11 Interesting Songs Loosely Associated with the House | Playlist 🎧

1. Ryan Beatty, “Flowers at the Door”

💿 Dreaming of David • 🏷 Boy in Jeans / Mad Love / Interscope • 🗓 2020

House Association: The door

Sex can be artfully executed within pop music without being profane. 🎵“Flowers at the Door,” a highlight from 💿Dreaming of David, the sophomore album by openly gay pop artist, 🎙 Ryan Beatty, is a prime example. Backtracking a bit, the reason why “Flowers at the Door” appears on this playlist, 11 INTERESTING SONGS LOOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOUSE, is thanks to one keyword in its title – door.  Even so, this record is less associated with the door of a house, than, say, the bedroom.  

Analyze the lyrics closely, and it’s clear that Ryan Beatty delivers a record that isn’t the least bit ‘innocent.’  Key lyrics from the first verse include the brilliant “Our heads connected, I got the message / You had your hands around my skull,” and “I look up to you when I’m below.”  Ponder it, and you’ll realize where Beatty is going.  The chorus extends upon the ‘happening,’ as he sensually asks, “Why don’t you turn me around?” And if you totally miss the sexual innuendo, perhaps the bridge sheds some light, again without being the least bit profane (“What’s so wrong with wanting more? / Rollin’ on the hardwood floor”).

2. Robert Glasper, “Violet’s Kitchen”

💿 The Photograph (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) • 🏷 Back Lot Music • 🗓 2020

House Association: The kitchen

🎙 Robert Glasper is a supremely talented musician – understatement.  Quite versatile, the Grammy-winner is renowned for his jazz skills, but is also quite successful in the R&B realm.  Two of his Grammy wins are for his R&B work.  The pianist-producer gets the honors of helming the original motion picture soundtrack for the film, 💿The Photograph.  While perusing the track list, the song 🎵“Violet’s Kitchen” seemed like a perfect fit for this house-associated playlist.

More often than not, songs selected for my music lists feature lyrics.  What can I say? I love lyrics. That said, as a multi-instrumentalist, I have a great appreciation for instrumental music – classical, jazz, etc. In this case, “Violet’s Kitchen” is a jazz instrumental, which plays to the strengths of Robert Glasper (did I mention the man’s a beastly musician?). Glasper shows off his pianistic prowess with a subtler, more tender performance.  He doesn’t opt for ripe virtuosic runs or anything particularly flashy; he’s quite abstract.  Harmonically, more often than not, “Violet’s Kitchen” is relatively standard, save for a few adventurous chords.  Set in a minor key, “Violet’s Kitchen” doesn’t sound hellish, but there’s a certain mood that Glasper brilliantly evokes.

3. Chance the Rapper, “Hot Shower”

Ft. MadeinTYO & DaBaby

💿 The Big Day • 🏷 Chance the Rapper • 🗓 2019

House Association: The bathroom; the shower

💿The Big Day finally arrived: the 2019 debut album by Grammy-winning rapper, 🎙 Chance the Rapper.  Prior to The Big Day, Chance had already established himself as one of the more intriguing artists in hip-hop, cemented with mixtapes Acid Rap and Coloring Book. On the song at hand, 🎵“Hot Shower,” Chance works with a minimalist, banging beat, not to mention bringing a couple of other rappers into the mix (🎙 MadeinTYO and 🎙 DaBaby).

“Hot damn, hot water, hot shower / Hotlanta, smoking green cauliflower / Tangerine, yeah, I call her sweet and sour / And my lawyer say it’s urgent, I’m a call him in a hour.” What a chorus! On “Hot Shower,” Chance the Rapper delivers an incredibly playful performance.  If nothing else, his energy is appreciated, particularly his emphasis on certain words, specifically ‘dude’ on the second verse (“DUDE, II just called the plug and his phone was unplugged…”). MadeinTYO drops some drippy bars on the third verse, kicking things off with the confident, “Yeah, hopped off the flight, Louis V, Off-White.”  Even so, DaBaby gets the top honors on the fourth verse with his bassy vocals, agile flow, and big personality:

“Today, I’ll dress up a Republican
And go get some head from a white man’s daughter
Her lips aren’t big but I’m loving it
I get in, fake ID, I’m McLovin’ it...”

4. Miranda Lambert, “It All Comes Out in the Wash”

💿 Wildcard • 🏷 Vanner / Sony • 🗓 2019

House Association: The laundry room

“‘Cause it’ll all come out, all come out in the wash /… Every little stain, every little heartbreak / No matter how messy it got / You take the sin and the men, and you throw ‘em all in / And you put that sucker on spin.” Hmm, it seems that Grammy-winning country artist 🎙 Miranda Lambert is talking about more than just washing some clothes on 🎵“It All Comes Out in the Wash”.  Lambert has remained quite consistent throughout her career.  Her seventh studio album, 💿Wildcard, from which “It All Comes Out in the Wash” hails from, is another winning addition to her discography.

