11 Rock Solid Songs Fueled by Stone features music courtesy of Brent Faiyaz, Lorde, Queen, Rod Wave, and The Temptations.
Prepare to be STONED! Make of that what you will ! Anyways, the keyword of the seventh playlist on The Musical Hype in the year 2024, 11 Rock Solid Songs Fueled by Stone, is STONE. Every song title must feature some form of the word whether it is stone, stones, stoned, etc. That is the only criteria necessary for this musical compendium. 11 Rock Solid Songs Fueled by Stone features music courtesy of Brent Faiyaz, Lorde, Queen, Rod Wave, and The Temptations among others. So, letβs get STONED with 11 Rock Solid Songs Fueled by Stone!
1. Brent Faiyaz, βRolling Stoneβ
WASTELAND β’
Lost Kids LLC β’
2022
βIβm a rolling stone (stone) / Iβm too wild for you to own.β Word, Brent Faiyaz (Christopher Brent Wood), word. βRolling Stoneβ appears as the 10th track on WASTELAND, the 2022, platinum-certified album by the R&B singer/songwriter. The sub-three-minute record features warm, soulful, and enigmatic production courtesy of Coop The Truth, Jake One, and Nascent. Clearly, Faiyaz is wild AF, asserting, βI still got demons from my younger daysβ (verse one) and, βPeople hate me, and they love me at the same time /β¦ I guess Iβm everything and nothing at the same timeβ (verse two). At least heβs self-aware, right? Right! βIβm sorry in advance if I let you down.β Again, I say, WORD. Even though heβs wild, and a self-proclaimed disappointment, Faiyaz sings beautifully on this honest contemporary R&B joint.
2. Queen, βStone Cold Crazyβ
Sheer Heart Attack β’
Hollywood β’
1974
βSleeping very soundly on a Saturday morning / I was dreaming I was Al Capone.β Say what, Freddie Mercury! The dynamic, energetic Queen front man continues in the first verse of βStone Cold Crazyβ, βThereβs a rumor going round / Gotta clear out of town.β Those rumors β theyβre potent! Anyways, the iconic British band keeps things short, sweet, and totally rock and roll on this up-tempo, eighth track from Sheer Heart Attack (1974). βStone Cold Crazyβ wasnβt a single from Sheer Heart Attack, hence why it didnβt chart on the pop charts. The album, however, did peak at no. 12 on the Billboard 200 in 1975, and was certified gold by the RIAA the same year.
Notably, βStone Cold Crazyβ has more of a hard rock edge compared to later, more experimental songs. The thing is, even though βStone Cold Crazyβ sounds starkly different from other songs by Queen, it is innovative in its own right β they are a pioneer of thrash metal. Rock on! Notably, the guitar playing by Brian May is lit to the nth degree, a huge reason why βStone Cold Crazyβ is epic. As always, Mercury is on-point with his high-flying vocals. Adding to the personality of the performance are the fun lyrics: βRainy I gotta blow a typhoon / And Iβm playing on my slide tromboneβ and βWalking down the street, shooting people that I meet / With my rubber tommy water gun.β What more can you say but βStone Cold Crazyβ!
