13 Outstanding O-U-T Out Songs

Reading Time: 17 min read

13 Outstanding O-U-T Out Songs features songs by the Four Tops, Joe Jonas, Meat Loaf, NVDES, and NLE Choppa.

Ah, the secret is O-U-T! Actually, there was no secret to begin with! The deck of cards was never hidden! Okay, enough rambling about nothing! All of the songs on 13 Outstanding O-U-T Out Songs feature the word out. There are no exceptions! Out is a crucial part of the success of this musical compendium. Songs of various genres, old and new, are acceptable, however! Also, worth noting, this isn’t the first time out has been shouted out via playlist on The Musical Hype – see 13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 1 (2023) and 13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 2 (2023). 13 Outstanding O-U-T Out Songs features songs by the Four Tops, Joe Jonas, Meat Loaf, NVDES, and NLE Choppa. So, without further ado, let’s embrace the O-U-T.

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1. Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus, “Doctor (Work It Out)”	2. Little Anthony & The Imperials, “Goin’ Out of My Head”	3. Biscuit Beats, “Rubbin’ One Out”	4. Baby Tate, “Slut Him Out Again” (Ft. Kaliii)
5. Tavares, “Check It Out”	6. Theo Tams, “Happy On The Outside”	7. Joe Jonas, “Work It Out”	8. NLE Choppa, “SLUT ME OUT 2”
9. NVDES, “I Want to Make Out at the Gay Club”	10. Meat Loaf, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”	11. Four Tops, “Reach Out I’ll Be There”	12. The Greater Metropolitan Church of Christ Choir, “He’s Working It Out”
13. Shirley Caesar, “He’s Working It Out For You”

1. Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus, “Doctor (Work It Out)”

“Doctor (Work It Out)” // Columbia // 2024

When Pharrell Williams and Miley Cyrus join forces, plenty of magic is unleashed. These Grammy-winning standouts bring the heat on “Doctor (Work It Out)”. This three-minute and change joint was penned by Williams, Cyrus, and Michael Pollack. Pharrell hands the work behind the boards, kicking things off with his signature, four count. From there, over a minimal but potent instrumental, following the tone-setting, introductory bar, Miley gets to work! “I could be your doctor / And I could be your nurse / I think I see the problem / It’s only gon’ get worse,” Cyrus sings, in all her ‘medical’ glory in the tuneful chorus. She continues, “A midnight medication / Just show me where it hurts / I need to rock you, baby / Before your body bursts.” Ooh-wee! In the post-chorus, for good measure, she asserts, “Let lil mama work you out.” Gah-day-um! The record only features a sole verse, but Miley makes it worthwhile whenever and whatever she sings. Her lead vocals are expressive and playful, while the background vocals add to the fun and allure with their tongue-in-cheek vibes. The songwriting isn’t deep, nor is it intended to be – “Are you on the fence? / Still playing on the side / Are you on the fence? / Don’t waste my damn time” – but ultimately, “Doctor (Work It Out)” is entertaining… also, groovy.

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2. Little Anthony & The Imperials, “Goin’ Out of My Head”

Goin’ Out of My Head // Capitol // 1964

“And I think I’m going out of my head / Yes, I think I’m going out of my head / Over you / Over you.” “Goin’ Out of My Head” is the opening track from Goin’ Out of My Head, the 1964 album by the renowned doo-wop, vintage R&B collective, Little Anthony & The Imperials. “Goin’ Out of My Head” peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Robert Weinstein and Teddy Randazzo penned the two-and-a-half-minute classic. Randazzo produced as well. Leading the charge on “Goin’ Out of My Head” are the stellar lead vocals by Jerome Anthony (“Little Anthony”) Gourdine. His high tenor is epic and smooth. As dynamic as he is, the silky smooth backing vocals by The Imperials help fuel his fire and up the ante. Little Anthony’s most dynamic vocals occur during the refrain (a second chorus of sorts), the song’s most memorable section.

