13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes

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13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes features Demi Lovato, JAY-Z, Taylor Swift, Teddy Swims, & Years & Years.

econds turn into MINUTES! MINUTES turn into hours! Hours turn into days! Days turn into months! Months turn into years! Okay, okay – you get the point! This 9^th compendium published in the year of our Lord 2022 is all about T-I-M-E. Specifically, the focus is the word in all caps and boldface: MINUTES! Every song featured in

13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes has one thing in common – the word minute in some form or fashion is featured in the song title.

13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes features rad tunes courtesy of Demi Lovato, JAY-Z, Taylor Swift, Teddy Swims, and Years & Years among others. In addition to the country, pop, and rap represented by that list, 13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes also bring some alternative, classic pop/rock, and singer/songwriter songs to the mix. So, without further ado or delay, won’t you check out this minute-fueled, compelling playlist!

1. Years & Years, “20 Minutes”

Night Call • Polydor • 2022

On “20 Minutes,” Olly Alexander aka Years & Years desires to experience a moment of love, #Mary J. Blige. There are clearly mixed messages. Alexander claims he doesn’t want a new friend tonight yet he’s lonely. Furthermore, he’s skeptical about falling in love, yet is falling for this person simultaneously.

“You’re the most beautiful creature

I feel something between me and you.”

While Alexander seems unsure of himself, what he wants, and what should or shouldn’t happen, it makes sense considering how confusing and unpredictable love can be. “20 Minutes,” ultimately, is another winning moment from his 2022 album, Night Call.

2. Demi Lovato, “15 Minutes”

Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over • Island • 2021

Grammy-nominated pop artist Demi Lovato returned in 2021 with their seventh studio album, Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over. Dancing with the Devil follows some well documented rough times, which they’ve never shied away from sharing – understatement. “15 Minutes” marks a standout, personal record from Lovato.

“15 Minutes” commences with an awesome groove. I love the playful assertive personality that Demi shows on this record about their ex, Max Ehrich. “Tried to turn my friends into friends of the past,” she bites in the first verse, continuing, “Always puttin’ you first, could’ve been your future / But you didn’t even care about me like that.” Oh snap! This is the perfect track allowing Lovato to show their powerful, rousing vocals. They don’t hold back delivering some of their most spirited ad-libs and runs of the entire album. The chorus, in all its glory, is the centerpiece:

“’Cause you were looking for fifteen minutes, yeah

And now you got fifteen minutes, yeah

Pack your stuff, you can come and get it, yeah (Hahaha)

Ain’t goodbye but it’s good riddance

You got fifteen minutes

Hope you enjoy your fifteen minutes.”

3. Taylor Swift, “All Too Well (10-Minute Version)”

Red (Taylor’s Version) • Taylor Swift • 2021

Taylor Swift is one of the savviest businesswomen in the game, ensuring she gets the proper compensation and the rights to her music. Few artists could re-record an album and receive significant success. Swift did so twice in 2021, releasing Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and more recently, Red (Taylor’s Version). Among the most rewarding aspects of these re-recorded LPs has been the nostalgia, particularly revisiting the days when Swift was a country musician exclusively. One of the best instances of recapturing the past and incorporating the present is the fabulous, expanded “All Too Well (10 Minute Version).” Honestly, it takes skill to make a 10-minute song successful. Swift – well – she possesses those skills!

The original version and the shorter “All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)”, are strong. That said, “All Too Well (10 Minute Version)” is EPIC – a juggernaut to say the least! What stands out most is what makes Taylor Swift elite – her songwriting. Yes, her voice sounds great, but it’s her pen – the lyrics – that shine. Verse after verse on this expanded version, Swift unleashes greatness. Furthermore, back in 2012, would we ever expect to hear the clean-cut Swift dare utter “And you were tossing me the keys / ‘Fuck the patriarchy’ / Key chain on the ground, we were always skipping town?” Those lyrics rank among my favorites. Of course, the chorus and its variations are the centerpiece – catchy and memorable to the n^th degree.

