11 Engaging Songs About Leather | Playlist 🎧

11 Engaging Songs About Leather features music courtesy of Cody Johnson, Emi Larraud, Grace Jones, Messer, and Stevie Nicks.  

Get your Leather ready boys and girls! Why? Because leather is the theme of the eighth musical compendium from The Musical Hype in 2024, 11 Engaging Songs About Leather! All forms of leather are welcome on this playlist, which features music courtesy of Cody Johnson, Emi Larraud, Grace Jones, Messer, and Stevie Nicks among others. Even if you’re not a big fan of leather itself – shocking, but possible – there’s something for everybody on this playlist! So, ‘leather’ up, and let’s get into 11 Engaging Songs About Leather! 

1. Cody Johnson, “Leather”  

💿 Leather • 🏷 CoJo Music LLC / Warner Music Nashville LLC • 📅 2023 

“He’ll kick and cuss in broad daylight / When he gets drunk, he likes to fight / But his head’s on straight and his heart gets rights/ When he’s under pressure.” Word. Country musician Cody Johnson brings the heat on “Leather,” the eighth track from his 2023 album, also titled, Leather. “Leather” is a traditional country ballad, featuring standard instrumentation and a standard approach.  It was penned by Ian Munsick, Jeremy Spillman, and Rivers Rutherford. Among the selling points of the songwriting are those country-isms, as well as a nice reference to Superman in the first verse: “Superman, Man of Steel / He can fly, but here’s the deal / Superman ain’t really real / So God made somethin’ better…” Johnson is the star of the show, delivering a strong vocal performance with ample twang. The melodies are tuneful in both the verses and chorus. The chorus is the crème de la crème – the centerpiece:   

“You can bend him, but you can’t break him 

It takes years of work and dirt and hurt to make him 

When the whole world falls apart, he’ll hold together 

That’s how you know that a cowboy’s made of leather.”   

“Leather” – it speaks for itself.  

2. Pansy Division, “Fem in a Black Leather Jacket”  

💿 Undressed • 🏷 DistroKid • 📅 1991

“I don’t like macho, put it away / Doesn’t appeal to me, straight or gay.” That’s fair, Jon Ginoli. Furthermore, toxic masculinity freakin’ sucks! On “Fem in a Black Leather Jacket” (Undressed, 1991), the first openly gay rock band, Pansy Division, prefer more feminine men.  In the chorus, Ginoli characterizes this boy who caught his eye: “He’s a fem in a black leather jacket / And I wanna take him home with me.” Expectedly, as “Fem in a Black Leather Jacket” progresses, more details are fit in over the said fem.  Even as Pansy Division embrace this feminine male stance, it must be noted that the music doesn’t sacrifice the masculinity of rock.   

So, what makes this fem fine and hot? It includes a “Cute little butt and sexy hips.” Ooh la-la!  Furthermore, androgyny is encouraged, with gender norms out the door: “He looks as good in a skirt as he does in jeans.” Similar to Diana Ross on “Muscles”, the personality is not a priority. Ross noted, “They say they have to see / His real personality / But that’s alright for them / Still it ain’t enough for me.” As for Ginoli, he sings: “His personality, I’m not impressed / But I can’t wait to get him undressed.” Ooh-wee! All told, the two-minutes-and-change “Fem in a Black Leather Jacket” is fab to the nth degree. Pansy Division proved the gays can rock TF out too and speak about LGBTQ topics.

Appears in 🔻:  

• Pansy Division, Fem in a Black Leather Jacket: Beaming with Pride🏳️‍🌈 No. 1 (2024) 

3. Grace Jones, “Warm Leatherette”     

💿 Warm Leatherette • 🏷 Island • 📅 1980 

“A tear of petrol / Is in your eye / The hand brake / Penetrates your thigh.” Woo! In case you weren’t aware, Grace Jones is a total bad ass.  Now that that’s been established, her 1980 album, Warm Leatherette is must-hear listening, period.  It commences with a cover you’d swear was her own: “Warm Leatherette” courtesy of The Normal.  “Warm Leatherette” was written by Daniel Miller (aka The Normal). Chris Blackwell and Alex Sadkin produce this funky gem.  Oh, and in case you’re unfamiliar with the terminology, leatherette, per Soho Concept, is a synthetic material designed to mimic leather. “Warm Leatherette” is a vibe.  There’s a hypnotic quality that sucks you right in from the jump.  Lyrically, there’s ample repetition, yet the lyrics are also abstract and descriptive.  A prime example:        

“Warm Leatherette melts    

On your burning flesh    

You can see your reflection    

On the luminescent dash.”         

Grace Jones kills it with her mix of singing and ‘talking’ the lyrics.  Did I mention that fact that Jones, well, she’s a bad ass?        