Appears in :
3. Lorde, βStoned at the Nail Salonβ
Solar Power β’
Universal Music New Zealand Limited β’
2021
βI love this life that I have / β¦ But I wonder sometimes what Iβm missingβ¦β Grammy-winning alternative pop artist, Lorde (Ella Yelich OβConnor), returned in 2021 with Solar Power. βStoned at the Nail Salonβ, the second single, sounds as chill and mellow as the title suggests. This is a prime example of a song that floats along. OβConnor gives us subtle but beautiful vocals from the start.β― Her tone is warm and chill; appealing.β― In the pre-chorus, layered vocals keep things intriguing (βWell, my bloodβs been burning for so many summers now / Itβs time to cool it down, wherever that leadsβ).β―In the chorus, she sings with more oomph without forcing things.β―β―β―β― β―β―
ββCause all the beautiful girls, they will fade like the rosesβ―β―
And all the times they will change, itβll all come aroundβ―β―
I donβt knowβ―β―
Maybe Iβm just stoned at the nail salonβ―β―
Maybe Iβm just stoned at the nail salon, again.ββ―β―β―
As far as the production (Lorde and Jack Antonoff) things are minimal and spare. This simplicity bodes in OβConnorβs favor, allowing her voice to shine.β― Thematically, she poetically reflects on getting older β relatable to everybody.β―
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4. Rod Wave, βStone Rollingβ
A Beautiful Mind β’
Alamo / Sony Music Entertainment β’
2022
βUh, heβs a rolling stone, heβs a rolling stone / Long as the wind blows, Iβll be long goneβ¦ / Drive with many miles of roads and still canβt find my / My home.β Woo! Rod Wave keeps things real on βStone Rollingβ, the third single from his fourth studio album,
A Beautiful Mind. Producing this latest melodic but hard-hitting banger is TnTXD, SephGotTheWaves, and Geovocals. The biggest selling point of the backdrop is the knocking trap beat. In βStone Rolling,β Wave is honest and transparent about his dreams as a child, as well as his come up. Part of those dreams was the desire to travel, with Rod rapping, βLike if I make it out this shit, Iβm goinβ straight to Cali.β That of course is a dream so many of us have at some point. He goes on to highlight achieving his aspirations, but at the same time, itβs not the βend all, be allβ β heβs still in search of home. Two lyrics that stand out in the verse are, βI just woke up on my tour bus, I donβt know where Iβm headed / I been out on my own since I turned eighteen,β as well as, βIs there a heaven for a G? Where can I go to get some peace? / I wanna settle with my kids, buy a crib by the beach.β Rod does a fabulous job of being authentic and personal. βStone Rollingβ marks another highlight. Itβs great that heβs living his dreams and is in a much better place, but, you still hope he does find a permanent home beyond stone rolling.
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5. Eminem, βStepping Stoneβ
Kamikaze β’
Aftermath β’
2018
βFeels like Iβm on the descent, but it was not my intent / To treat yβall like a stepping stone.β Intriguing lyrics. To add a bit more context to that lyric from βStepping Stone,β the seventh track on Kamikaze, the 2018 album by Eminem (Marshall Mathers), he raps, βIβve tried hearkening back to, but Iβm fightinβ for air / Iβm barely chartinβ myself.β Hmm! On βStepping Stone,β Mathers looks back to 2002, specifically after experiencing success with his rap collective D12: βItβs 2002, everything was totally new / We were globally huge, watchinβ sales go through the roof.β Indeed, D12 was the stuff, while Eminem himself was the shit
. On βStepping Stone,β heβs reflective, feeling guilty that he used his co-members βas my stepping stones,β while their respective solo careers never took off.β― In the chorus, he repents: βIβma wash away my sins / Iβma rinse away this dirt / I forgot to make amends / To all the friends I may have hurt.β There are countless lyrics that stand out on this highlight from Kamikaze, but to spotlight a few: ββCause the truth is, the moment that Proof died, so did the groupβ (verse one) and βItβs not goodbye to our friendship, but D12 is overβ (verse three). Essentially, βStepping Stoneβ arrives well after Mathers is in his prime, hence the lyrics about the state of his career in 2018. Of course, he didnβt have to tell us that D12 was defunct β it was obvious!
