11 Songs That Embrace Togetherness features music courtesy of Chris Brown, Dan + Shay, ILLENIUM, King Princess, and Mariah Carey.

The Beatles serve up six iconic words, “Come together, right now / Over me,” on their 1969 classic, “Come Together,” from Abbey Road.  Sigh.  Three years later, Al Green soulfully sang, “Ooh, baby, let’s ‘Let’s Stay Together’ / Lovin’ you whether / Whether times are good or bad, happy or sad,” on the iconic Let’s Stay Together LP.  25 years later, Janet Jackson had ‘togetherness’ on her mind on “Together Again” from The Velvet Rope (1997) – “Dream about us together again / What I want: us together again, baby / I know we’ll be together again…”

The keyword in all of the aforementioned classics is TOGETHER.  This playlist is all about embracing togetherness.  That means that every song selected on this playlist must feature the word ‘together’ in its song titles.  There are no exceptions whatsoever – NONE! With that said, “11 Songs That Embrace Togetherness” features music courtesy of Chris Brown (“Come Together” featuring H.E.R.), Dan + Shay (“Alone Together”), ILLENIUM (“All Together” with OEKIIN), King Princess (“Ain’t Together”), and Mariah Carey (“We Belong Together”) among others.

1. Vampire Weekend, “We Belong Together”

Ft. Danielle Haim

Father of the Bride • Sony • 2019

“We go together like sound and sight / Black and white, day and night / We go together like left and right / Oh, we go together…” Ah, how sweet! After a six-year hiatus, Grammy-winning alternative music collective Vampire Weekend returned with new music in 2019.  Prior to the release of their fourth studio album, Father of the Bride, the last time that we’d heard from Ezra Koenig and company was in 2013 when they released the utterly superb Modern Vampires of the City. Despite the long wait for album number four, the resulting Father of the Bride ended up being pretty sweet. Adding to the togetherness of this particular playlist is “We Belong Together,” the 15^th track of Father of the Bride.

 “…We go together like give and take / Pains and aches, real and fake / We go together, don’t be opaque / It’s clear we go together.” That’s pretty clever – opaque and clear.  Anyways, “We Belong Together” is the third (and final) cut where Danielle Haim (Haim) ‘officially’ appears as a featured guest during the course of Father of the Bride.  Like their previous collaborations, Koenig and Haim make a formidable team, singing separately as well as – you guessed it – together! The best of their collaborations on FOTB is arguably “Married in a Gold Rush,” but “We Belong Together” is pretty sweet as well, another moment of consistency on the album.  It’s pretty straightforward, with the chorus summing things up excellently:

“We belong together
We belong together
Baby, there’s no use in being clever
Baby, it don’t mean we’ll stay together.”

2. Chris Brown, “Come Together”

Ft. H.E.R.

Indigo • RCA • 2019

On his 10^th studio album Indigo, Grammy-winning urban contemporary artist Chris Brown seemed to be ‘feeling himself’ just a little bit too much.  Actually, a lot too much.  Why? After releasing the excessively long Heartbreak on a Full Moon in 2017,  he felt that he needed to drop another overstuffed album – ugh.  Indigo isn’t three hours long, but still exceeds two hours which is absolutely too much.  The good news is that Indigo has its moments, which includes the third track, “Come Together.”

“I can’t say that I never dreamed of touchin’ on you / Ain’t that what wild dreams are made of,” Chris Brown sings on the pre-chorus, continuing, “So many feelings involved / We can’t pretend, don’t play it off / I wanna feel everything and I want you, whoa.” Fair enough.  As aforementioned, “Come Together” is among the finer moments on Indigo.  Brown collaborates with fellow Grammy-winner H.E.R. There’s a cool throwback sensibility, coupled with the über-slick backdrop that clearly has 2019 written all over it. The vocal chemistry between the two is arguably the biggest selling point.  “Come Together” is sensual from both sides, but Brown favors suggestiveness as opposed to utter explicitness.  It bodes well in his favor here. Maybe, just maybe, he should consider it more often, and let his dynamic voice shine as opposed to his penchant for the hedonistic.  That said, filthy single “Wobble Up” is a bop…

