13 Scintillating WE Songs

Reading Time: 15 min read

13 Scintillating WE Songs features songs by Ariana Grande, Coco Jones, Future, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Olly Alexander, and Rihanna.

Plagiarizing myself, ‘cutting straight to the chase, this playlist isn’t about me, it’s about WE!’ I used those same words when introducing my 2022 ‘we’ playlist, 15 Compelling Songs About WE (2022). All songs must feature the word WE in the song title. 13 Scintillating WE Songs is the sequel, arriving more than two years later. 13 Scintillating WE Songs features songs by Ariana Grande, Coco Jones, Future, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Olly Alexander, and Rihanna. A flavorful affair, 13 Scintillating WE Songs is giving dance, pop, rap, R&B, rock, and soul. So, without further ado, WE need to get into these WE songs!

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1. Olly Alexander, “When We Kiss”	2. Ariana Grande, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”	3. Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd, “We Still Don’t Trust You”	4. Coco Jones, “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”
5. Coldplay, “WE PRAY” (Ft. Lil Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna & TINI)	6. Benedict Cork, “Until We F* It Up”**	7. Andra Day, “Where Do We Go”	8. Shawn Mendes, “What The Hell Are We Dying For”
9. Rihanna & Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”	10. Cattle Decapitation, “We Eat Our Young”	11. Lil Nas X, “Where Do We Go Now?”	12. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon” (Ft. Sharon Paige)
13. War, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”

1. Olly Alexander, “When We Kiss”

Polari // Universal Music Operations Limited // 2025

“Lie next to me / We can make a choice, change our destiny (When we kiss).” The words that Olly Alexander sings that pique the most interest are lie (as in bed) and kiss. Those lyrics from “When We Kiss” suggest an intimate experience. We love sex! “When We Kiss” is the ninth track from Polari, the first album credited under Alexander (formerly Years & Years). The song features incredibly sleek production work by Danny L Harle. The warm, pulsating synths and danceable beat are big-time selling points. Another big-time selling point? The smooth, dare I say ‘sexy’ vocals by Olly Alexander. “When We Kiss” has its sexy moments without crossing the line.

The song isn’t primarily about sex, however. Matters of the heart drive the narrative. Yes, kisses are involved, but Olly seems to be trying to salvage the relationship. “Hold onto me / There’s something here worth saving,” he sings in the first verse. In the second, he has questions about the state of their relationship: “Ooh, I can’t tell if this is ending or beginning / Ooh, and I’ll do anything to keep the embers burning / Ooh, how do we come so far from who we used to be?” The centerpiece is the chorus where Olly states the power is in his partner’s hands. “How can we justify / The love we left behind,” he sings, continuing, “How did it ever come to this / Tears in your eyes when we kiss.” To reiterate, there is kissing – an element of intimacy. But, this couple seems to be at a crossroads – they’ve got to figure things out. “When We Kiss” gives Olly Alexander another B-O-P, PERIOD!

Appears in :

Olly Alexander, When We Kiss: Midnight Heat 4 (2025)

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2. Ariana Grande, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”

eternal sunshine // Republic // 2024

“I don’t wanna tiptoe, but I don’t wanna hide / But I don’t wanna feed this monstrous fire,” Ariana Grande sings in the first verse of “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”, a juggernaut from her stupendous seventh studio album, eternal sunshine. She continues singing in the first verse of the second single from the LP, “Just wanna let this story die / And I’ll be alright.” I love the subtlety of the thudding beat (four on the floor), which is part of the tasteful nature of the production. In the chorus, the thuds and the intensity of the backdrop become more dynamic, fitting given the rise to the occasion.  “We can’t be friends” features colorful synths and a driving bass line – always a winning formula for the accompaniment! Another part of the winning formula is the violins, which appear at the end. With her elite vocals being her calling card, Grande delivers an honest and memorable chorus:

“We can’t be friends

But I’d like to just pretend

You cling to your papers and pens

Wait until you like me again.”

Lyrically, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” marks one of the cleverest songs of eternal sunshine, making you question if she’s referencing her ex-husband (Dalton Gomez), the media, or both simultaneously.

