13 Marvelous Songs Filled with Fight

Reading Time: 13 min read

13 Marvelous Songs Filled with Fight features music courtesy of Carl Douglas, Christina Aguilera, Public Enemy, Rachel Platten, and Tina Turner.

Be prepared to FIGHT! Sometimes, you’ve gotta be willing to fight like hell! Luckily for you, you music enthusiast, you, you won’t be required to fight at all. All the fighting has been handled by the 13 fight-oriented songs that grace 13 Marvelous Songs Filled with Fight. One of those musical compendiums that’s been a long time coming, finally, the F-I-G-H-T is here! 12 of the songs even go so far as to feature some form of the word fight in their title. There is one lone exception, but no worries – The Killers show the fight on that one too! 13 Marvelous Songs Filled with Fight features music courtesy of Carl Douglas, Christina Aguilera, Public Enemy, Rachel Platten, and Tina Turner among others. So, get your full armor on – rather, your favorite pair of headphones or that sick pair of speakers – and let’s embrace the fight, shall we?!

1. Tina Turner, “I Don’t Wanna Fight”

What’s Love Got to Do With It • Parlophone • 1993

“I don’t care who’s wrong or right / I don’t really wanna fight no more.” Amen, Tina Turner! Confrontation sucks! The late, great artist, who excelled in multiple music styles, secured another pop hit with “I Don’t Wanna Fight” (peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100). By the time this song arrived, Turner was 53 years old – firmly established in her ultra-successful rock and roll solo career . “I Don’t Wanna Fight” serves as the opener on What’s Love Got to Do With It, the soundtrack, to the 1993 film. It was written by Billy Lawrie, Lulu Frieda, and Steve Duberry.

“I Don’t Wanna Fight” commences with an exuberant, radiant instrumental introduction. The warmth of the sound is a positive. There are lovely strings, while the rhythmic groove further makes the ears perk up. As always, Tina Turner is true to self, serving up distinct, nuanced vocals. Throughout the course of the record, the melody is tuneful. That said, the centerpiece is none other than the chorus, led by Turner’s utterly sublime lead and the marvelous support of the backing vocals.

“I don’t care who’s wrong or right

I don’t really wanna fight no more

Too much talking, babe

Let’s sleep on it tonight

I don’t really wanna fight no more

Time for letting go

Oh, baby, don’t you know

That I don’t wanna hurt no more?

It’s time, I’m walking, babe

Don’t care now who’s to blame

I don’t really wanna fight no more

This is time for letting go.”

There is excellent contrast during the bridge section, separating itself from everything else. Tina serves up an assertive brand of vocals here. Furthermore, that saxophone just feels right! At six minutes and change, “I Don’t Wanna Fight” never gets in a rush. It takes its time at the end winding down within the final minute. All told, this is a fabulous, later hit by the beloved, iconic, Grammy-winning musician.

Appears in :

Tina Turner, I Don’t Wanna Fight: Throwback Vibez 109 (2023)

2. Rachel Platten, “Fight Song”

Wildfire • Columbia • 2016 

 “This is my fight song / Take back my life song / Prove I’m alright song / My power’s turned on.” Now that’s a prime example of empowerment! One song and one song only fueled Wildfire, the 2016, major label debut album by Rachel Platten: “Fight Song.” “Fight Song” greatly elevated the singer/songwriter’s profile.  She co-wrote it with Dave Bassett while Jon Levine serves as producer. Just reading/hearing the excerpted lyrics, how can you NOT be uplifted?  

“And all those things I didn’t say 

Wrecking balls inside my brain 

I will scream them loud tonight 

Can you hear my voice this time?  

“Fight Song” has no shortage of fight.  It exemplifies being resolute – motivated to fend off any adversity that comes your way. “But there’s a fire burning in my bones / Still believe / Yeah, I still believe.” Yes – say that, Rachel! 

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3. Public Enemy, “Fight the Power”

Fear Of A Black Planet • Def Jam • 1990

“Our freedom of speech is freedom of death / We’ve got to fight the powers that be.” That is a mic-drop moment Chuck D and Flavor Flav. Of course, if we’re being honest, the entirety of “Fight the Power” by legendary rap collective Public Enemy is mic-drop worthy . Socially conscious, political rap shows often shows how artful, complex, and innovative hip-hop/rap music can be. Like many styles, rap has changed considerably since the days of Public Enemy. But looking back at this protest gem inspired by The Isley Brothers’ “Fight the Power Pts 1 & 2” and appearing on the soundtrack from Do The Right Thing as well as Fear Of A Black Planet (1990), it carries much more weight than many rap songs out in the 2020s. Chuck D produced “Fight The Power” alongside The Bomb Squad. The sound of the record is part of its allure and charm.

