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“11 Intriguing Songs That Reference Skin” features music courtesy of Bruce Springsteen, Cannibal Corpse, Cage the Elephant, Ryan Caraveo, and Solange. 

The body is often great inspiration for a number of songs. Think about the different parts of the human body and you’re sure to find at least one song that pops into your head.  Notably, one organ that has fueled numerous songs is the skin.  ‘Skin’ is the keyword in the titles of the songs featured on “11 Intriguing Songs That Reference Skin.” But, in most cases, it’s more than just a word of course.

Think about it – you can go any number of ways when referencing skin. That’s just what this playlist does exploring ethnicity, identity, a sickening fetish, and sex among other topics.  11 Intriguing Songs That Reference Skin features music courtesy of Bruce Springsteen (“American Skin (41 Shots)”), Cannibal Corpse (“Addicted to Vaginal Skin”),  Cage the Elephant (“Skin and Bones”), Ryan Caraveo (“In My Own Skin”), and Solange (“My Skin My Logo”).

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1. Solange, “My Skin My Logo”

When I Get Home • Columbia • 2019

“Gucci got that grill, Gucci got the chill / Gucci comin’ down with the lame, got the feels / Gucci on his sheets, Gucci on his feet / I didn’t want a soccer, she had Gucci on her cleats.” “My Skin My Logo” ranks among the best songs from When I Get Home, the 2019 album by Grammy-winning R&B musician Solange.  Notably, “My Skin My Logo” features tongue-n-cheek vocals imitating Gucci Mane, as the excerpt from the aforementioned verse confirms.

Not only does Solange imitate the mush-mouthed southern rapper, he also makes an uncredited appearance on standout: “Solo like to drank, Solo like to ball / Solo brought the gang, they don’t hold a wall.” Beyond the imitation and guest appearance by Gucci Mane, Tyler, the Creator serves as the record’s producer, also providing some additional vocals towards the end.  Within the context of When I Get Home, “My Skin My Logo” is another well-executed record.

2. Cannibal Corpse, “Addicted to Vaginal Skin”

Tomb of the Mutilated • Metal Blade • 1992

“Slowly turning me, into a flesh-eating zombie / Know this spell can only be broken / By the vaginal skins of young women / I proceed to find the meat…” From an R&B song released in 2019 (“My Skin My Logo”), we rewind back 27 years to 1992 – what a swing.  Furthermore, the aforementioned lyrics incite a reaction nothing short of WTF.  On “Addicted to Vaginal Skin,” American death metal band Cannibal Corpse provide the perfect tone poem to infamous necrophiliac and cannibal, Ed Gein.

“Addicted to Vaginal Skin” appears on the album Tomb of the Mutilated, which also features other colorful, explicitly-titled songs such as “I Cum Blood”, “Necropedophile”, “Entrails Ripped from a Virgin’s C**t”, and “Post Mortal Ejaculation”.  Definitely NSFW… UNDERSTATEMENT. “Addicted to Vaginal Skin” is quite disgusting and explicit. See the following lyrics if you need further confirmation:

“The curse is broken

I have a dependence on vaginal skin

It’s become my sexual addiction

I must slit, the twitching clit

Rotted cavity hold the juice…”

Of course, if you’ve read up on Ed Gein, you understand he was nothing short of, um, disturbed.  “Addicted to Vaginal Skin” has appeared on multiple playlists including 33 Great, If Disturbing Songs About Serial Killers and of course, A Twisted Soundtrack for Ed Gein: Butcher of Plainfield.  By the way, this isn’t the only song about Mr. Gein that fits the parameters of this skin-driven affair.

3. Cage the Elephant, “Skin and Bones”

Social Cues • 110 Entertainment, LLC / RCA • 2019

“I’ve been running for so long / All that’s left is skin and bones / Close my eyes, fight to carry on / Sometimes it makes no sense at all.” “Skin and Bones” arrives as the fifth song off of Social Cues, the fifth studio album by Grammy-winning, alternative rock band Cage the Elephant.  One of the biggest selling points of “Skin and Bones” is the sound and production.  The record is set in a dark, minor key, features an excellent combination of acoustic and electric guitar, and utilizes keyboards to craft quite an alluring, ear-catching end result. Factor in a stellar groove from the start and “Skin and Bones” checks off every production box.

