13 Captivating Songs About Teeth | Playlist

13 Captivating Songs About Teeth features music courtesy of 100 gecs, Demi Lovato, Nelly, Perfume Genius, and Ryan Beatty.

Teeth can be sooo annoying – at least when they experience trauma. That trauma often costs a pretty penny… lots and lots of pennies… Those dentists have such an important profession. Okay, this intro is honestly going nowhere, so let’s just cut to the chase.  This playlist, a long time in the making, is about teeth. 12 of the 13 songs on 13 Captivating Songs About Teeth mention teeth explicitly in their song title.  The lone exception, an aughts rap banger, references teeth that are far more expensive than most dental procedures, hint* hint*. Musicians appearing on this musical compendium include 100 gecs, Demi Lovato, Nelly, Perfume Genius, and Ryan Beatty among others. So, without further ado, grab those grills and check out these teeth -driven gems!!! 

via GIPHY

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1. Lady Gaga, “Teeth” 

The Fame Monster (Deluxe Edition) • Interscope • 2009  

“Don’t be scared / I’ve done this before / Show me your teeth.” If you say so, Lady Gaga – We’ll take your word for it! The Fame Monster, an expansion of her breakthrough album, The Fame, had some fine songs.  One of the songs that gets slightly less attention is “Teeth”. “Teeth” is the eighth and final track of The Fame Monster, and features production by the one and only Teddy Riley. The pummeling four on the floor beat is a vibe in its own right. Beyond that, instrumentally, the rhythmic guitar, keys, and programming are sensational, giving Gaga an ill backdrop to sing over.   

Of course, Lady Gaga doesn’t waste an opportunity to get S-E-X-U-A-L! “Take a bite of my bad girl meat / Show me your teeth…” Whoa, whoa, whoa! In the second verse, at least we understand the naughtiness stems from a lack of salvation (I thought you were Catholic, Gaga).  Besides the focus on oral matters , there is also a twisted, vampirical element.  We know “My religion is you,” hence why she “Need a man, now show me your fangs.” Jesus! Looking back, Lady Gaga has grown much more mature and sophisticated than her “Teeth” days. Furthermore, she’s won an Academy Award and multiple Grammys. Still, it is still a fun, naughty pop cut.   

via GIPHY

Appears in :  

• Lady Gaga, “Teeth”: FIERCE Pop + Rock No. 22 (2023) 

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2. 100 gecs, “I Got My Tooth Removed” 

10,000 gecs • Dog Show / Atlantic • 2023  

“I Got My Tooth Removed” easily ranks among the best songs from 10,000 gecs, the 2023 sophomore album by 100 gecs ( Laura Les and Dylan Brady). “Tooth” is as outlandish as everything else that graces 10,000 gecs, beginning as a ballad. Soon enough, “I Got My Tooth Removed” turns into this cartoonish, utterly absurd record. “I got my tooth removed / And I don’t wanna talk about it,” Brady sings in the chorus. Of course, in the verses, the listener learns more about the offensive tooth. “You were man / Such an asshole,” Brady sings in the first verse, adding, “So I had to say goodbye.” Later, Laura Les sings, “My cheek swelled up twice its size / And I started attracting flies / And playing operation with a safety pin, I start to cry.” Of course, ultimately, we know what happens: “I got my tooth removed!”   

Appears in :  

• Teeth : 3 to 5 BOPS No. 32 (2023) 

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3. Demi Lovato, “Skin of My Teeth” 

HOLY FVCK • Island • 2022 

“Demi leaves rehab again / When is this shit gonna end?” Woo! HOLY FVCK, Demi Lovato! Lovato is one of the most honest musicians in the game – too honest at times…  That characteristic hasn’t changed as the Grammy-nominated musician unveils her 2022 studio album, HOLY FVCK, and lead single, “SKIN OF MY TEETH”. What has changed, however, is the style. “SKIN OF MY TEETH” finds Lovato joining so many others on the pop-punk train.  Is it successful? You bet! Lovato has both the vocal chops and biography for pop-punk.  Over the years, the nonbinary musician struggled with addiction, something that has graced many of their songs including “SKIN OF MY TEETH.” Demi is brutally honest (shocker) on the gargantuan chorus:  

“I’m alive by the skin of my teeth 

I survived, but it got harder to breathe 

Askin’ why doesn’t make it easier 

Go easier on me 

Goddamn it, I just wanna be free 

But I can’t ‘cause it’s a fuckin’ disease 

I’m alive by the skin of my—.” 

