11 Songs Loosely Associated with Hair | Playlist 🎧

1. A$AP Ferg, “Wigs”

Ft. City Girls & ANTHA

Wigs [Single] • RCA • 2019

“(Bend it over, put your) / Wig on the floor, wig on the floor…” If you assumed East Coast rapper A$AP Ferg’s song “Wigs” was about fake hair, well, you were totally wrong.  Sure, wigs are mentioned throughout the record, but this banger featuring City Girls and ANTHA has sex written all over it, period.  The key part of the aforementioned chorus performed by A$AP Ferg is “bend it over” as opposed to the ‘wig’ itself, signifying twerking and of course, sex.  Honestly, “Wigs” would’ve been at home on the shameful list, 15 Fantastic Booty Shaking Anthems, where the a$$-$haking was totally uncontrollable.

Diving into the lyrical content, on the first verse, A$AP Ferg asserts, “I got her twerkin’ like a champ, hang with nothing but winners /… All these bitches badder than Dennis the Menace.” Hmm, really Ferg, really? Yung Miami (City Girls) takes the second verse, continuing the explicitness (“Wig on the floor / Bitch, scrub the ground like a nasty ass ho”), while ANTHA takes the final verse (“…You know a bitch bad, so you wanna hit it raw / Toot that ass up, put your wig on the floor”).

2. Nessly, “Hairdye”

Ft. GASHI

Standing on Satan’s Chest • 24 Karat Sound • 2019

“First, I changed my hair color, then I changed my phone number, yeah / Got a new girlfriend right in time for summer, ooh yeah / They said I switched up, this really me…” If you say so Nessly – if you say so.  The Atlanta rapper, who apparently has been Standing on Satan’s Chest (or so his album title states), delivers a melodic brand of rap on “Hairdye,” which features rapper GASHI (“My Year”). On the chorus, he asserts people say he’s changed but essentially, he knows that’s no true – “They never knew me.”

“Hairdye” exemplifies the lush, sleek sounds of modern hip-hop, thanks to solid production by KP Beatz.  In addition to his melodic chorus, Nessly follows up with a pop-rapped verse which isn’t profound but does yield an ear-catching moment like “They scared I’m going ‘One Direction, I ain’t even Liam, yeah.” Essentially, he continues the sentiment of the aforementioned chorus. GASHI contrasts with a slightly more aggressive approach, while maintaining the pop-rap-oriented sound.  Complementing Nessly, at the end of his verse, GASHI asserts: “Used to always wanna be the realest in the room / Now I see the realest only gets an early tomb.” Fair enough.

3. Todrick Hall, “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels”

Haus Party, Pt. 1 • Todrick Hall • 2019

“My nails, hair, hips, heels / Nails, hair, hips, heels…” Yeah, that’s about the size of the chorus of “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels.” All in all, multifaceted entertainer Todrick Hall brings mad attitude and energy to his 2019 album, Haus Party 1, Pt. 1. The penultimate joint is no exception.  Worth noting, Hall previously graced the playlist 10 Songs Well Worth the Attention with “Attention,” the sleekly-produced opener from Haus Party 1, Pt. 1.

But this is all about “Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels,” so, let’s stay focused! When you listen to this dance/house-inspired cut, the first word that comes to mind is FABULOUS.  Todrick Hall says it best on the first verse asserting “Bitch, I’mma big deal” and “This whole club is my runway, run bitch.” On the pre-chorus, ‘that attitude’ doesn’t fade in the least expressing that “I work (work), I don’t play / I slay (slay), I don’t walk / I strut, strut, strut and then sashay (okay)…” The second verse is much like the first, with the confidence overflowing for Hall – “Where’s my sash and crown, ‘cause I win bitch.” The bridge goes H.A.M., with actions including “Tongue pop for me,” “Pose for me,” and my personal favorite, “Shablam for me.”

4. The National, “Hairpin Turns”

I Am Easy to Find • 4AD • 2019

“What are we going through, you and me? / Every other house on the street’s burning / What are we going through? Wait and see / Days of brutalism and hairpin turns.” There’s plenty to like and appreciate about I Am Easy to Find, the 2019 LP by Grammy-winning alternative collective, The National.  Throughout the course of I Am Easy to Find, frontman Matt Berninger sounds like a champ. Something that makes the album different than previous albums by the band is the number of collaborations, specifically with female vocalists. Luckily, The National give us a brilliant ‘hair’ song to work with, “Hairpin Turns.”  

Okay, okay, okay – “Hairpin Turns” has little nothing to do with hair.  It doesn’t really have anything to do with hairpins for that matter. What is a hairpin turn exactly? Dangerous Roads, a website that covers ‘the world’s most spectacular roads’ defines a hairpin turn as “a bend with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road.”  In the context of the song, Berninger isn’t even explicitly talking about a road, but relationship issues.