“Fight the power!

Fight the power! (‘Lemme hear you say –’)

Fight the power!

Fight the power! (‘Lemme hear you say –’).”

Notably, “Fight the Power” features numerous samples including The Isley Brothers, James Brown ( “Funky Drummer”) and Syl Johnson ( “Different Strokes”). The way the samples and repurposed portions of “Fight the Power” come together is ear-catching – quite an amazing sound. The backdrop gives Chuck D ample fuel for the fire with Flavor Flav nailing his role as the hype man. Lyrically, there is plenty to unpack. Honestly, you could pen an entire essay on this one song. As far as rhymes, Chuck D is clever to the nth degree. He’s entertaining and playful, yet, incredibly effective with promoting a call to action.

“What we need is awareness, we can’t get

Careless! You say, ‘What is this?’

My beloved, let’s get down

To business, mental self-defensive fitness

Bum-rush the show!”

Perhaps the most interesting verse is the third which criticizes ‘great white heroes’ like Elvis Presley and John Wayne: “Elvis was a hero to most, but he / Never meant [bleep] to me, you see, straight out / Racist – that sucker was simple and plain,” Chuck D raps, with Flavor Flav adding, “[bleep] him and John Wayne!” Chuck goes on to say “Most of my heroes don’t appear on no stamps / Sample a look back; you look and find nothing / But rednecks for 400 years, if you check…” He’s telling the truth. So much more can be written about “Fight the Power”, a truly great, great rap song. That said, rather than analyze, it’s best to let this joint speak for itself.

Appears in :

Public Enemy, Fight the Power: Rap BNGRZ 26 (2023)

4. Keiynan Lonsdale, “Gay Street Fighter”

Rainbow Boy • Keiynan Lonsdale • 2020

“Gay Street Fighter” appears as the second track on Rainbow Boy, the debut album by actor and musician Keiynan Lonsdale. As you might expect, with a song named “Gay Street Fighter,” Lonsdale isn’t merely playing a role; he proudly identifies himself as queer. “Gay Street Fighter” is quite ear catching to say the least with biting brass, infectious groove, and most importantly, the unapologetically G-A-Y lyrics from Lonsdale (“I’ll preach it louder for the back / The truth is (Everybody) / Everybody’s just a little bit gay”). Indeed, on this co-write/co-production with Tyler Minford he crafts a record where he doesn’t give a fizzuck () what the haters say. The chorus makes it crystal clear that the haters can kiss his a$$.

“I’m tryna love ya but you’re makin’ this shit so hard

Stay tryna help you clean yo mess cause you done fuck it up

And even though you might not thank me for your happy life

Just know it’s gay that makes the world so goddamn bright.”

“Gay Street Fighter” is a big FU to homophobia.

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5. Brooke Valentine, “Girlfight” (Ft. Lil Jon & Big Boi)

Chain Letter • Virgin • 2005

“Boy stop / It’s about to be a girl fight!” WOO! Brooke Valentine probably won’t ring a bell to a modern R&B audience. Why? Well, the Valentine earned just one charting single on the Billboard Hot 100. That single, “Girlfight”, which appeared on her sole album, Chain Letter (2005), and peaked at no. 23. “Girlfight” was no slouch, enlists the services of then two extremely popular rappers: Lil Jon and Big Boi. The record embraced the crunk style that was popular, with Lil Jon producing the electrifying joint.

The chorus is the main attraction – duh! “We ‘bout to throw them bows / We ‘bout to swang them thangs,” the Houston artist sings, closing the chorus with “It’s ‘bout to be a (What) girl fight.” After bringing feistiness early on the intro and chorus, Brooke expresses why this fight is about to go down. Brooke complains about the initial girl spreading mess in the first verse, but also takes a shot at her friend who could potentially get into the mix. By the second verse, Brooke and her entourage (“Me and my girls we down to ride / So when ya hear us pull up bring ya ass outside”) are ready to F-I-G-H-T (“I’m ‘bout to go real hard, ‘bout to swing them thangs / You ‘bout to feel elbows all in ya brains”). Besides Brooke, we get various hype man moments from Lil Jon as well as a colorful, entertaining verse by Big Boy (“Oh snap, these bitches they act like cats /… Man go on let them hoes fight”). “Girlfight” – an underrated bop you totally forgot about or perhaps, you never heard!