Appears in 🔻:    

• Leather: 5ive Songs No. 56 (2021)   
• 15 More Soul Oldies That Tickle My Fancy (Vol. 2) (2021)    
• Incredible Songs: 1980s, Vol. 3 (2023)   
• Warm: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 72 (2023) 

4. Emi Larraud, “Leather Wearing C🫢nt”  

🎵 “Leather Wearing C🫢nt” • 🏷 E.L. • 📅 2023 

“Leather wearing cunt / Leather wearing cunt.” Say what, Emi Larraud? C U Next Tuesday? Larraud is bold AF on his dance cut, “Leather Wearing C🫢nt”. Anytime C U Next Tuesday is incorporated in the mix – among the foulest things that can be said – the unapologetic vibes are crystal clear!  He’s backed by epic production, characterized by an infectious groove, and colorful, driving, hard synths.  Furthermore, the record is set in a minor key. 

The sound is a big deal, but , of course, it’s those unapologetic, pessimistic lyrics that take the cake! In the first verse, Larraud sings, “I like to suffer / I like the taste of my own blood / I like to whimper / I like the feeling of a slow death.” Oh, snap! There’s more, of course: “You don’t wanna fuck me / You only need me when he’s not around.” Damn, Emil! The chorus is something else, too: “I just wanna make a million bucks / I wanna fuck until I’m dead on an empty bus / Yeah…” Despite being something else, the chorus is tuneful. All in all, even though “Leather Wearing C🫢nt” is naughty, it’s hypnotic and infectious.  

Appears in 🔻:  

• Emi Larraud, Leather Wearing C🫢nt: Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 No. 14 (2023) 

5. Tori Amos, “Leather”  

💿 Little Earthquakes • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1992    

“Look, I’m standing naked before you / Don’t you want more than my sex?” Woo! Those are the two, eyebrow raising, ear catching opening lines on “Leather.” “Leather” graces Little Earthquakes, the 1992, critically acclaimed debut album by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, Tori Amos.  She continues the first verse as follows: “I can scream as loud as your last one / But I can’t claim innocence.” Intriguing to say the least.  The song is utterly sublime. Amos isn’t nearly as risqué on the second and third verses, but equally effective and poetic. Her lyrics are on-point.  On the chorus is where this gifted singer/pianist mentions the leather, which isn’t the big idea/takeaway from the song. 

“If love isn’t forever  

And it’s not the weather  

Hand me my leather.”  

As awesome as the songwriting is, the music is equally captivating.  Amos’ pianistic skills are on display while the arrangement, with strings and some biting electric guitar riffs, are the cherry on top.    

Appears in 🔻:   

• Leather: 5ive Songs No. 56 (2021)  

6. Flatbush Zombies, “Leather Symphony” (Ft. A$AP Twelvyy)  

💿 Vacation in Hell • 🏷 Glorious Dead Recordings • 📅 2018    

“Bands, grams / Caught a jux and do my dance, yeah / Why they copy? They just fans, yeah / On my momma, I’m the man, yeah.” Okay… So, what exactly is a “Leather Symphony”? Well, after listening to the seventh track from Flatbush Zombies’ sophomore album, Vacation in Hell, we still don’t get a proper answer, LOL 😂.  First, and foremost, beyond the song’s title, there is NO MENTION OF LEATHER WHATSOEVER.  Worth noting, this song is performed by Zombie Juice and featured guest, A$AP Twelvyy. Zombie Juice is focused on drip, smoking, and sex (specifically focuses on ‘ass’) on the first verse.  One of his most memorable, non-leather lines: “So much ass like Teyana Taylor.” Zombie Juice goes on to serve up the drippy chorus before A$AP Twelvyy gets into the mix on the second verse: “I’m a minute late, I’m a renegade / Twelvyy got a gauge, let me penetrate, pussy power KKK.” His wordplay is compelling and entertaining, even if we still wait for specifics on this proclaimed “leather symphony.”  Ultimately, this near-four-minute cut is alluring, even sans the leather.    

Appears in 🔻:  

• Leather: 5ive Songs No. 56 (2021)  

7. Messer, “Leather” 

🎵 “Leather” • 🏷 Messer • 📅 2022

“You took the mirrors off the wall / But I like what you see.” Um, k… continue? “Too much sugar in your cologne / And your keys on the washing machine.” Wow… One more lyric, for clarifying purposes… “I put the love letter in your leather / In the lining on the left side.” Good to know Messer… I think! Perhaps the name Messer doesn’t ring a bell right off the bat.  Dig deeper, and the person behind him is indeed familiar: Mitch Grassi, the ‘high’ tenor of Pentatonix fame. The leathery song at hand, “Leather,” was written by Messer (Grassi, of course), Austin Macedo, and Xander Rushie. Rushie is responsible for the slick, satisfying production which has a seductive, sultry, clubby sound.  Even though the backdrop is potent – hypnotic to the nth degree – the production maintains a sense of non troppo. “Leather” embraces an electronic identity, evidenced by the production as well as the vocals, which possess a sense of enigma not to mention ample effects.  More could be said of Messer and “Leather,” but it’s best to let the music speak for itself.   

