π§ 13 Delicious Cherry π Songs features Chromatics, FLETCHER, Lana Del Rey, PWR BTTM & Tyler, The Creator. Β
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h, cherries πππ! What a delicious, marvelous fruit π!Β On our 4th music compendium of 2022, the cherry gets it day! Thatβs right folks, weβre serving up a heaping dose of those red fruits via π§ 13 Delicious Cherry π Songs! NO CHERRY π LEFT BEHIND!The premise is simple β every song must feature cherry π /cherries π π π in the song title.Β No exceptions β those red fruits must be rewarded for their sheer excellence!Β Giving the fruits the love they deserve are π Chromatics, π FLETCHER, π Lana Del Rey (two songs), π PWR BTTM, and π Tyler, The Creator among others. So, grab a bowl of cherries π π π and check out these delicious songs!
1. FLETCHER & Hayley Kiyoko, βCherryβ
π΅ βCherryβ β’ π· Capitol β’ π 2021
On π΅ βCherryβ, π FLETCHER (Cari Fletcher) and π Hayley Kiyoko (aka Lesbian Jesus), join forces to express their desires for a particular girl. Produced by π Jonah Shy, the backdrop sets up FLETCHER and Hayley for success.Β Cari takes first blood, setting up how enticing this lady is.Β βYour lips when you bite βem like this / And Iβm blushing real hard got me moving my hips,β she sings on the first verse, adding, βYouβre across from me / And itβs hard to breathe.βΒ On the chorus, she goes on to sing, βI want you on top of me like cherry.β Ooh la la!
On the second verse, Hayley Kiyoko keeps the lustful vibe going.Β βYour bodyβs got me / Out of my mind,β she sings, continuing, βGirl, Iβm taking over / Grab your things, weβre going to paradise, paradise.β Both artists sing well, with the personality infused being the biggest selling point.Β Ultimately, they make a fabulous, formidable team.Β They do a fantastic job singing about pursuing love with a girl that makes them feel some type of way.Β Their personalities, vocals, and solid production make this two-and-a-half-minute pop cut a surefire winner.
Also appears on π½:
π π§ Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: November 2021
2. PWR BTTM, βUgly Cherriesβ
πΏ Ugly Cherries β’ π· PWR BTTM β’ π 2015
Just in case you canβt figure it out, π PWR BTTM is a stylized spelling for Power Bottom. Β Also, in case youβre unfamiliar with gay terminology/slang, there are informative articles about the role of a power bottom. Β For our purposes, what is to be understood is that PWR BTTM was a queer punk duo comprised of π Ben Hopkins and π Liv Bruce.Β The duo was βcancelled,β including being dropped from their labels, and eventually broke up. Β Sounds like an ugly ending to a talented collective, particularly the not-so-ugly song at hand, π΅ βUgly Cherriesβ (πΏ Ugly Cherries, 2015).
βUgly Cherriesβ is queer AF, and we #STAN!Β Here, Hopkins addresses their personal experiences with identity and being queer. Β Via Spin, Hopkins asserts, βItβs a confrontation: an attempt to unpack my own queerness with humor and self-care.β The gender aspect explored on βUgly Cherriesβ might be the biggest selling point and most fascinating takeaway.Β βMy girl gets scared / Canβt take him anywhere,β Ben sings, continuing, βEvery time he goes outside / He runs his mouth, and he runs and hides.β That is incredibly personal.Β Later, Hopkins again explores identity asserting, βMy girlβs so sad / Everything I do makes her mad / Cries and cries till his eyes are red / Two ugly cherries up in his head.β Β Let me be clear, I donβt condone any misconduct committed by PWR BTTM. Β I do find βUgly Cherriesβ to be a fascinating record.
3. Kacey Musgraves, βCherry Blossomβ
πΏ Star-crossed β’ π· UMG Recordings, Inc. / MCA Nashville β’ π 2021
βIβm your cherry blossom, baby / Donβt let me blow away,β π Grammy winner π Kacey Musgraves sings on the memorable chorus of π΅ βCherry Blossom.β She adds, βI hope you havenβt forgotten / Tokyo wasnβt built in a day.β Here, on another groovy joint from her fourth album, πΏ Star-crossed, Musgraves flips a beloved adage, Rome wasnβt built in a day. Worth noting, Star-crossed encompasses her divorce from singer/songwriter, π Ruston Kelly.
