13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 2

Reading Time: 13 min read

13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 2 features music courtesy of Adam Lambert, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, twenty one pilots, and The Weeknd.

Are you running OUT of music to listen to? Hopefully not, but if you are, boy, oh, boy do I have an OUTSTANDING list of songs for you. That’s right, the latest musical compendium on The Musical Hype has totally come OUT of nowhere! 13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 2 features music courtesy of Adam Lambert, Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift, twenty one pilots and The Weeknd among others. The keyword, like 13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 1 released a week prior, is O-U-T, out! So, without further ado, let’s jump right into 13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 2!

1. Adam Lambert, “Holding Out for a Hero”  

High Drama • More is More, LLC / BMG Rights Management (US) LLC • 2023

“Where have all the good men gone and where are all the gods?” That is a legitimate question Adam Lambert asks on “Holding Out for a Hero”. Sigh, I wish I had the answer! He goes on to sing in the first verse, “Where’s the streetwise Hercules to fight the rising odds?” The  Grammy-nominated pop artist was NOT the first to asks these burning questions, however, His cover of the 1984 Bonnie Tyler gem appears on his album of covers, High Drama. “Holding Out for a Hero” suits Lambert perfectly. Big-voiced and theatrical to the n^thdegree, Adam makes this hit sound like an original. Given his prodigious vocal skills, it is unsurprising that he can transform a song originally sung by the opposite sex and make it work perfectly for him.  Of course, given the fact that he is openly gay , it also works seamlessly that his love interest is male (“It’s gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet”). As intriguing as the verses are, it is the anthemic chorus where Adam shines his brightest. Besides the singing, the production (Andrew Wells and Charley Bagnall) successfully reintroduces “Holding Out for a Hero” for the 21^st century.  The synths sizzles, while the beat hits hard. “Holding Out for a Hero” does not sound like an anachronism in 2023.  

Appears in :  

2. Taylor Swift, “Out of the Woods (Taylor’s Version)”

1989 (Taylor’s Version) • Taylor Swift • 2023

“Are we out of the woods yet? Are we out of the woods yet?” That is the question that Taylor Swift poses on “Out Of The Woods,” a highlight from her 2014, Grammy-winning album, 1989, as well as the ultra-successful, 2023 re-recorded version from 1989 (Taylor’s Version). She adds in the chorus, the centerpiece, “Are we in the clear yet? Are we in the clear yet?” What exactly is Swift getting at? Love – a past relationship with some great memories that ultimately didn’t work out. The constant repetition of ‘Are we out of the woods yet?’ signals the tenseness of the relationship – the lack of stability. The memories are a blast to hear Swift sing about on this Jack Antonoff co-write. “You took a Polaroid of us / Then discovered,” Swift sings in the first verse, “The rest of the word was black and white / But we were screaming color.” Ah, the pen – such poetic songwriting! Adding to the nostalgia, in the second verse, Swift recalls “The night we couldn’t quite forget / When we decided, we decided / To move the furniture so we could dance.” Still, for all those fun, sweet memories, things didn’t work out – they never made it out of the woods on the original no. 18-peaking hit on the Billboard Hot 100 nor the no. 16-peaking Taylor’s version.

Appears in :

Wood: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 7 (2023)

3. The Weeknd, “Out of Time”

Dawn FM • Republic • 2022

Dawn FM deserved better. Another excellent album by Grammy-winning, Canadian R&B singer/songwriter, The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye), Dawn FM didn’t get the same buzz as After Hours which preceded in 2020. Regardless, songs like “Out of Time” showcases the excellence of an under-appreciated LP. Safe to say, the 80s are alive and well and sound stellar here. Tesfaye sounds awesome, flaunting a ripe, passionate falsetto. The production (The Weeknd, OPN, Max Martin, and Oscar Holter) is epic, propelling the superstar to higher heights. Thematically, Abel wants to atone for his mistakes, fueled by “so much trauma in [his] life” and treat her the way she deserves. Unfortunately, there’s one rub: “Said I’m too late to make you mine, out of time.” Bummer!

