Reading Time: 17 min read

13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus (2025) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Ahmed Aziz from Pexels; AcatXlo, Niek Verlaan, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus features songs by Coco Jones, Jack Harlow, Lynks, Selena Gomez + benny blanco, Tanya Tucker & William DeVaughn.

Remember, YOU can make a difference and be influential in many ways. You are a big deal.  You, as a second-person pronoun, appears in many songs. 13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus, is a sequel to 13 Songs Where YOU Are the Focus (2025). It celebrates the power of Y-O-U! You or some form of the word is the only requirement for songs selected on this playlist. 13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus features songs by Coco Jones, Jack Harlow, Lynks, Selena Gomez + benny blanco, Tanya Tucker, and William DeVaughn. So, without further ado, prepare to be wowed by MORE irresistible Y-O-U songs!


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1. Coco Jones, โ€œYouโ€ 2. Lauv, โ€œBecause Of Youโ€ 3. Phyllis Hyman, โ€œYou Know How to Love Meโ€ 4. Selena Gomez & benny blanco, โ€œScared Of Loving Youโ€
5. Jack Harlow, โ€œSet You Freeโ€  6. Lynks, โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€ 7. Tanya Tucker, โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)โ€ 8. NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, โ€œDare Uโ€
9. Paul Anka, โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Babyโ€ 10. The Reverend Horton Heat, โ€œLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ€ 11. Cรฉline Dion, โ€œBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โ€˜Up Close and Personalโ€™)โ€ 12. New Radicals, โ€œYou Get What You Giveโ€
13. William DeVaughn, โ€œBe Thankful for What You Gotโ€      

 


1. Coco Jones, โ€œYouโ€

Why Not More? // Def Jam Recordings / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 2025

Coco Jones, Why Not More? [๐Ÿ“ท: Def Jam Recordings / UMG Recordings, Inc.]โ€œLilโ€™ mama fine, and he a dime piece / Gotta be from heaven, looking like my blessing.โ€ Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter Coco Jones (Courtney Jones) released โ€œYouโ€ as an advance single from her full-length debut album, Why Not More?. Jones penned โ€œYouโ€ with producers London on da Track, Boobie, Philip Cornish, Herothaproducer, Banger Slanger, and Kushaan Khattar. Damn, that is a lot of cooks in the kitchen, but โ€œYouโ€ ends up being an enjoyable, positive listening experience. With so many producers, the music backdrop is โ€˜on point,โ€™ PERIOD. The instrumental is lush, which is characteristic of the contemporary R&B sound (guitar, keys, bass, drum programming).  Coco Jones โ€˜brings it.โ€™  Her vocals are ear-catching โ€“ nuanced, rich, and robust to the nth degree.  She sings beautifully with ample expression and sincerity. The section of โ€œYouโ€ to beat is the tuneful chorus, which highlights the titular pronoun:

โ€œYou like my drink in the Sahara

You showed me things I never saw and

You know what, you real-life

Gave me my heart and then taught me to love again.โ€

The verses are intriguing, too. In the second verse, Jones asserts, โ€œGot me on my knees /โ€ฆ I mustโ€™ve prayed so well for it / I swear on it.โ€ Ultimately, as she states in the intro and outro, โ€œKnow that Iโ€™m down, Iโ€™m down in love.โ€ What is not down is โ€œYouโ€ which gives Coco Jones another winning R&B song.

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2. Lauv, โ€œBecause Of Youโ€