Some other notes regarding this non-hair…cut (see what I did there?). The 13^th track from I Am Easy to Find features a great vocal arrangement and overall production.  Berninger is joined by Gail Ann Dorsey, Kate Stables, and Mina Tindle.

5. Lady Gaga, “Hair Body Face”

A Star is Born • Interscope • 2018

“‘Cause baby when I look at you / I just don’t know what to do witchu / A man loves a triple threat / Did the party room just see that / Hair, body, face for ya…” A Star is Born was nothing short of a phenomenon in 2018 – understatement.  Furthermore, the soundtrack wasn’t “kind of a big deal,” but rather DEFINITELY “a big deal.” If we get specific, the big attraction on the Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper fueled soundtrack was “Shallow”, a song nominated for multiple film and music awards.  That said, “Shallow” isn’t the song that fits this hair-centric list.  That song would be “Hair Body Face.”  

“Hair Body Face” appears late on the A Star is Born soundtrack – it’s the 28^th track to be exact.  Being that deep into the record, it’s definitely not the crowning achievement, but it fits our purposes obviously. Where “Shallow” has more of a countrified sound (and arguably more distinct), “Hair Body Face” is a straight-up pop record.  This is Lady Gaga pre-Joanne, but not quite as dance-oriented as her earliest albums either. Sleekly produced, Lady Gaga sounds rock-solid – well, ‘pop’ solid – on this modern pop number.

“I’m not mad as long
As I am perfect in your eyes
Your eyes
Doesn’t make a difference yeah
As long as I’m perfect in your eyes
Your eyes.”

Okay Lady Gaga, whatever you say. “Hair, body, face for ya / Triple threat.” “Hair Body Face” previously appeared on the face-centric playlist 13 Songs That Focus on the Face.

6. Ryan Beatty, “Haircut”

Boy in Jeans • Boy in Jeans • 2018

“Wake me up when the days are over / Reminiscent of a life I had /… You have to give before you get / Another lie, another lie / I’ll get it right.” Haircut anybody? Ryan Beatty, an openly gay, former teen-pop artist, is honest about love and sex throughout the course of his stellar debut album, Boy in Jeans.  Boy in Jeans encompasses pop, R&B, and some alternative R&B.  Fitting the hair-centric vibes of this playlist is the album’s opener, “Haircut.” Is the song really about hair? Nope, not in the least.

“Controlled myself, realized I couldn’t / Too special to stay on track / … I tried to fake it / But it left a bad taste in my mouth.”  That has nothing to do with hair, but everything to do with cutting the bullshit of hiding and masking one’s sexuality.  There’s no better way to open Boy in Jeans than the powerful ‘coming out’ statement that is “Haircut,” right? Right.  Adding to the brilliance is a soulful groove, robust bass line, electric guitar chords, and synths, which all make the backdrop stunning.  Beatty’s vocals are superb; assertive and clear. Furthermore, he delivers exceptional falsetto on the second half of the chorus.

7. The Vamps, “Hair Too Long”

Night & Day (Day Edition) • Virgin • 2018

“I’ll go out, grow my hair too long / Sing your least favorite song / At the top of my lungs (oh, oh, oh) …” Hmm, that sounds a bit vindictive – more on that later. Many of the songs on this playlist mention hair or something associated with hair in their respective titles.  That said, only a select few seem to be about hair.  If you expected The Vamps’ “Hair Too Long” to truly be about hair, well, you’ll be disappointed.  Bradley Simpson mentioned the titular lyric on the chorus, but it’s ‘in passing’ and part of a number of things he does to make his girlfriend mad and end what seems to be a dysfunctional relationship.

Yeah, there’s trouble in paradise on this gem from Night & Day (Day Edition), period. “I’m just sick of staying up losing sleep, who gives a f-,” Simpson sings on the first verse, frustrated with his girlfriend.  On the second verse, he takes some responsibility (“Let me take a second to sympathize ‘cause you’re right / I’m away too much, I think too much, I drink to much”), but it’s clear on the rest of the chorus there the relationship problems come from both parties:

“…I’ll go out, kiss all of your friends
Make a story and pretend
It was me who made this end (oh, oh, oh)
It might seem cruel
You know that the love still hurts
All I do, never, ever seems to work…”

In the context of hair, well, again, “Hair Too Long” really has nothing to do with hair, does it?

