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13 Notable Nobody, No One Songs [📷: Brent Faulkner, Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash, The Musical Hype]13 Notable Nobody, No One Songs features Bobby Womack, Louis The Child, SZA, Tove Lo and The Tony Rich Project.  

AAs 🎙 Alicia Keys once beautifully sang, “No one, no one, no one / Can get in the way of what I’m feelin’.”  Keys’ no. 1 hit, 🎵 “No One” was strongly considered for inclusion on 🎧 13 Notable Nobody, No One Songs.  Because it was not ultimately included, I thought that this 2007 gem deserved a shout out.  This musical compendium keeps things simple – the songs feature the word NOBODY or the phrase, NO ONE in their respective titles. 🎧 13 Notable Nobody, No One Songs features music courtesy of 🎙 Bobby Womack, 🎙 Louis The Child, 🎙 SZA, 🎙 Tove Lo, and 🎙 The Tony Rich Project among others.  So, without further ado, let’s dive right into these NOBODY/NO ONE songs!


1. SZA, “Nobody Gets Me”

💿 SOS 🏷 Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA • 📅 2022

SZA, SOS [📷: Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA]“How am I supposed to tell you / I don’t wanna see you with anyone, but me / Nobody gets me like you.” 🎵 “Nobody Gets Me” arrives as the 14th track on 💿 SOS, the long-awaited sophomore album by 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter, 🎙 SZA. On “Nobody Gets Me,” SZA is heartbroken about the end of her relationship. She attempts to atone with sex with other guys – “Hurry now, baby, stick it in / ‘Fore the memories get to kickin’ in” – but ultimately, SZA understands that nobody else feels right for her other than her ex.

“I pretend when I’m with a man, it’s you.” Woo! SZA clearly adored him and now he is out of the picture. Beyond the relatable narrative and lyrics, the music of “Nobody Gets Me” is a selling point too. The rhythmic guitar accompaniment is a nice touch, giving the record a simple, confessional feel.  Though this is R&B, it is R&B with pop sensibilities. The melody is tuneful throughout, particularly the chorus where her vocals utterly slay.

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2. Sampha, “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano”

💿 Process🏷 Young Turks • 📅 2017 

Sampha, Process [📷: Young Turks]🎵 “(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano” (💿 Process, 2017) is an emotional, reflective gem that grips the listener from the jump.  A subtle record, the lyrics pack a punch, not to mention 🎙 Sampha’s personal, authentic vocal.  In a sense, he characterizes the piano in his mother’s home as his confidante – the sole person who understands his feelings, issues, and otherwise.  On the first verse, the focus seems to be solely on the piano.

The chorus, which follows, suggests that there’s more to the story. Verse two personalizes the centerpiece of the song:

“An angel by her side, all the times I knew we couldn’t cope

They said that it’s her time, no tears in sight, I kept the feelings close

And you took hold of me and never, never, never let me go…”

Sampha has returned home, not only for his beloved childhood piano. According to Genius, his return was due to the illness and eventual death of his mom.

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3. Tove Lo, “No One Dies From Love”

💿 Dirt Femme🏷 Pretty Swede / mtheory • 📅 2022 

Tove Lo, Dirt Femme [📷: Pretty Swede / mtheory]“I know that they say that / No one dies from love / Guess I’ll be the first.” Sigh, those matters of the heart, 🎙 Tove Lo (Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson), they’ll mess you up every time! On 🎵 “No One Dies From Love”, an advance single from her 2022 album, 💿 Dirt Femme, the Swedish musician is experiencing the blues.  At one time, her relationship was flourishing but, well, things happened. As she sings honestly in the pre-chorus, “It escalated so fast / We yelled things we can’t take back.” Indeed, indeed.  The good news is her pain is our listening pleasure on this enjoyable and highly relatable single.

Tove Lo penned “No One Dies From Love” alongside producer 🎼✍ 🎛 A Strut.  A Strut should DEFINITELY walk with a strut considering the work he puts in behind the boards.  Those synths and pads sound amazing as does the beat. Nilsson has a tremendous backdrop supporting her.  Of course, she sings lovely, delivering honest lyrics about what happened to what was once a good thing. “We were so magical, why end this way?” she sings in the first verse, adding in the second, “Somehow, we’re strangers, but share this pain.” Love’s got her and her ex- down, but again, their pain is our listening pleasure.  The chorus, of course, is the crowning achievement:

“No one dies from love

Guess I’ll be the first

Will you remember us?

Or are the memories too stained with blood now?”