3. King Princess, “Ain’t Together”

Cheap Queen • Zelig • 2019

“You know that it’s God, baby, when you’re around her / She’s God and I’ve found her.” In 2018, genderqueer and gay artist King Princess gained attention (while raising eyebrows) with the risqué “Pussy is God”. It was one of several singles, and an EP (Make My Bed), building her profile leading up to her 2019 debut album, Cheap Queen.  “Pussy is God” doesn’t appear on Cheap Queen, interestingly, but 13 other songs do, including the ‘together’ single “Ain’t Together.”

“We say, ‘I love you’ but we ain’t together / Do you think labels make it taste much better? / Darling do you think that if I talk enough / I will make you wanna be mine? We ain’t together.” “Ain’t Together” arrives on Cheap Queen as the fourth track. As King Princess tells it on this intriguing pop track, “Everybody knows / That you and I got that something,” but the problem is, “We ain’t together.” Why aren’t they together? Well, apparently, given the fact that the song can be used for various occasions, per the artist, it depends.  According to a tweet by King Princess:

dis one is cute and sad, perfect for any occasion. Wedding, funeral, corporate function, lesbian seance.

— King Princess (@KingPrincess69) September 2, 2019

There it is.  Besides relatable lyrics, regardless of your sexual preference, “Ain’t Together” features a sweet backdrop courtesy of King Princess and Mike Malchicoff.

4. The Black Keys, “Get Yourself Together”

“Let’s Rock” • Nonesuch • 2019

“I’ll do, I’ll do whatever you do / Love me and I’ll be lovin’ on you / Treat me sweetly like I want you to / And I’ll do, I’ll do whatever you do / You can choose, make up all the rules.” Fair enough! The Black Keys had been missing in action for nearly five years before releasing “Let’s Rock” (2019).  Prior to the arrival of “Let’s Rock”, the last time Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney released an album was in May 2014, when the divorce-fueled Turn Blue arrived. Thankfully, “Let’s Rock” finds the duo “reunited and it feels so good,” including our together-centric highlight, “Get Yourself Together.”

In the context of “Let’s Rock”, “Get Yourself Together” segues from “Every Little Thing,” providing an energetic contrast. The harmonic progression is simple but potent, with the bass emphasizing I, IV, and V more often than not – standard AF for all the non-musicians/music theory nerds.  The guitars are remarkable – incredibly colorful and creative in the various ways they’re used.  A catchy chorus, urging ‘babe’ to ‘get herself together’ is pretty sweet as well.

“You gotta get yourself together babe
Try to keep it cool
You wanna make it last forever maybe
Get behind the new
You gotta get yourself together babe
Keep your motor clean
We wanna make it run forever maybe
I’m your gasoline.”

5. ILLENIUM, “All Together”

With OEKIIN

ASCEND • Astralwerks / Nick Miller • 2019

“No proof of God above me / I only know what I see / And we can only help ourselves / All together.” Hmm, wouldn’t be the first time that a song by DJ/producer ILLENIUM (Nicholas D. Miller) referenced some good old religious skepticism (see single “God Damnit” for another example, or even “Pray” on ASCEND).  Of course, it is OEKIIN (Jeff D’Agostino) who handles the vocals, including the aforementioned, ‘godless’ chorus. But the main point of “All Together,” the seventh track from ILLENIUM’s third studio album ASCEND isn’t so much religion or lack thereof, but rather how we need to work together instead of against one another.

OEKIIN serves up brilliant vocals throughout the course of “All Together,” sensationally conveying this narrative of clashes against one another.  “You can go ahead and judge me / Just so you can say you’re right,” he sings on the first verse, later asserting on the pre-chorus, “When a war with each other / Is a war against ourselves / We both lose when we start the fight, oh no.” He has a legitimate point.  Even if you’re not all in on the ‘lack of faith’ exhibited on the chorus, the embrace of togetherness is quite prudent.