Beyond the sound itself, vocally, Matt Shultz is on-point, delivering the thoughtful, sometimes poetic lyrics in compelling fashion. “Close my eyes and drift into the silence / Barely see the ultraviolet,” he sings on the first verse, continuing, “Slipped and fell into the deep end / Oh, the sidewalk shimmer just like diamonds.”  Of course, it is the chorus that stands out as the centerpiece.  Excerpted at the top of the blurb, the chorus continues as follows:

“…If I stumble, will I fall

If I fall, I’ll tuck and roll

Close my eyes and let the love-light guide me home

Let the love-light guide me home.”

The bridge also provides nice contrast with its harmonic progression and melody, while still tying into the dramatic theme.

4. Ryan Caraveo, “In My Own Skin”

At Least I Tried • Ryan Caraveo LLC • 2018

“Man, I just wanna peel myself out of my own skin / Of my own skin, feel like an outsider in my own skin / In my own skin, in my own skin.” Far too seldom do we hear about the Pacific Northwest rap scene.  That’s where rapper Ryan Caraveo hails from (Seattle, Washington).  Notably, Caraveo appeared on a previous playlist, These 13 Songs Will Totally Numb You (“Numb”).  “Numb” appeared on the rapper’s 2018 album, At Least I Tried.  The skin-based song on hand, “In My Own Skin,” appears on the same LP.

“In My Own Skin” is a powerful, powerful record.  Why? Ryan Caraveo focuses on identity issues, something that’s relatable to a number of different people.  Caraveo identity issues encompass his culture (“Brown-skinned strangers, everybody sees you as less”), heritage (“He never learned the heritage that’s swimming in his blood / So all I know is he’s the reason why my skin is light”), and the effects of moving around frequently.  Through it all, he feels “like such an outsider… in [his] own skin.” Despite his struggles, his pain is our pleasure, as he drops an excellent flow, thoughtful rhymes, and is backed by superb production that only amplifies the emotions he conveys.

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5. Blind Melon, “Skinned”

Soup • Capitol • 1995

“When will I realize that this skin I’m in? Hey, it isn’t mine / And when will the kill be too much meat for me to hide on?” Ah, we move from 2018 back 23 years to 1995.  The gap between the two records is one thing but DAMN, how can two minutes be so disturbing? Blind Melon finds a way to make “Skinned” just that.  From the onset, Blind Melon, like Cannibal Corpse previously, capture the Ed Gein (1906 – 1984) justice.  But that’s the problem – the so-called Butcher of Plainfield was totally “Insane in the Brain” to quote Cyprus Hill.

Exhibit A? Why, the lyrics from “Skinned” of course!

“I’ll make a shoehorn outta your skin

I’ll make a lampshade of durable skin

And, oh, don’t you know what I’m always feeling able

When I’m sitting home and I’m carving out your navel?

I’m just a sitting here carving out your navel.”

Belly button fetish taken WAY too far.  Like the aforementioned Cannibal Corpse record, “Skinned” also made appearances on the playlists 33 Great, If Disturbing Songs About Serial Killers and A Twisted Soundtrack for Ed Gein: Butcher of Plainfield.

6. Rag’n’Bone Man, “Skin”

Human • Sony • 2017

“‘Cause I’m only human after all / You’re only human after all / Don’t put the blame on me…” One of the more thoughtful songs of 2017 came courtesy of Rag’n’Bone Man (Rory Graham).  “Human” was definitely a breakout hit for the robust, distinct-voiced, English singer/songwriter, appearing as the opener on his debut album, Human.  Stylistically, the record can be characterized as a mix of alternative and contemporary soul.  The thing with such crowd-pleasing joints such as “Human” is that it often overshadows anything else the said musician has also released.  Already, this blurb is more focused on “Human,” which has nothing to do with this skin-driven playlist, as opposed to “Skin,” the song at hand that does fit the criteria perfectly.

