11 Must-Hear, Ain’t Songs | Playlist 🎧

11 Must-Hear, Ain’t Songs features music courtesy of Arctic Monkeys, Bill Withers, Doja Cat, GIVĒON, and Jess Glynne.  

Cutting straight to the chase, this playlist is all about the power of AIN’T.  That’s right, every song on this list features the word, in all its double negative glory, in their song title. Beyond that, honestly, there’s really nothing more to say about this musical compendium, 🎧 11 Must-Hear, Ain’t Songs. 

 

🎧 11 Must-Hear, Ain’t Songs features music courtesy of 🎙 Arctic Monkeys, 🎙 Bill Withers, 🎙 Doja Cat, 🎙 GIVĒON, and 🎙 Jess Glynne among others.  There’s alternative, soul, pop, R&B, and rap covered on this AIN’T affair – woo! So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 🎧 11 Must-Hear, Ain’t Songs!

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1. Arctic Monkeys, “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am”

💿 The Car • 🏷 Domino • 📅 2022 

🎵 “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am” keeps 💿 The Car, the 2022 studio album by 🎙 Arctic Monkeys, ‘running,’ by all means. The second track is incredibly groovy.  It features some sick, distorted guitar lines, and a robust bass line.  The lyrics are intriguing (“Formation displays of affection fly over (Eyes roll back) / And I can see both islands now / From my vantage point”), which is always the expectation from 🎙 Alex Turner.

Musically, there are some unique harmonic ideas (idiomatic of jazz), outside of the core progression.  One of the biggest selling points is the wall of sound constructed with the lush, dramatic strings, and when backing vocals enter the mix.  The backing vocals sound as if they could’ve originated from a classic soul record, showcasing Arctic Monkey’s musical eclecticism. Turner may not quite be where he thinks he is, but ain’t nothing questionable or sus about “I Ain’t Quite Where I Think I Am.”

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2. Doja Cat, “Ain’t Shit”

💿 Planet Her • 🏷 Kemosabe / RCA • 📅 2021

“I’m a freak not a masochist / Shoulda known you had the baddest bitch.” Say that 🎙 Doja Cat – say that! “Left on read and can’t give head / really, you ain’t shit, need a laxative.” BURNNN – OH SNAPPP! So, who ain’t shit on 🎵 “Ain’t Shit” according to Doja?  I quote, “These dumb-ass niggas.” Woo!  As you might imagine, Dlamini drags the living [BLEEP] out of them, exuding ample toughness.  “Ain’t Shit” graces her fantastic 2021 album, from 💿 Planet Her, as the 11^th track.

“Niggas ain’t shit, come up in your crib / All up in your fridge, can’t pay rent.” Woo, gurl, those lame-o’s are worthless! “Niggas is square like Madison!” Of course, Doja Cat doesn’t stop there – NO, NO! She goes on to say, “I can’t even really get made at them.” Well, why, Doja? “They fall, then I gotta facepalm.” 🤦 Mercy!

Appears in 🔻:

• 13 Delightful “Sugar Honey Iced Tea” Songs
• Ain’t: 5ive Songs No. 18 (2022)

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3.Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”

💿 United • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1967

Thank you 🎼✍ Valerie Simpson and 🎼✍ Nick Ashford. You penned one of the greatest songs of all time: 🎵 “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”  This song right here ranks among the gem of gems when it comes to Motown, no cap.  Many musicians have covered this staple, including soul legends, but the definitive take belongs to the short-lived power duo comprised of 🎙 Marvin Gaye and 🎙 Tammi Terrell. Most folks know that Gaye didn’t live long, tragically shot dead by his father in 1984 aged 44.  But Tammi Terrell didn’t make it out of her 20s, tragically dying from cancer in 1970 at just 24.  Both these musicians departed too soon but they left a surefire bop with no shortage of vocal chemistry.

Bright, exuberant, and infectious are three fitting descriptions to describe “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” The moment the song comes on, particularly this late 60s rendition, it puts a smile on your face.  Honestly, there’s a vibe when Marvin Gaye enthusiastically sings, “Listen, baby / Ain’t no mountain high / Ain’t no valley low / Ain’t no river wide enough, baby.” Woo! Then Tammi picks right up where he leaves off, responding, “If you need me, call me / No matter where you are / No matter how far…” The biggest moment, of course, is the chorus, which is golden!