โ€œBecause Of Youโ€ // Lauv / AWAL Recordings America, Inc. // 2024

Lauv, Because Of You [๐Ÿ“ท: Lauv / AWAL Recordings America, Inc.]โ€œDriving fast in the lane / Of the cold remains of L.A.โ€ Los Angeles always gets a โ€˜bad rap,โ€™ doesnโ€™t it? Lauv (Ari Leff) adds to it in his brief but entertaining single, โ€œBecause Of Youโ€.  He continues singing in the first verse, โ€œWinter comes, winter goes / But it all just stays the same.โ€ Is it because of L.A. or someone in L.A.? Itโ€™s the latter. Leff and Michael Pollack penned the song. Leff and Federico Vindver produced.  Thereโ€™s a lot to โ€˜sink your teethโ€™ into in โ€œBecause Of You.โ€ The sound of โ€œBecause Of Youโ€ is a huge selling point.  The song is a vibe from the beginning.  The instrumental is bright and spirited.  Specifically, the strings (programming) are sublime.  Another musical touch that shines is the harmonic progression, specifically in the pre-chorus (โ€œDonโ€™t you say that you want me back, babyโ€ฆโ€).  Matching the spirit of the accompaniment are sweet vocals. He pours his heart out: โ€œItโ€™s not celebration, itโ€™s just a big occasion / From the man who loved you at all.โ€ The section to beat is the chorus:

โ€œBecause of you, babe

Oh-ooh, oh-ooh, oh-ooh

Because of you, babe

Oh-ooh, oh-ooh, oh-ooh.โ€

โ€œBecause Of Youโ€ gives our handsome, talented pop singer/songwriter/producer another worthwhile addition to his collection.

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3. Phyllis Hyman, โ€œYou Know How to Love Meโ€

You Know How to Love Me // Sony Music Entertainment // 1979

Phyllis Hyman, You Know How to Love Me [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment]โ€œMeasure for measure / Your loveโ€™s so much pleasure / Like a haunting melody / You came inside and captured me.โ€ Phyllis Hyman (1949 โ€“ 1995) was gifted, talented singer who sadly committed suicide at 45.  Her legacy endures, led by the stellar โ€œYou Know How to Love Meโ€ that appears on the 1979 album of the same name. The late great James Mtume and Reginald Lucas composed and produced it. Hyman sadly didnโ€™t impact the pop charts during her career.  She did earn success on the R&B charts, where โ€œYou Know How to Love Meโ€ peaked respectably at no. 12.

โ€œYouโ€™re welcome to my love / Just promise that youโ€™ll stay, yeah,โ€ Hyman sings in the second verse.  She adds, โ€œDonโ€™t you know youโ€™re a dream come true,โ€ and โ€œBut each time weโ€™re together / Forever and a day, yeah.โ€ The love is lit, further evidenced by the bridge and especially the chorus, the centerpiece: โ€œYou know how to love me (Sure you do) / You know to make it right (So nice) / You know how to love me (Thereโ€™s no denyinโ€™) / Sweet as the morning light.โ€ โ€œYou Know How to Love Meโ€ benefits from lush production work. The backdrop exemplifies Philly soul, funk, and disco sound.  The most ear-catching sounds come from the orchestra: strings and winds, including flute.  Also, contributing to the greatness is the harmonic progression, which does not solely rely on โ€˜tried and trueโ€™ chords.  Also, a timely key modulation adds some spice.  Still, the โ€˜star of the showโ€™ is Hyman.  Her vocals are robust and commanding.  The performance is dynamic, expressive, and nuanced to the nth degree. Hyman gets lifted by background vocals during the chorus section.  Ultimately, โ€œYou Know How to Love Meโ€ is an underrated gem from the soul catalog.  This incredible song and Hyman deserve much more recognition.

 

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4. Selena Gomez & benny blanco, โ€œScared Of Loving Youโ€

I Said I Love You First // SMG Music LLC / Friends Keep Secrets / Interscope // 2025 