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3. Future, Metro Boomin & The Weeknd, “We Still Don’t Trust You”

WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU // Wilburn Holding Co. / Boominati Worldwide / Epic // 2024

“She’s such a freak / Bad and freaky, yeah / We still don’t trust you.” 2024 has been a prolific year with Future following up his first collaboration with producer Metro Boomin, WE DON’T TRUST YOU, with WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU. Leading the charge on their second album of 2024 is the titular track. Joining the duo on “We Still Don’t Trust You” is Grammy-winning R&B standout, The Weeknd. The result is a vibe, a vibe, and a vibe! “We Still Don’t Trust You” is NOT your standard rap song. It sounds more like an alternative R&B record, which is part of the charm. The production is fabulous. It is hard not to move your body to the beat, while the synths and keys catch the ears. Furthermore, The Weeknd’s ‘less lyrical’ singing on the track (“oh, whoa,” and such) is as important as his lyrical singing (“And the Paris girls, they sing my song with love…). Another big contributor to the aesthetic is the repetition of the titular line. If nothing else is clear, Future establishes the fact that we still don’t trust you. He performs the intro and outro, as well as the final two lines of the verse: “Electricity, transparency, higher than we will ever be / I am loving our chemistry”). A different type of record, “We Still Don’t Trust You” is hypnotic.

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4. Coco Jones, “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”

“Here We Go (Uh Oh)” // High Standardz / Def Jam // 2024

“Why it’s gotta be your way? I want it to be mine.” Understood, Coco Jones – I want it my way! She follows up with a bomb: “What, you think this is foreplay? Must be out of your mind.” Oh, snap! The Grammy-winning R&B singer brings heat, attitude, and sexiness to her soulful, dramatic single, “Here We Go (Uh Oh)”. “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” samples the beloved, Lenny Williams classic, “‘Cause I Love You”. Not only is the sound and meter of the Williams joint fuel for the fire but so is the theme. Sure, things are bumpy in the excerpted pre-chorus, but by the chorus, the feels return!

“I know when you said, ‘goodbye,’ you ain’t mean no goodbye

Here we go, uh-oh, ah

I know when you get to likin’ my pictures in time

Here we go, uh-oh.”

Vocally, Jones sounds beastly. She sings expressively. She puts her all, heart, and soul into the performance. “Better man, why don’t you just be the better man? / Why I gotta be the bigger man?” she asks in the dynamic bridge. Throughout, the melodies are tuneful. Her vocal ad-libs are magnificent. She penned “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” alongside Williams and Michael Bennett (the sampled material), Sara Diamond, and producers Cardiak and WU10. The sound is classic yet refreshing in 2024. The excellence of “Here We Go (Uh Oh)” speaks for itself.

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5. Coldplay, “WE PRAY” (Ft. Lil Simz, Burna Boy, Elyanna & TINI)

Moon Music // Coldplay / Parlophone // 2024

“And so, we pray / For someone to come and show me the way / And so, we pray / For some shelter and some records to play.” Amen! Decorated British alt-rock collective Coldplay returned with their 10^th studio album, Moon Music. Chris Martin and the boys bring prayers on “WE PRAY”. Coldplay enlists four unique guests on this faith-based single: British rapper Little Simz, Nigerian singer Burna Boy, Palestinian-Chilean singer, Elyanna, and Argentinian singer, TINI. “WE PRAY” features numerous credited songwriters. Bill Rahko, Daniel Green, ILYA, Max Martin, and Michael Ilbert produced. The instrumental backdrop is modern, rhythmic, and sleekly produced. The strings, when they enter the mix, and the groove are two of the best features. Fuel for the vocalists’ fire.