Lovato penned “SKIN OF MY TEETH” with OAK (also produces), Keith Sorrells, Laura Veltz, lil aaron, and Alex Niceforo.  Well, six writers are par for the course when it comes to songwriting these days, especially in pop.  OAK does a fantastic job, as always, assembling an awesome backdrop for the incredibly talented singer. Even with the stylistic shift, Demi can still B-L-O-W! The reasons why “SKIN OF MY TEETH” works are the theme and lyrics (addiction), high-flying vocals, electrifying production, and the artistry and personality of Demi. HOLY FVCK, count me in! 

via GIPHY

Appears in :  

• Teeth : 3 to 5 BOPS No. 32 (2023) 

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4. Ryan Beatty, “White Teeth” 

Calico • Atlantic UK / Elektra / Ryan Beatty • 2023 

“I’m not your brother / I can’t take care of you / I’ve purchased furniture in place of you.” On snap , Ryan Beatty! “White Teeth” appears as the seventh track on Calico, the third studio album by the underrated alt-pop singer/songwriter.  Notably, Beatty’s third album may be his most poetic and ‘alternative’ to date. Noted for his awesome songs about boys (he is gay), arguably, Beatty shows more range. Also, vocally, he gets better and better – more expressive and more nuanced. “Clear water, still water, we could both wade / Clear water, still water, what’s our code name?” he sings in the tuneful pre-chorus, continuing, “Stay close or go far, I’ll still wait.” Hmm, waiting on who, that seems to be question. Besides superb production (guitars, keys, and lush strings), and stupendous, authentic vocals, the songwriting is arguably the biggest selling point of “White Teeth.” Some of the most memorable lyrics hail from the chorus. “Handprint on a windowpane / Like white teeth to a red wine stain,” Beatty sings, adding, “Some left, but the right ones stay / A good end to a Saturday.” “White Teeth” ranks among the crème de la crème of Calico.  

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5. BROCKHAMPTON, “Gold Teeth” 

The Family • Question Everything, Inc. / RCA • 2022 

“Nowadays, all I wanna do is party / Getting fucked up in my hotel’s lobby.” Oh, the aspirations!  Under two minutes – specifically 1:46. That’s how long “Gold Teeth,” the third track from  The Family, lasts.  Backtracking a bit, rap collective BROCKHAMPTON disbanded in 2022.  They released two albums simultaneously, with The Family garnering more attention than TM. “Gold Teeth” is performed by Kevin Abstract with bearface handling the production. On this ‘rough around the edges’ joint, Kevin is honest about how things have changed between BROCKHAMPTON since the glory days. He asserts, “Felt the temperature change when we dropped ‘HEAT’ / Came such a long way from Corpus Christi.” Oh, the memories!  

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6. Poppy, “Bite Your Teeth” 

I DISAGREE • Sumerian • 2020 

“Bite your own teeth, bite your own teeth / Don’t cry, just bite your own teeth.” Woo! Poppy makes a bold statement with the colorful “Bite Your Teeth”.  “Bite Your Teeth” arrives as the eighth track from her 2020 album, I DISAGREE.  Stylistically, the record is primarily metal/alternative metal.  She wrote this sub-three-minute record with Zakk Cervini, Chris Greatti, and Titanic Sinclair (Cervini and Greatti also produce). “Bite Your Teeth” commences with incredibly heavy production; it’s intense to the nth degree. Those guitars roar while mammoth drums pummel. The record is also defined by its driving rhythm and metric shifts.  Poppy is aggressive vocally but also delivers a sense of poise despite the intensity.  One of the most unexpected moments of the song is the bridge, which contrasts the heaviness that dominates most of the track. Post-bridge, “Bite Your Teeth” is wild, and we wouldn’t have it any other way! RAWR!!! 

Appears in :  

• Bite: 5ive Songs No. 11 (2022) 
• BEWARE, These Songs Totally BITE! (2022) 

• Teeth : 3 to 5 BOPS No. 32 (2023) 

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7. Perfume Genius, “Teeth”  

Ugly Season • Matador • 2022 

“Kept in quiet / Held from the light / I grieve time / Lost to wilderness.”  What abstract, poetic, and thoughtful lyricism, sigh. On his 2022 album, Ugly Season, Perfume Genius (aka Mike Hadreas) was unafraid to be daring and experimental – Kudos .  On “Teeth”, the third track from Ugly Season, Hadreas excels doing his own thing, yielding gorgeous, nonconformist, un-pop results. Stylistically, “Teeth” encompasses art pop, with elements of classical and jazz. There is minimalism firmly in play, but also, a high level of sophistication. Among the instruments that appear are chimes (!), clarinet, and saxophone.  As alluring as the arrangement, production, and songwriting are, Hadreas’ falsetto is equally breathtaking. Listening to “Teeth,” it is clear the listener is experiencing something free and truly hypnotic. “What images return to me?”  That is a legitimate question, Mike.  

