13 Compelling Songs Concerned with Minutes | Playlist 🎧

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.”

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!