“‘Cause there we are again in the middle of the night

We’re dancing ‘round the kitchen in the refrigerator light

Down the stairs, I was there

I remember it all too well.”

Appears in :
Best Songs of 2021: Top 20

4. XXXTENTACION, “One Minute” (Ft. Kanye West)

SKINS • Bad Vibes Forever / EMPIRE • 2018

“One minute, one minute, gone / One minute, and the next one’s mine!” “One Minute” is the sole song on SKINS – the posthumously released album by XXXTENTACION – to feature a guest. The one and only Kanye West appears on this three-minute track, the longest on SKINS. Notably, XXX handles the excerpted, punk-driven hook, screaming to the top of his lungs. Otherwise, this rap-rock number belongs to West.

Mr. West has lots to say throughout the sole verse. The rhymes are wild, as to be expected – you never know where Ye’s head is! One rhyme that stands out is sexually charged toward the end, not to mention referencing charges against XXXTENTACION:

“She wanna give you the cookie, you Famous Amos

She gave you the pussy, but you ain’t pay for the anus

Now your name is tainted, by the claims they paintin’

The defendant is guilty, no one blames the plaintiff…”

“One Minute” is some trip!

5. Dean Lewis, “7 Minutes”

A Place We Knew • Island • 2019

“It’s been seven minutes now since I’ve lost my way / It doesn’t seem that long but my whole world has changed.” Wow! Australian singer/songwriter Dean Lewis shines on A Place We Knew, his 2019 debut album. A Place We Knew is dominated by love and heartbreak. A prime example is the ‘minute’ record, “7 Minutes,” where Lewis speaks on the infamous plight of love.

“Radio’s playing songs for me and you

‘Chasing Cars’ reminds me of nights in your room

Drinking wine under your window, back when life was so damn simple

How the hell did I end up losing you?”

In “7 Minutes,” Lewis struggles to get her out of his mind. He asserts he’s the one to blame for the end of the relationship – “I forgot to love you, love you.” Despite the struggles he shares throughout the record, there’s no struggle whatsoever regarding the song itself. “7 Minutes” is well-penned, well-performed, and well-rounded. The rhythm of the acoustic guitar is heavy-handed yet wouldn’t trade that glorious sound for the world.

6. Teddy Swims, “Love for a Minute”

Tough Love • SWIMS Int. / Warner • 2022

“You told me, I was crazy / Your stories, kept on changing / I hate that I’m still hangin’ on to you.” Not all musicians start out the same way. Atlanta, Georgia singer/songwriter Teddy Swims (Jaten Dimsdale) got his start via YouTube. Eventually, this “chameleon soul” ended up with a record deal which is rad, to say the least. In 2022, Swims released a new EP, Tough Love, featuring the ‘minute’ song, “Love for a Minute.”

On “Love for a Minute,” the love hasn’t worked out for Teddy. We’ve all been there, of course. “Would’ve never thought you could be so toxic,” he sings in the pre-chorus, adding, “Go, my darling, oh my darling.” Swims goes on to sing in the chorus, “I felt like love for a minute / Then you fucked up yeah, you did it / I’ll never fool myself again.” Ultimately, Swims sings beautifully and expressively on “Love for a Minute,” serving up a mix of full-bodied vocals and ripe falsetto. We clearly feel the pain of the plight of L-O-V-E, that’s for sure!

7. Bruce Springsteen, “One Minute You’re Here”

Letter to You • Bruce Springsteen • 2020

“Big black train comin’ down the track / Blow your whistle long and long,” Grammy-winning rock icon Bruce Springsteen sings on “One Minute You’re Here.” “One Minute You’re Here” serves as the opener of his fine 2020 album, Letter to You. Mr. Springsteen continues the first verse, singing, “One minute you’re here / Next minute you’re gone,” the titular lyric. Furthermore, the line recurs throughout the course of the song.

On “One Minute You’re Here,” Bruce remembers and laments those he’s lost in his life. He doesn’t mention his close musical colleagues who have passed on by name, but clearly, he’s in recollective, reminiscent mode. The lyrics are beautifully and thoughtfully penned – incredibly poetic. All in all, The Boss keeps things simple, but it’s an incredibly effective start to Letter to You.

