“13 Songs That Involve the Head in Some Capacity” features music courtesy of Avril Lavigne, Big Sean, Cody Jinks, Eminem, and Joji among others.

The body offers plenty of possibilities for a playlist.  Think about it!  The word ‘body’ itself is fuel for the creative and sensual fire (see 17 Songs Associated with the Body). Furthermore, specific parts of the anatomy can make a compilation of songs that’s incredibly intriguing.  Hence, we have 13 Songs That Involve the Head in Some Capacity.  Artists providing the soundtrack include Avril Lavigne, Big Sean, Cody Jinks, Eminem, and Joji.

1. Avril Lavigne, “Head Above Water”

Head Above Water [Single] » BMG Rights Management » 2018

“And I can’t see in the stormy weather / I can’t seem to keep it all together / And I, I can’t swim the ocean like this forever / and I can’t breathe.” Canadian pop artist Avril Lavigne shines on her 2018 comeback single, “Head Above Water”, a powerful ballad that finds Lavigne thankful for surviving a scare with Lyme Disease. In terms of her career, “Head Above Water” is a welcome change of pace, dipping into CCM and religious music. Faith is key on this inspirational, uplifting record.  On the first verse, Lavigne references being safe – surviving and weathering the storm. She follows up with powerful vocals on the chorus, summarizing the deep emotions she’s been experiencing and petitioning God to help her persevere through.

“God, keep my head above water

Don’t let me drown, it gets harder

I’ll meet you there at the altar

As I fall down to my knees

Don’t let me drown, drown, drown

Don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me drown.”

The second verse is shorter than the first, but still meaningful and thoughtful: “Come dry me off and hold me close / I need you now, I need you most.” On the bridge (appears at the top of this review), Lavigne continues to confirm her fight to live despite adversity.

2. Flatbush Zombies, “Headstone”

Vacation in Hell » Glorious Dead Recordings » 2018

According to rap collective Flatbush Zombies, on “Headstone,” the fifth song from Vacation in Hell, “We’re just really doing lyrical exercises, which is what hip-hop is about, making references.”  Throughout the course of the record, the hip-hop collective refers to a number of rap icons/songs from the past including Tupac, The Notorious B.I.G., The Hot Boyz, Fat Joe, Big Pun, and Missy Elliott among many others.  Naturally, some of the icons have passed away.

Notably, the headstone has some interesting engraving, or so the hook suggests:

“Put ‘Money over bitches’ on my headstone

Here lies ‘Young nigga gettin’ paper’

Never take a loss on my headstone

Only take an L when I’m smokin’ it

Zombie Gang three times on my headstone

Been thuggin’ from the

Gradle to the Grave

Now your favorite rapper name on a headstone Too late – he already dead.”

11 Songs About Burial or the Cemetery

3. 88rising & Joji, “Head in the Clouds”

Head in the Clouds » 88rising / 12Tone Music » 2018

“I don’t know why I do this / I feel like I might lose you / Out of drugs, out of love / So let’s compromise / The floor is raising, the sky is falling / The tides are turning, my eyes are burning.” Emotional, poetic lyrics to say the least. Mass media company/record label 88rising has served as a catalyst for Asian artists including Indonesian standouts Rich Brian and NIKI, as well as the Japanese-Australian artist, Joji. Joji is the featured artist on the smooth, ‘high-flying,’ love-centric “Head in the Clouds,” which concludes the 2018 88rising compilation, Head in the Clouds.

According to Joji on the chorus, he sings:

“Head in the clouds

And I’m not coming down

I used to swim now

I’m ready to sink I wanna give you what I cannot do

Oh, oh, oh, oh Oh, oh, oh, oh.”

4. Echosmith, “Over My Head”

Over My Head [Single] » Warner Bros. » 2018

L.A. alt-pop band Echosmith is comprised of the Sierota siblings: Sydney Sierota, Noah Sierota, and Graham Sierota. Following a full-length album (Talking Dreams, 2013) and an EP (Inside a Dream EP, 2017).  The siblings returned in 2018 with the compelling single, “Over My Head”.  The production is quite alluring, with a prominent bass line, keyboard ostinato, synths, and an old-school drum groove. Front-woman Sydney drops feisty lead vocals, depicting the plights of love.  Ultimately, everything he says simply goes “over my head” and she’s totally over it.  Despite the fact that Sydney’s boo (or soon to be ex) is giving her a serious headache, her displeasure is our pleasure.  How’s that for schadenfreude?

