13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint!

Reading Time: 19 min read

13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! features songs by 4 Non Blondes, Charlie Puth, Doechii, Forrest Frank, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sukihana.

“I got my hands UP on my knees / And my bows on my thighs.”

Say what, Sukihana?! As for Forrest Frank, “I was down, but now I’m UP, yeah / This all God this ain’t no luck.” Woo! And then there’s the adorkable Charlie Puth, who encourages, “Please don’t beat yourself up.” We won’t, Charlie! Shared between those three songs is a common, two-letter word: UP!

13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! is all about U-P, baby! This music compendium is a sequel to 13 UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! (2025). 13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! features songs by 4 Non Blondes, Charlie Puth, Doechii, Forrest Frank & Connor Price, Sabrina Carpenter, and Sukihana. So, without further ado, let’s embrace 13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint!, shall we?!

~ Table of Contents ~

1. Sukihana, “Up On Me”	2. Charlie Puth, “Beat Yourself Up”	3. Sabrina Carpenter, “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”
4. Dolly Parton & Linda Perry, “What’s Up?”	5. Landan Ash, “Up Next Ash”	6. Doechii, “girl, get up.” (Ft. SZA)
7. Forrest Frank & Connor Price, “UP!”	8. Olivia Dean, “Close Up”	9. Russ, “Wife You Up”
10. The Deele, “Shoot ‘Em Up Movies”	11. 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up?”	12. Curtis Mayfield, “Move On Up”
13. Mahalia Jackson, “Always Look Up”	UP Songs!

1. Sukihana, “Up On Me”

“Up On Me” » Sukihana/AWAL Recordings Ltd. » 2025

“Put this pussy on the plate, treat it like a dinner date / Handstand in the front seat on the interstate.”

Ooh-wee, Sukihana (Destiny Henderson), you’re a bad girl! The rapper keeps it freaky, nasty, and sex-positive on her brief but potent banger, “Up On Me”. From the jump, sex is the modus operandi, further illustrated by a provocative music video that is focused on her ASSets. Notably, the video caption reads, ‘Sukihana drops a bop for her coochie girls!!!!’ Sukihana wrote “Up On Me” with Yoko. Dinuzzo produced it.

Playful, novel-sounding piano riffs commence “Up On Me.” These riffs sound like they shouldn’t be anywhere near a rap song. The silly-sounding, ragtime-like keys appeared more than two decades earlier on the Ying Yang Twins banger, “Say I Yi Yi”. The song/sample fuels Sukihana’s fire, including when the musical accompaniment transforms into a nasty-sounding, malicious, minor-key backdrop. The ear-catching sounds include colorful synths, bright keys, and the souped-up sub-bass of the 808s. The ‘rinky-dink’ piano riff recurs after the first and second verses, during the fast-paced, brief chorus. Sukihana asserts:

“I got my hands up on my knees

And my bows on my thighs

I like to twerk, and that’s for certain

He can tell, cuz I’m fly

I want some ice, and he gon’ buy it…

I-yi-yi-yi-yi.”

Sukihana keeps it bold, unapologetic, and sexual to the nth degree. The first verse has plenty of naughtiness to sink one’s teeth into. “Call him daddy when he slap me on my ass cheek,” she spits, and adds, “I bust it like a fully automatic,” intact with gun sounds. “My pussy so good, I got to stay with my pistol,” she brags, and encourages her coochie girls to “Stand on your toes, make it clap until that coochie fart.” Yes, she goes there referencing vaginal flatulence, aka queefing. The second verse has plenty of eyebrow-raising moments, too. “We outside popping pussy on the Pontiac,” she proclaims, and adds, “A lot of these bitches can’t fuck with me / Even in a sundress, you can see the booty mean [?].” Confident, she asserts, “My face real pretty, and my body on fleek,” and adds, “Pop that ass out, make it jiggle when you walk.” The big takeaway from “Up On Me” is that Sukihana doesn’t give a fuck; the focus is on S meets E, then they X. Take this one with a grain of salt, and certainly NOT at work!