The soulful “Skin” arrives as the third song on Human. Like the title track, Rag’n’Bone Man flaunts his best attribute – his powerful voice.  He’s dramatic, nuanced, and well-rounded throughout song, particularly shining on the chorus:

“When I heard that sound

When the walls came down

I was thinking about you

About you

When my skin grows old

When my breath runs cold

I’ll be thinking about you

About you.”

The chorus is the first set of lyrics that the listener hears, before Rag’n’Bone Man goes back to set up the centerpiece on the verses as well as a brief pre-chorus.  The theme? Love, love, and love in all its glory (“Helpless, I surrender / Shackled by your love”).  Further making “Skin” such a blast is a superb backdrop, produced by Jonny Coffer and Jerome Williams.

7. Mac Miller, “Skin”

The Divine Feminine • Warner Bros. • 2016

Beginning with his 2016 album, The Divine Feminine, the late, Grammy-nominated rapper Mac Miller opted for a more mature sound and direction compared to the past. The Divine Feminine itself marked a departure album for Miller with highly respectable results.  While The Divine Feminine came off somewhat off-putting upon an initial listen, after a couple of spins, its magic revealed itself.  Enough background, let’s move on to the ‘song of the hour,’ “Skin.”

“See, I knows you smell like cinnamon, kissin’ your lips

I lick my fingertips and get your clitoris in the mix

My dick on business trips

My tongue twistin’ is ticklin’ just a little bit…”

“Skin” can be characterized as “innuendo central” – UNDERSTATEMENT! From the start, Mac Miller is quite horny (“Girl you my painting, you my art installation / Gonna fuck you, put you on the wall”).  While “Skin” doesn’t have higher ambitions beyond sex, it’s a beautiful illustration, nonetheless.  The harmonic progression is perfectly suited, and Miller is fully invested.  The production is lush and soulful. Even if it’s shallow, “Skin” is pretty ‘fucking’ sweet (see what we did there?).

8. Bruce Springsteen, “American Skin (41 Shots)”

High Hopes • Bruce Springsteen • 2014

“41 shots / Cut through the night / You’re kneeling over his body in the vestibule / Praying for his life.” In a playlist that shifts around some dates, the shift from 2016 back to 2014 isn’t as dramatic as some of the aforementioned shifts.  But, we do move from a sex-dominated ‘skin’ song to one that dabbles in gun-violence, race, and turbulent issues plaguing society.  Somehow, “American Skin (41 Shots)” was left out of 15 Must-Hear All-American Songs – that was a definite mistake!

“American Skin (41 Shots)” ranks among the heaviest moments of High Hopes, finding Bruce Springsteen covering himself. Say what? The thoughtful, chilling cut first appeared on Springsteen’s live album, Live in New York City from 2001.  Prior to its appearance on High Hopes in studio form, Springsteen dedicated the song to Trayvon Martin.  The dedication is appropriate, given the tough, disturbing tone of the lyrics:

“Is it a gun, is it a knife, is it a wallet, this is your life

It ain’t no secret, it ain’t no secret, no secret my friend

You can get killed just for living in your American skin…”

Meaningful, superbly produced, and memorable by all means, “American Skin (41 Shots)” stands out distinctly from the rest of High Hopes, a good Springsteen album, but certainly not the crowning achievement of his illustrious discography.

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9. Kanye West, “Black Skinhead”

Yeezus • Def Jam • 2013

“But watch who you bring home / They see a black man with a white woman / At the top floor they gone come to kill King Kong / Middle America pack in (Black) / Came to see me in my black skin (Black)…” In 2013, Kanye West had the difficult task of following up his superb 2010 album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. While Yeezus wasn’t as accomplished as MBDTF in my opinion, it was a daring follow-up that found West experimenting.  Furthermore, it yielded some great records such as “Black Skinhead,” “Blood on the Leaves” (the tour de force), and “Bound 2”. For our purposes of staying true to ‘skin,’ we’ll analyze “Black Skinhead.”

