10 Songs Perfect for the Morning | Playlist

10 Songs Perfect for the Morning” features morning-centric songs courtesy of Beck, Big Sean, Chris Stapleton, Kehlani, and Shawn Mendes.

“When I’m drunk in the morning, I’m calling you / You might be lonely, lonely.” Thank you, Lukas Graham, – I’ll remember that 😉.  “Good morning, on this day we become legendary / Everything we dreamed of…” Didn’t know it was that deep Kanye West, but okay 👌 .  Then there’s a personal favorite, courtesy of Maroon 5 dating back to 2002: “Come and rest your bones with me / Driving slow on Sunday morning / And I never want to leave.”  So, what’s the point of all these random lyrical quotes? All of them reference ‘morning,’ which is the central idea of this playlist, 10 Songs Perfect for the Morning. 

Of course, the buzzkill for Lukas Graham (“Drunk in the Morning”), Kanye West (“Good Morning”) and Maroon 5 (“Sunday Morning”) is the fact that none of songs get their own blurb on this particular list.  Hey, a shout out is worth something thought, right? Right.  Enough rambling.  10 Songs Perfect for the Morning features morning-centric songs courtesy of Beck (“Morning”), Big Sean (“Sunday Morning Jetpack”), Chris Stapleton (“Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning”), Kehlani (“Morning Glory”), and Shawn Mendes (“Where Were You in the Morning?”).

1. Kehlani, “Morning Glory”

While We Wait • Atlantic • 2019

“I wanna take my wig off / I wanna lay it on the nightstand / I wanna take my make-up off / I wanna rip these nails off my hands…” Okay! Grammy-nominated urban contemporary singer Kehlani returned in 2019 after a two-year hiatus with a respectable, well-rounded, nine-track mixtape, While We Wait.  The 31-minute mixtape has its fair share of satisfying moments. Perfectly suited for the morning theme of this playlist is “Morning Glory,” which thrives off a throwback, old-school, soulful groove.

Furthermore, “Morning Glory” features killer vocals by Kehlani, and in the context of While We Wait, another awesome chorus.

“And if you don’t want me at my goodnight
Then you can’t have me at my morning glory
At my morning glory
And if you don’t want me at my goodnight
Then it’s gon’ be goodbye (Gonna be, gonna be)
Gon’ be goodbye.”

2. Shawn Mendes, “Where Were You in the Morning?”

Shawn Mendes • Island • 2018

“Where were you in the morning baby? / You didn’t leave your number for me / Left me without a warning, baby / I said where were you in the morning, baby?” Grammy-nominated pop musician Shawn Mendes entered more mature territory on “Where Were You in the Morning?”, a highlight from his self-titled, third studio album. Clearly, Mendes isn’t a kid anymore.  He, and/or the protagonist, has experienced a one-night stand.  He doesn’t get sexual lyrically, but boy and girl had ‘something’ that turned out to be temporary as she was gone the next morning.

In regard to the performance, Mendes remains a force to be reckoned with vocally, flaunting his beautiful, distinct tone. Once more, he shows off some sick falsetto. He’s backed by guitar-driven, soulful-pop production, a backdrop he excels at. While the sexually-tinged subject matter is another step into his musical maturation, Mendes still understands the audience where his bread is buttered, hence while he avoids going into depth about specifically what went down.

3. Rich the Kid, “Early Morning Trappin”

Ft. Trippie Redd

The World is Yours • Interscope • 2018

Rich the Kid enlists Trippie Redd for “Early Morning Trappin”, the third single from his debut album, The World is Yours. “Early Morning Trappin” commences with mysterious minor-key production ultimately setting the tone for the record overall. Once the production settles in following the enigmatic start, it’s solid, embodying the trap sound.  As for the rapping itself, it is ‘all over the place’ initially.