Appears in:

Sukihana, Up On Me: Spicy Tunez No. 12 (2026)

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2. Charlie Puth, “Beat Yourself Up”

Whatever’s Clever! » Atlantic Records Group LLC » 2026

“Since you were a boy, you took the weight of the world / And held onto it ‘til you fell to the ground.”

That is heavy, Charlie Puth. Our adorkable, perfect-pitched pop singer, songwriter, and producer clarifies why this person took on this weight. “You did it for your little girl,” he sings, “So she would never feel the way you do now.” Word. Charlie’s advice: DON’T “Beat Yourself Up”. Puth penned the thoughtful second single from Whatever’s Clever! and produced it alongside BloodPop®. The sound of the record is a big selling point, with bright, energetic horn (saxophone, trumpets, and trombone) riffs, rhythm section and programming, and strings. “Beat Yourself Up” is grand.

With an epic groove and an active, slapped bass line, the warm and inviting musical backdrop sets up Charlie Puth for success. The ornate nature is a selling point. As for Charlie’s voice, it is beautiful, as always. Puth is no powerhouse, but he knows how to use his lighter sets of pipes effectively and efficiently. He packs the right amount of punch throughout “Beat Yourself Up.” He brings the tuneful melodies to life, particularly during the most memorable section of the song, the chorus:

“Please don’t beat yourself up, oh, whatever you do

‘Cause that doesn’t do nothin’, but just break you in two

Please don’t beat yourself up, though you made some mistakes

But you know it means somethin’ when you’ll live one more day.”

All in all, “Beat Yourself Up” is another pleasant, well-rounded single from Whatever’s Clever!.

Appears in:

Striking Bops from January 2026

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3. Sabrina Carpenter, “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”

Man’s Best Friend » Island » 2025

“‘Bullshit repeats itself,’ is that how the saying goes? / Been here a thousand times, selective memory though.”

Word, Sabrina Carpenter, word. The Grammy-winning pop artist continues, “I hear it in his eyes, he sees it in my tone / Is what it is, and it’s predictable.” Again, word. Those lyrics comprise the first verse from “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night”, the fifth track from Carpenter’s seventh studio album, Man’s Best Friend, released in 2025. Matters of the heart, particularly matters of the bedroom, play a role in this pop joint. Carpenter penned “We Almost Broke Up…” with Amy Allen and Jack Antonoff. Carpenter and Antonoff produced it.

Like many Sabrina Carpenter songs, there are blunt and humorous moments, as evidenced by the first verse. The innuendo is on point, too: “We almost / Got so close.” Those lyrics, from the post-chorus, reference that almost break up, and, of course, sex itself 😏. In the second verse, Carpenter shares her reluctance to end it, singing, “When I reach to pull the plug / I swear he starts working out.” She adds, “I know how it looks, I know how it sounds / Least we’ll give ‘em something to talk about.” That’s for damn sure! Other highlights lyrically include the bridge, where they aren’t perfect yet don’t appear to be quitting each other, and the centerpiece, the chorus:

“All the ‘I love yous’ and ‘I’m sorry’s’ were said

We had our sex and then we made amends, that’s right

Called it a false alarm to all of our friends

Then we almost broke up again last night.”

Beyond the striking lyrics, Carpenter delivers a nuanced and respectable vocal performance. She marvelously brings those tuneful melodies alive, particularly when she ascends into her upper register. During the outro, she’s on fire as she informs us, “Gave me his whole heart, then I gave him head and then…” Ooh-wee! The musical accompaniment is sweet, particularly the drums, acoustic guitar, keys, and lush strings, which provide fuel for the non-breakup and Sabrina’s fire. There’s also a modulation that amplifies intensity. “We Almost Broke Up Again Last Night” marks one of many bright spots from Man’s Best Friend.