Following a prayerful intro, Martin sings the first verse. The prayer is ample: “I pray that I don’t give up, pray that I do my best / Pray that I can lift up, pray my brother is blessed / Praying for enough, pray for Virgilio wins.” The Virgilio reference is ultra-specific. Martin also sings on the chorus (excerpted at the top), joined at times by Little Simz and Burna Boy. Little Simz takes the reins in the second verse, dropping an uplifting verse asserting, “Pray I speak my truth and keep my sisters alive,” adding, “Pray when she looks at herself in the mirror / She sees a queen, see sees a goddess.” Thoughtful to the nth degree. Burna Boy performs the bridge, where he prayerfully “Keep a smiling face, only by His grace.” As for Elyanna and TINI, they appear in the final chorus, lending their vocal talents. All told, “WE PRAY” is an entertaining, socially conscious, and thoughtful pop record.

Appears in :

Bops That Pop: September 2024

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6. Benedict Cork, “Until We F* It Up”**

Notes On A Hopeless Romance // Benedict Cork // 2024

“If you take caution like a gun, pull the trigger and run like hell / Throw your troubles to the dust ‘cause it’s us against the world.” Matters of the heart are firmly planted in “Until We F*** It Up”. Firmly planted might be an understatement! “Until We F*** It Up” is the eighth track from Notes On A Hopeless Romance, the debut album by the handsome and talented English singer/songwriter Benedict Cork. Cork and Dane Etteridge wrote and produced “Until We F*** It Up.”

“So, give into the fire and cover me in gasoline / Then drink me in like holy wine, I’ll wash away your sins.” Oh, snap! We see you, Benedict with the spiritual references! “Until We F*** It Up” commences with lovely piano accompaniment. The sound is warm and inviting. Cork delivers gorgeous and sincere vocals. The lyrics are dramatic, poetic, and thoughtful. Interestingly, the lyrics generally are more refined than the bold title. Cork’s vocals are more dramatic and powerful in the chorus, where the highly anticipated f-bomb and negative connotative phrase arrive: “You know it’s only love until we fuck it up.” “Until” makes nice use of harmonized background vocals during the pre-chorus (“…If you want it, take everything / It won’t mean a thing when I’m gone”). The second chorus features additional instrumentation – strings and stunning vocal harmonies. It grows even more dynamic towards the end with the bridge (“All the crazy shit that you went and did / I’ll pretend it doesn’t hurt”) and the final chorus. Benedict Cork gives his all on the marvelous “Until We F*** It Up”.

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7. Andra Day, “Where Do We Go”

CASSANDRA **(cherith) // Warner // 2024**

“Where do we go? / How you been living? / I’m just passing through your neighborhood / From down on Woodman.” Academy Award-nominated actress and Grammy-winning singer Andra Day returned in 2024 with the soulful “Where Do We Go”, an advance single from her third studio album, CASSANDRA (cherith). A five-minute-long record, “Where Do We Go” is a juggernaut – in a positive manner. Day penned this song alongside Caleb Morris, Charles Jones, David Wood, Nando Raio, Shay Godwin, Spencer Guerra, and Zachary Moore. Similarly, Day, Jones, Wood, Raio, and Godwin produce. It commences with a soulful instrumental – think neo-soul. The instrumental backdrop is sensational, including keys, organ, guitar, and drums when they enter the mix. The most important piece of the song is Day who delivers authentic, expressive, nuanced, and refined vocals. Her tone is stunning. Furthermore, her runs are marvelous. The melodies she sings are lovely. Thematically, the record encompasses matters of the heart – a fitting topic for an R&B joint. “Make me weak staring into my eyes / Quit trying to stare into my eyes,” she sings, continuing, “I knew I should’ve just driven by, gotta say goodbye / You’re all I want, boy.” Day lets it rip, upping the ante with dynamic, passionate vocals as she confesses, “You’re all I want boy.” At the end, she brings it back down after reaching a fever pitch. All in all, “Where Do We Go” marks a magnificent song from an incredible talent.