Appears in :

Brooke Valentine, Girlfight: Rap BNGRZ 25 (2023)

6. The Killers, “Tyson vs. Douglas”

Wonderful Wonderful • Island • 2017

Las Vegas band The Killers delivered a surefire gem in 2017 with “Tyson vs. Douglas,” an incredibly clever record from Wonderful Wonderful. A different sort of fight is in the mix here – a famous boxing match between Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas in 1990, which is explicitly mentioned in the irresistible chorus. “When I saw him go down / Felt like somebody lied / I had to hold my breath ‘til the coast was clear,” front man Brandon Flowers sings, speaking of Douglas’ upset over Tyson. He continues, “When I saw him go down / Felt like somebody lied / I had to close my eyes just to stop the tears.” The verses focus on a bigger picture, more personal and pertinent to Flowers.  “Lookin’ out the window out on the street / My boy and his mother,” Flowers expresses his feelings in the bridge, continuing, “And I think of me / Feelin’ the slip again / Don’t wanna fall / You said it was nothing, but maybe you’re wrong.”

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7. Badflower, “Johnny Wants to Fight”

This is How the World Ends • Big Machine / John Varvatos • 2021

“Yeah, if Johnny wants to fight, let him fight / Let him kick my fucking ass into the ground.” Day-um! “Johnny Wants to Fight” appears as the fourth track on This is How the World Ends, the sophomore album by L.A. rock collective,   Badflower. As always, front man  Josh Katz is blunt and brutally honest – we wouldn’t have it any other way. He gives us a compelling story. Prior to verse, there’s a spoken skit that sets up this narrative, which involves “shit’s been going down with your girl” – Johnny’s girl, of course. Katz expounds on this in the verses, asserting, “He’s [Johnny] looking for somebody to pound /… He’s fucking mad ‘cause he knows that somebody was with her.” Of course, later, on the second verse, we find out that Josh was ‘with her,’ hence, why, as the chorus confirms, “Let him break my fucking nose until I’m barely breathing / … Give it everything you got / Because your girlfriend put her body on me / Shallow loser.” In the process, as you can already see, Badflower and Katz keep those f-bombs flying. The music = energetic AF .

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8. Fantasia, “Fighting”

Sketchbook • Rock Soul / BMG Rights Management • 2019

Grammy winner Fantasia released her entertaining sixth studio album, Sketchbook, independently. “Fighting,” the 10^th track from the LP, marks one of the best songs. Expected checkboxes such as voice and production are checked off for Fantasia. Making “Fighting” even more thrilling is the theme of love and dedication, explored magnificently through the verses. Love and dedication is summed up perfectly on the awesome chorus:

“As long as you’re here by my side

There’s no storm that we couldn’t survive

I never stopped fighting, fighting for us

There’s no mountain that we couldn’t climb

There’s no ocean, no river too wide

For me to stop fighting, fighting for us.”

The outro is interesting, finding Fantasia embracing the sound of now with an uncredited rapper agilely spitting some prudent, socially conscious vibes: “Why fight with one another? When we can fight with each other / Women fight for your brother / Cold world, they don’t love us.”

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9. Conan Gray, “Fight or Flight”

Kid Krow • Republic • 2020

“I wanted it to be this super chaotic, melodramatic song about finding out that someone has cheated on you or finding out that someone has multiple people in their lives that you just didn’t know about.” That is how the handsome and talented Conan Gray describes his song, “Fight or Flight” to Apple Music. Appearing on his 2020 debut album, Kid Krow, Gray is perturbed, ratcheting up his feelings with more emotional lyrics, such as, “You tell me it ain’t what it seems / But, baby, this is lookin’ like a crime scene / There’s clothes thrown on the balcony / And you smell like perfume out a magazine…” Furthermore, he’s tore up on the chorus, left with a decision about how to cope with such disappointment: “As you admit there’s someone new / It’s my move, fight or flight?”

10. Christina Aguilera, “Fighter”

Stripped • Sony Music Entertainment • 2002

An elite, powerhouse voice is one awesome way to lift the spirit . Christina Aguilera is a prodigiously talented singer, PERIOD. Her best moments from her 2002 album, Stripped, arrive when her voice is the focal point . On the controversial song “Dirrty”, sex and a raunchy music video are the focal point. On “Fighter”, however, the voice shines bright, while the empowerment – the work that Aguilera has put in to fight – is what catches the ears. Unsurprisingly, the chorus is section to beat:

“Makes me that much stronger

Makes me work a little bit harder

Makes me that much wiser

So thanks for making me a fighter

Made me learn a little bit faster

Made my skin a little bit thicker

Makes me that much smarter

So, thanks for making me a fighter.”