5. Cody Jinks, “Head Case”

Lifers » Rounder » 2018

“I’m still fightin’ the same battles I’ve been fightin’ all these years / Dream is not a dream unless you’re livin’ with a fear / What they say will be forgotten, all that’s done will be for naught / And why?” Cody Jinks excels at bringing the past to the present on his eighth album, Lifers. “Head Case,” the closing track, is a breath of fresh air, commencing much lighter than the majority of the album.  Eventually, the production becomes fuller, while maintaining a freer, looser quality.  Jinks isn’t loose per se, as he reflects on what makes him a ‘head case,’ but his struggles are our listening pleasure. Sick schadenfreude?

“One thing that scares the hell in me is livin’ with mortality
And worryin’ that I’m insane talkin’ to a God unseen
Must surely make me crazy, so crazy’s what I’ll be…”

6. Eminem, “In Your Head”

Revival » Interscope » 2017

“It seems to be the recurring main theme / The shit I would daydream as a kid, I was eighteen / I went from an irate teenager to still raging / Isn’t it though amazing: back then I put anything / Into the rhyme, whether it was sad, mad, happy, or angry.” It’s no secret that critics panned the 2017 Eminem album, Revival (some weren’t that keen on the 2018 follow-up, Kamikaze either). Compromised quality or not, Eminem provides us with another song affiliated with the head on this playlist.  That song, “In Your Head,” is fueled by a sample courtesy of The Cranberries (“What’s in your head, in your head / Zombie, zombie, zombie…”).  Ultimately, in the context of Revival, “In Your Head” is a respectable record, but suffers from being deep in the track list of an excessively lengthy album.

7. Charli XCX, “Out of My Head”

Ft. Tove Lo & ALMA

Pop 2 » Atlantic UK » 2017

Charli XCX released Pop 2 in mid-December 2017.  On standout record “Out of My Head”, Charli XCX enlists Tove Lo and ALMA for the assist. Tove Lo kicks off “Out of My Head,” handling the first verse and the pre-chorus, remaining sexy, if tamer than we’ve been accustomed to (“All of the lies I just wanna believe / Drop all my morals, I just wanna sin”). ALMA handles the catchy and infectious chorus, the crowning achievement of “Out of My Head” – “I’m out of my, out of my / Out of my head / Please, get out of my, out of my, out of my / Out of my head.”

Charli XCX, doesn’t arrive until the second verse.  She doesn’t say much, but, “I’ll get by if I’m getting love.”.  She joins forces with Tove Lo on the pre-chorus, before ALMA returns on the chorus. After keeping things relatively clean, the true colors come out on the bridge, with Tove Lo leading the profane path, followed by ALMA and Charli XCX.

“You got me doin’ all this stupid shit
You fuck me up like this
Secretly I’m into it though.”

8. Big Sean, “Voices in My Head / Stick to the Plan”

I Decided. » Def Jam » 2017

“Voices in my head sayin’ I could do better, damn / Voices in my head sayin’ that I knew better / I done seen this shit happen a hundred times on the regular / But I still crossed the line like I’m blind, damn.” “Voices in My Head / Stick to the Plan” gives Detroit rapper Big Sean an enjoyable, intriguing two-part song on his 2017 album, I Decided.. In the context of I Decided, it ranks as one of the more compelling joints.

The first part, “Voices in my Head,” is more enigmatic and relatively brief. Sean asserts:

“This was supposed to be the last time, last hit
Last call, last feel, last trip, last run
That’s what I always tell myself, huh, damn…
Doing every single thing my parents warned me about
(You’re a fucking disappointment) ‘Til I wore ‘em out, shit.”

Metro Boomin produces the second part, “Stick to the Plan,” which is more malicious.

“Stay focused
Don’t let these niggas see your emotions
Stick to the notion, stay in motion
Remember soon as you stand still
So will everything else you notice
Make sure all your inner actions end with actions.”