Appears in:

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4. Dolly Parton & Linda Perry, “What’s Up?”

Rockstar » Butterfly Records, LLC / Big Machine Label Group, LLC » 2023

Fresh off her Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, Iconic country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton did something she had never done before: she recorded a rock album, titled Rockstar. One of the highlights of her 2023 album is the 24^th track, “What’s Up?”, a cover. Parton collaborated with Hall of Fame songwriter Linda Perry (b. 1965), who originally wrote and sang the gold-certified song with her short-lived rock band, 4 Non Blondes. Perry plays acoustic guitar and sings on the centerpiece of the song, the unforgettable chorus, supporting Parton’s lead vocals. Kent Wells produced the Parton/Perry rendition.

“What’s Up” begins with gorgeous acoustic guitar, performed by Perry and Wells. The electric guitar (Jerry McPherson) enters the mix, much like the original. Among other striking sounds from the instrumental is the organ, which adds some extra spice. Parton sings marvelously with her distinct, beautiful voice. She sounds more refined compared to Perry’s rawer, rougher-around-the-edges vocals. Even so, Parton still brings the bite to this 1990s classic, particularly in the timeless chorus:

“And then I say, ‘Hey, yeah, yeah, hey

Hey, yеah, yeah’

I say, ‘Hey

What’s goin’ on?’

Then I say, ‘Hеy, yeah, yeah, hey

Hey, yeah, yeah’

I say, ‘Hey

What’s goin’ on?’”

Of course, Perry provides awesome vocal support during the centerpiece, too. Beyond the chorus, Parton brings even more oomph during the second verse, offering more playful, high-flying vocals. Ultimately, Parton delivers a well-rounded interpretation of “What’s Up?”. In her skilled hands, this rock sounds like it could’ve originally been a country or country-rock song and we would’ve never blinked an eye.

Appears in:

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5. Landan Ash, “Up Next Ash”

“Up Next Ash” » Landan Ash » 2025

“He ran into a boy bar / There were dancers on stage / With tips tucked into somewhere where there was no light of day.”

Well, that is a more thoughtful, nuanced way to describe where this boy went, Landan Ash (Landan Ash Boyde). The handsome, talented, and gay pop singer/songwriter dropped another scintillating bop with “Up Next Ash”. Interestingly, this song is intriguing thanks to the narrative he imparts about this boy… Ash. And yes, of course, it gets hot! Boyde co-wrote the steamy “Up Next Ash” with producer Wesley Henry.

@landanashb

me trying to blow up my song before it comes out this month #stripper #lgbtq #songwriter

♬ Up Next Ash – Landan Ash

Landan Ash sounds lovely as he tells the story of becoming a stripper in the third person. As mentioned, “Up Next Ash” is hot as he “slips into something that’s real hot” and then, “Dances for strangers / He gets them off / He leaves with a bag that’s full of cash.” Is leaving with money Landan’s big takeaway? It doesn’t seem like it as Ash continues, “But nothing could buy him / What he really lacks.” The gist is broke and desperate, Ash is getting money to strip. While he may be ‘cheapening himself’ to some, Ash informs us, “But back at home he was nothing / So he let himself be bought.” The money provides needed income, but the dancing/sex/sexual favors seem empty, ultimately. Landan asserts that this boy will eventually “know the truth,” singing, “But tonight, it’s his callin’ / ‘Up next Ash,’ / That’s your cue.” Word. “Up Next Ash” qualifies as a sex song given Ash’s occupation at the boy bar, and beyond, but it seems to go deeper than that. Bravo, Landan!

Appears in:

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6. Doechii, “girl, get up.” (Ft. SZA)

“girl, get up.” » Top Dawg Entertainment, LLC / UMG Recordings, Inc. » 2025

“Been pushin’ P since bathroom stalls / Why sell my soul when I know I’m God?”