“Ain’t no mountain high enough

Ain’t no valley low enough

Ain’t no river wide enough

To keep me from getting to you, babe.”

Honestly, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” is a prime example of a song that doesn’t require in-depth analysis.  It’s marvelously written, exceptionally produced in line with 60s soul (🎛 Johnny Bristol and 🎛 Harvey Fuqua), and masterfully performed by Gaye and Terrell.  Had Tammi lived, can you imagine how many more magical records this dynamic duo could’ve made? Truly, a once-in-a-lifetime gem.

Appears in 🔻:

• Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 34 (2022)
• Ain’t: 5ive Songs No. 18 (2022)

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4. GIVĒON, “This Ain’t Love”

💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time • 🏷 Epic • 🗓 2021 

🎙 GIVĒON (Giveon Evans) marks one of R&B’s brightest stars.  His baritone vocals are gorgeous – buttery smooth and incredibly nuanced.  It’s not surprising his 2020 EP, 💿 Take Time, was nominated for a 🏆 Grammy.  Reissued in 2021 as 💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time, the extra songs only sweeten the deal.  On 🎵 “This Ain’t Love,” GIVĒON is NOT a fan of the word LOVE.

“Don’t you say you love, love, love me

Just to make it even

Know it’s hard to tru- tru- trust me

And that’s another reason this ain’t love

Love.”

Woo! In “This Ain’t Love,” GIVĒON speaks against commitment for a variety of reasons. He urges her not to get attached and makes sure he’s careful in his own actions – “You don’t need the pin, let’s just keep it fun.”  Even when it comes to the bedroom, he’s leery:

“Know you ain’t the same (No) in that Saint Laurent (Hey)

Help you take it off (Off), can’t get too involved (‘volved)”.

If Evans makes nothing else clear, “THIS AIN’T LOVE!”

Appears in 🔻:

• Ain’t: 5ive Songs No. 18 (2022)

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5. Fergie, “Like it Ain’t Nuttin’”

💿 Double Dutchess • 🏷 Retrofuture Productions / BMG Rights Management • 📅 2017

“Whatcha gonna do when I step in the room? / Bet you motherfuckers gon’ rock to the tune.” Oh, $h!†, 🎙 Fergie! 🎵 “Like it Ain’t Nuttin’” is filled with attitude and ample profanity (check out that MF bomb) . The best way to describe the record from 💿 Double Dutchess is like a past Fergie song – Clumsy, literally!

Once again, Fergie showcases her ‘rap skills,’ lifting a famous 🎙 Wu-Tang Clan line during the first verse (“Cash rules everything around me (C.R.E.A.M.)”). She’s unapologetic as f#¢k, particularly with lines like, “I’m talkin’ ‘bout my ladies, rub on your titties / Yeah, I said it, rub on your titties / Ladies, rub on your boobies.” The jury is out as to why she encourages self-stimulation – it’s a lyrical sample, by the way –  but to quote her, “fuck it.” It’s worth noting, in the music video, there’s some censorship in play – no tig ol bitties rubbing! “Like it Ain’t Nuttin’” won’t change your lives, or any lives, but, like Fergie, I agree, “Bet you motherfuckers gon’ rock to the bass!”

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6. Leon Bridges, “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand”

💿 Good Thing • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2018

“Don’t get your feelings broken for nothin’ / Maybe I’m leavin’ / Leavin’ here for nothin’ / I might regret that I can’t be your man / Sometimes the bet isn’t worth the hand.” Soul enthusiasts will feel like they returned to their heyday listening to 🎵 “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand”. The old-school shtick is alive, with harp arpeggios, glockenspiel, strings, and a lush backdrop.  The production is the perfect fuel for 🏆 Grammy-winner 🎙 Leon Bridges’ fire, regardless of whether he needed the extra spark or not.

The falsetto is formidable by Bridges on “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand.” Furthermore, his chest voice is incredibly commanding and emotional. Adding to the jubilance is the solid songwriting with an undeniably prudent message, excerpted above with the centerpiece, the chorus.  Short and sweet, “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” proves to be a stellar opener on his sophomore album, 💿 Good Thing.