8. Jay-Z, “4:44”

4:44 • Roc Nation • 2017

In 2017, Jay-Z returned following a four-year hiatus. Prior to 4:44, he’d release Magna Carta Holy Grail in 2013. While Magna Carta Holy Grail had its moments, it was one of his weakest, least memorable albums. The same can’t be said of 4:44, which lacked clear-cut radio hits, but is better for it due to being personal with more substance than most of the albums in his discography.

“4:44” features one of the most awesome samples of the album, courtesy of British soul singer Hannah Williams & the Affirmations ( “Late Nights & Heartbreak”). Notably, Kim Burrell provides additional vocals, which fit seamlessly into the music. Interestingly, the title track was conceived at 4:44 A.M. While the production and overall sound are radiant, the message is truly ear catching. Jay-Z apologizes to Beyoncé for his infidelity – starting from the opening tip.

“Look, I apologize, often womanize

Took for my child to be born, see through a woman’s eyes

Took for these natural twins to believe in miracles

Took me too long for this song, I don’t deserve you.”

Ultimately, “4:44” is the crown jewel – the crème de la crème.

Appears in :
10 Intriguing Measurement, Quantification Songs

9. Scotty McCreery, “Five More Minutes”

Seasons Change • Triple Tigers • 2018

“Wish I had me a pause button / Moments like those, Lord knows I’d hit it / Give myself five more minutes.” “Five More Minutes”, a highlight from Seasons Change, packs a punch, thanks to its depth and substance. Deep-voiced American Idol winner and country singer Scotty McCreery essentially reminisces back to the ‘good ole days,’ further evidenced in the accompanying music video.

Specifically, “Five More Minutes” is a song dedicated to McCreery’s grandfathers.

“At eighty-six, my grandpa said

There’s angels in the room

With all the family gathered ‘round

We knew that time was coming soon

With so much left to say I prayed

Lord, I ain’t finished

Just give us five more minutes.”

Fittingly, he sounds mature vocally, delivering this well-rounded, memorable joint with authenticity.

Appears in :
10 Songs That Go Strictly by the Numbers

10. YUNGBLUD, “11 Minutes” (Ft. Halsey & Travis Barker)

“11 Minutes” • Geffen • 2019

“I’m 11 minutes away and I have missed you all day / I’m 11 minutes away, so why aren’t’ you here?” If you’re in need of a totally ambitious record in your life, “11 Minutes” might be the perfect song for you. Colorful British alternative artist YUNGBLUD (Dominic Harrison) collaborates with Halsey and Travis Barker (drums) on this unique record. Halsey is the first voice we hear. After singing the intro (the eventual chorus), she sings the first verse, unleashing a love-centric theme: “You stain all on my body like you’re red wine / You’re the fuckin’ acid to my alkaline / You run your middle finger up and down my spine / I’m sorry there was no one to apologize.”

Woo! YUNGBLUD enters during the second half of the verse with his heavy British accent. He he responds to her statements with both playing unique characters within the narrative. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry, I’m so fuckin’ sorry / I’ve been playing somebody and it’s helping nobody,” he sings, continuing, “And her lipstick arithmetic didn’t stick / And now I’m stick, throwing fits….” Continuing this ‘back and forth,’ in the chorus, Halsey sings the first half, while YUNGBLUD echoes on the second. She follows with a distinctly different second verse. Later, YUNGBLUD performs the bridge, leaving the outro to Halsey. Ultimately, “11 Minutes” is an ambitious, left-of-center record that’s interesting.

11. Madonna, “4 Minutes” (Ft. Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)

Hard Candy • Warner • 2008

In 2008, Madonna proved that she still had a big-time, pop hit under her belt. To be fair, Madge had nothing to prove at that point in her career to be fair, but it’s impressive she still found relevancy atop the pop charts in the late aughts. She collaborated with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland with the result being the infectious single, “4 Minutes” ( Hard Candy, 2008).