Selena Gomez & benny blanco, I Said I Love You First [๐Ÿ“ท: SMG Music LLC / Friends Keep Secrets / Interscope]โ€œWould you take my side? Would you hold my hand? / If they sell a lie, donโ€™t let โ€˜em send me back.โ€ Selena Gomez and benny blanco released a coupleโ€™s album, I Said I Love You First. The sub-two-minute โ€œScared Of Loving Youโ€ marked the first single and 14th/ final track. โ€œโ€˜Cause Iโ€™m not scared of lovinโ€™ you / Iโ€™m just scared of losinโ€™ you,โ€ Gomez sings in the chorus, the section to beat. Beyond the chorus, โ€œScared Of Loving Youโ€ thrives off its thoughtful, love-driven lyrics. โ€œWhen I was young, I would love too fast,โ€ Selena sings in the first verse, concluding, โ€œHope I donโ€™t repeat my past.โ€ Word.  โ€œScaredโ€ benefits from its memorable melody.  The production by Blanco alongside FINNEAS is a selling point. Musical sounds include guitars, keyboards, and strings.  Also, I cannot neglect to mention the sweet background vocals (Lucy Healey and FINNEAS). Although relatively simple and short, โ€œScared of Loving Youโ€ is pleasant and comes from the heart. Gomez, often criticized for her vocals, sounds great here.

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5. Jack Harlow, โ€œSet You Freeโ€

โ€œSet You Freeโ€ // Generation Now / Atlantic Recording Corporation // 2025

Jack Harlow, Set You Free [๐Ÿ“ท: Generation Now / Atlantic Recording Corporation]โ€œIโ€™m scared to leave you, but I know I need to.โ€ Word, Jack Harlow.  The Grammy-nominated rapper needs to move on from her โ€“ set her free on his brief single, โ€œSet You Freeโ€. โ€œSet You Freeโ€ features musical accompaniment of busy, percussive drum programming and guitar.  Jenius Level, Don Alfonso, and Angel Lรณpez produced โ€œSet You Free.โ€ Jack delivers a smooth cadence and flow โ€“ a different vibe.  The rhymes are rhythmic but calm, cool, and collected.  No worries, he still gets an f-bomb in: โ€œIโ€™m on ten, fuck that, fifteen for you / I love you, but I love my freedom, too / I know what I must do / But Iโ€™m really just scared to leave you.โ€ In the verse, he expresses his feelings regarding the relationship, and, perhaps, beyond the relationship:

โ€œI want to be alone, more than ever

Less free time, more endeavors

Less romance, more get cheddar

โ€ฆ I canโ€™t endure anymore antennas

Iโ€™m overly in tune, Iโ€™m overstimulated.โ€

Beyond the overarching theme, Jackโ€™s vocals, and the production, another interesting aspect of โ€œSet You Freeโ€ is the vocals by GINI.  They appear in the intro, chorus, refrain, and outro.  They provide a lift. โ€œSet You Freeโ€ is interesting from beginning to end. Is it game-changing? No, but it is a different sound for Jack Harlow and keeps him intriguing.

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6. Lynks, โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€

ABOMINATION // Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS] // 2024

Lynks, ABOMINATION [๐Ÿ“ท: Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS]]โ€œIโ€™m on the DLR, on my way to fuck a stranger / Know his age, know his height, donโ€™t know his name,โ€ Lynks asserts in the first verse of the colorful โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€. They acknowledge the risks in the highlight from their 2024 album, ABOMINATION: โ€œShould be ashamed, all the danger I put myself in in the name of a shag, and a bad one at that / Itโ€™s a matter of fact, to fuck a stranger is rarely a positive act for me / But I still go back โ€˜cause whoโ€™s keeping track.โ€ Lynks penned and produced the unique electro-tinged alternative joint.  It is nothing short of an exhilarating ride.

 

โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€ features intense, noisy-sounding musical accompaniment.  This establishes a high-energy, intense vibe. Lynksโ€™ vocals are unapologetic, often rapped and talked, using a distortion effect at times. He narrativizes an imminent hookup bringing ample personality to the table.โ€œOh, the wonders of technology when youโ€™re horny / Ordering a man like youโ€™d order a curry,โ€ they sing in the second verse, continuing, โ€œCall me up, babe, Iโ€™ll be there in a hurry / Iโ€™m free delivery and all I really need is you to fuck my brains out.โ€ Holy cannoli! Lynks, being young and horny, isnโ€™t picky regarding his sexual rendezvous.  Grindr overdrive! Even though Lynks is receiving pleasure, the satisfaction or deeper connection is missing, which they highlight in the talk-sung chorus:

โ€œRomance isnโ€™t dead, itโ€™s in a coma

Me? Iโ€™m just a dog out, tryna get a boner

I donโ€™t wanna spend my night alone (No)

So, I donโ€™t think about how Iโ€™ll feel when itโ€™s over

โ€˜Cause honestly, Iโ€™ll probably feel the same

No miracle, no epiphanies

And disappointment always is the danger

But what did you expect from sex with a stranger?โ€

โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€ is a sex-positive song but simultaneously acknowledges the unfulfillment of empty sex. 

