13 Little or Small Songs That Transcend Size features music courtesy of 6LACK, Florida Georgia Line, Mac Miller, Maggie Rogers, and Regina Spektor. Ā
According to country singer Joe Nichols, āHeāll feel her world with laughter / Size matters, size matters.ā The question is, does size really matter? On this particular playlist, not so much.Ā All of the songs on 13 Little or Small Songs That Transcend Size feature either the word little or small in their respective title. That said, the songs themselves clearly transcend size, at least in regard to quality.Ā Musicians contributing to this little/small-centric playlist include 6LACK (āPretty Little Fearsā), Florida Georgia Line (āSmall Townā), Mac Miller (āSmall Worldsā), Maggie Rogers (āGive a Littleā), and Regina Spektor (āSmall Bill$ā) among others.
1. Maggie Rogers, āGive A Littleā
Heard It in a Past Life ā¢ Capitol ā¢ 2019
āIf you would open up your heart / Drop your weapons, drop your guard / Just a little trust is all it takesā¦ā Maggie Rogers ā That NYU student who once caught Pharrell Williamsā attention for her single, āAlaskaā ā commences her full-length debut album, Heard It in a Past Life, with a bang with āGive a Little.ā From the onset, the groove is driving and absolutely infectious to the nth degree.Ā Rogers delivers commanding vocals without ever coming close to over-singing ā cool, yet also has ample āoomph.ā Rogers keeps the melody on the verses relatively simple, with multiple repeated notes ā just an observation!
The best moment of āGive a Littleā comes by way of the chorus.
āBut if you give a little, get a little Maybe we could get to know each other Give a little, get a little, give a little And if you give a little, get a littleā¦ā
Yeah, itās repetitive, but infectious.
2. Florida Georgia Line, āSmall Townā
Canāt Say I Aināt Country ā¢ Big Machine ā¢ 2019
āI bet you been sittinā on a John Deere tractor / Bet you been fishinā with an old cane pole / Been cow-tippinā in a big green pasture / Burned up a clutch on a red dirt roadā¦ā Okayā¦ In the context of Canāt Say I Aināt Country, the fourth studio album by country duo Florida Georgia Line, āSmall Townā continues the countrification, or at least the confirmation of such.Ā This is a popular topic in country music, so much so that itās become clichĆ©.Ā Thatās the case on āSmall Townā which is harmless and inoffensive, yet nothing ābrand-newā in concept.
The guitars are souped-up, the twang full-throttle, and the melodic lines chocked-full of rhythm.Ā Maybe the most āinnovativeā aspect is the rap, or pseudo-rap.Ā Does FGL have bars? Umā¦ weāll leave that alone. Ā The key reason why āSmall Townā made this list? Well, it features the world āsmallā in its title, so, it meets the criteria.Ā The chorus continues as follows:
āHomegrown twist, a pinch of tobacco Shiner Friday night, the sun settinā real slow In the parking lot with the party crowd Little bit of love in the truck way out If youāre pickinā up what I'm puttinā down You might be from a small town You might be from a small town.ā
3. Alessia Cara, āA Little Moreā
The Pains of Growing ā¢ Def Jam ā¢ 2018
Grammy-winning pop/R&B artist Alessia Cara keeps it brief and stripped onĀ āA Little Moreā, which appears on her underrated sophomore album, The Pains of Growing. Just about two-and-half-minutes in length, sheās accompanied chiefly by electric guitar, pads and textures, and background vocals. Naturally, thereās an intimacy and simplicity about the record, which is appropriate given the theme ā getting closer with her boo.Ā While sheās not working with an array of sounds to ornament her voice, save for the more dynamic ending, she delivers absolutely stunning vocals.Ā Her ability to deliver with authenticity and honesty is her biggest selling point, particularly with this uncomplicated little ditty.
āHey you Hey, Mister knock on my door Iām sorry that Iāve been emotions galore Am I crazy for wanting a little bit more?ā
4. 6LACK, āPretty Little Fearsā
Ft. J. Cole
East Atlanta Love Letter ā¢ Interscope ā¢ 2018
āShe know my stick nothing but magic babe / I be swinging it back and forth, ātil you in your casket, bae, mm.ā Confident, freaky, and just plumb nasty 6LACK, but also one of the most memorable lines from āPretty Little Fears,ā a highlight from East Atlanta Love Letter.Ā While 6LACKās game as the lead artist is intriguing on this song, the deepest lyrics hail from J. Cole.Ā On his guest verse, J. Cole is chocked-full of dedication, rapping, āYou the flower that I gotta protect / To keep alive in the winter time, aye, donāt you die yet.āĀ Sweet.
Going back to 6LACK, his chorus, sung somewhat stoically, is also worth mentioning.
āNow I just wanna know Donāt you sugarcoat Iāll say it all if you wonāt Now could you tell me like it is? Pretty little fears Music to my ears.āĀ Ā
āPretty Little Fearsā appeared on previous playlists 15 Beautiful, Gorgeous, or Pretty Songs and Songs Centered on Fear.