“If you wear a white shirt to a crawfish boil / Stonewashed jeans while you’re changing the oil…” Huh? Must be a southern, country thing.  Regardless, Miranda Lambert does reference literal dirty laundry, as above, but the juicier ‘dirty laundry’ is metaphorical.  She provides some insight into this energetic gem, via Nash Country Daily:

“…The song is just kind of a mix of scenarios that all of us have either been a part of or seen or, ya know, something that’s happened in all of our lives, and realizing that when you have something in your life that’s a little unclean at times or hurtful or a moment that you wish would pass, it does all pass and it all comes out in the wash.”

Awesomeness! Beyond the chorus, excerpted at the top, the bridge is quite a treat:

“And the laundry list goes like this
Every teardrop, every white lie
Every dirty cotton sheet, let it line dry
All the mistakes, all the wild streaks
That’s why the good Lord made bleach, oh-oh.”

“It All Comes Out in the Wash” previously appeared on the playlists 21 Terrific Songs with COME in the Title and 51 Best Songs of 2019.

5. ROLE MODEL, “gucci chair”

💿 oh, how perfect (EP) • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 2019

House Association: Living room; a chair 

Here’s a name you need to KNOW: Tucker Pillsbury. The singer/songwriter is better known by the name 🎙 ROLE MODEL.  ROLE MODEL first entered onto my radar with the song, “thank you for coming,” which I used on the playlist 11 Thankful Songs to Show Gratitude For.  The matters he sings about throughout his EP, 💿oh, how perfect, are incredibly honest and relatable. He doesn’t mask or sugarcoat his emotions, offering listeners a clear, unobstructed view into his life, mind, and of course, romantic endeavors and lack thereof.  🎵“Gucci chair” is a perfect fit for this Songs Loosely Associated with the House list.

“Gucci chair” certainly commences Oh, how perfect in moody fashion. “Put your hands ‘round my neck / Skin is rough like the sex,” ROLE MODEL sings on the opening lines of verse from “gucci chair.” He continues, “One day I’m a mess / And the next day I’m the best.”  Pillsbury’s candidness and honesty regarding his feelings is one of the selling points.  It also doesn’t hurt that this is a gorgeous ballad, further accentuated by production work (Benjamin Miller) that adds lush strings amplifying the singer’s expressive vocals.

6. Liam Payne, “Bedroom Floor”

💿 LP1 • 🏷 Capitol • 🗓 2019

House Association: The Bedroom; the floor

“You be saying real, real nice, real nice things / When I’m touching you / You be getting real, real, real, real, real jealous / When it wasn’t you, oh…” On 🎵“Bedroom Floor”, (💿LP1) pop artist 🎙 Liam Payne proves that falsetto can be a powerful thing.  “Bedroom Floor” features urban-electro-pop production and compels with its use of a four-on-the-floor beat and a steel drum (synth) that adds a tropical touch. Payne delivers clear vocals throughout, employing his middle register throughout the verse and most of the pre-chorus (aforementioned).

That falsetto kicks in on the catchy, repetitive chorus:

“You said it was over
You said it was over
But your clothes say different on my bedroom floor…”

“Bedroom Floor” previously appeared on the playlists 11 Songs All About the Floor and 15 Songs Associated with the Bed.

7. Wallows, “Ice Cold Pool”

💿 Nothing Happens • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 2019

House Association: The Pool

“The plant inside that never seemed to die / You cut it down before the leaves were brown / The gate was closed, we know that we’re too old / The pool is cold, the pool is cold.” Rising alternative collective 🎙 Wallows, comprised of actor and front man 🎙 Dylan Minnette (Clay Jensen), 🎙 Cole Preston, and 🎙 Braeden Lemasters dropped an intriguing debut LP, 💿Nothing Happens, in 2019.  Among the very best moments from Nothing Happens were “Are You Bored Yet?” and “Scrawny”, where Minnette asserted in tongue-n-cheek fashion he’s a “Scrawny motherfucker with a cool hairstyle.” Another winning moment from Nothing Happens comes by way of 🎵“Ice Cold Pool,” the sixth track from the LP.  Given the fact that some houses have pools, why not include it on INTERESTING SONGS LOOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOUSE?

Question: “And when we tear down the walls completely / Are we left with the same old memories?” “Ice Cold Pool” benefits from its throwback sensibilities, blending elements of old-school rock (think 60s) with a dash of soul thrown in.  No, “Ice Cold Pool” is far from an R&B record, but it does sound as if Wallows were in retro mode when conceiving this particular joint.  It makes sense when you hear Wallows’ commentary about writing “Ice Cold Pool,” via Clash Music:

“It’s made up of random ideas of youth and growing up and looking back on your childhood and knowing that entering adulthood is the next step. It’s basically a song about leaving your youth and not being sure what comes next.”

“Ice Cold Pool” previously appeared on the playlist, 11 Songs That Reference Ice.

8.Nicki Minaj, “Bed”

Ft. Ariana Grande

💿 Queen • 🏷 Young Money / Cash Money • 🗓 2018

“Got a bed wit’ your name on it / Wit’ your name on it / Got a kiss wit’ your name on it / Wit’ your name on it / Love me good, love me down, don’t turn me down / Got a bed wit’ your name on it / Wit’ your name on it.”  One thing that’s definitely associated with nighttime is the bedroom, more specifically, the bed. 🎵“Bed” appears on 💿Queen, the long-awaited, highly-anticipated fourth studio album by 🎙 Nicki Minaj. Here, Minaj enlists the vocal talents of Grammy-winning pop singer 🎙 Ariana Grande.