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7. Tanya Tucker, โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)โ€

Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) // Sony Music Entertainment // 1974 

Tanya Tucker, Would You Lay With Me In a Field of Stone [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment]โ€œWould you lay with me in a field of stone / If my needs were strong, would you lay with me,โ€ Grammy-winning country musician Tanya Tucker sings in โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ€.  She continues, asking him, โ€œShould my lips grow dry, would you wet them, dear / In the midnight hour, if my lips were dry.โ€ โ€œWould You Lay With Meโ€ is the opening track from her 1974 album, also named Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone). David Allan Coe penned this love song, and would later record it himself, and Billy Sherrill produced it.  โ€œWouldโ€ impacted the pop charts modestly, reaching number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It topped the country music charts, unsurprisingly. Tucker earned her second career Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.

โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ€ is controversial.  Why? The song felt โ€˜matureโ€™ for a teenage country singer. Tucker was 15 years old when the song was released as a single in 1973.  While the lyrics are not explicit by todayโ€™s standards at all, a sexual relationship is implied. The innuendo is loud and clear, particularly the lyrics excerpted above.  Arguably, the relationship aspects of the song feel premature for someone as young as Tucker.  โ€œWill you bathe with me in the stream of life / When the moon is full, will you bathe with me?โ€ she asks, continuing, โ€œWill you still love me when Iโ€™m down and out / In my time of trial will you stand by me.โ€ Those lyrics confirm what Tucker states Coeโ€™s song was intended to be about: wedding vows.  Controversy, or minor controversy aside, Tucker sounds marvelous on โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ€.  Her voice is beautiful, distinct, and โ€“ wait for it โ€“ more mature than most 15-year-olds.  Backed by a stunning musical backdrop with country cues and sweet orchestrations, Tucker โ€˜ate this one up.โ€™

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8. NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, โ€œDare Uโ€

โ€œDare Uโ€ // NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc. / Warner // 2025

NLE Choppa & Imagine Dragons, Dare U [๐Ÿ“ท: NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc. / Warner]โ€œDare you, dare you / Say it to my face, I dare you,โ€ Dan Reynolds asserts in the intro to โ€œDare Uโ€NLE Choppa and Imagine Dragons join forces on โ€œDare U,โ€ a single that clocks in under two-and-a-half minutes.  This seems like an unlikely collaboration, yet, here we are.โ€œDare Uโ€ features nine songwriters, including NLE Choppa, the members of Imagine Dragons, and producer Johnny Goldstein. Following Reynoldsโ€™ intro, NLE Choppa spits in the first verse. Despite lacking obscenities, NLE Choppa still brings the heat with a compelling cadence and flow.  โ€œI knock a few Mโ€™s, my bank account trim / I promise you you ainโ€™t richer than my daughter,โ€ he raps, concluding, โ€œStep by step and take it day by day / I pray that death ainโ€™t a second a way / Minimum wage was back in them days / But now we paid, they say Iโ€™m the greatest.โ€ Woo! The rapper also spits in the second verse, dropping Jamaican patois and remaining confident to the nth degree. Dan Reynolds gets into the mix, too, holding things down in the centerpiece, the chorus:

โ€œYou can take my life, whet your knife

Youโ€™ll never get me out alive

Try and try the catโ€™s nine lives

Youโ€™ll never get me out alive

Dare you, dare you

Say it to my face, I dare youโ€ฆโ€

Ultimately, โ€œDare Uโ€ is entertaining.  Is it the second coming? No, but NLE Choppa and Dan Reynolds are high-energy throughout. Itโ€™s a fun collaboration. The production is sleek, with big, minor key synths and thunderous hits.  The chorus is catchy if corny. It is a harmless, inoffensive hip-hop/pop cut.