5. MGMT, āLittle Dark Ageā
Little Dark Age ā¢ Columbia ā¢ 2018
In 2018, after nearly a five-year hiatus,Ā alternative duo MGMT (Andrew VanWyngardenĀ andĀ Ben Goldwasser) dropped their fourth studio album,Ā Little Dark Age. Among the crĆØme de la crĆØme of Little Dark Age is the title track, āLittle Dark Ageā, which was originally released in Fall 2017.
āLittle Dark Age,ā commences with alluring, mysterious synths, which serve as the pre-cursor to a sick, infectious, alt-pop groove.Ā The production is arguably, the best feature of the record.Ā Even so, vocally, VanWyngarden quickly proves he hasnāt missed a beat, sounding as tuned-in as ever. Throughout āLittle Dark Ages,ā he compellingly delivers the āfrightening,ā poetic lyrics.Ā Adding to his effectiveness is the vocal production. While he doesnāt force things, VanWyngarden sounds more assertive compared to the past, which suits the lyrical content and theme.
6. Mac Miller, āSmall Worldsā
Swimming ā¢ Warner Bros. ā¢ 2018
āNo need for shame, I get more peace at slow speeds.ā āSmall Worldsā is a highlight from Swimming, the final studio album from the late, Grammy-nominated rapper, Mac Miller (1992 ā 2018). Ā āSmall Worldsā was one of three singles released prior to the album and was the only one to make the album. Ā Mac Millerās nonchalant, chilled-out attitude is quite effective.Ā Beyond his mellowness, he has a superb backdrop to work with, in all its soulful glory.
The old-school production is representative of soulful sounds of Pennsylvania and the East Coast rap sound. Like āWhatās the Useā, āSmall Worldsā is hypnotic, feeling and sounding āfaded.ā There is notable a change of pace within the last minute, where heās accompanied by piano and finger snaps, while his rhymes pack a bit more punch.Ā Thereās plenty to dig about āSmall Worlds,ā including a distinct golf/sex reference:
āShe say that I glow below the waist And a stroke is just so PGA.ā
7. Maroon 5, āThree Little Birdsā
Three Little Birds [Single] ā¢Ā Interscope ā¢Ā 2018
āDonāt worry / About a thing / Every little thingās gonna be alright.ā In 2018, Grammy-winning pop collective Maroon 5 traded modern-, urban-pop for reggae (Note: this occurred long before frontman Adam Levine would take off his horrid looking tank at the Super Bowl to show his ripped, tatted bod).Ā No, the band didnāt record a reggae original. Instead, they covered the Bob Marley classic, āThree Little Birdsā. On āThree Little Birds,ā Maroon 5 āhandle businessā effectively. Ā While Maroon 5 does Bob Marley justice, itās safe to say this spirited, solidly executed cover doesnāt trump the original, no matter how successfully Levine channels his inner Marley.
8. Dustin Lynch, āSmall Town Boyā
Current Mood ā¢ Broken Bow ā¢ 2017
Tennessee country artist Dustin Lynch amps up the southern charm on āSmall Town Boyā, the second single from his third album, Current Mood. āSmall Town Boyā has ample pros.Ā First and foremost, it plays directly to his southern roots.Ā Rather than trying to employ the modern bag of country tricks ā rather pop tricks ā Lynch keeps it country. Ā Heās southern, heās from a small town, and thatās whatĀ sheĀ wants.Ā Not only is that whatĀ sheĀ wants, but for the traditional country audience, thatās whatĀ theyĀ want too.Ā Perhaps itās clichĆ©, evenĀ platitudinous, but isnāt southern charm andĀ southern-ness huge in country music?Ā Thatās rhetorical by the way.
The chorus is a huge selling point:
āShe loves a small-town boy like me Sheās my ride or die baby Sheās my cool, sheās my crazy Sheās my laid back in the front seat Sheās my with me to the end girl Iām turning it up to ten, girl She can have anybody that she wants Or be anywhere she wants to be She loves a small-town boy like me.ā
Of course, Dustin, thereās lots of girls that feel that way, and plenty of guys who envy you. Just saying!
9. Token, āLittle Boyā
Little Boy [Single] ā¢ Token ā¢ 2017
āAye, younginā with a little bit of fame, Iām prayinā / It donāt mess me up, I need to tone it down / Yeah, fuck it, fucked around and did some shit in Amsterdam / Iāll probly never tell a soul about.ā On his infectious singleĀ āLittle Boyā, up-and-coming Massachusetts rapper Token showcases a flow thatās nothing short of irresistible.Ā āLittle Boyā isnāt his debut single, but, itās certainly an attention-getter.Ā The first thing to note about āLittle Boyā is the production, which is hot, fueling the young rapperās fire.Ā It has ābangerā written all over it, thanks to the quirky, extraterrestrial synths and slick, anchoring drums.Ā Once Token begins rapping, heās on autopilot.Ā His flow is tight, while his rhymes are chocked-full of confidence, game, swagger ā the works.
Thereās not much substanceĀ in his rhymes, but the killer instinct provides atonement. The hook is fire.