Appears in 🔻:

• Recapping 40 Stunning Ballads from 2018
• 15 Songs That Are Totally Worth the Gamble
• Hand: 5ive Songs No. 61 (2020)
• Bet: 5ive Songs No. 63 (2020)
• You’ve Got to Hand it To These 13 Hand Songs

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7. Jess Glynne, “Ain’t Got Far To Go”

💿 I Cry When I Laugh • 🏷 Atlantic UK • 📅 2015 

“Cause I spent forever waiting / And it’s no longer a dream,” British pop singer 🎙 Jess Glynne sings in the chorus of her spirited single, 🎵 “Ain’t Got Far To Go”.  She adds, “And now I’ve landed on my feet / And I ain’t got far to go.” Glynne sounds absolutely amazing on this standout from her 2015 debut album, 💿 I Cry When I Laugh.  Sadly, in the U.S., “Ain’t Got Far To Go” failed to impact the Billboard Hot 100.  That’s a major bummer! I Cry When I Laugh did peak at no. 25 on the Billboard 200 though, eventually earning gold certification.

Focusing on “Ain’t Got Far To Go,” Glynne is exuberant as her dreams are coming through and things are falling into place.  The production and sound of the record matches her exuberance, giving her a marvelous backdrop to sing over.  Vocally, she serves up a playful performance with attitude and no shortage of confidence.  The record sounds as if she’s figured out who she is, as established her place in the music business, and is embracing life, in all its glory.  She’s had adversity, but she’s overcome it: “I told you I would prove you wrong / And now I’m here and I’m standing strong.” If you need a song to encourage you and make you feel good, look no further than “Ain’t Got Far To Go.”

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8. Tyler, The Creator, “I Ain’t Got Time!”

💿 Flower Boy • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2017 

“I ain’t got time for these niggas / Better throw a watch at the boy / Had my boys in this bitch, looking like a seminar / Who the fuck you talking to, motherfucker?” Woo! Never a dull moment when it comes to 🏆 Grammy-winning rapper, 🎙 Tyler, The Creator! 🎵 “I Ain’t Got Time!” appears on his 2017 album, 💿 Flower Boy.

I’d describe “I Ain’t Got Time!” as one of the catchiest and fiercest songs of the rapper’s career. Fittingly, it follows 🎵 “Boredom”, which features a repetition of the word time in the end.  If it seemed like Tyler had lost his edginess with the likes of 🎵 “Garden Shed” and “Boredom,” it returns full-fledged on “I Ain’t Got Time!” The production is superb, while T is clearly on autopilot.  As epic as “I Ain’t Got Time!” is as a whole, there’s an unexpected lyric that raises eyebrows and not because of its toughness: “Next line will have them like ‘whoa’ / I’ve been kissing white boys since 2004.” It appears this album marks the first time that Tyler, The Creator suggests he’s not straight.

Appears in 🔻:

• Ain’t: 5ive Songs No. 18 (2022)

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9. Alicia Keys, “If I Ain’t Got You”

💿 The Diary of Alicia Keys • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2003

Back in the day, I had mad love for Alicia Keys – she was my GF… in my mind.  Her best albums arrived in the aughts, particularly her debut album 💿 Songs in A Minor (2001) and my personal favorite, her sophomore album, 💿 The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003).  The Diary of Alicia Keys is where my potential wedding song hails from, 🎵 “If I Ain’t Got You.” I’m still mad that 🎙 John Mayer beat her for the 🏆 Grammy for Song of the Year (🎵 “Daughters” is a great song too).

Why would “If I Ain’t Got You” make a great wedding song?  Because it’s a love song, of course! Keys is singing to her lover in this neo-soul classic.  The only thing that she wants is him – her boo.  This is best exemplified in the chorus, one of the most timeless of the aughts from my perspective:

“Some people want it all

But I don’t’ want nothing at all

If it ain’t you, baby

If I ain’t got you baby

Some people want diamond rings

Some just want everything

But everything means nothing

If I ain’t got you, yeah.”