“Bed” commences with Grande singing the intro, which ends up being part of the chorus (the aforementioned lyrical excerpt).  Grande delivers low-key vocals, performed in her lower register, with effective results.  She finally ‘lets loose’ more on the final chorus. As for Minaj, she pop-raps on a relatively brief first verse, referencing Tha Carter III and “Back shots to the beat of ‘A Milli’.” Yeah, “A Milli” arrived a good decade before “Bed” but it’s still a kick ass rap banger. Anyways, the second verse is more melodic, mentioning “strawberry lingerie” and sex. Fair enough. The third and final verse is the most assertive, finding Ms. Minaj dropping un-pitched bars.  Of course, she gets provocative with it:

“I like his hang time, he said his head right
I said go all the way down and then head right
I watch him fuck it up, look at him luckin’ up
I said, ‘You need some thick skin, baby, suck it up.’”

“Bed” previously appeared on playlists  15 Songs Associated with the Bed and 13 Songs About or Associated with Nighttime.

9. Rich the Kid, “New Freezer”

Ft. Kendrick Lamar

💿 The World is Yours • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 2018

In 2018, rapper 🎙 Rich the Kid released his debut studio album, 💿The World is Yours.  Among the highlights from The World is Yours is 🎵“New Freezer,” featuring 🎙 Kendrick Lamar.  Within the context of the album, “New Freezer” is the first gem.  A quirky banger of sorts, Rich the Kid raps about ‘ice’ and foreigns –cars and girls that is.

“My bitch too foreign, need a visa
I don’t need her
Pull up drop top with a eater
Two-seater
New bitch wanna fuck to my AP
New freezer
I woke up thinkin’ ‘bout bands
Hop off the jet to a check when I land.”

This isn’t a track you’d normally associate K-Dot with, but he brings his own unique approach as he does with his more meaningful, transcendent solo material.

“How can I shop with like 64Ms?
Talkin’ to Top [Dawg] about business again
He want a lot with new Bentleys again
I want some top from like two sets of twins
Twinnie twin twins, yeah, yeah.”

“New Freezer” previously appeared on the playlist, 11 New Songs That Will Tickle Your Fancy.

10. Trey Songz, “The Sheets…Still”

💿 Tremaine the Album • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 2017

🎙 Trey Songz is a great singer.  Specifically, he’s really good as singing about one particular thing – sex.  Almost any time you see the name Trey Songz, you can expect him to be singing about getting down and dirty.  The song at hand, 🎵“The Sheets… Still” is no exception to the rule.  So, why include a song called “The Sheets…Still” on a music list comprised of songs loosely associated with the house? Well, a house usually has at least one bedroom, that bedroom has at least one bed, and the bed typically has sheets on it.  THERE!

“The Sheets…Still,” which appears as the sixth song on 2017’s 💿Tremaine the Album, clocks in at an ambitious six minutes in duration.  As aforementioned, the modus operandi is definitely ‘S meets E, and then they X,’ evidenced by the sensual lyrics:

“I make your body pour, fuck up the sheets
Pick you right off the floor, when we fuck up the sheets.”

Yes, the sheets are being fucked up, at least according to Trey Songz. Essentially, the word that comes to mind best characterizing this two-part song is orgasm. The “Still” portion of the song has the same effect as “The Sheets” btw:

“While your nails peeling back my flesh
And she still keeps scratching me up
Digging in my skin once again, ooh
And she still keeps
She can’t stop, scratching me up.”

11. R. Kelly, “In the Kitchen”

💿 TP.3 Reloaded • 🏷 Zomba • 🗓 2005

“Girl, I’m ready to toss your salad.” Yikes.  Yeah, that’s not the best look from a Grammy-winning artist who’s been imprisoned due to his sexual misconduct.  🎙R. Kelly is definitely a gifted musician who has penned some truly classic songs.  His contribution to R&B can’t be understated – dude’s a boss. However, far too often, Kells has allowed pleasure to get him into a sticky situation – totally inappropriate wording, I know.  Nonetheless, 🎵“In the Kitchen,” which appears on 2005 album, 💿 TP.3 Reloaded, is associated with the theme… if loosely associated TBH.

“Cutting up tomatoes / Fruits and vegetables and potatoes / Girl, you look so sexy while you’re doing the damn thing.” R. Kelly mentions vegetables, and specifically namedrops tomatoes and potatoes! That associated with the kitchen, which is a room in the house. That said, the allure of “In the Kitchen” (formerly “(Sex) in the Kitchen”) is his freakiness – SEX, SEX, SEX! Obviously, the salad that Kelly refers to IS NOT the same sort of nutritious dish loaded with veggies… no further explanation needed.  Honestly, the salacious chorus says it all:

“I want sex in the kitchen, over by the stove
Put you on the counter, by the buttered rolls
Hands on the table, on your tippy toes
Girl, we’ll be making love, like the restaurant was closed.”