13 Songs Where 7 is the Magic Number | Playlist 🎧

7. Marilyn Manson, “Third Day of a Seven Day Binge”

💿 The Pale Emperor • 🏷 Loma Vista • 📅 2015

“We’ve only reached the third day of a seven-day binge / I can already see your name disintegrating from my lips.” Woo! On 🎵 “Third Day of a Seven-Day Binge,” 🎙 Marilyn Manson literally goes for the ‘kill’: “I’ve got bullets, in the booth [/Boothe] / Rather be your victim, than be with you.” Woo! Clever how he throws an assassin into the mix, right? Right!

Manson adds on this dark standout from 💿 The Pale Emperor (2015), “Can’t decide if you’re wearing me out or wearing me well / I just feel like I’m condemned to wear someone else’s hell.”  Goes with the territory! With Manson, you know what you’re getting beforehand, yet, him/the band is unpredictable at the same time. Regardless, Manson’s depressing and disturbing lyrics are quite alluring, even if you feel guilty listening. 

8. Beyoncé, “7/11”

💿 BEYONCÉ (Platinum Edition) • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2013

“Wave your hands side to side, put it in the air / Clap, clap, clap, like you don’t care.” Woo! Yessir! 🎙 Beyoncé has fun on 🎵 “7/11,” a bonus track from the deluxe edition of her 2013 visual album, 💿 BEYONCÉ (Platinum Edition). This isn’t a deep cut, nor is it meant to be. Beyoncé delivers playful vocals, falling somewhere between rapping and singing, over a banging beat.

“Shoulders sideways, smack it, smack it in the air

Legs movin’ side to side, smack it in the air.”

Hmm, “Smack it in the air,” huh? Woo! Yoncé don’t care! “Man this here like rollin’ dice, man this here like rollin’ dice / Seven eleven, seven eleven, seven twice, man seven twice.” “7/11” has no shortage of confidence or sexy vibes for that matter. Get it girl!

9. TOOL, “7empest”

💿 Fear Inoculum • 🏷 Tool Dissectional, L.L.C. / Volcano Entertainment II, L.L.C.  • 📅 2019 

“Blame it all on the bastards when you’re blowing out / Shame on you, shame on you now / No amount of wind could begin to cover up / Your petulant stench and demeanor…” Um, well now, 🎙 Maynard James Keenan!  In addition to the compelling excerpted lyrics (verse two), some sweet minimalism commences 🎵 “7empest” (pronounced “Tempest,” of course). “7empest” appears as the penultimate record on 💿 Fear Inoculum, the first new 🎙 TOOL album in 13 years. Worth noting, this final ‘full-fledged’ record runs nearly 16 minutes long!  Guess what though? It earned TOOL a third Grammy!

“Look it dead in the eye, you are darkness

Trying to lull us in, before the havoc begins

Into a dubious state of serenity

Acting all surprised when you’re caught in the lie.”

As they have in the past, the 🏆 Grammy-winning band continues to serve up lengthy song after lengthy song.  Fear Inoculum has no shortage of these ‘ambitious’ numbers. “7empest” is a lot to digest, but there’s also plenty to totally go ‘gaga’ over – the lyrics, the vocals, the music in its sheer excellence. One thing’s for sure – it’s TOOL to the core.

“Disputing intentions invites devastation

A tempest must be true to its nature

A tempest must be just that.”

10. Lil Wayne, “6 Foot 7 Foot” (Ft. Cory Gunz)

💿 Tha Carter IV • 🏷 Cash Money • 📅 2011 

“Six-foot, seven-foot, eight-foot bunch / Six-foot, seven-foot, eight-foot bunch.” Who knew that sampling 🎙 Harry Belafonte could be so gangsta? 🎛 Bangladesh certainly helps 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Lil Wayne transform 🎵 “Day-o (Banana Boat Song)” into something much less innocent – 🎵 “6 Foot 7 Foot,” of course! Wayne is assisted by rapper 🎙 Cory Gunz on this standout from his 2011 album, 💿 Tha Carter IV.

Think of “6 Foot 7 Foot” as what 🎵 “A Milli” was from 💿 Tha Carter III (2008) – a straight-up, minimalist street banger.  The beat goes hard, the sample is lit, and the few synths add personality.  Of course, Lil Wayne has personality for days, not to mention explicit lyrics that hit you right in the chest.  “Two bitches at the same time; synchronized swimmers / Got the girl twisted ‘cause she open when you twist her,” Weezy spits, continuing, “Never met the bitch, but I fucked her like I missed her / Life is a bitch, and death is her sister.” Woo! That, of course, is only a portion of the first verse – he drops a second with no shortage of ether.  Of course, Cory Gunz gets into the mix in the third verse:

“Disturb me, and you’ll be all over the flo’ like Luda

Bitch, I flow like scuba, bitch, I’m bold like Cuba

And I keep a killer ho, she gon’ blow right through ya.”