Woo! Doechii flexes on her single, “girl, get up.”. The flex doesn’t come without assistance, courtesy of fellow Grammy winner, SZA. Doechii penned “girl, get up.” alongside SZA, Jay Versace, DIXSON, Chad Hugo, Malice, Pusha T, Pharrell Williams, and Birdman. Jay Versace produced it. “Girl, get up.” sampled “What Happened to That Boy” by Birdman featuring Clipse. Lots of credits, but the results are well worth it!

“Girl, get up.” thrives on its sweet, rhythmic percussive groove. That is one key moment where the sample shines. The sound has a chill, contemporary R&B and hip-hop vibe. Matching the sound of the musical accompaniment, Doechii drops fire with her easygoing, agile flow. “Life is but a dream for a dark skin bitch like me / Life gets dark when you’re dark like me,” she spits, and later adds, carefree, “I don’t read y’all tweets, I delete y’all threads.” As bold and potent as she is, she still sounds like she never breaks a sweat. SZA brings incredibly cool vocals during the chorus. Her melisma is to die for.

“I be in the back, levitatin’

Doin’ meditation, leave me, girl, get up

Pickin’ on non-confrontation

Fuck a limitation, leave me, girl, get up

Somehow, I know that I’ll have everything, it’s mine

Mine, mine.”

The second verse by Doechii has a bit more bite, but the Grammy-winner still keeps relatively cool “All that industry plant shit whack / I see it on the blogs, I see you in the chats,” she bites, and continues, “You suck every rap nigga dick from the back.” Ooh-wee! In another sharp moment, she asserts, “And y’all can’t fathom that I earned this chart.” Facts! The third verse finds Doechii continuing to bring the heat over the relaxed, mellow backdrop. As she has with all of the verses, Doechii starts things off with a bang: “They callin’ me the intellect amongst the pussy rap / I still be poppin’ pussy, them my sisters, so I can’t agree with that / These niggas misogynistic, I’ll address that on the album / For now, let’s sink into the fact that hate don’t make you powerful.” Gah-day-um! All told, Doechii, assisted by SZA ate and left no crumbs on “girl, get up.”, No cap!

Appears in:

Striking Bops from January 2026

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7. Forrest Frank & Connor Price, “UP!”

CHILD OF GOD » river house records » 2024

“I was down, but now I’m up, yeah / This all God this ain’t no luck, yeah,”

Forrest Frank sings in the chorus of “UP!” The Christian rapper and singer continues, “I used to be stuck in that mud, yeah / Yeah, I was down, but now I’m up, up, up, up.” Woo-hoo! Nothing like an upward trajectory! Frank collaborates with Canadian rapper Connor Price on this brief but high-flying, faith-based gem. “UP!” is the third track from Frank’s gold-certified album, CHILD OF GOD. Frank and Price wrote “UP!” while Frank produced it.

“UP!” features a Latin groove mixed with trap 👀. This is NOT the traditional Christian or gospel music of old, and there’s nothing wrong with that. There are playful hip-hop vocals by both Forrest Frank and Connor Price that speak to the goodness of God. Frank sets the tone on the super-catchy chorus. I love his tone. Beyond the chorus, he draws first blood in an intriguing verse. Part of the intrigue, beyond the tone, is his compelling cadence and flow. “Up like my name Lazarus / Know Satan gon’ be mad at this,” he spits, and continues, “I had to ask my dad, / If it’s okay to swing my bat at this / He said, ‘Boy, if I pitch it, it’s out of the park’ / Moving so quick, it’s like they stuck in park.” Hmm, though-provoking. Connor Price brings the heat during the second verse. Like Forrest, he delivers a compelling cadence and flow. His tone, also striking, contrasts with his colleague’s. “Down, now I’m up like a seesaw / When I’m on the beat, like an old man’s lawn, better keep off,” he raps, and continues, “From the ground to the treetops (Woo) / Got clouds on my feet like Jack and the Beanstalk.” “UP!” is not heavy on scripture; spiritual matters are implied, with Price specifically stating, “Mind your business, not who I worship.” All told, this is a fun, well-rounded Christian rap collaboration by Forrest Frank and Connor Price.