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8. Shawn Mendes, “What The Hell Are We Dying For”

“What The Hell Are We Dying For?” // Island // 2023

“Smoke’s in the air, the city’s burnin’ down.” Well, yes, Shawn Mendes, there were gnarly forest fires in Canada that created bad air quality and pollution in the US, particularly in New York in early June 2023. Early in “What The Hell Are We Dying For?”, the Grammy-nominated Canadian heartthrob commits to a ‘call to action’ regarding climate change.  However, in this song, written and produced with friends while experiencing that horrid air, Shawn’s love life also creeps in. “I wanna save us, but I don’t know how,” Mendes sings vulnerably at the close of the first verse. It leads into the chorus, which might have dashes of the population’s indifference to climate change but embraces the end of a relationship. “If we don’t love like we used to / If we don’t care like we used to / What the hell are we dying for?” he asks, continuing, “If it doesn’t cut like it used to / If you’re not mine and I’m not yours / What the hell are we dying for?” Mendes is in his feelings, particularly in the bridge (“Livin’ without you / Is not livin’ at all”), as well as the expressive, ultra-nuanced ad-libs and powered vocals towards the end.  There is a raw nature, amplified not only by the brief time “What The Hell Are We Dying For?” was conceived, recorded, and released but also the pop/rock aesthetic. The enjoyable “What The Hell Are We Dying For?” gives some mixed messages – the climate change message goes out the door early on – but hopefully, Mendes has escaped love funk.

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9. Rihanna & Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”

Talk That Talk // The Island Def Jam Music Group // 2011

“We found love in a hopeless place, we found love in a hopeless place…” Grammy-winning R&B and pop singer Rihanna secured a big-time hit with “We Found Love.” “We Found Love” appeared on her sixth studio album, Talk That Talk, released in 2011. “Love” has plenty of pros. It begins with the bright-sounding, enthusiastic production by Scottish electronic DJ/producer, Calvin Harris. Furthermore, catchy, if simplistic songwriting (Harris) helped to make “We Found Love” a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Vocally, Rihanna sounds awesome, particularly in the chorus, adding to the many reasons to adore this diamond-certified gem.

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10. Cattle Decapitation, “We Eat Our Young”

Terrasite // Metal Blade // 2023 

“Ah! The fleshy architect! / Bold in design but fucking out of its mind / With self-indulgence and a self-worship / Birthing in stifling numbers as the planet worsens.”  Utter pessimism and an extreme brand of metal go hand in hand. Cattle Decapitation is awesome at being dark, damning, and abso-fucking-lutely unapologetic . Before they released Terrasite, they made us digest “We Eat Our Young”.  “We Eat Our Young” is hella heavy – jagged rhythms and riffs – distorted to the n^thdegree, and dark AF.  The lyrics are easily decipherable.  As always, the world is going to shit by the band’s estimations, beginning with the first lyrics of the first verse: “Homo sapiens have made it perfectly clear / We can’t control ourselves / Living a life perfectly fine with blindly multiplying / Conscious of ruination coursing through our own bloodlines.”  Woo!  Another intriguing moment comes when Travis Ryan sings, “We’ve upped the ante as the most invasive species of life / That ever shat on this earth / That learned to shit in its hearth, that ever bore living birth / That taught its offspring to drive its own hearse.” Wow! Humankind may be sketch and sus at best but what isn’t bad in the least is “We Eat Our Young”, another hard-hitting musical happening by the always unapologetic band. 

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11. Lil Nas X, “Where Do We Go Now?”

“Where Do We Go Now?” // Columbia // 2024

It seems like a total waste when you stir up controversy for a musical comeback and the comeback falls flat, doesn’t it? That’s what Lil Nas X did in advance of the controversial “J CHRIST” with the result being a so-so, modestly charting song. Nas X followed “J CHRIST” with the modest “Where Do We Go Now?”, appearing in his biopic, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero. The low-key “Where Do We Go Now?” has more substance than “J CHRIST.” Lil Nas X sings radiantly – a selling point. Furthermore, the sentiment of the song is positive too. He is reflective and authentic. The authenticity is notable considering how inauthentic he can be when he trolls. Musically, he embraces pop with very few hip-hop or urban touches to be found. Maybe it’s those acoustic guitars that lock in the pop/rock vibes. Even with many positives, “Where Do We Go Now?” is a bit of a snooze, or, at a minimum, conservative and tame for such a big personality.