4. Kayne The Lovechild, “We Outside”

“We Outside” • R3, LLC • 2023

“This goes out to all my lovers / Do who you want just use a rubber.” WOO! Oh, snap! Kayne The Lovechild comes in hot on his hella fun, infectious single, “We Outside”. The personality is big as hell, part of the charm of the rapper/singer. As a rapper, noticeably on “We Outside,” he hits differently, serving up more of an inclusive vibe. A prime example of the inclusivity beyond the safe sex lyric? “Straight boys / Straight girls / Here with rainbows / We gon’ lead with love cuz I say so.” WORD! Kayne The Lovechild encourages fun – living freely. After all, “Bitch, we outside / So, do what you want / Then, do it to me.” Prior to that, he asks the liberating question, “Who’s taking off they clothes this summer,” answering, “I am!” Hell yeah! Oh, the carefree confidence! Also, Kayne wants some… “I need someone to wake up with naked.” Holy moly! What makes this brief song work is the fact that this is a Planet Fitness style rap song – it’s the no judgement zone, baby! “Be you, be you / Because who the fuck else you gonna be.” He has a point! Backed by exuberant, fierce production (Sean Small, Sam Sumser, and Theron Thomas), Kayne The Lovechild serves up some outdoor goodness on “We Outside.” Live it the F up, peeps!

5.ZAYN, “Outside”

Nobody is Listening • RCA • 2021

“So, leave my shit outside / Leave all of my shit outside / Leave my life outside / Oh-oh-oh, or let me in.” The falsetto on the chorus of “Outside” alone is reason enough to listen to this highlight from Nobody is Listening. Backtracking, Nobody is Listening is the third studio album by former 1D standout, ZAYN. On “Outside,” ZAYN doesn’t only focus on his ‘head voice’ (he sings his mid-register on the verses), but the overall execution is superb. Thematically, he focuses on reconciliation, hence why he urges her to let him in (he doesn’t really want her to “leave his shit outside”).

Appears in :

6. Little Mix, “Shout Out to My Ex”

Glory Days • Sony Music •  2016

Little Mix returned with a bang in the fall of 2016 throwing mad shade at their exes in “Shout Out to My Ex”. “Shout Out to My Ex” served as the promo single for their 2016 album, Glory Days. What created a stir about the song at the time were references to Zayn, who dated Perrie Edwards for four years. Edwards kicks off the ex-slaughter fest, singing: “This is a shout out to my ex / Heard he in love with some other chick / Yeah, yeah, that hurt me, I’ll admit / Forget that boy, I’m over it.” That excerpt represents familiar, relatable feelings that exes feel towards one another. The juiciest part follows with the second half of the verse: “I hope she gettin’ better sex / Hope she ain’t fakin’ it like I did, babe / Took for long years to call it quits / Forget that boy I’m over it.” Oh, snap! Edwards throws emasculating shade at Zayn, asserting he’s lousy in the bed and that the relationship was a waste of time. The personal, feisty lyrics that initiate “Shout Out to My Ex” make it truly intriguing.

After a fiery first verse, the girls sum up their scornful feelings on the chorus:

“Shout out to my ex, you’re really quite the man

You made my heart break and that made me who I am

Here’s to my ex, hey, look at me now

Well, I, I’m all the way up

I swear you’ll never bring me down.”

Essentially, the girls consider their exes assholes. The tone is sarcastic through and through. Amplifying the sarcasm is how fun the song is conceived to be. It’s set in a minor key and the energy is tremendous. The girls are happy to be rid of their respective exes (“Oh, I deleted all your pics / Then blocked your number from my phone”), but also sorry that they wasted their time.

Appears in :

11 Totally Relatable Songs About Exes (2020)

7. Silk Sonic, “Smokin Out the Window”

An Evening With Silk Sonic • Aftermath Entertainment / Atlantic • 2021

“Smokin Out the Window”, the third single from An Evening with Silk Sonic, continues the musical excellence established by Grammy-winning duo, Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson  .Paak). The record commences with tension via strings and spoken word intro. Soon enough, “Smokin Out the Window” settles into a neo-soul/retro-soul joint. Even though the style is old-school on “Smokin Out the Window,” select salty language (aka profanity) makes it very contemporary, while also showcasing the personalities of both musicians. Musically, the harmonic progression, fat bass line, and throwback production (Mars and D’Mile) are big selling points. Among the best features of this smoking hot song is the catchy chorus:

“Smokin’ out the window

Singin’ ‘How could she do this to me?’