Rich the Kid kicks things off with the hook:

“Was up trappin’ early (early)
She bad and boujee but whippin’ a birdie
My cup is so dirty (what)
Your diamonds don’t shine, my pinky a 30
Pour up the pint, that’s so clean (so clean)
The rims of the Bentley cost 14
Ain’t doin’ no talkin’, the red beam (red beam)
My bitches perplexin’, young nigga, we flexin’”

Trippie Redd follows it up with his own melodic approach on the so dubbed post-chorus.  His verse is drenched in autotuned, not mention lacking much substance. Moving beyond Trippie, Rich the Kid continues to exhibit a unique sound as a rapper.  This sound is of a polarizing nature, best showcased on the second verse. As far as the rhymes, there’s cliché after cliché.  “Early Morning Trappin” is a bit of a mixed bag, yet, at the same time, it’s among the better songs from The World is Yours.

4. Doja Cat, “Morning Light”

Amala • Kemosabe / RCA • 2018

“Don’t wanna waste your time / Go ‘head, live your life / I could be yours tonight / We will be up ‘til the morning.” Rapper/singer Doja Cat has already proved herself to be a bold, risqué addition to pop music. The sensual “Morning Light” serves as the seventh track on her debut album, Amala. Like many other songs on the album (“Go to Town” and “Body Language” come to mind), there’s an element of ‘play’ involved, and we’re not talking about child’s play either.

“Something, baby. your loving keep me up
Got me up until God knows in the morning
Fun times watching the sunrise with you
Be up until the morning light, yeah.”

5. Justin Timberlake, “Morning Light”

Ft. Alicia Keys

Man of the Woods • RCA • 2018 

Justin Timberlake provides a notable contribution to 11 Songs Perfect for the Morning with “Morning Light,” an underrated cut from his 2018 album, Man of the Woods. In the context of Man of the Woods, “Morning Light” is the first of only two collaborations, tapping Alicia Keys. This slick urban contemporary cut has a dash of country and tropical flavor, and features Chris Stapleton as a co-writer.  Although “Morning Light” is low-key, it’s definitely alluring, arguably more than the album as a whole.

What’s the premise of “Morning Light”? Love, plain and simple.  On the first verse, Justin Timberlake sings, “Loom, every time there’s a new sunrise / I open up my eyes / And I say to myself, ‘In the whole wide world of guys / I must be the luckiest alive.’” Alicia Keys is in a similar position from the female perspective on the second verse: “Look, I can’t even get out of bed / With the thoughts you putting in my head / So I say to myself, ‘I don’t even want to try’ / Here, every part of me paralyzed.  The chorus summarizes the depth of the love and infatuation.

“Because I’m in love with you
Laying here, in the morning light
And all I want to do is hold you tight, just one more night.”

6. Ezra Furman, “Peel My Orange Every Morning”

Transangelic Exodus • Bella Union • 2018

“I’m in love with an angel, and a government is after us, and we have to leave home because angels are illegal, as is harboring angels.” In 2018, gender-fluid rock musician Ezra Furman delivered one of the best albums that very few people heard with his self-described, ‘Queer Outlaw Saga,’ Transangelic Exodus.  Just how good was Transangelic Exodus? Well, it ended up as The Musical Hype’s pick as the sixth best album of 2018. Transangelic Exodus is among the most ambitious concept albums you’ll ever come across, encompassing transangelicism, as well as topics including spirituality, body transformation, and a number of issues affecting the LGBTQ community.  “Peel My Orange Every Morning,” which fits the parameter of the  colorful 14 Songs Characterized by Colors, is also a perfect match for 10 Songs Perfect for the Morning.

“I eat an orange every morning / And I take my time with the peel / It’s my beginner’s meditation / To start my little journey on an even keel.” “Peel My Orange Every Morning” keeps things incredibly short – under two-minutes and closer to one-minute-and-a-half short.  Despite its brevity, “Peel My Orange Every Morning” is punchy, incorporating bombastic, noisy sounds, and ideas into the mix.  According to Furman, “Peel My Orange Every Morning” “is a short song about fruit and coping mechanisms.” Honestly, the ‘coping mechanisms’ seem most important, though he does go on to sing at the end of the song, “I am citrus: peel back my skin / Open me and expose the soft wet inside.”