Great vocals, relatable lyrics, and top-notch production make this a surefire bop! 

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4. Jeremy Zucker, “No one hates you (like I do)”

💿 Crusher🏷 Republic • 🗓 2021

Jeremy Zucker, Crusher [📷: Republic]You’ve got to love it when a musician wears his heart on his sleeve.  That’s exactly what New Jersey pop artist 🎙 Jeremy Zucker does.  The handsome musician brings plenty to the table, serving up thoughtful songwriting and vocals to die for. His sophomore album, 💿 Crusher, arrived in 2021.  The results are positive, including the ‘no’ song at hand, 🎵 “No one hates you (like I do).”

Fittingly, the album concludes with the pessimistic joint.  Clearly, Zucker is over the relationship and putting it behind him.  “Conscience is clear / Haven’t regretted shit in years,” he sings in the second verse, adding, “Nothing can hurt me, anymore.” With no shortage of strength, he sings on the epic chorus, “But I wanna be kind / With this attitude / So no one hates you like I do, so rest assured / I’m never coming back to you.” Woo!

 

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5. Deborah Cox, “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”

💿 One Wish🏷 Arista • 🗓 1998

Deborah Cox, One Wish [📷: Arista]“How did you get here? Nobody’s supposed to be here / I tried that love thing for the last time.” Those iconic lyrics grace one of my favorite R&B records from the 1990s, 🎵 “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here”.  This mid-tempo ballad marks the biggest hit by Canadian R&B singer, 🎙 Deborah Cox. Not only did it top the R&B charts but “Nobody’s Supposed to Be Here” just missed the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at no. 2.  Of course, the centerpiece of this 1998 gem from 💿 One Wish is the epic chorus. Excerpted above, it continues as follows, in all its glory: “My heart says, ‘No, no,’ nobody’s supposed to be here / But you came along and changed my mind.”

Basically, Deborah Cox was D-O-N-E with love on this 🎼 ✍ Montell Jordan and Anthony “Shep” Crawford co-write.  Despite nearly throwing in the towel, a chance for love has reared its head again, and she can’t refuse it:

“But when I turn around, again, love has knocked me down

My heart got broken, oh it hurts so bad

I’m sad to say love wins again.”

It’s a similar situation in the second verse, where Cox asserts, “Knowing these tears I cry, this lovely black butterfly / Must take a chance, and spread my wings.” Oh, that damn love!  Cox’s pleasure and pain are our listening pleasure – no pain whatsoever for us – particularly her authentic, soulful ad-libs and nuances.  She has a magnificent instrument, which soars over Shep’s production and nails that key change!

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6. Maroon 5, “Nobody’s Love”

💿 JORDI 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2021 

Maroon 5, JORDI [📷: Interscope]“If my love ain’t your love / It’s never gonna be nobody’s love / I’m never gonna need nobody’s love but yours.” 🎵 “Nobody’s Love” arrived in 2020 as an advanced single from 💿 JORDI, the 2021 studio album by 🎙 Maroon 5.  With “Nobody’s Love,” 🎙 Adam Levine shared in an Instagram post, “The entire process of perfecting this song was done with the whole world in mind. I’m hoping that nobody’s love is a song that can give everyone a moment of peace and reflection during this unprecedented moment in our world’s story.” That unprecedented moment, of course, was the COVID-19 pandemic and all of its devastating, life changing effects.

While “Nobody’s Love” isn’t perfect, it does feel like the band’s heart is in the right place. Furthermore, it is one of the best moments on the so-so JORDI.  There are 10 songwriters – that is lots of ‘cooks in the kitchen.’ From a production standpoint, it is successful (🎛 The Monsters & Strangerz, German, Ryan OG, and B Ham). The backdrop is pleasant and quite beautiful, arguably the biggest selling point of the song. As for Adam, he sings well, successful bringing the lyrics to life (“You’re the only hand in my back pocket / If you ever left, I’d go psychotic / Heaven hear me cryin’, cryin’”).