Oh, I thought that girl belonged to only me

But I was wrong

‘Cause she belong to everybody, everybody.’”

Appears in :

8. YoungBoy Never Broke Again, “Outside Today”

Until Death Call My Name • Never Broke Again • 2018

“I’ma take it to trial, pray to Lord I beat the case.” More context on that later! “Outside Today” is short and sweet highlight from Until Death Call My Name, the 2018 debut album by rapper, YoungBoy Never Broke Again. At the top, YoungBoy delivers a memorable hook, painting over a dramatic, minor-key backdrop (“Tryna hide from the cameras, I ain’t going outside today / Couldn’t find Hi-Tec, so I’m drinking on Act today”). He has an appealing flow with his rhyming agility being a big-time pro. Lyrically, he isn’t deep or transcendent, but he’s cocky, confident, and hungry. Worth noting, on the hook, he goes on to seek prayer for an attempted murder case – YIKES. YoungBoy had quite the criminal record despite his young age.

Appears in :

9. J. Cole, “Work Out”

Cole World: The Sideline Story • Cole World / Interscope • 2011

Grammy-winning rapper J. Cole once asserted, “I wanna see you (work out for me, work out for me).” It’s giving crunches, pull-ups, weights, and more! The rapper embraces a fitness mindset on “Work Out,” a hit single from his 2011 debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story. Okay, okay, I’m lying through my teeth. This double platinum, Billboard Hot 100 hit avoids traditional exercise, though seems to embrace natural exercise. A prime example: “Now girl, won’t you drop that thing down to the floor?” It’s giving ! And there’s more: “Man, that thing in them jeans too fat for her.” Woo! Notably, this oft-criticized Cole song samples four songs, including “The New Workout Plan” by Kanye West, and “Straight Up” by Paula Abdul. Focusing on the latter, at the end of “Work Out,” Cole sings, “Straight up, now tell me / Do you really wanna love me forever? (Oh, oh, oh) / Or is it just a hit-and-run?” Safe to say, the rapper is more concerned about sweating it out in the bedroom than sweating it out at the gym.

Appears in :

13 Thrilling Songs to Get Your Gym On… or Not (2023)

10. twenty one pilots, “Stressed Out”

Blurryface •  Fueled by Ramen •  2015

Twenty One Pilots delivered a tour de force on their ambitious, 2015 album, Blurryface. TOP won their first Grammy – Best Pop Duo / Group Performance – for “Stressed Out.” Notably Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun accepted their Grammys without pants on. If you’ve got the thighs, then flaunt it, right? “Sometimes a certain smell will take me back to when I was young / How come I’m never able to identify where it’s comin’ from?” On “Stressed Out,” Joseph seeks escapism by reminiscing on the simpler times of his childhood. The chorus, the centerpiece, sums this up simply and effectively: “Wish we could turn back time to the good old days / When our momma sang us to sleep, but now we’re stressed out.” Moving beyond escapism, for the first time, in the context of the album, ‘Blurryface,’ a character constructed by Joseph, represents his flaws and insecurities (“My name’s ‘Blurryface’ and I care what you think…”). Blurryface exhibits vulnerability, something that many people can relate to, but few depict as openly as Joseph does here.

“I was told, when I get older, all my fears would shrink

But now I’m insecure, an’ I care what people think…”

Appears in :

13 Songs That Feature Elements of Escapism (2019)

11. Kendrick Lamar, “Count Me Out”

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers • Aftermath / Interscope • 2022

“I love when you count me out / Fuck it up, fuck it up, fuck it up, fuck it up, fuckin’ it up…” Yeah, that’s a heaping dose of f-bombs, Kendrick Lamar! The song at hand, “Count Me Out,” commences the second disc of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, an ambitious and complex album with plenty to unpack (understatement). Here, within the context of the album, the Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning rapper appears to be reaching a better, healthier mindset, though obviously, not a cleaner mouth!