Da-yum! More than a decade old, “6 Foot 7 Foot” remains a kick-ass rap banger!

11. Florence + The Machine, “Seven Devils”

💿 Ceremonials • 🏷 Universal Island • 📅 2011

“Holy water cannot help you now / Thousand armies couldn’t keep me out.” Woo-wee! And for good measure, add the affirmation, “See, I’ve come to burn your kingdom down.”  💿 Ceremonials has a legitimate case for the best 🎙 Florence + The Machine album. This 2011 LP is simply glorious.  Among the most glorious numbers is none other than the devilish 🎵 “Seven Devils.” What makes “Seven Devils” the cat’s meow, exactly? Honestly, it catches the ear from the start and engages to the finish.

“Seven Devils” commences with busy, intriguing production work.  The palette of sounds is picturesque, thanks to an array of instruments and synthetic effects.  I like the ‘wall of sound’ approach, which perfectly suits the big vocals and musical personality of 🎙 Florence Welch.  Welch, indeed, shines like a beacon with her expressive, nuanced, and powerful instrument.  Her falsetto (for lack of a better term) stands out.  Written by Welch and 🎼✍ Paul Epworth (who also produces), Florence blends spirituality and the anger of a woman scorned. Worth noting, 🎙 The Game sampled “Seven Devils” on 🎵 “Ali Bomaye” from his 2012 album, 💿 Jesus Piece.

Appears in 🔽:

• Devil 😈: 5ive Songs No. 52 (2021)
• DEVIL: A Compendium of 21 Devilish Songs

12. The White Stripes, “Seven Nation Army”

💿 Elephant • 🏷 Third Man • 📅 2003

“I’m gonna fight ‘em off / A seven nation army couldn’t hold me back.” Woo – I know that’s right! If you could only listen to one 🎙 The White Stripes song, which would you choose? Well, I’d hope it’s a no-brainer: 🎵 “Seven Nation Army”!!!  “Seven Nation Army” is by far the most popular song by the former, minimalist rock duo comprised of 🎙 Jack White and his ex-wife, 🎙 Meg White.  Worth noting, they’d been divorced about three years by the time 💿 Elephant was released!  As is the case with many The White Stripe songs, White serves as the writer and producer.

The 🏆 Grammy-nominated song is almost 20 years old, if you can believe it (Elephant was awarded the Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album).  It is the prime example of a song where “Age ain’t nothin’ but a number.” This record is still a fixture at sporting events – a favorite for good reason.  That bass line, played on guitar, is one of the greatest riffs you’ll ever hear.  Furthermore, Jack’s vocal performance is commanding, while the lyrics are expressive and memorable:

“And I’m bleeding, and I’m bleeding, and I’m bleeding

Right before the Lord

All the words are gonna bleed from me

And I will sing no more.”

Sigh, this is indeed a once-in-a-lifetime song!

13. Prince & The New Power Generation, “7”

💿 [Love Symbol] • 🏷 NPG / Legacy • 📅 1992

💿 [Love Symbol], the 1992 album by 🎙 Prince & The New Power Generation, is one of The Purple One’s better albums. He delivers some excellent songs, as well as courts controversy with the likes of the funky-as-albeit 🎵 “Sexy M.F.” Interestingly, the most successful song from [Love Symbol] – and a strong case for the best – is 🎵 “7”. “7,” fittingly, peaked at no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 eclipsing 🎵 “My Name is Prince” (no. 36), 🎵 “The Morning Papers” (no. 44), and of 🎵 “Sexy M.F.” (no. 66).  So, understanding the song’s commercial accolades, what is “7” about?

“All seven and we’ll watch them fall

They stand in the way of love and we will smoke them all

With an intellect and a savoir-faire

No one in the whole universe will ever compare

I am yours now and you are mine

And together we’ll love through all space and time

So, don’t cry

One day all seven will die.”

Interesting. The number seven is significant Biblically, and it doesn’t seem far-fetched for Prince to be playing up that significance.  Of the seven falling, he’s likely referencing the seven deadly sins, which are fascinating.  Notably, in the first verse, he seems to highlight one of those deadly sins, suggesting there are still six more ready to envelop him:

“And before us, animosity will stand and decree

That we speak not of love, only blasphemy

And in the distance, six others will curse me.”

Honestly, “7” is a lot to unpack. Even so, the writing here is fabulous, Prince sounds amazing, and the music is stellar.  It’s a complicated former top-10 hit but a brilliant one.