8. Perfume Genius, “Braid”

No Shape • Matador • 2017

“Secret is braided in-between / Feel it shaking and set free / Heavens break / Make my name / Lose its meaning.” Honestly, the third and final verse of “Braid,” the 11^th song from the 2017 Perfume Genius (Mike Hadreas) album No Shape, is the only explicit mention of the word ‘braid’ in the entire song.  Hair itself is never mentioned specifically, which means that this hair-centric song fits perfectly on this playlist which thrives on songs that have nothing to do with the central theme.

“Seconds bloom / Every move right in time / Woven slowly / Just enough.” Hmm, so, if “Braid” isn’t really about hair, then what is the premise of the song? According to Hadreas, via NPR, “Braid is a love song… Alan [my boyfriend] and I truly know each other… I wanted to honor it, that I know everything, that you know everything, and it’s okay.” ‘Knowing’ that, “Braid,” already quite the poetic song, makes even more sense.  One of the most moving lyrics appears at the end: “And every harm is lovingly / Washed away.”

9. Solange, “Don’t Touch My Hair”

Ft. Sampha

A Seat at the Table • Sony • 2016

“Don’t touch my hair / When it’s the feelings I wear / Don’t touch my soul / When it’s the rhythm I know…” R&B singer/songwriter Solange served up a home run with “Don’t Touch My Hair” (featuring Sampha), one of many gems from her 2016 album, A Seat at the Table. Like her Grammy-winning record “Cranes in the Sky,” “Don’t Touch My Hair” makes previous appearances on playlists 27 Contemporary Songs That Capture the Black Experience and 13 Contemporary Protest Anthems. “Don’t Touch My Hear” plays up black stereotypes and naivety. In other words, yet another song on this playlist where hair isn’t really the focal point – CHECK.

“You know this hair is my shit / Rolled the rod, I gave it time / But this here is mine…” In addition to playing up black stereotypes and naivety, “Don’t Touch My Hair” is metaphorical as well, transcending such stereotypes. Prior to the aforementioned chorus, on the pre-chorus, Solange emphasizes, “They don’t understand / What it means to me / Where we choose to go / Where we’ve been to know…” This jazzy neo-soul affair is deep, tackling invasiveness, racial profiling, and pride. To quote Sampha, “What you say to me?” The question might seem incredibly simple, but unpacked, it really says it all – the built-up response from invasiveness, profiling, stereotyping, and more.  The hair part, hence, is part of the ‘pride.’

10. Lil Mix, “Hair”

Get Weird • Sony • 2015

“‘Cause he was just a dick and I knew it / Got me going mad sitting in his chair / Like I don’t care / Gotta get him out my hair.” Woo! Lil Mix, that totally just says it all.  “Hair” is ‘bop’ that appears on Get Weird, the third studio album by the British girl pop group, released in 2015.  Compared to other hair songs on 11 Songs Loosely Associated with Hair, there are certainly more references to hair.  That said, as the aforementioned ‘bullet’ from the chorus expresses, “Hair” is more about kicking a no-good guy to the curb.

Still, those hair references are pretty sick.  “I call my girl ‘cause I got a problem,” Leigh-Anne sings on the first verse, continuing, “Only a curl is gonna solve it.” Jesy also gets into the mix later, singing, “Let’s switch it up, get it off my shoulder / I’ve had enough, can’t take it no longer.” Of course, in between and afterwards, we get the main theme of the song – “Gotta get him out my hair.” Ultimately, this is a hella fun, urban-pop joint that’s all about girl power and getting rid of that useless dick! 100

BTW, there’s also a Bart Baker parody, and those are always a treat!

11. Lady Gaga, “Hair”

Born this Way • Interscope • 2011

“I’ve had enough, this is my prayer / That I’ll die living just as free as my hair /… I’ve had enough, I’m not a freak / I just keep fighting to stay cool on these streets /… I’m as free as my hair.” Six words, in the form of a quote: “Baby I was Born this Way.” Lady Gaga gave the world a glorious five-minutes-plus of dance-pop music on “Hair,” one of multiple hits from her 2011 LP, Born this Way.  Honestly, with the likes of “Born This Way”, “Judas”, and “The Edge of Glory” ahead of it in the hierarchy, “Hair” doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.

Focusing on the music, “Hair” is best categorized as ‘dance-pop,’ but Lady Gaga brings some rock energy and vibes for sure.  Furthermore, the late, great Clarence Clemons plays a mean saxophone on the track – marvelous to the nth degree.  Lyrically, as summed up by the six words lifted from “Born this Way,” Lady Gaga expresses free-spirited-ness – living her truth without compromise.  Again, like the other ten songs on this list, hair itself is secondary.  This is about being true to self.  Those “racoon or red highlights” she mentions on the second verse represent her individuality and expression.  She says it best on the pre-chorus: “I just wanna be myself, and I want you to love me for who I am / I just wanna be myself, and I want you to know / I am my hair.”