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9. Paul Anka, โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Babyโ€

Anka // Capitol // 1974 

Paul Anka, Anka [๐Ÿ“ท: Capitol]โ€œHaving my baby / What a lovely way of saying / How much you love me.โ€ Wow.  I understand what Paul Anka intended in โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Babyโ€. The fourth track from his 1974 album, Anka is either (1) underwritten to an extent (itโ€™s simple) or (2) overanalyzed.  Regardless, โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Babyโ€ cemented its spot in music history, peaking at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1974. Anka had a duet partner to celebrate the pregnancy: Odia Coates.  Anka penned this record, intended to be about the joys of fatherhood (he had four daughters) and celebrating his former wife (Anne de Zogheb, 1942 โ€“ 2017).  However, several aspects of โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Babyโ€ made it controversial to some.

 

Feminist organizations werenโ€™t thrilled with โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Baby.โ€ Why? It feels patriarchal as if the womanโ€™s role is stereotypical: to have babies and validate her husband.  Was that Ankaโ€™s intent? Probably not, but lyrics like โ€œWhat a lovely way of saying / What youโ€™re thinking of meโ€ feel self-centered and suspect. How does she feel about it, Paul? Even with Coates duetting, providing a โ€˜feminine perspectiveโ€™ on paper, the authenticity of that perspective feels masculine-driven. Coates, who sounds beautiful, sings, โ€œIโ€™m a woman in love / And I love whatโ€™s itโ€™s doing to meโ€ and โ€œIโ€™m a woman in love / And I love whatโ€™s going through me).โ€ Is that really how SHE feels?  โ€œBabyโ€ has another bit of controversy with a reference to abortion.  For some context, Roe v. Wade (overturned as of 2022) occurred in 1973. Anka sings, โ€œDidnโ€™t have to keep it / Wouldnโ€™t put you through it / You could have swept it from your life / But you wouldnโ€™t do it / No, you wouldnโ€™t do it.โ€ Conflicting messages, right? Celebrating pregnancy (pro-life) and supporting abortion (pro-choice).  From a musical perspective, โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having My Babyโ€ is beautifully sung, while the accompaniment is stunning and warm.  The songwriting hurts it, including the title.  As Karen from Manchester, NH, smartly comments on the Songfacts page for the song, โ€œOne small word change could have made it unoffensive: โ€œ(Youโ€™re) Having OUR Babyโ€ would probably fix that.โ€

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10. The Reverend Horton Heat, โ€œLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ€

Rev // Craft Recordings. / Concord // 2014

The Reverend Horton Heat, Rev [๐Ÿ“ท: Craft Recordings. / Concord]If you need some psychobilly rockabilly on your playlist, The Reverend Horton Heat is your band!  Jim Heath (James C. Heath), who sings and plays guitar, has been a member of the rock group since 1985. How does โ€˜Revโ€™ intend to feed their flock? It is simple: โ€œLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ€, the wacky but fun sixth track on their 2014 album, Rev.

 

Jim Heath teaches us four main things throughout โ€œLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ€: eat, bake, shred, and toast. The approach for the verses is call and response, which is fitting.

โ€œLet me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!)

Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!)

How to marinate the meat (Marinate the meat!)

Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!)

Itโ€™s a culinary treat (Culinary treat!)

Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!).โ€

Educate us, preacher! Between these teachings of eating/baking, and shredding/toasting, The Reverend Horton Heat โ€˜bridgesโ€™ the gap (emphasis on bridge).