āShit changed, you aināt, no, no (little boy) Car fast, life fast, donāt slow (little boy) She fast, cash fast, donāt dope (little boy) Stone cold, hot, hot, tsst, tsst (little boy) Oh, shit! God damn! What? (little boy) Whatās that? Aw, man! What? (little boy) ā¦ā
10. Jidenna, āLittle Bit Moreā
The Chief ā¢ Epic ā¢ 2017
Initially, whenĀ āLittle Bit MoreāĀ was released, it felt a bit underwhelming.Ā Contextually, the record is more alluring.Ā The production is a pro, fitting the consistent international music cues appearing throughoutĀ The Chief.Ā Is āLittle Bit Moreā the second coming? No, but respectable.
Take one listen to Jidennaās latest single āLittle Bit Moreā and itās clear that a certain artist is being emulated.Ā That artist would be Drake.Ā Many of Drakeās records mix various styles and oscillate between rapping and singing or pop-rapping.Ā Thatās exactly what Jidenna does here ā dance, pop, hip-hop, anchored with tropical sensibility via the groove. From a production standpoint, to quote La Shun Pace, āAll Things Working.ā Yeah, she was referring to God, but in this instance, the man above blessed the boards (great synth work).Ā While the production is a mark in Jidennaās favor, the song itself is okay at best.Ā Even though there are pros, one of the cons is distinctiveness.Ā āLittle Bit Moreā doesnāt distinguish itself well from other pop songs utilizing similar formulas.Ā Returning back to the Drake comparisons, Drake executes similar records more proficiently than Jidenna.
11. Idina Menzel, āSmall Worldā
Idina. ā¢ Warner Bros. ā¢Ā 2016
āGoodbye gravity / Goodbye enemies / Iām going up to a place where the world is small / Where I can fly above it allā¦ā Hmm, you can see where this one is going! āSmall Worldā, an uplifting and inspirational record, serves as one of the singles and gems from Idina., the self-titled, 2016 studio album by actress-singer Idina Menzel. āSmall Worldā features beautiful production work, while the sound is firmly planted in the adult contemporary vein.
Perhaps āSmall Worldā suffers ever-so-slightly from the āpredictability bugā and being āmiddle of the road,ā but da-yum, itās uplifting.Ā A perfect example of the uplifting vibe ā the empowering chorus, excerpted above and continued below.
āā¦If I donāt make it see my soul From here Iām weightless And you sound so famous And the world is small.ā
12. Highly Suspect, āLittle Oneā
The Boy Who Died Wolf ā¢ 300 Entertainment ā¢ 2016
āLittle Oneā is a well-written, personal single from frontman Johnny Stevens and Highly Suspect, released in advance ofĀ the bandās sophomore album, The Boy Who Died Wolf. Ā āLittle Oneā comes from a place of pain and regret. Stevens conveys these emotions perfectly, delivering clear and gritty vocals. Musically-speaking, āLittle Oneā features an excellent harmonic progression, established by the guitar from the onset. Among the strongest moments is the powerful, heavy chorus.
āHey, little one Iām so scared of what this could have been I know that today I lost my only friend My little one.ā
In addition to the chorus, there are an assortment of meaningful lyrics throughout the course of āLittle One.ā On the first verse, the highlight is, āIām tired, youāre angry, and everyone looks blurry / I love you, Iām leaving ā so long.ā The second verse focuses on Stevensā junkie status:
āThe places I took you, they seem so fucking empty I have trouble going anywhere at all Especially my own bedroom And it stays awake to haunt me So passed out, black out, drunk in another bathroom stall.ā
At one point, he asks, āHow long must I justify my pain through these songs? / How long, how long?ā The record concludes in tender fashion.
āItās raining; itās sunny It doesnāt make a difference I donāt care about anything at all.ā
13. Regina Spektor, āSmall Bill$ā
Remember Us to Life ā¢ Sire ā¢ 2016
āSmall Bill$ā is clever and well-rounded, like most Regina Spektor songs. Face it ā sheās a boss. The highlight from Remember Us to Life captivates from the jump. It features an exceptional percussive groove thatās clearly distinct. In addition to the beat, the harmonic progression is interesting, sporting quirks that make it clever. The sound of the record is definitely a selling point, incorporating elements of alternative, pop, soul, jazz, and hip-hop. Hip-hop and Regina Spektor? Yep, and it actually works.
Other than the sound, another brilliant aspect of āBill$ā are Spektorās nonsensical vocals.Ā The āla laāsā are irresistibly delicious! The verse vocals embrace that hip-hop sensibility given their rhythmic nature.Ā Lyrically, Spektor isnāt shabby in the least. Among the crĆØme de la crĆØme is:
āAll the poets in the alley coughing up blood And their visions and their dreams are coming up They can neither wake up or go deeper But itās so dangerous to wake a deep sleeper.ā
[Photo Credits: 300 Entertainment, Big Machine, Broken Bow, Capitol, Columbia, Def Jam, Epic, Interscope, Pexels, Pixabay, Sire, Token, Warner Bros.]