“Goin’ out of my head over you (Out of my head)

Out of my head over you (Out of my head)

Out of my head, day and night

Night and day and night

Wrong or right.”

As memorable as the refrain is, the verses establish the narrative – set up the goin’ out of my head! “I want you to want me / I need you so badly / I can’t think of anything but you,” Little Anthony sings, adding, “I see you each morning / But you just walk past me / You don’t even know that I exist.” Also, the bridge, post-refrain, shines lyrically and instrumentally (It’s the French horns). With top-notch singing and terrific songwriting, the impeccably sweet orchestration and musical production can’t be neglected. Besides the horns during the bridge, the strings sound particularly radiant. “Goin’ Out of My Head” is two-and-a-half minutes of timeless musical greatness.

Appears in:

Little Anthony & The Imperials, Goin’ Out of My Head: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 139 (2024)

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3. Biscuit Beats, “Rubbin’ One Out”

“Rubbin’ One Out” // Crusty // 2024

“I’m rubbin’ one out on my living room floor / ‘Cause my wife won’t suck my dick anymore.” Man, oh, man! Biscuit Beats, you AI song makers, please, tell us why she won’t oblige? “She used to hawk tuah right on my thang / But she stopped when I gave her that wedding ring.” There is the proof, folks, that marriage ruins everything, particularly oral sex… or so Biscuit Beats asserts in this ‘take it with a grain of salt’ country AI song. “Rubbin’ One Out” is outlandish to the nth degree. That, my friends, is a big part of the charm of the song. The lyrics are absurd in this trashy country music song. Summing it up, “Rubbin’ One Out” is a masturbation song. Because our nameless narrator can’t get any from his wife (“Nobody told me that her mouth retired”), he’s resorting to “moanin’ at the top of my lungs.” Given the excess self-pleasuring, his hand is, unsurprisingly, tired. It also shouldn’t surprise you that this trashy country song finds him “humping the couch and the washing machine” because “No matter what I do, she won’t suck this meat.” Jesus! Honestly, “Rubbin’ One Out” doesn’t need extensive analysis. It doesn’t need any analysis… It should be taken with a grain of salt, like so many shocking AI songs.

Appears in:

Biscuit Beats, Rubbin’ One Out: Midnight Heat 🕛 🔥 36 (2025)

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4. Baby Tate, “Slut Him Out Again” (Ft. Kaliii)

Mani **/ Pedi // Sekoya Spectrum / Warner // 2022**

Per Baby Tate, “I’m finna slut this nigga out.” Oh, snap! “Slut Him Out Again” appears in the rapper’s 2022 album, Mani / Pedi. As the title of the song suggests, Baby Tate is feeling freaky! “He say, ‘You nasty,’ I said, ‘What’s the problem?’ / Don’t you want a bitch to throw that dick back like a shot?” Unapologetic to the nth degree. She offers more sluttiness in the third verse, ‘spitting,’ “Spittin’ on it make it look like glass, up and down my neck, my back / Just like that, lick my pussy and my crack.” Tate is also responsible for the centerpiece, the crème de la crème, the chorus:

“I’m just tryna slut this nigga out (Slut him out)

Gargle on his kids, then spit ‘em in his mouth (In his mouth)

I told him slurp me up like spaghetti

He thought he was a freak ‘til he met me (Yeah)

And now I’m finna show him what it’s ‘bout (Yeah).”

Besides Tate’s bars about Kama Sutra and nut facials, she gets an assist from Kaliii in the second verse. Like Baby Tate, Kaliii is nasty! “I’m finna slut this bitch out,” she asserts, adding, “Heard she got a nigga, but my pussy in her mouth / I can take your nigga or your bitch, fuck that house.” Word. When it comes to men, she has expectations: “I’m a real freak bitch, I don’t want no weak dick / Gotta eat this ass, like, seven days a week, sis.” If there was any doubt, “Slut Him Out Again” is NSFW – don’t try it! Baby Tate and Kaliii don’t play, backed by the mean, seedy-sounding production of Hitkidd.