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8. brakence, “teeth”  

hypochondriac • Columbia • 2022 

“I’ve been tryin’ to breathe / Stayin’ up past five, grindin’ my teeth / Uh, I made a couple of beats / Then the whole ‘net started capturin’ me.” Perfume Genius (Mike Hadreas) isn’t the only artist on 13 Captivating Songs About Teeth that ‘does his own thing.’  Of course, Hadreas is in his 40s. The handsome and talented brakence (Randy Findell), a college dropout, is a Gen Z-er who ‘beats to his own drum.’ Falling in the alternative pop realm, Findell dabbles in the electronic, experimental, glitchy, hyperpop space. “teeth”, the fourth track from his 2022 album, hypochondriac, perfectly captures his brand of music and who he is.  

The lyrics are introspective, drenched in emo sensibilities. A prime example: “This shit so overwhelming / … Fightin’ for my will like the ring is Elden, fuckin’ hell, man.” Woo! As brakence has built a following, he is experiencing the anxiety and stress of fame and meeting/exceeding expectations musically. Notably, in the second verse, he asserts, “I hit control, alt, delete / And yet, I can’t stop manufacturing heat / It’s the rapture of the beast, you can’t grasp it in the least.” Um, sure, Randy. We get some perfection and Biblical vibes mixed in there.  He does make some interesting points, including desiring genuine friendships and relationships: “She say she wanna be my best friend / But I can’t hang around no yes-men.” “Teeth” closes with a bang with a heaping dose of glitch and intentional instability.  Yep, those crooked teeth are perfectly soundtracked.  

via GIPHY

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9. YoungBoy Never Broke Again, “Diamond Teeth Samurai” 

Until Death Call My Name • Never Broke Again, LLC • 2018 

“Used to be broke but now I’m rich, I’m spendin’ every penny / 2Pac Shakur, ridin’ through the North up in the Bentley / Curtis Jackson, ain’t no actin’ when I’m on a mission / Tryna assassinate my character, I ain’t say I did it.” YoungBoy Never Broke Again brings toughness on “Diamond Teeth Samurai,” a highlight from Until Death Call My Name.  A relatively brief number, he is electrifying with his sick flow and hard-nosed, unapologetic rhymes.  This is obvious at the top of the first verse: “Whole lotta killin’, Helter Skelter like I’m Charles Manson / These niggas hatin’ now keep that hammer, all these diamonds dancin’.” The second verse maintains toughness, referencing the shallower things in life (“…all-white Porsche wit Fee ridin’ through Hollygrove”) as well as the police.  The chorus, excerpted at the top, continues:   

“Nigga, you got that yayo? (Well cook somethin’ nigga) 

Nigga, you let them Ks go? (Well bust somethin’ nigga) 

Oh, you duckin’ them laws? (You better run from them nigga) 

Oh, you playin’ with that raw? (Well look here, front some nigga).”  

“Diamond Teeth Samurai” is a banger.  Great, minor-key production helps to fuel YoungBoy’s fire.   

Appears in :  

• 11 Songs Focused on Diamonds (2019) 

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10. Kali Uchis, “Your Teeth in my Neck” 

Isolation • Universal Music Operations Limited • 2018 

“What do you do it for? / Rich man keeps getting richer, taking from the poor.” Well, unfortunately, Kali Uchis, that’s how the world works, and it totally sucks.  The good news is, on “Your Teeth in My Neck” ( Isolation, 2018), the groove is infectious – simply irresistible! One thing that stands out is the fact that Uchis taps into her Colombian roots, exhibiting ample personality. The personality is warranted given the real talk she spits. Uchis provides commentary on the music industry, especially how it often takes advantage of naïve, up-and-coming artists.  “I’ve been working so hard just to give you more,” she sings in the first pre-chorus.  Of course, the larger commentary goes to greed exhibited, hence, why “It’s your teeth in my neck.” The second verse features a very emotional, thought-provoking lyrical moment: “Kill us all off, they’d take our worth they pay us dirt.”  “Your Teeth in My Neck” is a call to action: pay us what we’re worth and stop being so damn greedy!  