8. Drake, “Tuscan Leather”  

💿 Nothing Was the Same • 🏷 Cash Money • 📅 2013    

“Tuscan Leather” commences Nothing Was the Same, the third studio album by Grammy-winning rapper/singer, Drake. Notably, “Tuscan Leather” looks to the R&B of the past for inspiration, sampling the likes of Whitney Houston (“I Have Nothing”) and Curtis Mayfield (“When Seasons Change (Live)”).  Ambitious at six minutes in duration, each verse features a different sound, utilizing the Houston sample uniquely. Drake delvers some clever rhymes, including his non-commercial ‘commercial’ status (“This is nothin’ for the radio, but they’ll still play it though / Cuz it’s that new Drizzy Drake, that’s just the way it go”), a play on the alphabet (“Like aye, B I got your CD, you get an E for effort”), or Ellen DeGeneres (“Yeah, Tom Ford Tuscan leather smelling like a brick / Degenerates, but even Ellen love our shit…”) An essay could be written just on the opener, which doesn’t have too much to do with leather, ultimately.

Appears in 🔻:  

• Leather: 5ive Songs No. 56 (2021) 

9. Don Toliver, “Leather Coat” 

💿 Love Sick • 🏷 Cactus Jack / Atlantic • 📅 2023 

“I thought about us bein’ in love, bae / I thought about you up in the tub, bae.” Ooh-la-la, please tell us more, Don Toliver! The seductive, love-driven lyrics hail from “Leather Coat”, which appears as the seventh track from his 2023 album, Love Sick. “You see me thinkin’ how I fucked up, bae,” he sings regarding a former girlfriend. Toliver is backed by smooth, soulful backdrop (Los Hendrix, NEZ, Rodaidh McDonald, and My Guy Mars). The accompaniment includes guitar, giving off those sensual vibes (despite the fact the love is defunct), and a robust bass line.  Notably, there’s a production switch which arrives about one-minute-and-a-half into “Leather Coat,” yet the aesthetic is still chill, lush, and sensual.  This switch signals the second part of this two-part song. If part one is a bit more straightforward, part two sounds hazier, specifically the bridge section. One reason Toliver might sound so cloudy: “My eyes wide open from the mud so you never know.” “Leather Coat” is ultimately an interesting track record that has little to do with leather, save for the fact, “She be upset when I connive in my leather coat.”

10. Paul Wall & Termanology, “Leather Recliner” (Ft. Mia Jae) 

💿 Start, Finish, Repeat • 🏷 Perfect Time Music Group / ST. • 📅 2023 

“Stackin’ paper worldwide / Oh, we gon’ get this money, mane.” Fo’ sho’!  In 2023, rappers Paul Wall and Termanology linked up for the album, Start, Finish, Repeat.  On the 11th track, “Leather Recliner,” they tap Mia Jae for the assist. She delivers relaxed vocals on the chorus, which plays out a little something like this: “There’s a duffel bag filled with cash / Sittin’ next to me / On my leather recliner.”  Temanology takes the first verse, impressing with an easy-going yet potent flow. At the end of his verse, he spits, “Now I’m in the Range with my fresh leather seats / I protect how I eat, so the TEC’s on the seat / Sex on the beach, that’s my type of drink / You be blowing money fast when it’s all tax-free.” Wall brings the heat as well in the second verse with those deep, masculine pipes (“Stop tripping over petty shit and get a bag / Would you rather be broke and mad or be rich and mad? Think about it”). In addition to respectable performances from all three artists, Statik Selektah masterfully stitches up the track with chill, lush production. “Leather Recliner” = chilled-out rap banger.  

11. Stevie Nicks & Don Henley, “Leather and Lace”  

💿 Bella Donna • 🏷 Modern / Rhino • 📅 1981

“I need you to love me / I need you today / Give to me your leather / Take from me my lace.”  Bella Donna, the 1981 debut solo LP by Grammy-winning icon Stevie Nicks is filled with hits – understatement.  Among the surefire gems is the eighth track, “Leather and Lace.” On “Leather and Lace,” Nicks is assisted by fellow icon, Don Henley of The Eagles. “Leather and Lace” honestly has little to do with leather or lace.  Sure, Nicks utters the lines on the chorus, but this song is all about love – a meaningful bond.  “Still, I carry this feeling / When you walked into my house,” Nicks sings, continuing, “That you won’t be walking out the door.”  The lyrics are personal, considering Nicks and Henley dated, and while the relationship ended, they remained friends.  Henley, like Nicks, also gets personal, characterizing his different moods and the importance of their ‘relationship.’   

Appears in 🔻:  

• Leather: 5ive Songs No. 56 (2021) 

11 Engaging Songs About Leather (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Cactus Jack, Cash Money, CoJo Music LLC, E.L., Glorious Dead Recordings, Island, Messer, Modern, Perfect Time Music Group / ST., Rhino, Warner Music Nashville LLC; Murat Esibatir from Pexels; fashionate, Juan Boche, Khusen Rustamov, Malkhai Cora, StockSnap, zhangxiaoren from Pixabay]