On βStar-crossed,β Musgraves suggests love β a relationship or marriage β takes a long-term investment to get right.Β Adding to the colorful nature of the lyrics is picturesque production.Β This soundscape helps the listener visualize the beauty of the cherry blossoms in Tokyo, Japan, as well as the beauty of a ripe, dedicated relationship.
Also appears on π½:
π π§ Cherry π: 5ive Songs No. 85 (2021)
4. The Neighbourhood, βCherry Flavouredβ
πΏ Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones β’ π· Columbia β’ π 2020
Though a bit quirky, π Jesse Rutherford and π The Neighbourhood deliver quite the alluring, charming, vibe-laden record with π΅ βCherry Flavouredβ, a promo single from the bandβs 2020 album, πΏ Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones.Β With The Neighbourhood songs, youβve got to appreciate that aesthetic and vibe are quite important.Β Thatβs the case here on βCherry Flavoured,β where we have a detuned pad and acoustic rhythm guitars that help establish a βdruggyβ sound.Β That druggy sound appears to be by design as βhighnessβ is mentioned throughout the record.
We get the first taste of βhighnessβ on the brief first verse when Jesse sings, βSweet and sour motivation / Wish I could keep concentration.β Of course, he doesnβt as the chorus addresses his unhealthy highβ¦ That said, the refrain, a distinct section that follows the post-chorus speaks of a more positive high:
βCherry flavoured conversations with you
Got me hanging on
Down to Earth from all the waiting
Take me somewhere beyond.β
Rutherford and company could be referencing fans and those who love them as opposed to potentially destructive drugs.Β The second verse is longer and more dynamic than the first, fitting given the progression of the record itself.Β Itβs followed by the chorus, post-chorus, and an abbreviated refrain.Β An outro β an about-face β closes the intriguing βCherry Flavouredβ.
Also appears on π½:
π π§ Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: August 2020
π π§ Cherry π: 5ive Songs No. 85 (2021)
5. Lana Del Rey, βCherry Blossomβ
πΏ Blue Banisters β’ π· Interscope β’ π 2021
βI push you high, cherry blossom on your sycamore tree / What you donβt tell no one, you can tell me.β Good to know π Lana Del Rey. π΅ βCherry Blossomβ appears as the penultimate song on πΏ Blue Banisters, Del Reyβs second studio album of 2021.Β Even though βCherry Blossomβ was officially released in 2021, itβs an old Del Rey song originally set to appear on her 2014 album, πΏ Ultraviolence. As always, her voice is hauntingly beautiful, while the lyrics are poetically penned.Β Del Rey wrote this stunning piano ballad alongside πΌβ π Rick Nowels.Β Del Rey and Nowels produced βCherry Blossomβ with π Barrie-James OβNeill.
There are many lyrical highlights throughout βCherry Blossom,β which references a future daughter, we presume (βAnd when youβre scared, Iβll be right here / You feel afraid, Mommy is thereβ).Β Early on, a lyric like βLittle ghost, tall, tan like milk and honeyβ catches the ears, particularly the Biblical references that come with βmilk and honey.β While you might be skeptical that Del Rey intentionally alludes to the Bible, she confirms spirituality in the songwriting in the second verse, asserting, βSwing it high like Jesus, wild and free / Dandelions in your hair baby.β The vibe is true to Del Rey with these images of the past β hippie-like, embracing freedom, liberation, and a degree of coolness.Β βCherry Blossomβ is among the better moments from Blue Banisters.
6. Harry Styles, βCherryβ π
πΏ Fine Line β’ π· Columbia β’ π 2019
π΅ βCherryβ π appears as the fifth track on πΏ Fine Line, the successful sophomore album by π Grammy winner, π Harry Styles.Β The record embraces a Brit-pop, retro pop/rock sound, a good sound for Styles.Β Two albums in, Harry continues to incorporate pop/rock musical styles of the past that are quite older than he is.