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12. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon” (Ft. Sharon Paige)

To Be True // Sony Music Entertainment // 1974

“I hope that we can be together soon / Real soon, can you make it real soon?” Matters of the heart, L-O-V-E are central to the Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes classic, “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon”. The collective, which often features the late great Teddy Pendergrass (1950 – 2010) on lead vocals, tapped Sharon Paige (1952 – 2020) for the assist. While Pendergrass appears at the end of “Hope That We Can Be Together,” wowing with his gritty, soulful outro, Harold Melvin (1939 – 1997) handles the male lead vocals. Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff penned and produced “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon,” the fourth track from the Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ 1974 album, To Be True. Although the ballad didn’t set the pop charts on fire, it peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100. It reached number one on the R&B charts.

Paige is the star early on. Her vocals are smooth, soulful, and filled with desire. “When I’m away from you, boy / All I seem to do is cry,” she sings, adding, “And then when I see you, boy / My, how the time does fly.” The dedication is lit. Harold Melvin brings the male perspective in the second verse, with his robust pipes. “When I think about you, girl / Chills run up and down my spine,” he sings, continuing, “And if my wish would come true, girl / I’d be with you all the time.” The centerpiece is the chorus, excerpted earlier: it’s all about togetherness… real soon. As for Teddy, he caps things off: “Every day my love grows stronger / Ooh, baby, and I, I’d like to make it real soon.” Beyond brilliant vocal performances by Paige, Melvin, and Pendergrass, the musical backdrop is elite. The orchestration, with the strings and brass, is brilliant. This is Philly soul at its finest. Unsurprisingly, “Hope That We Can Be Together Soon” has been sampled by others – looking at you Jaheim (“Life Of A Thug”).

Appears in :

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Hope That We Can Be Together Soon: Throwback Vibez 19 (2025)

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13. War, “Why Can’t We Be Friends?”

Why Can’t We Be Friends? // Far Out Productions, Inc / Rhino Entertainment Company // 1975

“Why can’t we be friends? / Why can’t we be friends? / Why can’t we be friends? / Why can’t we be friends?” Woo! “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” marks one of the biggest hits by the Grammy-nominated funk band, War. “Why Can’t We Be Friends” is the ninth and final cut from the collective’s 1975 album, Why Can’t We Be Friends?. The classic, which peaked at no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, is credited to numerous songwriters, something rarer in the 1970s. Do you know what else makes “Friends” unique? Numerous members of the band sing the verses! Can you say, “Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh!”

The chorus, excerpted above, is the section to beat in all its friendliness. However, the brief verses are also a blast. In the first verse, “I’ve seen you ‘round for a long, long time / I remember you when you drank my wine.” Bonded by wine. Word. Later, in the third verse, “I paid my money to the welfare line / I see you standing in it every time.” Hmm, is the singer judging this person for relying too heavily on welfare? It doesn’t stop there whether it is, “Sometimes, I don’t speak right / But yet, I know what I’m talking about” (verse six), or the wordplay of “I know you’re working for the C-I-A / They wouldn’t have you in the Ma-fi-A” (verse seven). The songwriting is entertaining from start to finish, and all singers put their spin on their part. Beyond the vocals and lyrics, the music is fabulous – F-U-N-K-Y. Brilliant, “Why Can’t We Be Friends” fuses funk with a stellar reggae groove. The rhythm section is tight, while the jubilant horns bite. This ‘70s gem will forever be awesome!

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~ Table of Contents ~ // ~ intro ~

13 Scintillating WE Songs (2025) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Benedict Cork, Boominati Worldwide, Coldplay, Columbia, Epic, Far Out Productions, Inc, High Standardz, Island, Metal Blade, Parlophone, Republic, Sony Music Entertainment, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Rhino Entertainment Company, Universal Music Operations Limited, Warner, Wilburn Holding Co.; AcatXlo, Anastasia Aleksandr, Awala Micheal, ernestflowerss, Irina Gromovataya, JerzyGórecki, Мар’яна Мельник, Matty Rogers, Nathanel Love, Shedrack Salami from Pixabay]

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