Of course, “All Together” appears on an album by ILLENIUM, so we should probably definitely mention his contributions!  Miller is a beast behind the boards; the production absolutely, positively kicks ass.  It’s dark, enigmatic, and sleekly produced. The sound palette is rich and quite pleasing to the ear, even with a minor key in play. ILLENIUM co-produces alongside Devrim Karaoğlu and Rock Mafia. It totally slays.

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6. Dan + Shay, “Alone Together”

Dan + Shay • Warner Music Nashville • 2018

“I couldn’t help but notice you were sitting by yourself / Dropping limes in a Corona like you’re trying to get over somebody else…” Country music duo Dan + Shay (Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney) formed in 2012 and have managed to carve out success for themselves.  The duo has released three top-10 studio albums with Where it All Began (2014), Obsessed (2016), and the album that features the song at hand, Dan + Shay (2018).  Notably, the tight, 11-track, 35-minute self-titled LP kept the two-year gap between albums going.  Maybe more notable is that Smyers and Mooney earned their first Grammy (“Tequila”) from the album.  “Tequila” doesn’t necessarily embrace togetherness (though it could), but “Alone Together” certainly does.

“We can be blue as a neon light
Singing them sad up songs all night
We can say goodbye, just head home
But if we're gonna be alone.”

“Alone Together” makes up part of a great opening trio of songs on Dan + Shay. Specifically, “Alone Together” serves as a stellar opener – song ‘numero uno’ – characterized by its pummeling drums, rhythmic guitars, and clean and clear vocals.  The chorus shines thanks to thoughtful songwriting and great vocal chemistry, particularly the harmonies. =

“We should be alone together
Kissing over there in the corner
Where nobody else can see
Keeping each other company
We should be alone together
Leaning up against my car door
Parked outside on the street
Where it's just you and me
We should be alone together.”

7. Mike Shinoda, “Hold It Together”

Post Traumatic • Warner Bros. • 2018

“I’m just trying to hold my shit together.” It’s an old saying, but Mike Shinoda explores it superbly on “Hold It Together,” a highlight from his incredibly personal solo album, Post Traumatic. Summarizing what’s going down, he’s struggling moment by moment, specifically after the tragic loss of Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington.

“They say take it slow / But the world keeps spinning / And that I don’t control…” Interestingly, his understanding of ‘a lack of control’ seems to refer back to another record on the album, “Promises I Can’t Keep”. There he has an epiphany of sorts – he realizes that his ‘control’ and his abilities as a human being only go so far. “Hold It Together” previously appeared on the playlist 13 Songs Trying to ‘Hold’ it Together, published in June 2018.

8. Cheat Codes, “Put Me Back Together”

Ft. Kiiara

Put Me Back Together [Single] • 300 Entertainment • 2018

LA DJ trio Cheat Codes (Trevor Dahl, Kevin Ford, and Matthew Russell) enlisted pop artist Kiiara (known for “Gold”) on their enjoyable, 2018 single, “Put Me Back Together”. Focusing on Kiiara first, she is a great vocal match for the music that the trio produces on “Put Me Back Together.”  “You put your hands on my body / And you give me that ‘ooh-ooh’,” she sings on the first verse, continuing, “And I know that you got me / When I’m falling into you.” She excels in the electro-pop vibe and exhibits mad attitude.  That attitude is fueled by some profanity of course.

“You take me high when I’m dropping low
And you show me places I never know
Even when we just running ‘round town getting stoned
Boy, you put me back together again
A Coca-Cola Hennessey
Everybody says you’re no good for me
But you’re my fucked-up remedy
Boy, you put me back together again.” 

From the Cheat Codes’ perspective, there’s plenty to love about “Put Me Back Together.”  They blend more traditional pop (guitar and keyboard), with urban and electro-pop sensibilities.  The listener is blessed with hyped-up, hyper-rhythmic drums, exuberant synths, and the overall finesse of the EDM script.  The boys don’t go too eccentric, serving up a well-crafted backdrop for Kiiara to paint those aforementioned profane, but beautiful vocals on.