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5. Tavares, “Check It Out”

Check It Out // Capitol // 1974

“If you want someone who understands / Then things can’t get uptight,” Antone “Chubby” Tavares sings in the first verse of “Check It Out”. The Tavares vocalist adds, “If it means anything to you / To know that I care for you / Check it out.” “Check It Out” is the fourth track on the Boston-based R&B collective’s 1974 album, also titled, Check It Out. Billy Osborne and Floyd Butler penned the soulful ballad. Robert Bowles produced, overseeing the ear-catching, luscious backdrop. “Check It Out” marked a breakthrough single for Tavares. They’d chart higher with future singles. It peaked at no. 35 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1973 marking the beginning of their career success.

The theme and lyrics of “Check It Out” are simple. If you need somebody, I’m the one, the Tavares brothers sing throughout the song. “Oh… surely you must know / My love will always grow” sums up the vibe perfectly. Adding to the allure beyond compelling lead and background vocals, love-oriented lyrics, and lush production are the melodies. The tuneful melodies are a perfect match for the dedicated, love-driven lyrics. “There may not be a dreary day / For you to suffer through,” Tavares sings together, continuing, “If you would let me lead the way / I’d give the world to you.” Girl, the thing for you to do is “Check It Out”, period.

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6. Theo Tams, “Happy On The Outside”

“Happy On The Outside” // Slaight Music Inc / Hidden Pony // 2024

“I gotta be careful.” Why, Theo Tams? “‘Cause if I write another sad song, they’ll call me melodramatic / And so I fake a smile, yeah, I’ll fake it for a while.” Shame, shame, shame. The handsome and talented Canadian feels forced to put on a façade. When you don’t feel happy, putting on a façade can be incredibly difficult. But, in the case of “Happy On The Outside”, Tams appears that way despite what he’s masking on the inside. Tams produced the enjoyable single alongside Marty Martino and Brian Rivlin. “Happy On The Outside” commences with a lovely, rhythmic instrumental introduction. It gets the song off on the right foot. Tams brings a strong voice to the table, bringing the emotional and honest songwriting to life – despite that façade, of course! Even though “No one will see me walk a wire or the dumpster fire that my life is,” he expresses how he copes with holding stuff in on the tuneful chorus:

“Happy on the outside

When inside I just really wanna die

…So pass the grass

Smoke some weed

Raise your glass

And cheers to me

Cause I’m good at being

Happy on the outside

When inside I just really wanna die.”

Word. Some fun, playful vocal moments and effects make “Happy On The Outside” an even happier experience! I love how the background vocals slide on “yeah.” The “hold up(s)” appearing in the final verse, are sick! In the second chorus, the addition of spoken word response vocals brings a welcome contrast that is retained for the rest of the song. The bridge also brings contrast but remains in the spirit of the song (“I’ve already said too much but / Somehow not enough / So I’ll just keep on being…”). “Happy On The Outside” is a bop. Yeah, Theo Tams has to sacrifice being ‘true to self,’ but his fakeness is our listening pleasure.

Appears in:

Theo Tams, Happy On The Outside: Beaming with Pride 🏳️‍🌈 1 (2025)

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7. Joe Jonas, “Work It Out”