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7. The Tony Rich Project, “Nobody Knows”

💿 Words 🏷 LaFace • 📅 1996 

The Tony Rich Project, Words [📷: LaFace]Remember, it only takes one song to make history.  For 🎙 The Tony Rich Project, that one song is the utterly stupendous, 🎵 “Nobody Knows”. “The nights are lonely, the days are so sad / And I just keep thinkin’ about / The love we had,” 🎙 Tony Rich sings in the chorus, continuing, “And I’m missin’ you / And nobody knows it but me.”  Those lyrics are absolutely stunning – just beautiful to the nth degree! Rich won a 🏆 Grammy for 💿 Words, the 1996 album that the no. 2 Billboard Hot 100 appeared on.  Also, it is worth noting that “Nobody Knows” was nominated for a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Rich penned “Nobody Knows” alongside 🎼 ✍ Don DuBosé.  Furthermore, he produced the record, which ranks among the crème de la crème of the 1990s.  The theme of the record is heartbreak, often perfect fuel for a pop/R&B gem.  Rich reveals how much he misses her despite pretending outwardly he did not.  “I pretended I’m glad you went away / These four walls closin’ more every day,” he sings in the first verse, continuing, “And I’m dying inside / And nobody knows it but me.” Similarly, in the second verse, he sings, “I carry a smile while I’m broken in two / And I’m nobody without someone like you / I’m trembling inside / And nobody knows it but me.” The regret is strong, with Rich asking himself, “How could I let my angel get away,” declaring, “A million words couldn’t say just how I feel,” and asserting, “Tomorrow mornin’, I’m hitting the dusty road / Gonna find you wherever, ever you might go / I’m gonna unload my heart / And hope you come back to me.” His authenticity carries ample weight, as does his marvelous vocal performance, backed by a chill but potent backdrop. The five-minute-and-change juggernaut is a surefire masterpiece of the 1990s that never grows old.

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8. Marlon Williams, “Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore” (Ft. Aldous Harding)

💿 Make Way for Love 🏷 Dead Oceans • 📅 2018

Marlon Williams, Make Way for Love [📷: Dead Oceans]New Zealand musicians 🎙 Marlon Williams and 🎙 Aldous Harding make a brilliant pair on 🎵 “Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore”, a gem from Williams’ 2018 sophomore album, 💿 Make Way for Love. “Isn’t it strange, impossible to claim your reward,” Harding sings, exhibiting pure, robust vocals. The initial accompaniment is simply guitar, which is sufficient –  ultimately appealing. Williams arrives in the following line, taking command of the verse: “I cannot explain, emotions I can barely afford to contain / You’re the same, you hide away from anything that turns you on / Nobody gets what they want anymore.”

Williams delivers equally glorious vocals.  Eventually, following another verse in a similar vein, the two join forces, in exquisite harmonies, singing the titular lyric.  With combined forces comes expanded production that’s more dynamic and fuller in instrumentation. Williams dominates the end of the song, which contrasts the majority, though in the most positive, musical way.

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9. Hozier, “Nobody”

💿 Wasteland, Baby! 🏷 Rubyworks / Columbia • 📅 2019

Hozier, Wasteland, Baby! [📷: Rubyworks / Columbia]“Honey, when you warm the bed on Wednesday / It’s suicide Tuesday back in LA.” Woo! In the context of 💿 Wasteland, Baby!, the 2019 sophomore album by 🎙 Hozier, 🎵 “Nobody,” the fifth track, keeps the groove going strong. Intriguingly, “Nobody” sounds as if it could have been written in the 1960s or 70s; there is an old-school vibe for sure. That said, do NOT characterize “Nobody” as  ‘anachronistic’ because it is NOT. It was refreshing in 2019 and remains refreshing well into the 2020s!

The 🏆 Grammy-nominated Irish alternative musician has quite the way with words. Of course, we would expect no less of a songwriter.  “At first chance, I’d take the bed warmed by the body, woo / I once warmed my hands over a burnin’ Maserati, woo.” Yep, that is wild, Hozier! His point, of course, seems to be that even though his relationship has its fair share of dysfunction and imperfection, he cannot think of a more fitting person to be in love with.

“Still, I’ve had no love like your love from nobody

I’d be appalled if I saw you ever try to be a saint

I wouldn’t fall for someone I thought couldn’t misbehave

But I want you to know that I’ve had no other love like your love.”


10. Jack & Jack, “No One Compares to You”

💿 A Good Friend Is Nice 🏷 Island • 📅 2019

Jack & Jack, A Good Friend Is Nice [📷: Island]“Thoughts of you and me keep passing by / Like ships in the night, we never collide.” How poetic and, utterly relatable! LA-based, Oklahoma-born, and Nebraskan-bred duo 🎙 Jack & Jack (🎙 Jack Johnson and 🎙 Jack Gilinsky) dropped the thoughtful, dedicated single, 🎵 “No One Compares to You” ahead of their 2019 album, 💿 A Good Friend Is Nice. The production is idiomatic of modern pop, incorporating dance and electronic sounds.  This backdrop suits the versatile musicians, who sound fresh, filled with youthful swagger. Vocally, the best moments come by way of slick falsetto, as well as the expressive, more full-powered vocals on the memorable chorus.