Oh, the lift ! Backtracking a bit to provide more context, Aguilera speaks about being taken advantage of. Even though the person being sung about has done some dirty deeds, rather than allow it to destroy her, she uses it as fuel for her fire as a fighter. “‘Cause if it wasn’t for all of your torture,” she sings in the pre-chorus, “I wouldn’t know how to be this way now and never back down / So, I wanna say thank you.” In the bridge, Aguilera also makes the epic lyrical statement, “But in the end you’ll see, you won’t stop me / I am a fighter.” The positive message of “Fighter” is terrific. This empowered, Scott Storch produced aughts gem (love the use of guitar to provide some bite) peaked at no. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Appears in :

Christina Aguilera, Fighter: Music Lifts 41 (2023)

11. Juice WRLD, “Fighting Demons”

Legends Never Die • Grade A Productions / Interscope • 2020

Juice WRLD struggles with his demons on the banging “Fighting Demons,” a highlight from his 2020 posthumous album, Legends Never Die. Despite the fact that he’s ‘came up,’ the rapper has a case of being ‘rich and sad.’ “My demons are breakin’ out of their cage,” he sings in the chorus, continuing, “I’m praying that I see another day /… On my knees, I pray for better days.” What’s clear is that the 21-year-old had lots of things swirling in his mind. But think about it – don’t so many of us have struggles that we don’t even bother opening up about?

12. Melanie Martinez, “Class Fight”

K-12 • Atlantic • 2019

“Class Fight” maintains the intrigue of K-12, the 2019, conceptual, sophomore album by Melanie Martinez. As the title of the album suggest, K-12 is school centric. Notably, if you have partook of her debut album, Cry Baby, the character, Cry Baby returns on K-12. That provides some context on the song at hand, “Class Fight.” In “Class Fight,” Cry Baby “goes for the throat,” per her dad’s advice, fighting a girl for a boy she wants as well. The result, as she shares in the second verse, is, “Her face was fucked up and my hands were bloody.” The boy, the catalyst for the fight, calls Cry Baby “a monster.” My, my, my! “Class Fight,” the track on K-12, is incredibly entertaining.

13. Carl Douglas, “Kung Fu Fighting”

Kung Fu Fighter • Sanctuary • 1974

“Oh-ho-ho-ho / Oh-ho-ho-ho.” Those are the memorable opening lyrics from the 1974 Carl Douglas disco hit, “Kung Fu Fighting” ( Kung Fu Fighter, 1974). A no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, “Kung Fu Fighting” gave the Jamaican artist his sole top-10 hit. Characterized as a one-hit wonder, it is worth noting that Douglas’ only other entry on the Hot 100 was “Dance The Kung Fu” which peaked modestly at no. 48. What is interesting is that Douglas’ ace in the hole wasn’t even intended to be a hit, but ultimately became one of the most beloved songs of all-time, regardless of musical genre.

The centerpiece – the crowning achievement – is the chorus:

“Everybody was kung fu fighting

Those cats were fast as lightning

In fact, it was a little bit frightening

But they fought with expert timing.”

Can you say, infectious, infectious, infectious! Of course, “Kung Fu Fighting” is more than its unforgettable chorus. The melody is tuneful throughout – incredibly alluring and infectious. Beyond its melodic sensibilities, “Kung Fu Fighting” features marvelous music cues and lush production work ( Biddu), including the winds (namely the flute), guitars, a fat bass line, keys, and strings. Following the slower intro, the groove is definitely in the pocket post-intro. Douglass serves up a nuanced, soulful brand of vocals. Furthermore, his performance is packed with personality. Some other important notes regarding this novel, disco smash includes those signature kung fu sounds, which pack a mighty punch. Furthermore, Douglas gets superb support from the backing vocalists, while he ad-libs and riffs on the lead. All told, “Kung Fu Fighting” speaks for itself – no in-depth analysis necessary!

Appears in :

Carl Douglas, Kung Fu Fighting: Throwback Vibez 108 (2023)

13 Marvelous Songs Filled with Fight [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Big Machine / John Varvatos, Columbia, Def Jam, Grade A Productions / Interscope, Keiynan Lonsdale, Parlophone, Republic, Rock Soul / BMG Rights Management, Sanctuary; Afif Ramdhasuma, cottonbro studio, Keira Burton, Ketut Subiyanto, Liza Summer, RDNE Stock project, Vera Arsic from Pexels]

13 Marvelous Songs Filled with Fight | Playlist

Published by the musical hype on July 21, 2023July 21, 2023