6. Earth, Wind & Fire, βIn the Stoneβ
I Am β’
Columbia β’
1979
βIn the stone, youβll find the meaning / Youβre not standing tall.β βIn the Stoneβ serves as the superb opening cut from I Am, the 1979 album by iconic funk, soul collective, Earth, Wind & Fire. Honestly, there is no better way to commence a stone-fueled list than this groovy, fusion of disco, funk, and R&B. As far as soul bands are concerned, EW&F rank at the top of the list, delivering no shortage of hits. The heavenly, potent lead vocals of Philip Bailey and the musicianship of the instrumentalists make EW&F a βonce in a lifetime collective.β In addition to βIn the Stone,β parent album I Am also featuring other notable career hits βAfter the Love Has Goneβ and βBoogie Wonderlandβ, which both eclipsed the performance of βIn the Stoneβ (peaked at no. 58). Regardless, that doesnβt inhibit βIn The Stoneβ from ranking among the best of the Earth, Wind & Fire catalog. For all the reasons mentioned, βIn the Stoneβ is electrifying. Additionally, throw in excellent songwriting, starting with the timeless chorus (excerpted), as well as the lyrics on the verses. Elaborating more on the instrumental, the riffs are incredibly impressive, particularly those accented passages from the horns. Also, canβt leave out one of my favorite sections of the song, the vamp:
βNever, never, my darling
Never youβll be alone
Ever, forever, my darling
True love is written in the stone.β
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7. Demi Lovato, βStone Coldβ
Confident β’
Hollywood / Island β’
2015
βStone cold, stone cold / You see me standing, but Iβm dying on the floor.β On βStone Cold,β Grammy-nominated pop standout Demi Lovato delivers nuanced vocals sure to leave everyone stone cold. While the ballad slackens the pace in the context of their 2015 album, Confident, it doesnβt lose a smidgen of its allure, energy, or intensity. Incredibly engaging, Lovato wows with their pipes. This is best evidenced with their βbiteβ as well as their powerful upper register. Also, the songwriting doesnβt hurt the cause either. Love β always prime fuel for the fire!
βStone cold, baby
God knows I try to feel happy for you
Know that I am, even if I canβt understand
Iβll take the pain
Give me the truth
Me and my heart, weβll make it through
If happy is her, Iβm happy for you.β
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8. The Stylistics, βIβm Stone in Love with Youβ
Round 2 β’
Avco β’
1972
If he could, Russell Thompkins, Jr. asserts, βI would buy you everything / Your little heart desires.β Why? ββCause Iβm stone in love with you.β βIβm Stone in Love with Youβ marks one of five top-10 hits by the Philly soul collective, The Stylistics. Specifically, this gold certified single from their sophomore album, Round 2 peaked at no. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.β― Take one listen to βIβm Stone in Love with You,β and youβll understand the magic behind the it.β― Thematically, this soul classic is all about L-O-V-E.
βIβm Stone in Love with Youβ was written by Thom Bell (who also produces), Linda Creed, and Anthony Bell. The production work is warm, idiomatic of the lush, orchestrated sound of soul music, particularly the Philly soul music of the 1970s.β― The ears are treated to the rhythm section (including percussion in addition to drums), winds, and of course, strings.β― Thompkins, Jr. is at his best, singing radiantly in an incredibly ripe, yet tender falsetto. The melody he sings is glorious β incredibly tuneful and easy on the ears.β― The combination of his voice and the romantic lyrics (βYou might say that all I do / Is dream my life away / I guess itβs true / βCause Iβm stone in love with youβ) is celestial.β― Other highlights include the harmonic progression β those musical underpinnings β and the background vocals on the titular lyrics. All told, βIβm Stone in Love with Youβ is not only one of the best by The Stylistics, but one of the truly epic soul cuts.β―β―
Appears in :
- The Stylistics, Iβm Stone in Love with You: Throwback Vibez
No. 117 (2023)
- Incredible Songs: 1970s, Vol. 3 (2023)
- The Stylistics, The Miracle: Music Lifts
No. 32 (2023)
9. Drake, βTwo Birds, One Stoneβ
βTwo Birds, One Stoneβ β’
β―Cash Money / Young Money β’
β―2016β―
βTwo birds, one stone, my aim is amazinβ / I need to start losing my shit on you niggas thatβs hatinββ¦β Since 2015, Drake has been ubiquitous, released numerous singles, mixtapes, and albums. In 2016, he unleashed the single βTwo Birds, One Stoneβ, which commences with an enigmatic sound from the jump.β― The distortion and sample create an unsettling vibe. Also, add drum programming to the mix, amplifying the excellence crafted by Kanye West and Noah β40β Shebib who handle the production duties.β―If youβre in search for a Drake record that compares, βTwo Birds, One Stoneβ is reminiscent of βTuscan Leatherβ (regarding sound and vibe) from Nothing Was the Same (2013). There is no hook but thatβs NO PROBLEM.β―
βMore time with family and friends, more lifeβ―
More time to get it rightβ―
Itβs only me, but Iβm seeing four shadows in the lightβ―
My demons visit me every nightβ―
To the Most High, Iβm forever indebtedβ¦ββ―β―β―
While Drake references βmore lifeβ a couple of different times throughout, somehow, βTwo Birds, One Stoneβ didnβt end up on More Life (2017).β― Regardless, he makes many more references (God, his parents, Meagan Good, El Chapo, etc.), as well as delivers numerous notable, worthwhile lyrics (βFuck the rap game, itβs all lies and itβs all filthy / Two percent of us rich and the rest of these niggas allβ―milkβ―itβ). Thereβs also that early dig at Pusha T: βBut really itβs you with all the drug dealer storiesβ―/ Thatβs gotta stop thoughβ―/ You made a couple chops and now you think you Chapoβ¦ββ―β―Ooh-wee!