9. Walk the Moon, “Headphones”

What If Nothing » RCA » 2017

“Headphones”, an advanced single from Walk the Moon’s third album, What If Nothing (2017), is an aggressive and assertive record.  It’s also eccentric, but incredibly fun. After opening mysteriously, “Headphones” erupts into a danceable, pop-rock-oriented groove. Frontman Nicholas Petricca is formidable, serving up infectious, tongue-n-cheek vocals.  Sometimes he sings, other times he quasi-sings or chants. The music and the production are selling points.  The hook-line, featured in two of the three verses, is a crowning achievement: “Oh, I can take a beating like a good pair of headphones.”  There’s a punk-energy about this particular record, which only amplifies its overall excellence.  There is no shortage of energy or intensity whatsoever.  Besides the fun lyrics and respectable vocals, the overall production can’t be left out.  The souped-up guitars are exceptional.

10. Queens of the Stone Age, “Head Like a Haunted House”

Villains » Matador » 2017

“Your head’s like a haunted house / A tutti Frutti written over the caption / Misdiagnoses with-a the most-est.” Interesting lyrics… Anyways, “Head Like a Haunted House” represents one of the most spirited moments from Queens of the Stone Age’s 2017 album, Villains. The electrifying pace, along with the hard drums, instantly stand out about the song.  Contextually, after hearing ‘kinder, gentler’ Josh Homme previously, he’s in total “kicking ass and taking names” mode – “Drink the Kool-Aid and swallow the pill / You say that you don’t and you won’t, but you will / Busted.”  The energy is totally infectious and irresistible.  The choruses are both a bit tongue-in-cheek and profane, particularly the first:

“Need a hand? Take mine
We’re subleem, sublime
Fake apologize
Fucks in short supply.”

11. Action Bronson, “Durag vs. Headband”

Blue Chips 7000 » Atlantic » 2017

“And when I die, make sure you spread my blood on a BMW.” Interesting. East coast rapper Action Bronson returned in 2017 with his second major label album, Blue Chips 7000.  Blue Chips 7000 arrived two years after his debut, Mr. Wonderful, notable for the hit, “Baby Blue” featuring Chance the Rapper. Focusing on the song at hand from the album at hand, “Durag vs. Headband”, featuring Big Body Bes, concludes the effort. Another interesting song from the project, arguably it is a more ‘novel’ cut than hit.  Still, like the aforementioned BMW line, “Durag vs. Headband” has plenty of intriguing lyrical moments, not to mention Action’s unique flow.

12. Zac Brown Band, “Heavy is the Head”

Ft. Chris Cornell

JEKYLL + HYDE » Republic » 2015

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” My, my, my, how an altered Shakespearean-popularized reference has lived on hundreds of years beyond an appearance in Henry IV.  Georgia country band Zac Brown Band teamed up with the now deceased Chris Cornell on the ultimate mix of country and rock.  “Heavy is the Head” finds Zac Brown being eclectic, electric, and disregarding labels.  Cornell sings the aforementioned chorus enigmatic refrain throughout the course of the song. As for Brown, he contrasts Cornell, with distorted, more countrified vocals, but doesn’t overstep in the twang department.  His grit is huge selling point, not to mention the musical adventurousness in regards to meter shifts and use of riffs.  If Cornell is used sparingly on the first half of the record, he is used liberally on the second half, killing it.

11 Songs That Get A Bit ‘Heavy’

13. Prince, “Head”

Dirty Mind » Warner Bros. » 1980

“I’ll give you head till you’re burning up / Head till you get enough / Head till your love is red / Head love you till you’re dead.” Oh boy… In the 00s, the late, great Prince was much tamer musically, particularly regarding sex, compared to his 80s (into the 90s) heyday.  While references to fellatio are much more rampant in contemporary music, particularly hip-hop and R&B, back in 1980 it was really pushing it.  Imagine how Dante Alighieri would’ve viewed this groovy, lustful Prince jam.  In Dante’s eyes, would damnation to the second circle of hell be sufficient?

“You said ‘but I’m just a virgin and I’m
On my way to be wed
But you’re such a hunk
So full of spunk.’”

Photo Credits: 12Tone Music, 88rising, Atlantic, Atlantic UK, BMG Rights Management, Def Jam, Glorious Dead Recordings, Interscope, Matador, RCA, Republic, Rounder, Warner Bros.