“Every time I think I found somebody

I just wish that somebody was you

There’s no way that someone could make me

Feel the same way that you do

No one compares to you.”

All in all, “No One Compares to You” is a feel-good, groovy, and sleek pop record. The theme is simple – tried and true by all means.


11. Louis The Child, “Nobody Like You” (with Vera Blue)

💿 Here For Now 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2020

Louis The Child, Here for Now [📷: Interscope]“I think you should / Stay for a while ‘cause you’re drivin’ me wild / And I know for a fact there’s nobody, nobody like you.” Woo! If you need a vibe, look no further than Chicago electronic music duo 🎙 Louis The Child, comprised of 🎙 Robby Hauldren and 🎙 Freddy Kennett 💪.  In 2020, Hauldren and Kennett released their debut album, 💿 Here For Now. Filled with intriguing musical gems, one of the best is the bright and quick record, 🎵 “Nobody Like You”.

On “Nobody Like You,” Louis The Child enlists the services of Australian singer 🎙 Vera Blue. The duo gives Blue a terrific, picturesque backdrop, one that perfectly accommodates her voice.  Thematically, Blue focuses on matters of the heart – L-O-V-E.  Prior to the excerpted chorus lines, Vera expresses, “But I tell myself, stop, wait a minute / I always catch feelings too fast…” Woo! Notably, in the second verse, Blue asserts, “Lookin’ at you, I can’t help feelin’ butterflies / You’re like a work of art hangin’ up on a wire.” Like so many of Louis The Child’s songs, “Nobody Like You” is a surefire bop.

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12. Linkin Park, “Nobody Can Save Me”

💿 One More Light • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2017

Linkin Park, One More Light [📷: Warner]“I’m dancing with my demons / I’m hanging off the edge / Storm clouds gather beneath me / Waves break above my head / Headfirst hallucination.” Totally depressing Linkin Park, totally depressing. In addition to kicking off 💿 One More Light sadly, 🎵 “Nobody Can Save Me” also establishes the pop-oriented tone of the LP.

It certainly benefits from its catchy chorus:

“But nobody can save me now

I’m holding up a light

I’m crashing out the darkness inside

‘Cause nobody can save me.”

Additionally, “Nobody Can Save Me” showcases newfound maturity from the band.  From the start, it’s clear that 🎙 Chester Bennington (R.I.P.) needs a fix, and he is the only proponent of such a fix.  Why? “‘Cause nobody can save me now.”

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13. Bobby Womack, “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down And Out”

💿 Facts of Life 🏷 The Right Stuff🗓 1973

Bobby Womack, Facts of Life [📷: The Right Stuff]🎵 “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down And Out” marvelously commences 💿 Facts of Life, the 1973 album by the late, great soul artist, 🎙 Bobby Womack.  While it is Womack that brings the lyrics and song to life, “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down And Out” was written by 🎼 ✍ James (Jimmie) Cox (it is a transformation of the blues standard, 🎵 “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out”). Man, oh, man, did Mr. Cox write an epic track! Womack produces the gem, which features an electrifying soul groove, led by the drums and a robust bass line.  Of course, one of the biggest selling points is none other than the nuanced, playful, and soulful vocals by Womack. It is safe to say that he delivers ample personality on this classic.

What is the premise of this no. 29 pop hit? Honestly, it is just as the title suggests. Once you are lacking success – influence, money, in particular, or whatever it may be – NOBODY wants you.  Womack (the character he portrays) recounts affluence – “I lived the life of a millionaire” and “Drinkin’ that good gin, champagne and wine.” Of course, he came down and his ‘friends’ dried up alongside the money and that bougie alcohol. As the chorus states brilliantly, “Cause, I found out / Nobody wants you when you’re down and out.” Of course, Womack makes a wise observation later: “But just let you get up on my feet again / Here they all come tellin’ you / All are you long-lost friends.” It is true what can be said about fake, Fairweather friends. Ultimately, 🎵 “Nobody Wants You When You’re Down And Out” ranks among the crème de la crème of the Bobby Womack collection.

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13 Notable Nobody, No One Songs [📷: Arista, Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Dead Oceans, Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash, Interscope, LaFace, mtheory, The Musical Hype, Pretty Swede, RCA, Republic, The Right Stuff, Rubyworks, Top Dawg Entertainment, Young Turks]

 

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