful, or virtuous individual. To quote Eve, “She Bad Bad”.  On the bridge, she asserts “Dope and diamonds” are “all that I want.” Ugh.  Prior to that, she encourages her boyfriend to “run, boy, run.”

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8. J. Cole, “Power Trip”

Ft. Miguel

Born Sinner • Roc Nation • 2013

For J. Cole, His girl ‘got him all night, singing love songs’ on the epic “Power Trip,” one of the best, most commercial, and most memorable songs from his career.  Making “Power Trip” even more epic is the boost that he gets from Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Miguel. This ‘girl’ is really bothering Cole: “Well this has gotta be the longest crush ever / If I ever get to f**k, it’d be the longest bust ever.” The ‘power trip’ turns to a ‘money trip’ on interlude “Mo Money,” in which ole boy “Used to dread the strip club ‘cause I couldn’t throw money / Now the strippers give a n***a the throat for no money.” While it’s obvious what he’s referencing sexually, the lyric truly represents the old tale of from ‘nobody’ to ‘somebody.’ Now that’s powerful!

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9. Gunplay, Stalley, Wale & Meek Mill, “Power Circle”

Ft. Rick Ross & Kendrick Lamar

MMG Presents: Self Made 2 (The Untouchable Empire) • Warner Bros. • 2012

“Power Circle” is a juggernaut – there’s no other way around it. The production is gospel-tinged hip-hop, featuring piano, organ, and great drum programming anchoring the production down. The best song from the 2012 compilation MMG Presents: Self Made 2 (The Untouchable Empire) features ‘everybody and his brother.’ There’s definitely power in the circle, with Rick Ross asserting on the intro in spoken word, “If Michael Jackson came alive right now, he’d ask you to smoke one for him, so in his honor,” before breaking out into a brief rap verse. Gunplay appears on the second verse, bring some hard-hosed, unapologetic bars. “It’s all on me now, as you can see now/ I’m gon’ get this money and I will not be denied / Been shittin’ on you f**ks a long time, time to pee now… /This the circle that’ll murk you, blackout, short circuit…”

Stalley adds to the power on the third verse: “It’s funny how they come for me when they see me living comfortably / But when I was broke and sleeping on floors they ain’t want nothing from me.” Wale asserts “Cash rule the world – at least it do with girls /At least it do with churches, seek the truth and true it hurts” on the fourth verse, while Meek Mill spits, “I’m like welcome to the power circle/ I came a long way, I started with a powdered circle/ Clique full of real n***as that’ll probably murk you.” Kendrick Lamar slaughters on the sixth and final verse: “Look inside the eyes of the last Mohicans survived/ You won’t last a weekend outside… / I know that section eight wanna discontinue my Moms/ When they heard that Ohio state gave me 30 racks in July.” Definitely powerful stuff.

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10. Kanye West, “Power”

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy • Roc-A-Fella • 2010

“No one man should have all that power, with clocks ticking I just count the hours/stop tripping or tripping off the powder…” Damn, what an effective, powerful hook. Kanye West is a walking ‘hit machine’ – or at least he was at one time.  One of the best moments from his 2010 album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, as well as one of his career highlights, is “Power.” He has some truly great punch lines that are raunchy, but great.  A perfect example:

“F**k SNL and the whole cast / Tell them Yeezy said they can kiss my whole ass / More specifically they can kiss my asshole / I’m an asshole? You n***as got jokes.”

The production work is a selling point, brilliantly lifting off a King Crimson sample (“21^st Century Schizoid Man”).  Gotta love the use of strings and piano towards the end (“Now this would be a beautiful death”).

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Photo Credits: Boy in Jeans, Capitol, Def Jam, Interscope, Parlophone, Roc-A-Fella, Roc Nation, Virgin, Warner Bros.

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