Appears in:

Forrest Frank & Connor Price, UP!: Dazzling Duets No. 12 (2026)

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8. Olivia Dean, “Close Up”

The Art of Loving » Universal Music Operations Limited » 2025

“How can you get close to someone you keep out of reach? / And where does that leave me?”

Those are great questions, Olivia Dean (b. 1999). The Grammy-winning English singer-songwriter delivers a beautiful, soulful pop record with “Close Up”. “Close Up” is the fourth track from her 2025 sophomore album, The Art of Loving. Dean co-wrote it with Bastian Langebæk and Max Wolfgang. Zach Nahome, Matt Zara, John Ryan, and Julian Bunetta produced it, with additional production from Langebæk and Wolfgang.

“Close Up” commences with a piano intro. The neo-soul and pop-soul vibes are pronounced. More importantly, they add to the refined, sophisticated nature. Of course, the star is Olivia Dean, who brings it with her beautiful, expressive, nuanced, and ultra-refined vocals. With those marvelous pipes, the tuneful melodies and memorable lyrics come to life. In the first verse, matters of the heart show up early on as Dean sings, “I, I don’t know if you’ll call me again / Chasing rabbits don’t usually end / With happy ever after.” That Alice in Wonderland reference is 🔥. In the second verse, Dean can tell something’s off: “You’re treating me like I’m one of the rest / I feel stupid for wearing that dress / Yeah, I guess I saw something you didn’t, and.” The pre-chorus, excerpted earlier, prefaces the crème de la crème, the chorus. As for the chorus, it is incredibly soulful and, unsurprisingly, the section to beat:

“‘Cause you don’t make it easy, now I’m all close up

I can’t tell if you need me or want me all that much

Did I misread completely every single touch?

Do you even see me?”

It doesn’t feel good to be or feel unseen, that’s for sure. Beyond the chorus, the outro is a surefire vibe. How can you not love “Ba-ba, ba-ba, ba, ba, ba / And now I’m all close up?” Unfortunately, Olivia Dean is spot-on when she sings, “It don’t look like love.” Yes, we know that “Man I Need” is the crown jewel of The Art of Loving, but “Close Up” marks another high-flying moment. Soul-pop/R&B banger!

Appears in:

Olivia Dean, Close Up: Bangerz N Bopz No. 24 (2026)

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9. Russ, “Wife You Up”

“Wife You Up” » Russ My Way Inc. / Columbia » 2017

“And if I’m wrong, I won’t debate it with you / I’ll own up to it, you voluptuous / They not down for the curves, but I’m up to it / Come gimme all that.”

Ooh, yeah, Russ (Russ Vitale)! Russ has every intention to “Wife You Up”! Although “Wife You Up” didn’t earn a spot on the Billboard Hot 100, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2019. This monogamous number was penned by Vitale and producer Scott Storch. Russ is accompanied by a smooth, R&B-infused instrumental comprising keys, dusty groove, and a big bass line.

Throughout “Wife You Up,” Russ delivers a smooth, easygoing melodic rap performance. In the first verse, he recollects their past, asserting, “You were tryna love way before I had it all,” hence, before he became Russ, the famous rapper/singer. But, he didn’t have his shit together: “Looking back ashamed, we were only a phase.” In the second verse, he embraces a more standard rap flow, even if pitch is still in the mix. More mature, he informs her, “If they call us foul, I’m fighting all the refs for you.” He adds, “All eyes on me, but you loved me when I had seven views / You lookin’ like I should go half on a baby with you.” Word. In addition to lyrics excerpted earlier (also from the second verse), the chorus is memorable to the nth degree:

“Baby, you’re a one of one to me
I know that I should probably wife you up
And baby, I swear I’m done with these
Other women, they don’t mean shit to me, yeah.”

