13 Songs That Get Straight to the Point | Playlist 🎧

7. Miguel, “Arch & Point”

💿 Kaleidoscope Dream • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2012 

“When it feels so good then it just come natural / Baby, arch your back, point your toes.” Woo! 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 Miguel had one hell of a year in 2012. His sophomore album, 💿 Kaleidoscope Dream, was not only one of the best albums of 2012 but also one of the best of the decade.  That said, the sexy 🎵 “Arch & Point” is underrated compared to, say, 🎵 “Adorn” (it shouldn’t be).

Sex is the modus operandi, period.  Just about any time there’s mention of arching one’s back, the universal three-letter word is in the mix.  From the start, Miguel is horny as a mo-fo! “Black leather skirt in a leopard print shirt, woah! / Skip dinner heading straight for dessert, woah-oh.” Clearly, he isn’t talking about food but rather nourishment for his…  In the second verse, he characterizes his lover as being “Ballerina smart but your sex like art.”  Hmm, that’s because she be pointin’ them toes! There’s also more innuendo and suggestive vibes.  There’s the idea that a bad girl knows more than a good one per the refrain, as well as dabbling in fetishism (verse three). The question is, who DOESN’T want to “Arch your back, and point your toes” after (or while) listening to this 2012 gem?

Appears in 🔽:

• Miguel, “Arch & Point”: After Dark 🕛 🌃 11 (2022)

8. Keri Hilson, “Breaking Point”

💿 No Boys Allowed • 🏷 Mosley Music / Interscope • 📅 2010

Once upon a time, it seemed like 🎙 Keri Hilson was set to be a surefire force in R&B. Things didn’t quite pan out that way, but the 🏆 Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter did muster up a few hits and memorable tracks.  The biggest song from her 2010 sophomore album, 💿 No Boys Allowed is undoubtedly 🎵 “Pretty Girl Rock”. Still, No Boys Allowed has a few more noteworthy songs, including 🎵 “Breaking Point.”

“Every woman has a breaking point, ya’ll (Breaking point)

Hey, I know you know, some women can be lied to

And cheated on, and beated on

Somebody know, hey

Every woman has a breaking point, ya’ll (Breaking point)

Hey, hey, hey, hey, tell me why we put up with that?

You can’t forget that, see I done did that.”

Say that Keri Hilson! The chorus is the centerpiece, summarizing the idea of women being repeatedly done wrong by these dogs – I mean men! This surefire women’s anthem was penned by Hilson, 🎼✍ Timothy Mosley, 🎼✍ Jerome Harmon, and 🎼✍ Timothy Clayton. Mosley, aka 🎛 Timbaland produces the track alongside Harmon aka 🎛 Jroc. The backdrop is absolutely stunning with the big drums, organ, and a modern, yet soulful aesthetic. Beyond theme and lyrics, the vocals are superb with great vocal production to match.  Another win for “Ms. Keri baby?” Background vocals, which kick “Breaking Point” up a notch.

9. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Phantom of the Opera Original London Cast, “The Point of No Return” (from The Phantom of the Opera)

💿 The Phantom of the Opera • 🏷 Polydor • 📅 1987

“Past the point of no return / No backwards glances / The games we played till now are at an end.” 🎙 🎼✍ Andrew Lloyd Webber exemplifies aa musical god.  No, he’s not G-O-D, but when it comes to composing Broadway musicals, he’s the sugar honey iced tea.  Arguably his crowning achievement is The Phantom of the Opera, adapted from the 1909 novel by Gaston Leroux.  Personally, The Phantom of the Opera musical never gets old; it’s timeless.  The Webber musical is filled with memorable songs including the dark, dramatic, minor keyed 🎵 “The Point of No Return.” 

In the original London Cast recording (1987), “The Point of No Return” is performed by 🎙 Michael Crawford (as the Phantom) and 🎙 Sarah Brightman (as Christine Daaé).  When each sings their respective parts, they sound marvelous. The chemistry between both performing together is utterly sublime. Perhaps calling a musical a vibe diminishes the prestige, but hey, this song is indeed a vibe.  The orchestration (Webber and 🎼✍ David Cullen) is brilliant. The lyrics (🎼✍ Charles Hart) are poetic and engaging.  One of the truly great songs from a musical, period.

“Past the point of no return

The final threshold

The bridge is crossed

So, stand and watch it burn

We’ve passed the point of no return.”

10. Nas, “10 Points”

💿 King’s Disease • 🏷 Mass Appeal • 📅 2020

“America the beautiful, gangsta’s paradise / For a black man to be rich, you say we sacrifice our own family members.” 🎵 “10 Points” should be more like 💯 points considering its quality – NO CAP! The record marks a gem from 💿 King’s Disease, the 2020, 🏆 Grammy-winning album by legendary rapper, 🎙 Nas. This joint, in the context of King’s Disease, finds Nas at his best.