Music For People Who Believe in Love // Republic // 2025

“Sometimes I wish I had powers to be invisible.” Doesn’t everybody? “Work It Out” marked the first single by Joe Jonas since 2022. It is far more momentous. Why? It is the promo single from his delayed sophomore album, Music For People Who Believe in Love. Jonas penned the single alongside Jason Evigan, Bianca Atterberry, Kane Ritchotte, and Victoria Evigan. Jason Evigan and Kane Ritchotte produced. There is no shortage of intriguing lyrics. After wishing for invisibility, Joe asserts, “Even baddies get saddies, and that’s the hardest truth / Call your mommy and daddy, they don’t know what to do.” In the second verse, he owns up to the fact, “Okay, maybe I’m a little dramatic / Okay, maybe I’m a little manic / Some days, I wanna float away / Sometimes, I need remindin’.” The crème de la crème – the crowning achievement – is the chorus. Stop whining, “Brush your shoulders off, life’s gonna work it out.” Word. Jonas delivers energetic vocals, including showing off some sweet falsetto. The instrumental is a blend of driving pop, rock, and a dash of synth. The brief but potent “Work It Out” is unique – something Joe needed to release as a solo artist. Enjoyable overall, it’s a song that grows on you with successive listens.

Appears in:

13 Songs That Explore It, Vol. 4 (2025)

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8. NLE Choppa, “SLUT ME OUT 2”

“SLUT ME OUT 2” // NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc. / Warner // 2024

“I need all the bad bitches to the floor.” After he requested her to “SLUT ME OUT” in 2022, rapper NLE Choppa (Bryson Potts) desires more sluttiness in his two-minute-and-change single, “SLUT ME OUT 2”. “SLUT ME OUT 2” was written by Potts and producers EMRLD and Synthetic. The result – utter sluttiness, of course! The instrumental bangs. Following the intro, NLE Choppa drops the slutty chorus. “If I was a bad bitch, I’d wanna fuck me too, hmm,” he spits, continuing, “I’d wanna suck me too, hmm / I’d wanna slut me too, hmm.” Point made. While Potts is cocky, is he wrong? He’s a handsome, young, rich, and famous rapper. Beyond the chorus, there’s a verse and it’s purely sex. Some of the highlights include the carnal, “Ayy, let me nut on your butt / Ayy, put my face in your thighs, bitch,” “Suck on my Glock ‘til I bust / Suck on my balls, a must,” and “I’m tryna eat that ass and the pussy / I’m tryna take her to pound, pound, pound town (Baow, baow).” Holy she-it! NLE Choppa is horny AF on “SLUT ME OUT 2”. The single lacks depth – it’s pure pornographic rap – but his passion for lust and sex is, entertaining and titillating.

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9. NVDES, “I Want to Make Out at the Gay Club”

Life with Lobsters (EP) // B3SCI // 2016

“Who’s your friend?” That is the question. It is also one of the repeated lyrics from the colorfully and gayly titled, “I Want to Make Out at the Gay Club”. That is a statement – one filled with, rather, beaming with Pride! “I Want to Make Out at the Gay Club” comes from the hands of NVDES (Josh Ocean Laviolette). Of his music, Ocean asserts, “NO GENRE ⚡️ JUST ENERGY™️ I follow my creativity wherever it takes me…” Right on. NVDES produced this horny little joint. Besides Laviolette, Madi Diaz, Lavid, Oliver Tree, and Sean Van Vleet penned it.

One of the best features of “I Want to Make Out in a Gay Club” is the infectious, looped riff. The record is built around this. It easily gets stuck in your head. The vocals are multifaceted. Sometimes, the vocals are performed more subtly, yet playfully and sensually. As the song progresses, more overt vocals join the more restrained vocals, offering contrast and upping the intensity. It should come as no surprise that the lyric most often repeated is the horniest: “I want to make out at the gay club.” Spare on lyrics, other repeated gems include “Right here” and the least seldom heard, “Nothing but dancing and love” which caps things off. Beyond the singing, which is treated more like an instrument, complement ample colorful synths, tastefully layered sounds and effects, and a marvelous anchoring groove. NVDES gives us a heaping dose of fun on “I Want to Make Out at the Gay Club”. It is the perfect catalyst to hit the dance floor… and make out at the gay club, of course 🏳️‍🌈 😘!