โ€œIโ€™ll teach things that you never knew

How to choke a chicken and a make a meat stew

We can cook a taco in the middle of the street

And really feel good

Let me teach you how to eat (Teach you how to eat!).โ€

What kind of chicken are we choking, Rev? Just curious! The lyrics are a blast โ€“ delicious! But is he really talking about food? Probably not, judging by the music video. Moving on the tempo is quick, while the energy is โ€˜on 10.โ€™  The guitars roar while the drumming kicks ass and takes names.  If you are starving for a distinct, slightly unusual song, look no further than โ€œLet Me Teach You How To Eatโ€.  You wonโ€™t be disappointed!

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11. Cรฉline Dion, โ€œBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โ€˜Up Close and Personalโ€™)โ€

Falling Into You // Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc. // 1996  

Cรฉline Dion, Falling Into You [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc.]In 1996, Grammy-winning pop superstar Cรฉline Dion released one of the biggest songs of her career,  โ€œBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โ€˜Up Close and Personalโ€™)โ€. โ€œBecause You Loved Meโ€ is the second track from her 1996 diamond-certified album, Falling Into You. It was written by master songwriter Diane Warren. David Foster produced it. โ€œBecauseโ€  was nominated for four Grammys at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. Warren won her sole career Grammy (!) for the Best Song Written Specifically For A Motion Picture Or For Television. โ€œBecause You Loved Meโ€ spent six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified double platinum by the RIAA. 

So, what makes โ€œBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โ€˜Up Close and Personalโ€™)โ€ so epic? First and foremost, it is the beautiful vocals of Cรฉline Dion. Dion gives an authentic, honest, and sincere vocal performance.  She hits some impressive notes and slaughters (positively) the vocal runs. 

โ€œFor all the love I found in you

Iโ€™ll be forever thankful, baby

Youโ€™re the one who held me up

Never let me fall

Youโ€™re the one who saw me through, through it all.โ€ (verse one)

Dion gets awesome support courtesy of multiple background vocalists.  The melodies she brings to life are gorgeous.  Sheโ€™s backed by warm, adult contemporary production. The backdrop is not particularly innovative, but it is characteristic of the late 1990s sound. A tuneful, uplifting chorus is the centerpiece where Dionโ€™s bread is buttered.  

โ€œYou were my strength when I was weak

You were my voice when I couldnโ€™t speak

You were my eyes when I couldnโ€™t see

You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldnโ€™t reach

You gave me faith โ€˜cause you believed

Iโ€™m everything I am

Because you loved me

Ooh, baby.โ€

Beyond the chorus, there is great musical contrast provided during the bridge section. It separates itself from the verses and chorus. The theme of love remains the same (โ€œThrough the lies, you were the truth / My world is a better place because of youโ€).  Ultimately, โ€œBecause You Loved Me (Theme from โ€˜Up Close and Personalโ€™)โ€ is among the crรจme de la crรจme of the Cรฉline Dion catalog. 

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12. New Radicals, โ€œYou Get What You Giveโ€

Maybe Youโ€™ve Been Brainwashed Too // UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1998

New Radicals, Maybe Youโ€™ve Been Brainwashed Too [๐Ÿ“ท: UMG Recordings, Inc.]โ€œOne dance left, this world is gonna pull through.โ€ Perhaps those lyrics meant something different in 1998. However, those words Gregg Alexander sings remain relevant well into the 2020s.  Another lyric that remains potent and thoughtful: โ€œDonโ€™t give up, youโ€™ve got a reason to live.โ€ Yes! New Radicals was comprised of Alexander and Danielle Brisebois primarily. Maybe Youโ€™ve Been Brainwashed Too was their sole LP, released in 1998.  The song to beat is the second track and single, โ€œYou Get What You Giveโ€. It gave the band a top 40 hit, peaking at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.  โ€œGiveโ€ was written by Alexander and Rick Nowels. Alexander produced it.