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9. Daley, “Alone Together”

Days & Nights • Republic • 2014

America has been blessed with a number of incredibly talented ‘British imports.’ By British imports – this being a music site and all – I am referring to British artists impacting us in America.  One of those awesome musicians who comes in quite underrated but shouldn’t’ be is Gareth Daley, better known as simply Daley.  His tenor pipes are nothing short of beautiful, something that shines like a beacon on his 2014 debut album, Days & Nights.  The song at hand – the representative for that togetherness – “Alone Together,” actually first appeared on Daley’s EP, Alone Together, in 2012.

“I can’t help but think that this doesn’t add up
I’m trying to separate the facts from all the fiction
We’re living in a world of contradictions
And if baby you’re the truth when I’m lying next to you.”

“Alone Together” ranks among the crème de la crème of Days & Nights.  Daley is paired with fellow British R&B singer Marsha Ambrosius, formerly of Floetry notoriety, not to mention being a formidable solo artist. The vocal chemistry between the two is top-notch, particularly on and following the bridge: “You’re the desert sand, I’ll be your water and you’re the perfect plan I never thought of…” Can you say ‘power duet’ – methinks.

10. Taylor Swift, “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together”

Red • Big Machine • 2012

Before Taylor Swift made it official that she was leaving country music in favor of pop (1989), she’d already began the transition on her 2012 album, Red. Yes, Red still had country music flowing through her veins, but the pop (or ‘country pop’ if you like) was much more pronounced here compared to previous albums.  One such pop record fits this togetherness embracing list, “We are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” If making the assertion “we are never getting back together” wasn’t enough, Swift makes it crystal clear that she and her ex are “never ever EVER getting back together.”

Piggybacking on the idea that Red is a transitional Taylor Swift album, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” was co-written by Swift with pop producers Max Martin and Shellback (they produce the track as well).  Naturally, the production encompasses ‘pop’ cues including a pounding beat, rhythm guitar.  It doesn’t go as far to the left as “I Knew You Were Trouble.” from the same album – it eschews dubstep and whacky synths – but this is pop music.  Swift’s vocal performance is catchy, cutesy, and playful, while the chorus specifically was among the catchiest of 2012:

“We are never, ever, ever, ever, getting back together
…You go talk to you friends talk
To my friends talk to me/but we are never, ever, ever, getting back together.”

Pop has certainly worked out for Taylor Swift, hasn’t it?

11. Mariah Carey, “We Belong Together”

The Emancipation of Mimi • Island Def Jam • 2005

Question(s): “Who else am I gonna lean on when times get rough? / Who’s gonna talk to me on the phone ‘til the sun comes up / Who’s gonna take your place? There ain’t nobody better / Oh, baby, baby, we belong together.” Really, is there any introduction needed? Mariah Carey was everywhere in 2005, experience a resurgence in popularity that many music artists only dream could happen. “We Belong Together” was a big reason for that, earning 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.  The Emancipation of Mimi gave Carey her biggest critical and commercial triumph in years following duds with Glitter (2001) and Charmbracelet (2002).

“When you left, I lost a part of me / It’s still so hard to believe / Come back, baby, please / ‘Cause we belong together.” “We Belong Together” is simply an enjoyable, well-rounded R&B break-up song.  Mariah Carey misses her man and begs him to come back because, in her eyes, they “belong together.” It’s well produced (Carey, Jermaine Dupri, and Manuel Seal) without being incredibly flashy. The production does get a lift from two samples – “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” (Bobby Womack) and “Two Occasions” (The Deele featuring Babyface). Its simplicity and straightforwardness serve it well.    The biggest selling point? The voice – marvelous!

“11 Songs That Embrace Togetherness” [Photo Credits: 300 Entertainment, Astralwerks, Big Machine, Brent Faulkner, Island Def Jam, Mariah Carey, Nick Miller, Nonesuch, Pexels, RCA, Republic, The Musical Hype,  Sony, Warner Bros., Warner Music Nashville, Zelig]

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