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10. Meat Loaf, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”

Bat Out of Hell // Sony Music Entertainment // 1977

“I want you, I need you / But there ain’t no way I’m ever gonna love you.” Uh-oh! It’s those universal, pesky matters of the heart rearing their ugly head! Grammy-winning singer and actor Meat Loaf (Michael Lee Aday) (1947 – 2022) continues singing, “Now don’t be sad (Don’t be sad ‘cause) / ‘Cause two out of three ain’t bad.” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” is the fifth track from Meat Loaf’s lauded 1977, diamond-certified album, Bat Out of Hell. Hall of Fame songwriter Jim Steinman (1947 – 2021) wrote “Two,” while Todd Rundgren produced it. A huge hit, the song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified platinum by the RIAA.

So, what is going on in “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad?” An ice-cold relationship. “Baby, we can talk all night / But that ain’t getting us nowhere,” Meat Loaf sings in the first verse of the ballad. In the second, he asserts, “I poured it on, and I poured it out,” adding “I’m tired of words and I’m too hoarse to shout / But you’ve been cold to me so long.” It’s poetically giving unrequited love. On the bridge, Aday speaks to the extreme that his soon-to-be ex is seeking, cleverly singing, “I know you’re lookin’ for a ruby in a mountain of rocks / But there ain’t no Coupe de Ville hidin’ / At the bottom of a Cracker Jack box.” By the third verse, she exits, expressing those memorable, titular lyrics in the chorus. Meatloaf sings authentically and beautifully throughout “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” – he sells it to the audience like a champ. Beyond his honest vocal performance, the music is stunning. This is 1970s pop/rock at its best, with rhythm section (including keys), strings, and lit background vocals supporting Meat Loaf’s dynamic lead. Can I get an amen?! The greatness of “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” endures well beyond the 1970s.

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11. Four Tops, “Reach Out I’ll Be There”

Reach Out // Motown // 1967

“Now if you feel that you can’t go on (Can’t go on) / Because all of your hope is gone (All your hope is gone)…” Hmm, if you’re feeling hopeless, what should you do? According to the late, great Levi Stubbs (1936 – 2008) and the rest of the Four Tops (Renaldo “Obie” Benson, Abdul “Duke” Fakir, and Lawrence Payton), you should “(Reach out) Reach out for me.” Word. “Reach Out I’ll Be There”, released as a single in 1966, is one of the best songs by the Grammy-nominated, Motown quartet. It is one of the best songs in the soul catalog. To take it a step further, it is one of the greatest songs ever. “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” which peaked at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, appeared as the opening track from Reach Out, released in July 1967. It was penned by the iconic songwriting trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland (Brian Holland, Eddie Holland, and Lamont Dozier). Brian Holland and Lamont Dozier produced the masterpiece which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame (1998) and inducted into the Library of Congress National Registry (2022).

Perfect songs are hard to come by but “Reach Out I’ll Be There” is one of them. The arrangement, production, and overall sound are marvelous and innovative. This includes the unforgettable flute/piccolo riff and galloping percussion sounds. According to Dozier (via Genius via Wall Street Journal), “I alternated the keys – from a minor Russian feel in the verse to a major gospel feel in the chorus.” At the beginning of the first verse, an iconic “Yah” gives “Reach Out I’ll Be There” ample personality before the assertive, powerful lead of Levi Stubbs blesses the listener. His gritty performance sounds like he’s singing for his life. It’s easy to buy what he sells because of the authenticity and sheer exuberance he sings with. He continues singing in the first verse, “And your life is filled with much confusion (Much confusion) / Until happiness is just an illusion (Happiness is just an illusion) / And your world around is crumbling down, darlin’.” The second and third verses are patterned similarly to the first, with Stubbs’ infectious vocals and awesome backing vocals by Benson, Fakir, Payton, and others. Of course, the section to beat is the chorus, with its distinct change of key to major:

“I’ll be there to love and comfort you

And I’ll be there to cherish and care for you

I’ll be there to always see you through

I’ll be there to love and comfort you.”