via GIPHY

Appears in :  

• Neck: 5ive Songs No. 65 (2022) 
• Teeth : 3 to 5 BOPS No. 32 (2023) 

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11. 5 Seconds of Summer, “Teeth”  

CALM • Interscope • 2020 

“Sometimes, you’re a stranger in my bed / Don’t know if you love me or you want me dead.” Woah, woah, WOAH!  The script of the energetic “Teeth” encompasses the extremes of love.  “Teeth” appears as the fifth track off CALM, the fourth studio album by Australian pop collective, 5 Seconds of Summer. “Some days, you’re the best thing in my life / Sometimes, when I look at you, I see my wife,” 5SOS sings, continuing, “Then you turn into somebody I don’t know / And you push me away, push me away, yeah.” Sometimes it’s great, while other times, as Luke Hemmings sings so convincingly, you “Don’t know if [you’re] gonna make it out alive.” Where do those ‘teeth’ come into play though? That would be the chorus, where the Hemmings and company assert, “Talk so pretty, but your heart got teeth.” 

via GIPHY

Appears in : 

• 15 T Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason (2020)  
• Teeth : 3 to 5 BOPS No. 32 (2023) 

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12. Lorde, “White Teeth Teens” 

Pure Heroine • Republic • 2013 

“We wouldn’t be seen dead here in the day / I guess you’re lucky that it’s dark now… take a shot now…” On “White Teeth Teens” ( Pure Heroine, 2013), Grammy-winning musician Lorde transcends the literal, making references to battle, including the excerpt from verse one.  Another example hails from the second verse: “I like your reckoning, but we got our methods / And there’s nothing here to stop…” The bridge confirms that the battle is social:  “I’ll let you in on something big / I am not a white teeth teen / I tried to join but never did / …Their molars blinking like lights, in the underpass where we all sit / And do nothing and love it.” Um, K…   

Appears in :  

• Sweet 6Teen: 16 Teenage Songs (2018)  

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13. Nelly, “Grillz” (Ft. Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp)  

Sweatsuit • UMG Recordings, Inc. • 2005  

“Rob the jewelry store and tell ‘em, ‘Make me a grill’!” WOO! Ah, what better way to cap off 13 Captivating Songs About Teeth than with a certified aughts rap classic. “Grillz” ascended to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2006, spending two weeks in the penthouse and charting for 28 weeks. This marked the fourth and final no. 1 single by Midwest pop-rap extraordinaire, Nelly. At one time, Nelly was one of rap’s biggest stars, with 14 top-10 hits to his name.  While “Grillz” doesn’t threaten the dominant “Dilemma” (featuring Kelly Rowland) or “Hot in Herre” for top honors, it is a surefire, unforgettable banger about teeth!  

Well, it goes beyond the teeth, but those grills are crucial .  Nelly asserts in the first verse, “I got like platinum and white rose, traditional gold / I’m changin’ grills every day, Like Jay change clothes.”  Woo! Expectedly, Nelly informs us “My grandmama hate it, but my lil mama love it.” Paul Wall gets in on the action in the second verse – remember he had a run when that Houston rap was thriving? He brags, “I got my mouth lookin’ something like a disco ball / I got the diamonds and the ice all hand set / I might cause a cold front if I take a deep breath.” Gah-day-ummm! ICED OUT! Can’t leave out Ali & Gipp, either! Notably, Ali spits, “Got a bill in my mouth like I’m Hillary Rodhman” ! Of course, over lit Jermaine Dupri production, it is the chorus that shines brightest, with the help of Brandi Williams joining Nelly and Paul Wall:  

Williams: Smile for me, daddy  

Nelly: Woo, what you looking at? Uh
Williams: Let me see your grill  

Nelly: Let you see my what?
Williams: Ya, ya grill (Uh), ya, ya, ya grill
Nelly/Wall: Rob the jewelry store and tell ‘em, ‘Make me a grill.’  

“Grillz” speaks for itself. BANGER!  

via GIPHY

Appears in : 

• Nelly, “Grillz”: Rap BNGRZ No. 17 (2023) 

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13 Captivating Songs About Teeth [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic UK / Elektra / Ryan Beatty, Columbia, Interscope, Island, Matador, Never Broke Again, LLC, Question Everything, Inc. / RCA, Republic, Show Dog / Atlantic, Sumerian, UMG Recordings, Inc., Universal Music Operations Limited; Andrea Piacquadio, Anna Shvets, Sadman Chowdhury, Shiny Diamond via Pexels]

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