 

โ€œYou Get What You Giveโ€ is a feel-good, uplifting pop/rock classic. Yes, the song sounds 1990s, pre-2000 through and through.  That is part of its charm pushing 30 years later.  The encouraging vibes to those reckless, liberal kids are not dated but rather timeless. Gregg Alexander โ€˜brings upโ€™ the youth with his terrific tenor. โ€œWake up, kids, we got the dreamersโ€™ disease / Age fourteen, they got you down on your knees,โ€ Alexander sings in the first verse.  Just like in the 1990s, the kids of the 2020s aspire, which some parents and conservative society desire to snuff out. Beyond battling narrow-minded views, Alexander criticizes the โ€˜bad rich,โ€™ asserting, โ€œGodโ€™s flying in for your trial.โ€ Oh, snap! With a crazy, unpredictable world, Gregg encourages us not to be scared: โ€œThis whole damn world could fall apart / Youโ€™ll be okay, follow your heart.โ€ The chorus is the section to beat:

โ€œYouโ€™ve got the music in you

Donโ€™t let go, youโ€™ve got the music in you

One dance left, this world is gonna pull through

Donโ€™t give up, youโ€™ve got a reason to live

Canโ€™t forget, we only get what we give.โ€

No matter what happens, New Radicals encourage us to give our all โ€“ donโ€™t give up or fall victim to fears.  Live life to the best of your ability. โ€œYou Get What You Giveโ€ remains the sugar honey iced tea, with its thoughtful messaging, itโ€™s seize-the-day, assertiveness, and celebrity shade (โ€œFashion shoots with Beck and Hanson /โ€ฆ Youโ€™re all fakes, run to your mansions / Come around, weโ€™ll kick your ass inโ€).  #CLASSIC!

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13. William DeVaughn, โ€œBe Thankful for What You Gotโ€

Be Thankful for What You Got // Unidisc Music Inc. // 1980

William DeVaughn, Be Thankful for What You Got [๐Ÿ“ท: Unidisc Music Inc.]โ€œThough you may not drive a great big Cadillac / โ€ฆ You may not have a cart at all / But remember brothers and sisters / You can still stand tall.โ€ How so, William DeVaughn? Itโ€™s simple: โ€œBe Thankful for What You Gotโ€! โ€œBe Thankful for What You Gotโ€ was written by DeVaughn and produced by Frank Fioravanti and John Davis.  No, this is not a Curtis Mayfield classic โ€“ itโ€™s all William DeVaughn! A memorable and ultra-successful soul classic, it peaked at no. 1 on the R&B charts.  It also gave William his sole hit on the pop charts, peaking at no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. DeVaughn may only be renowned for this song and its remixes, but, itโ€™s a whale of a song to be renowned for.

 

โ€œBe Thankful for What You Gotโ€ is groovy to the nth degree.  Itโ€™s not only the drums and percussion, though.  The warm organ, rhythm guitar, and robust bass also contribute to the sheer excellence.  Even as dynamic as the instrumental is, the song lays back, never coming off as overwrought or too much.  DeVaughn sings gloriously, never forcing things, yet oozing with soul. The lyrics are positive and uplifting, promoting gratitude โ€“ counting your blessings.  Also, the chorus is cool and iconic: โ€œDiamond in the back, sunroof top / Digginโ€™ the scene with a gangsta lean / Woo-ooh-ooh.โ€ Indeed! DeVaughn also gets a lift from background vocals, who also maintain a sense of โ€˜non troppoโ€™ (not too much). โ€œBe Thankful for What You Gotโ€ is potent yet characterized by its cool energy.  This classic has often been sampled by others including songs by N.W.A. (โ€œGangsta Gangstaโ€), Ludacris (โ€œDiamond in the Backโ€), and De La Soul (โ€œKeepinโ€™ the Faithโ€).

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13 More Songs Where YOU Are the Focus (2025) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; AWAL Recordings America, Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, Capitol, Concord, Craft Recordings., Def Jam Recordings, Friends Keep Secrets, Generation Now, Heavenly Recordings, Interscope, Lauv, [PIAS], NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc., SMG Music LLC, Sony Music Entertainment, UMG Recordings, Inc., Unidisc Music Inc., Warner; Ahmed Aziz from Pexels; AcatXloNiek VerlaanOpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

 

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the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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