“When you was at your lowest, tell me where the hoes was at?

When you was at your lowest, tell me where the bros was at?”

One of the best ‘food for thought’ lyrics from “Count Me Out” appears at the end of the second verse: “Some put it on the devil when they fall short / I put it on my ego, lord of all lords.” Woo – that’s deep and incredibly prudent. Lamar is also able to cope with the adversity of the past with greater confidence, again, “Fuckin’ it up” positively as opposed to negatively: “Miss Regrets, I believe that you done me wrong / Miss Regrets, can you please exit my home.” So, folks, don’t count this man out. If you do, he’s going to come back with a vengeance – bigger, better, and stronger!

Appears in :

Count: 5ive Songs No. 55 (2022)

12. Heidi Mollenhauer, “God Help the Outcasts”

The Hunchback of Notre Dame • Disney Enterprises, Inc. • 1996  

“I don’t know if you can hear me / Or if you’re even there / I don’t know if you would listen to a gypsy’s prayer…” “God Help the Outcasts” is a highlight from one of Disney’s best soundtracks, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. “God Help the Outcasts” is one of the most moving and powerful songs.  In the animated film, when “God Help The Outcasts” arrives, Esmerelda (Heidi Mollenhauer) claims sanctuary in the cathedral and petitions God on behalf of the outcasts and many people who have no one who seems to care about them or their lot. “Yes, I know I’m just an outcast,” she sings, later speculating, “Were you once an outcast too.”  

Esmerelda’s prayer is absolutely beautiful and sincere to the n^thdegree: 

“God help the outcasts 

Hungry from birth 

Show them the mercy 

They don’t find on Earth 

God help my people 

We look to you still 

God help the outcasts 

Or nobody will.”  

Esmerelda wants to see all the downtrodden raised up.  Even if she’s an outcast, she makes a point that so many people, beyond an animated film miss when they look down upon others and fail to help: “I thought we all were children of God.” That’s the way it’s supposed to be, at least.  Worth noting that Bette Midler delivers a fabulous version on the soundtrack too. Still, the moment, within the film, is incredibly moving.   

Appears in :  

13. Bobby Womack, “Check It Out”

I Don’t Know What the World is Coming To • Capitol • 1975

“Checking out see what I’m all about / And in your mind, you can have no doubt / All ya gotta do is check it out.” WOO! If, for some reason, you never checked out the late, great Bobby Womack, you’re totally missing out. Womack possessed ample soul, particularly in his heyday in the 1970s. On “Check It Out”, which appears on his 1975 album, I Don’t Know What the World is Coming To, he excels with his gritty instrument. Furthermore, he performs with incredible authenticity and personality as he desires her to check him out.

“How can I love you

If you keep runnin’ away?

I’m doin’ everything in my power to make

To make you stay.”

He has a legitimate point. Also, in order for a relationship to work out between them, both parties must be willing to indulge. In the case, Womack asserts, “Oh, I was tryin’ to be a stubborn kind of fellow / But I kept holdin’, holdin’ back my pride.” Word. Beyond the entertaining lyrics, the music itself is excellent. The groove is nothing short of infectious. The production is marvelous with rhythm section, horns, and supporting vocals. Adding to the top-notch musicianship are the harmonic underpinnings, melodic lines, and the arrangement. Sadly, “Check It Out” wasn’t a significant pop hit for Womack. Despite this, it is easily one of the best songs from his catalog.

Appears in :

Bobby Womack, Check It Out: Throwback Vibez 189 (2023)

13 Outstanding OUT Songs, Vol. 2 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Aftermath Entertainment, Atlantic, BMG Rights Management (US) LLC, Capitol, Cole World, Disney Enterprises, Inc., Fueled by Ramen, Interscope, More is More LLC, Never Broke Again, R3 LLC, RCA, Republic, Sony, Taylor Swift; bruno Pinedo peña, Ivan Ananiev, Liane Cumming, Matthew Montrone from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay]

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