So, getting everyone on the same page, what is a skinhead? According to Encyclopædia Britannica, skinhead is described as follows:

“Youth counterculture characterized by aggressively masculine hair and dress styles, including shaved heads and heavy boots.  In many countries, skinheads are commonly viewed as extreme right-wing nationalists or neofascists who espouse anti-Semitic and other racist views…”

The Southern Poverty Law Center, who maintains a hate map, provides insight specifically on racist skinheads.  The movie American History X is a prime example of a film dealing with racist skinheads.  But enough about the background of skinheads themselves, what about the Kanye West song?

“Black Skinhead” continues the shocking trek of Yeezus, opening with pounding, rock-n-roll favoring drums.  The production work is awesome, while West’s message is controversial.  There are numerous ‘memorable’ lyrics, with “I’m aware I’m a wolf, soon as the moon hit / I’m aware I’m a king, back out the tomb bitch!” being among my favorites.  And then there’s that one where West proclaims, “If I knew what I knew in the past / I would’ve been blacked out on your ass.” Charming.  The chorus, anchored down with 808s, is magnificent.

“Four in the mornin’, and I’m zonin’

They say I’m possessed, it’s an omen

I keep it 300, like the Romans

300 bitches, where the Trojans?

Baby, we livin’ in the moment

I’ve been a menace for the longest

But I ain’t finished, I’m devoted

And you know it, and you know it.”

10. Slayer, “Dead Skin Mask”

Seasons in the Abyss • American Recordings • 1990

“In the depths of a mind insane / Fantasy and reality are the same!” So, 23 years prior to Kanye West’s “Black Skinhead,” veteran metal band Slayer would release the album Season in the Abyss (1990), featuring the disturbing “Dead Skin Mask.”  In case you were wondering, yes, this is the third and final song penned specifically with Ed Gein in mind.  Of course “Dead Skin Mask” joined “Addicted to Vaginal Skin” and “Skinned” on A Twisted Soundtrack for Ed Gein: Butcher of Plainfield.

Naturally, Slayer have all to tools to tackle Gein. They superbly capture the mindset of Gein and any number of serial killers best on “Dead Skin Mask.” At times, Slayer poetically capture the sickness of Gein.  At other times, poetic is far from the right word.

“Dance with the dead in my dreams

Listen to their hallowed screams

The dead have taken my soul

Temptation’s lost all control.”

11. Rihanna, “Skin”

Loud • Def Jam • 2010

“So why you standin’ over there witcha clothes on? / Baby, strip down for me, go on, take ‘em off / Don’t worry, baby, I’mma meet you halfway / ‘Cause I know you wanna see me.” So, we move from the insanity of Ed Gein (Slayer) to closing out the list with Rihanna singing about sex on “Skin.” “Skin” would appear on her 2010, Grammy-nominated album, Loud, which featured gems like “S&M”, “What’s My Name?”, and “Only Girl (In the World)”.  For those keeping up with the gap between some songs, “Loud” arrived 20 years after “Dead Skin Mask.”

“Skin” commences with a mysterious, foreboding electronic synth. Rihanna gets steamy, painting with her ‘present’ vocals over building synths. Also, worth mentioning, is inclusion of electric guitar, which provides a nice touch specifically towards the end of this lengthy joint (north of five minutes). Overall, the production work, as well as Rihanna’s vocal performance, are selling points. In regard to the steaminess of the record, the lyric “Almost there, so baby don’t stop what you doing… I can tell you wanna…” is a prime example of the ‘sex’ characterizing this record.  Sure, Rihanna has delivered catchier choruses throughout the LP, not to mention her career, but the aforementioned lyrics (top of the blurb) are still quite enjoyable.

[Photo Credits: American Recordings, Bruce Springsteen, Capitol, Columbia, Def Jam, Metal Blade, Pexels, Pixabay, RCA, Ryan Caraveo, Sony, Warner Bros.]

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