Further making “If I Ain’t Got You” the bop that it is – the music and the production work.  . She delivers a passionate, soulful vocal, while the piano accompaniment is simply perfect. As a pianist, those arpeggiated lines are fun to play and lovely to the ears.  Beyond the piano, there’s additional ear candy:  a relatively simple drum groove, bass, smooth electric guitar, horns… Yeah, this just screams love and matrimony!

 

Appears in 🔻:

• Day 14: Alicia Keys, If I Ain’t Got You | 30-Day Song Challenge 🎶
• 30-Day Song Challenge 🎶: The Playlist, Part 2
• 30-Day Song Challenge 🎶: The Complete Playlist
• Ain’t: 5ive Songs No. 18 (2022)

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10. Donny Hathaway, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

💿 Donny Hathaway • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1971

British pop/rock band 🎙 The Hollies own the most successful version of 🎵 “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”.  In The Hollies’ hands, this spectacular ballad peaked in the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S.  Worldwide, it was a big hit.  Amazingly, 🎙 Neil Diamond also earned success with the 🎼✍ Bob Russell / 🎼✍ Bob Scott penned record, peaking at no. 20.  While Neil ‘did the damn thing’ like The Hollies before him, a later rendition by 🎙 Donny Hathaway provides a stark contrast.  Hathaway, a soul musician, naturally provides a soulful rendition, something far different from The Hollies or Neil Diamond.

In Hathaway’s hands, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” expands to nearly six minutes – nearly two minutes longer than The Hollies/Diamond.  Hathaway slackens the pace, milking this emotional number for all its worth.  That doesn’t mean that Donny over-sings – he doesn’t! Hathaway provides a balanced, classy, nuanced performance, providing more oomph and punch when it feels appropriate.  Besides his prodigious vocals, Mr. Hathaway ‘changes up’ the arrangement.  The lush strings accompanying The Hollies’ version don’t appear until the end. Instead, we get a more prominent piano part, taken directly from the church.  Furthermore, joining the rhythm section are bells, which perfectly capture the ‘good Samaritan’ vibes of carrying one’s brother.  In Hathaway’s hands, there’s no way you’re not enamored by the authenticity of his vocal performance – he really, really sells this fourth track from 1971’s 💿 Donny Hathaway.

Appears in 🔻:

• The Hollies vs. Donny Hathaway: Head 2 Head 🗣️ 4 (2022)

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11. Bill Withers, “Ain’t No Sunshine”

💿 Just As I Am • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 1971

“Ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone / It’s not warm when she’s away,” 🎙 Bill Withers sings emotionally in the first verse of his beloved classic, 🎵 “Ain’t No Sunshine”. “Ain’t No Sunshine” appears as the second track on the legendary musician’s 1971 album, 💿 Just As I Am.  Withers won his first of three Grammys (Best Rhythm & Blues Song) for “Ain’t No Sunshine.”  As far as the widespread success of the record, “Ain’t No Sunshine” peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, charting for 16 weeks.  Furthermore, it was certified gold by the RIAA.

“Ain’t No Sunshine” doesn’t need extensive analysis.  Thematically, it’s self-explanatory.  Bill Withers is devastated “when she’s gone.” The heartbreak and heartache do a serious number on him.  He asks himself, “Wonder this time where she’s gone / Wonder if she’s gonna stay /… This house just ain’t no home / Anytime she goes away.”  Perhaps even more famous than the verses of this lush, minor key soul gem is the bridge, specifically the phrase, “I know.” Withers famously sings it 26 times.  It has it’s intended effect, particularly when he finishes the thought: “Hey, I oughta leave the young thing alone / but ain’t no sunshine when she’s gone.”  It’s amazing that Withers would top himself a year later with the definitive hit of his career, 🎵 “Lean on Me”.

 

Appears in 🔻:

• Bill Withers, “Ain’t No Sunshine”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 114 (2022)

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12 Must-Hear, Ain’t Songs [📷: Antonio Prado, Atlantic, Atlantic UK, BMG Rights Management, Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Domino, Epic, Kemosabe, Motown, The Musical Hype, RCA, Retrofuture Productions, Sony Music Entertainment]

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