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10. Kaskade, βCold as Stoneβ (Ft. Charlotte Lawrence)
βCold as Stoneβ β’
Columbia β’β―
2018
βSo, let me, let me out / I canβt love you anymore / Let me, let me out / I donβt love you like before.β Grammy-nominated DJ/producer Kaskade has been in the game for years. Even so, itβs sort of hard to believe heβs 50 β how time passes by! Anyways, the vet does what he does best β gives an awesome backdrop (lush, rhythmic, and smooth) to a gifted female vocalist to sing over. Charlotte Lawrence brings her βA gameβ on βCold as Stone.β What is the fuel for her vocal fire, thematically? Lawrence must put an end to a bad relationship. Perfect!
So, Iβm cold as stone
The only way I know
To keep my soul
And never let it show
That I donβt really know what Iβm doing
All I know is Iβm crashing down.β
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11. The Temptations, βPapa Was a Rollinβ Stoneβ
All Directions β’
Motown β’
1972
βIt was the third of September / That day Iβll always remember, yes I will / βCause that was the day, that my daddy died.β Woo, those are iconic lyrics from The Temptations on one of their best songs, βPapa Was a Rollinβ Stone.β Notably, Dennis Edwards sings lead. Before Edwards ever sings those lyrics, βPapa Was a Rollinβ Stoneβ takes its time setting up, thanks to an incredibly classy, extended music intro (more on that later). As far as songwriting is concerned on this lengthy classic from 1972βs All Directions (Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield), itβs authentic, honest, and utterly sublime.β―β―β― β―
The best moment is the chorus, which Iβd argue, is one of the greatest choruses on one of the greatest songs of all time:β―
βPapa was a rolling stoneβ―
Wherever he laid his hat was his homeβ―
(And when he died) all he left us was alone.β
According to Cake, when describing βPapa Was a Rollinβ Stone,ββ― they state, βYouβll hear of the antics of a man found being selfish and philandering more interesting than taking care of his family.β True dat! The lyrics convey a story of a βno-good-dadβ through and through. The unique voices of each member of The Temptations come together incredibly harmoniously, while the instrument is EPIC. Man, oh man, does βPapa Was a Rollinβ Stoneβ have one of the best productions/arrangements (Whitfield) of all time! The drum groove! That bass line! The rhythmic guitar! The strings, that accentuate the dark vibes of that B-flat minor key! The trumpet solo! βPapa Was a Rollinβ Stone,β a no. 1 Hot 100 hit, is a masterpiece, bad father and all!β―β―
Appears in :β―β―β―
- Stone: 5ive Songs No. 74 (2021)β―
- 15 Soul Oldies That Tickle My Fancy (2021)β―
- Bad, Bad Parents: The Playlist (2022)
11 Rock Solid Songs Fueled by Stone (2024) [
: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Aftermath, Alamo, Avco, Cash Money, Columbia, Hollywood, Island, Lost Kids LLC, Motown, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music New Zealand Limited, Young Money; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Etienne Entres, Open-Clipart Vectors from Pixabay]