7. Chris Stapleton, “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning”

From a Room: Vol. 1 • Mercury • 2017

“Oh, the last thing I needed, the first thing this morning / Was to have you walk out on me.” Sigh. Grammy-winning country musician Chris Stapleton remains consistent on his throwback, sophomore album, From a Room: Volume 1. From A Room is a brief affair, but superbly executed – understatement. Stapleton gets into some lengthy song title action with the eight-word-titled, country classic, “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning.”  

“And I laid down beside you, and I wanted your loving / ‘Cause your love makes my life complete.” “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning” takes the vintage country sound to the next level, sounding anachronistic in 2017.  It should be noted, “Last Thing I Needed…” is a Willie Nelson cover, as opposed to a contemporary country record.  Anachronistic is meant as no disrespect here. This record is chocked-full of character, led by Stapleton’s expressive, signature vocals, much ‘grittier’ than Nelson’s take.

8. Big Sean, “Sunday Morning Jetpack” (Ft. The-Dream)

I Decided. • Def Jam • 2017

“Thank you, God, for all my setbacks / ‘Cause he the reason I’m able to give back / This feels like my Sunday morning jetpack / Feel like I sent prayers up and got blessed back…” “Sunday Morning Jetpack” featuring The-Dream is among the most mellow songs on I Decided., the fourth studio album by Big Sean.  Furthermore, “Sunday Morning Jetpack” is one of the most beautiful songs. Here, Big Sean thrives in reflective mode, as exhibited by the aforementioned hook.

The-Dream is used limitedly, on the bridge, but even so, he sounds exceptional. His tenor remains glorious, with the bridge section bringing welcome contrast to the record.

“Praise, so many times I prayed for you
I put up prayers for you
Praise, for all the times that you prayed for me
All the nights you stayed by me
All the nights that you cried and all the days I coulda died
Because of you I survived, because of you I’m still alive.”

9. Beck, “Morning”

Morning Phase • Capitol • 2014

“Morning” is the electrifying full-length opener for Morning Phase, the album that earned alternative darling Beck the coveted Grammy for Album of the Year.  “Despite lacking tempo and opting for balladry, “Morning” is an extremely beautiful record that perfectly suits Beck’s unique voice.  Beck breaks away enough with the ‘acoustic resolve’ here adding some synthesizer color.  The ‘color’ element is something found throughout Morning Phase, even if it is subtle.

“Woke up this morning / Found a love light in the storm / Looked up this morning / Saw the roses full of thorns.” Clocking in at over five minutes, “Morning” is no drag by any means – this is a solid, well-rounded record, period.  Lyrically, the entire song is thoughtfully and poetically penned.  The chorus represents the crème de la crème – the crowning achievement.

“This morning
I let down my defenses
This morning
It was just you and me
This morning
I’ve run all out of guesses
This morning
Won’t you show me the way
It could’ve been?”

11. Melanie Fiona, “Monday Morning”

The Bridge • Universal • 2009

“My darling baby, this is a warning / Said that I’m leaving on Monday morning / You’ll get no answer, no use in calling / Because I’m leaving on Monday morning.” The Bridge, the debut album by Canadian R&B singer Melanie Fiona, is remembered for one specific song – “If It Kills Me.”  Admittedly, it’s an excellent song that oozes with soul and shows why this under-appreciated, highly underrated singer is a terrific, well-rounded musician.  But The Bridge had more goods than “If It Kills Me,” including “Teach Him,” “Walk on By,” and the morning song at hand, “Monday Morning.”  What makes “Monday Morning” worth listening to, especially on a terrible day such as Monday is the fact that it’s groovy and thrives off its retro-, throwback soul vibes.  Need a pick-me-up on Mondays? Fiona gives it to you with this surefire, soulful gem.  The aforementioned chorus is the centerpiece.

[📷: Atlantic, Bella Union, Capitol, Def Jam, Kemosabe, Interscope, Island, Mercury, Pexels, Pixabay, RCA, Universal]