Russ came to his senses about her late, but better late than never, right? “Wife You Up” is a surefire winner that shockingly never touched the pop charts.

Appears in:

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10. The Deele, “Shoot ‘Em Up Movies”

Eyes of a Stranger » Unidisc Music Inc. » 1987

“I was ready for that good old Western flick.”

Oh, I see. And what happened, The Deele? “Then, all at once, an angel sat down next to me / So I had to think of something quick / What shall I do?” Ah, the girl changes the plans – typical! Early on, “Shoot ‘Em Up Movies”, the second track from the R&B collective’s 1987 gold-certified album, Eyes of a Stranger, captivates with its narrative. “Movies” did not reach the pop charts, however. It did peak at number 10 on the R&B charts. Kenny Nolan (b. 1949) penned it while L.A. Reid and Babyface produced it.

The sound of “Shoot ‘Em Up Movies” is a selling point. The picturesque keys and synths play are alluring. “Movies” also features the quintessential drums of the era, though not quite as boxy – more refined. Smooth lead vocals bring the melodies alive. Perhaps even more striking than the melodies is the unique songwriting, as evidenced earlier. Given a trip to see a western in the theatre, shooting-related lyrics are unavoidable. “We talked and talked / As the bad guy shot up the town,” The Deele sings, and continues, “And then she smiled at me / With big brown eyes.” The best moments, which happen to be fun and playful, occur during the chorus:

“Oh, I met my baby at the ‘bang-bang, gotcha’
Shoot ‘em up movies
During the gunfight, we fell in love
Oh, I met my baby at the ‘bang-bang, gotcha’
Shoot ‘em up movies, yeah…”

Outlandish? Yes, but creative. The creative nature of the lyrics continues throughout as Western imagery and a budding romance are exceptionally conveyed. Also, the key change is exceptionally executed towards the end of the record. 1980s music excelled at key changes, while the 21^st century hasn’t been as eager for modulation. Bummer! “Shoot ‘Em Up Movies” is a bop from the R&B collective.

Appears in:

The Deele, Shoot ‘Em Up Movies: Throwback Vibez No.137 (2025)

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11. 4 Non Blondes, “What’s Up?”

Bigger, Better, Faster, More! » Interscope » 1992

“And I say, hey-ey-ey / Hey-ey-ey / I said ‘Hey, a-what’s going on?’”

Those lyrics are nothing short of iconic, sung by Hall of Fame songwriter Linda Perry (b. 1965). The lesbian singer/songwriter, at the time, was the frontwoman of the short-lived, formerly all-female rock band, 4 Non Blondes. 4 Non Blondes scored a big-time hit with “What’s Up?”, the third track from their 1992, platinum-certified debut album, Bigger, Better, Faster, More!. “What’s Up?” peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100. It performed even better worldwide, reaching number one or number two in various countries. Ultimately, the Recording Industry Association of America certified the single gold. This would be 4 Non Blondes’ only hit, hence making the collective a one-hit wonder.

“What’s Up” begins with rhythmic guitar accompaniment, which sets the tone marvelously. Soon after, lead guitar, bass, and drums enter the mix. Linda Perry brings assertive, spirited vocals throughout, particularly as the song progresses. The rawness of her performance stands out the most. There are tuneful melodies during the verse, pre-chorus, and the chorus. The songwriting is elite from the beginning. “I realized quickly when I knew I should,” Perry sings in the first verse, and continues, “That the world was made up of this brotherhood of men / For whatever that means.” In the pre-chorus, to cope, she asserts, “And I take a deep breath, and I get real high / And I scream from the top of my lungs / ‘What’s going on?’” The second verse, with its coarse, rough vocal performance, is also notable, where Perry concludes, “I pray every single day / For revolution.” The chorus, excerpted earlier, is the centerpiece, the section to beat, in all its inquiring glory. Although “What’s Up?” was the only hit for 4 Non Blondes, it’s a magical, unforgettable song that still shines well into the 21^st century.