“Reach Out I’ll Be There” is timeless. Listening to this once-in-a-lifetime gem, the composition, performance, and recording techniques used are impressive. And to think, Four Tops didn’t want to release it 🤯!

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12. The Greater Metropolitan Church of Christ Choir, “He’s Working It Out”

He’s Working It Out // Malaco // 1975

“Right now, God is / Working it Out (Working it out), working it out (Working it out).” Amen! Hallelujah! That is good news! Who inspires us on “He’s Working It Out”? The Greater Metropolitan Church of Christ Choir (📍Chicago, IL), directed by pastor and founder Rev. Isaac Whittmon. Joining forces with this anointed choir and director is the legendary ‘king of gospel music,’ James Cleveland (1931 – 1990). The result is a stirring, titular opening track from the choir’s 1975 album. Whittmon also penned it. “He’s Working It Out” is old-school, traditional black gospel at its best. The rhythm section – piano, organ, bass, and drums – provides a solid anchor. Cleveland shines (one of two lead vocalists) with his signature gravelly tone. There is a brilliant call-and-response between duetting, harmonized lead vocals, and The Greater Metropolitan Church of Christ Choir. Whereas Mr. Cleveland’s voice is more of a gravelly, gritty timbre, the other lead has a more soaring instrument that elevates the spirit higher and higher. The choir has two notable vamped moments. The first is on “He’s working it out,” where the vocals are harmonized. During this repeated section, the two leads riff off one another, which is glorious. The second vamp that catches the ears is on the timely “Right Now.” God is not only working it out, but He is doing so right now. When you examine the James Cleveland catalog, there are many more well-known songs than “He’s Working It Out”. That said, this six-and-a-quarter-minute gem deserves far more love. The message and the music are uplifting to the nth degree!

Appears in:

The Greater Metropolitan Church of Christ Choir, He’s Working It Out: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 14 (2025)

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13. Shirley Caesar, “He’s Working It Out For You”

He’s Working It Out For You // Word Entertainment LLC // 1991

“Though the pressures of life seems to weigh you down / And you don’t know which way to turn,” Shirley Caesar (1938 – ) sings, “God is concerned and He’s working it out for you.” Amen! Now that is a good word, pastor! The legendary gospel musician provides surefire encouragement on “He’s Working It Out For You”, the opener from her 1991 album, He’s Working It Out For You. Initially, Caesar is accompanied by piano. Backed by a fabulous gospel harmonic progression, she embraces faith despite adversity. Her vocals are authentic, soulful, and spirited. Every word the pastor sings, you buy.

In the second verse, accompanied by fuller instrumentation (piano, organ, bass, drums, etc.), Caesar sings, “Now you ask yourself, is there a word from the Lord / You need a blessing, and you need it right away / God is concerned, and He’s working it out for you.” In the third, her voice grows even more spirited, setting the tone for God’s wonder-working power. Despite no peace at home or work, bills, and failing health, the message remains the same: God’s working it out. The choir enters the mix before the three-minute mark, amplifying the spirit in the chorus:

“He’s working it out

He’s working it out for you

God cares

I’m so glad to know He cares

I’m so glad to know He cares

And He’s working it out for you.”

Meanwhile, Caesar ad-libs, riffing at her finest. “He’s Working It Out For You” hails from the 1990s, yet the message endures on this moving gospel gem.

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~ Table of Contents ~ // ~ intro ~

13 Outstanding O-U-T Out Songs (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; B3SCI, Capitol, Columbia, Crusty, Hidden Pony, Malaco, Motown, NLE Choppa Entertainment Inc., Republic, Sekoya Spectrum, Slaight Music Inc., Sony Music Entertainment, Warner, Word Entertainment LLC; AcatXIo, Elisa, Gustavo Rezende, Helga Kattinger, Tim from Pixabay; Photo by KÜRŞAT GÜNEY on Unsplash]

13 Outstanding O-U-T Out Songs | Playlist 🎧

Published by the musical hype on June 6, 2025June 6, 2025