βCherryβ is another lovely, thoughtful record, all said and done. Specifically, its written about an ex-girlfriend.Β Styles sings on the chorus, βDonβt you call him βbabyβ / Weβre not talking lately,β continuing, βDonβt you call him what you used to call me.β Matters of the heart is always perfect fuel for the fire of a great record, sigh.
Also appears on π½:
π π§ 15 C Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason
π π§ Cherry π: 5ive Songs No. 85 (2021)
7. The Runaways, βCherry Bombβ
πΏ The Runaways β’ π· The Island Def Jam Music Group β’ π 1976
βHello, daddy, hello, mom / Iβm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch, cherry bomb.β Woo! Female rock collective π The Runaways had a surefire classic on their hands with π΅ βCherry Bomb,β the opener from their 1976 album, πΏ The Runaways. βHello, world, Iβm your wild girl / Iβm your ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-ch, cherry bomb.β βCherry Bombβ is brief but potent AF β an electrifying 70s rock record.
On βCherry Bomb,β the groove cooks, the guitars are ripe and rhythmic, and the vocals are assertive and commanding AF. I heart the playfulness of the vocal performance. Β You can tell that π Cherie Currie is fully invested β you buy what sheβs selling!
βBad nights causinβ teenage blues
Get down ladies, you got nothinβ to lose.β
Also, canβt fail to mention π Joan Jett was a member of The Runaways β pre π΅ βI Love Rock βN Rollβ days. All said and done, βCherry Bombβ is infectious, in-your-face, old-school, kick-ass rock-n-roll π€!
8. Chromatics, βCherryβ
πΏ Cherry β’ π· Italians Do It Better β’ π 2017
βCherry / Tells me some things I donβt want to know,β π Ruth Radelet sings, adding, βand I canβt see / A light at the end for us anymore.β Β Radelet served as the frontwoman of the electronic band, π Chromatics, which broke up in 2021. Thematically, the song and hand, π΅ βCherryβ (πΏ Cherry, 2017), explores matters of the heart.Β Here, Cherry is a character as opposed to fruit or slang.Β Specifically with those matters of the heart, Cherry seems to be struggling with a defunct relationship. A key section of the record is the chorus.Β Here, on the varied chorus, the frontwoman states all the things she βcanβtβ keep doing including βCrying all the timeβ or βCanβt keep running / All the time.β
Besides the theme and songwriting, we must highlight those lovely lead vocals by π Ruth Radelet. Radelet never over-sings, yet commands and delivers a surefire vibe. Another positive is the gorgeous, lush production by π Johnny Jewel.Β The backdrop is characterized by synths, strings, pads. The groove is magnificent, making you want to tap your foot instantly. Aesthetically, βCherryβ is utterly sublime. A thrilling four-and-a-half-minutes foβ sho!Β
9. Russ, βCherry Hillβ
πΏ Thereβs Really a Wolf β’ π· Columbia β’ π 2017
βFeelinβ lonely in this room since I was 17 / Thought this bottle was supposed to drown my memory / But Iβm still swimminβ in your vision and it’s temptinβ meβ¦β π΅ βCherry Hillβ is one of the more intriguing moments from πΏ Thereβs Really a Wolf, the debut album from do-it-all musician, π Russ. In the context of Thereβs Really a Wolf, βCherry Hillβ marks the first time that the rapper exclusively sings.Β The record has more of an experimental vibe.
βMaybe Iβm a fool
Maybe Iβm fool for you.β
Also, worth noting, βCherry Hillβ slackens the pace on Thereβs Really a Wolf and eschews profanity.Β An element of romance rears its head throughout.Β That romance is directed toward music and, you guessed it, women.
βWe should have been
What we said
When we were
At the top of Cherry Hill.β
Also appears on π½:
π π§ Cherry π: 5ive Songs No. 85 (2021)
10. Tyler, The Creator, βCherry Bombβ
πΏ Cherry Bomb β’ π· Columbia β’ π 2015
βCome and light my fire, Iβll blow your fuckinβ face off.β Well, thatβs charming π Tyler, The Creator β SAID NO ONE EVER! On π΅ βCherry Bombβ from his 2015 album, πΏ Cherry Bomb, Tyler affirms his pilot status.Β How so? Well, he spits, βN*gga, Iβm a goddamn pilot / And I decide when we gonβ take off / Letβs get it.βΒ There it is!