The production (🎛 Hit-Boy) is among my favorites of the album. It gives Nas some extra oomph, even if he’s already on point all by himself.  He keeps confirming why he’s one of the best to do it, using clever wordplay, making pop cultural references, and being intentionally ‘ultra-black’. One of the key words is King, which is used multiple times during the high-flying chorus.

“King, gotta learn to let it go and move forward

King, you should learn to say no, keep all your dough in

King, Michael Jordan gives back, and you didn’t know it

Like LeBron does, but it’s just seldom they show it

King, get ten points from one bird doin’ your thing

King, ‘til one of your homies decide to sing

King, I started sayin’ ‘Peace King’ on my song ‘The Flyest’

And after that, it took off like fire, peace, King.”

11. Thomas Rhett, “Center Point Road” (Ft. Kelsea Ballerini)

💿 Center Point Road • 🏷 Big Machine • 📅 2019 

🎵 “Center Point Road” served as the sixth and final advance single from 💿 Center Point Road, the fourth studio album by 🏆 Grammy-nominated country singer, 🎙 Thomas Rhett.  On the reminiscent record, Rhett tapped a fellow 🏆 Grammy-nominated country musician, 🎙 Kelsea Ballerini for the assist with positive results.  The album, and obviously, the title track, are named after a place where Rhett lived – 📍 Center Point Road in Hendersonville, Tennessee.

“Center Point Road” has plenty of pros. The songwriting (Rhett, 🎼✍ Amy Wadge, 🎼✍ Cleve Wilson, and 🎼✍ Jesse Frasure) and the production (🎛 Dann Huff) are big reasons why it’s a roaring success.  Regarding songwriting, the record is reflective, remembering youthful, fun times and experiences. The sound of this record is ‘country enough,’ but it also thrives with its pop/rock sensibility. Rhett and Ballerini do a superb job performing their respective parts.  Rhett sings the first verse and chorus, while Ballerini provides contrast in the second and following chorus.  They join forces on the bridge, before ending strong on the chorus and outro.  The chorus is the crème de la crème.

“We wrote our own destiny

In parkin’ lots and empty streets

Yeah, we got high on you and me

Jumped over cracks beneath our feet

And we thought it would never end

Then watched it go like summer wind

When growin’ up was just a dream

And Friday night was everything.” 

Appears in 🔽:

• 17 Songs Characterized by Their Place
• 11 Songs with Eyes Fixed on the Road

12. James Blake, “Points”

💿 The Colour in Anything • 🏷 Polydor • 📅 2016

“It’s sad that you’re no longer her.” 🏆 Grammy-winning artist/producer 🎙 James Blake is bummed out on 🎵 “Points,” a highlight from his 2016 album, 💿 The Colour in Anything. What is he bummed out about? It seems to be an expired relationship, or perhaps, a relationship with dynamics that have changed.  On this intriguing alternative/electronic track, Blake gets some help behind the boards from iconic producer 🎛 Rick Ross. The results = sheer excellence.

Lyrically, “Points” keeps things simple and repetitive.  The aforementioned “It’s sad that you’re no longer her” is repeated throughout, for example.  Some other key lyrics include, “We’re at points / On the tracks we ride / And I know I’ll love you for a very long time / Just staying back.” Seems like Blake suggests him and his lover – current or former – are at different spots. One other lyric also stands out: “When you sing / Please don’t think of me / Cause it’s way too hard from what I’ve seen.” James Blake’s disappointment and/or pain is our listening pleasure.

13. Anthony Hamilton, “The Point of it All”

💿 The Point of it All • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2008

“And the point of it all is I love you / And the reason for it all is I love you.” For 🏆 Grammy winner 🎙 Anthony Hamilton, the point that is on his mind is L-O-V-E.  🎵 “The Point of It All” appears as the 9^th track on the neo-soul singer/songwriter’s 2008 album, also named 💿 The Point of it All.  Hamilton wrote “The Point of It All” alongside 🎼✍ James “Big Jim” Wright, 🎼✍ Iz Avila, and 🎼✍ Bobby Ross Avila with Wright and the Avila brothers also producing.

The backdrop that Hamilton has to work with is celestial.  Wright and the Avilas give Anthony a smooth, soulful backdrop that straddles neo-soul and adult contemporary R&B.  Hamilton’s voice is silky smooth.  He sings with incredible sincerity regarding his dedication to her.  In the first verse, he asserts, “I can’t stay away from you too long / Even if I do I always call.” In the second verse, he makes it known, “You’re a major part of my life / And no matter what the storm may bring, I’m fine with you.” How sweet! “The Point of It All” doesn’t require extensive analysis.  The modus operandi – LOVE.