Timbaland sets the tone on the surefire pop bop, which he and Timberlake produced alongside his associate, Danja: “I’m outta time, and all I got is four minutes / Fikki, fikki, four minutes, aye.” AYE indeed! From there, Madonna and JT take the reins in the first verse, trading fun lines. The case is the same in the second verse. The fun doesn’t end there, as both continue to ignite the spark in the pre-chorus, chorus, and post-chorus sections.

“Time is waiting

We only got four minutes to save the world

No hesitating

Grab a boy, then grab a girl

Time is waiting

We only got four minutes to save the world

No hesitating

We only got four minutes, heh, a-four minutes.”

Notably, Madonna Justin Timberlake, and Timbaland were nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 51^st Annual Grammy Awards. On the Billboard Hot 100, “4 minutes” peaked at no. 3 – fabulous!

12. Shelley FKA DRAM, “In A Minute / In House”

Big Baby DRAM • EMPIRE / Atlantic • 2016

Before changing his name and tweaking his style, singer Shelley FKA DRAM was known simply as DRAM. His 2016 debut album, fittingly, was titled Big Baby DRAM. The crowning achievement from Big Baby DRAM was his Grammy-nominated, top-10 hit, “Broccoli”, an infectious, melodic rap record. Even so, Big Baby has other, less appreciated gems, including “In A Minute / In House.”

“We ain’t X and O in a minute

I think I want you to come over, tonight

You say that you are celibate

Well, let’s celebrate the first time you

Get this pipe.”

Bitmoji Image HOLY F#CKING MOLY! Safe to say that this two-part juggernaut is drenched in S-E-X. Besides the excerpted chorus from “In A Minute,” Shelley continues to express his urges – his sexual motives. He asserts: “In a minute, I’ll give your ass a little slap / In a minute, cause I know you like it like that.” Well, dayum! He also wants us to know, “My dick’s official,” and that “You don’t know what the fuck you been missing / I done learned like 8 new positions.” Ooh-wee! “In House,” the second part, is slower, more enigmatic in quality. The vibe remains sexually driven but adds drugs to the mix – GREAT!

“Weed, got that in the house

Lean, got that in the house

Bitches, got that in the house

I wish I was back in my house

… I wanna be home, to the tender lovin’ darling baby.”

What a song!

13. The Doobie Brothers, “Minute by Minute”

Minute by Minute • Warner • 1978

“‘Cause minute by minute by minute by minute / I’ll be holding on.” Yes, yes, YES! We close out this minute-driven musical compendium courtesy of a blue-eyed soul, pop/rock classic, “Minute by Minute!” Face it, The Doobie Brothers oozed with soul, particularly when my boy Michael McDonald was part of the group before focusing on his solo career. With no shortage of classics, among the best, this collective is undoubtedly the superbly penned ( Lester Abrams and McDonald) “Minute by Minute”, the title track from their 1978 classic album.

“You think I’m your fool / Well, you may just be right…” On the Billboard Hot 100, “Minute by Minute” peaked at a respectable no. 14 – that’s a hit, y’all! Furthermore, the record earned The Doobie Brothers one of their two Grammys: Best Pop Vocal Performance. Worth noting, their biggest hit, “What a Fool Believes” would earn them a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and the more prestigious Grammy: Record of the Year. What makes “Minute by Minute” so awesome? While that soulful electric piano and groove go a long way, I’d argue it’s McDonald’s one-of-a-kind soulful pipes leading the charge, as well as the memorable songwriting.

“Hey, don’t worry, I’ve been lied to

I’ve been here many times before

Girl, don’t you worry, I know where I stand

I don’t need this love, I don’t need your hand

I know I could turn, blink, and you’d be gone

Then I must be prepared any time to carry on.”

#CLASSIC!

13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes [: Atlantic, Bad Vibes Forever, Bitmoji, Brent Faulkner, Bruce Springsteen, EMPIRE, Geffen, Island, Karolina Grabowska, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Polydor, ROCKETMANN TEAM, Roc Nation, SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS, SWIMS Int., Taylor Swift, Triple Tigers, Warner]

13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes | Playlist

Published by the musical hype on January 31, 2022January 31, 2022