βCherry Bombβ is a track that is nothing short of enigmatic, dynamic, and confounding.Β Distorted beyond recognition, the harsh, unbecoming sound is obviously the vibe Tyler was going for.Β Considering the βbombβ featured within the title, it makes sense that Tyler wanted to drop a musical bomb as well.Β BOOM π₯!
11. Lana Del Rey, βCherryβ
πΏ Lust for Life β’ π· Interscope β’ π 2017
βI fall to pieces when Iβm with you.β Sigh, it is safe to say π Lana Del Rey loses her chill on π΅ βCherry,β a highlight from πΏ Lust for Life. Worth noting, this marks her second entry on π§ 13 Delicious Cherry π Songs. βLove, is it real love? / Itβs like smilinβ when the firinβ squadβs against you / And you just stay lined up.βΒ Ultimately, this moody number finds Del Rey overcome with love for him.Β Even so, she paints love as dangerous.
The chorus confirms such love. Β Something most would consider positive, was ruined:
βMy cherries and wine, rosemary and thyme
And all of my peaches are ruined.β
Of course, Lana isnβt really talking about edible cherries.
Also appears on π½:
π π§ 10 Fruitastic, Fruity Songs About Fruit
π π§ 15 Nutritious Songs About Fruit
12. KT Tunstall, βBlack Horse and The Cherry Treeβ
πΏ Eye to the Telescope β’ π· Universal Music Operations Limited β’ π 2006
βWoohoo, woohoo!β For Scottish musician π KT Tunstall, one song put her on the map during the aughts: π΅ βBlack Horse and The Cherry Tree.β Mention her name, at least here in the United States, and thatβs always the record that comes to mind. βBlack Horse and The Cherry Treeβ appears on her 2006 album, πΏ Eye to the Telescope.Β To tell you just how notable this black horse/cherry tree joint was, it earned Tunstall a π Grammy nomination.
βWell, my heart knows me better than know myself
So, Iβm gonna let it do all the talking
(Woohoo, woohoo)
I came across a place in the middle of nowhere
With a big black horse and a cherry tree.β
Tunstall penned this colorful, sub-three-minute classic on her own, while π Steve Osborne and π Andy Green work behind the boards.Β The result is an infectious, hard-to-pigeonhole song β weβll stick with the category it was nominated for by The Recording Academy, I suppose.Β KT gives a fabulous vocal performance, infused with energy and personality β a winning formula.
βAnd it said, βNo-no, no, no-no-noβ
I said, βNo, no
Youβre not the one for meβ.β
Also appears on π½:
π π§ 11 Amazing Songs Associated with Trees
π π§ Cherry π: 5ive Songs No. 85 (2021)
13. Warrant, βCherry Pieβ
πΏ Cherry Pie β’ π· Sony music Entertainment β’ π 1990Β
βSheβs my cherry pie / Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise / Tastes so good, make a grown man cry / Sweet Cherry Pie.β Yes, say β rather, sing β that π Jani Lane! The late frontman of π Warrant kills it on the groupβs big-time hit, π΅ βCherry Pie.β βI scream, you scream, we all scream for her / Donβt even try βcause you canβt ignore her.β Indeed Jani, indeed!
Hearing βCherry Pieβ makes you reminisce on the rock of the past β that glorious, 90s hard rock sound π€! The guitars rip; the sound is robust and full of life.Β Of course, the biggest achievements are those assertive vocals filled with ample personality as well as the catchy songwriting, particularly that addictive, infectious chorus.Β Beyond the chorus, thereβs are the βswinginββ verses: βSwinginβ in the living room, swinginβ in the kitchen / Most folks don’t βcause theyβre too busy bitchinβ.β Cherry pie: a delicious dessert and a fabulous, rock classic!