Appears in:

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12. Curtis Mayfield, “Move On Up”

Curtis » Warner Strategic Marketing » 1970

“Hush now, child / And don’t you cry,”

the late, great Curtis Mayfield (1942 – 1999) sings. He continues singing in the first verse of one of his best songs, “Move On Up”, “Your folks might understand you / By and by.” “Move On Up” is the fifth track on the Chicago music icon’s 1970 debut solo album, Curtis. In its extended version, the track runs shy of nine minutes long. In its single edit, it clocks in under three minutes. While nine minutes is lengthy for some, there’s a lot to love about this gem that Mayfield wrote and produced himself.

The sound of “Move On Up” is one of its biggest selling points. The arrangement, orchestration, and production are everything. The horn riffs are bright and electrifying, sounding like a slice of heaven. Likewise, the strings are playful and energetic. The drums and percussion groove are relentless, while an epic bassline provides a mean foundation. All the while, Curtis Mayfield wows with his ultra-soulful pipes. His high tenor is the bomb dot-com. Few possessed a falsetto quite so ripe and influential. Even as potent as his instrument is, he never sounds like he forces things. He keeps it cool, calm, and collected, singing with ease. “Bite your lip / And take the trip,” he sings in the second verse, and adds, “Though there may be wet road ahead / And you cannot slip.” The centerpiece, unsurprisingly, is the chorus, where Mr. Mayfield encourages us to “Just move on up / For peace you’ll find / Into the steeple of beautiful people / Where there’s only one kind.” Woo! “Move On Up” is the type of soul classic that’ll make you swoon; it’s so good! There is plenty to analyze, but it is best experienced by simply listening and allowing the magnificent sounds to mesmerize.

Appears in:

Curtis Mayfield, Move On Up: Throwback Vibez No. 199 (2025)

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13. Mahalia Jackson, “Always Look Up”

I Believe » Columbia » 1960

“When things go wrong… / And the road you travel seems all of hate,”

Mahalia Jackson (1911 – 1960) sings, and continues, “But never look down, always look up / It’s always darkest before dawn.” Amen! “Always Look Up” is the tenth and final track from the gospel music legend’s 1960 album, I Believe. This faith-based gem encourages us despite hard, inopportune times, tribulation, and trouble. She tells us to remember that God can do anything and that He is always with us. J. Beal, Freddy James, and J Shank composed it.

“Always Look Up” opens with warm piano and organ accompaniment. String bass and drums enter the mix alongside Mahalia Jackson. Jackson is the star of the show, delivering a superb vocal performance. She sings with incredible poise, initially. As “Always Look Up” progresses, she ups the ante. “With faith and hope living in your soul / You win the fight and obtain your goal,” she sings in the second verse, and adds, “But never look down, always look up / Up to the almighty one.” Hallelujah! Beyond her own stunning pipes, gorgeous choral vocals support Jackson. Also, the celestial orchestral cues accentuate the musical accompaniment. Strings always provide a lift! “Always Look Up” is another Mahalia Jackson masterpiece that never grows old.

Appears in:

Mahalia Jackson, Always Look Up: Music Lifts No. 11 (2026)

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UP songs
11 Songs U Need 2 Listen UP 2 (2022)	13 UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! (2025)
13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! (2026)

~ Table of Contents ~ » ~ intro ~

13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic Records Group LLC, AWAL Recordings Ltd., Big Machine Label Group, LLC, Butterfly Records, LLC, Columbia, Interscope, Island, Landan Ash, river house records, Russ My Way Inc., Sukihana, Top Dawg Entertainment, LLC, UMG Recordings, Inc., Unidisc Music Inc., Universal Music Operations Limited, Warner Strategic Marketing; Canva AI; Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

13 Mo’ UP Songs That Sho Nuff Don’t Disappoint! | Playlist

Published by the musical hype on April 3, 2026April 3, 2026