13 Stellar ‘Last’ Songs You Should Spin | Playlist 🎧

1. John Mayer, “Last Train Home”

💿 Sob Rock • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2021

“And if you’re gonna hurt me / Then you gotta hold me next to you.” In 2021, following a hiatus, 🏆 Grammy-winning pop/rock artist 🎙 John Mayer returned.  Mayer released a new studio album, 💿 Sob Rock. The ‘last’ song at hand, 🎵 “Last Train Home” serves as the opener on the EP, reappearing on the full-length. 

Mayer penned the pleasant “Last Train Home,” co-producing with 🎛 Don Was.  Here, the listeners are blessed with those distinct, signature vocals by Mayer.  As always, he has a gorgeous tone.  Despite a limited vocal range, John has always made it work superbly. “Last Train Home” possesses a clear 80s influence. There is more synthesizer compared to his past work. No worries, as we still have guitar and Mayer remains one of the elite guitarists of our time. Oh, and besides his skills with the strings, the words work well too, particularly the chorus:

“I’m not a fallen angel, I just fell behind
I’m out of luck and I’m out of time
If you don’t wanna love me, let me go
I’m runnin’ for the last train
I’m runnin’ for the last train home.”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Last: 5ive Songs No. 60 (2021)

2. GIVĒON, “Last Time”

Ft. Snoh Aalegra

💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time • 🏷 Epic / With Not So Fast LLC • 📅 2021 

“It ain’t right but I’ma stay tonight because you told me so.” On 🎵 “Last Time,” a highlight from 💿 When It’s All Said and Done… Take Time, listeners are treated to a smooth duet between 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B singer 🎙 GIVĒON (Giveon Evans) and 🎙 Snoh Aalegra (Snoh Sheri Nowrozi). Their two voices blend marvelously – this was one of those musical moments that was meant to be.  Regarding this specific song, GIVĒON has stated he wanted this song to “feel intimate and like a dialogue”. 

“Last Time” was written by Evans, Nowrozi, and 🎼✍ Don Mills, with Mills producing alongside 🎛 Sevn Thomas. The sound is lush, romantic, and sensual.  Both Evans and Nowrozi impress with their respective vocal performances.  Furthermore, “Last Time” satisfies its intended effect with stunning, high-flying expression of complicated matters of the heart. 

“Just this last time
Don’t make me regret it, I don’t wanna say it
Let’s not overthink it, baby
Come over (Come over)
I know I shouldn’t, know you shouldn’t (Oh yeah)
Come over (Yeah, yeah).”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 13 Intriguing Songs Fixated on Time ⏰  

3. Taylor Swift, “The last great American dynasty”

💿 folklore • 🏷 Taylor Swift • 📅 2020

🎵 “The last great American dynasty” marks another utterly sublime gem from 💿 folklore. Folklore, notably, earned 🎙 Taylor Swift her third 🏆 Grammy Award for Album of the Year, tying 🎙 Paul Simon and 🎙 Stevie Wonder with three wins in the prestigious category.  But enough about the hardware – let’s focus on the ‘great’ song at hand.

In the context of folklore, “The last great American dynasty” doesn’t miss a beat, placing emphasis on top-notch songwriting.  Here, Swift imparts a compelling narrative where Rebekah essentially ends a great American dynasty, or so is the perception of those who knew Bill.  On the chorus, Taylor sings:

“And they said
There goes the last great American dynasty
Who knows, if she never showed up, what could’ve been
There goes the maddest woman this town has ever seen
She had a marvelous time ruining everything.”

Eventually, there’s a plot twist, where Taylor becomes Rebekah, living as she deems fit, yet also being judged as “the loudest woman this town has ever seen.” It’s a fantastic moment on aa stacked album – the most deserved of her three wins for AOTY.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Great Songs by Women: 3BOPS No. 55 (2021)

4. Demi Lovato, “Met Him Last Night”

Ft. Ariana Grande

💿 Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over • 🏷 Island • 📅 2021

“I’ve seen the devil, yeah, I met him last night / Had conversation, yeah, I think he’s alright.”  The devil’s alright, 🎙 Demi Lovato? To each his, her, or their own, I supposed.  Lovato goes on to say on 🎵 “Met Him Last Night” (💿 Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over), “I think I love him, though I know it ain’t right.” Of course, the devil is a guy, and as you might expect, they spend the night with each other. 

Anyways, in the context of Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over, Lovato follows up 🎵 “Melon Cake” with another bop in “Met Him Last Night,” featuring 🎙 Ariana Grande. This joint is set in the minor key, given it a darker sound. Demi and Ari make a great team – there was no way that we weren’t going to get high flying vocals with these two working together.  I particularly love the way that they harmonize together throughout the record. I like the use of the 808s which gives this more of an urban-pop sound and feel. The best part is the chorus section (excerpted) which is on-point.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Last: 5ive Songs No. 60 (2021)

5. Kane Brown & John Legend, “Last Time I Say Sorry”

🎵 “Last Time I Say Sorry” • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2020

On 🎵 “Last Time I Say Sorry”, an unlikely duet occurs between country standout 🎙 Kane Brown and 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B musician, 🎙 John Legend. Honestly, I NEVER expected the two to collaborate.  Does it work out? By my estimation, the record has its fair share of beautiful moments. Separately, both Legend and Brown sound quite nice.  Legend sings the first half of the first verse, with Brown following on the second half. Brown exhibits the most fitting tone for this record, not far-fetched considering this is his musical lane. 

When Legend and Brown sing together, there are a couple of bumps in the road with the biggest bump at the onset, where Legend dominates, while Brown sings in a lower register.  This is an off-putting moment in my eyes, considering they’re singing the chorus, the centerpiece of the record:

“I won’t say I’m sorry over and over
Can’t just say I’m sorry, I’ve gotta show you
I won’t do it again; I’ll prove my love is true
I hope the last time I said sorry
Is the last time I’ll say sorry to you.”

Things improve when Brown ascends, and harmonies come into play. The songwriting is dedicated and repentant.  The production and sound embrace more of the pop end of country, which should please more casual listeners less dedicated to traditional country music. Ultimately, it’s a moderate success, not necessarily a resounding one; it has its fair share of moments.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 15 L Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason

6. P!nk, “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)”

💿 The Truth About Love • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2012

“Just when it can’t get worse / I’ve had a shit day / Have you had a shit day? / We’ve had a shit day.” Wow, that’s a lot of shit, 🎙 P!nk! The 🏆 Grammy-winning pop artist shines on 🎵 “Blow Me (One Last Kiss),” one of the catchiest singles of her illustrious careers.  Furthermore, “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” graces one of her best albums, 💿 The Truth About Love, which was chocked-full of hits. 

“White knuckles / And sweaty palms from hanging on too tight / Clenched shut jaw / I’ve got another headache again tonight.” Now that’s a mood! P!nk penned the relationship-on-the-rocks record alongside the great 🎼✍ 🎛 Greg Kurstin who constructs a neo-new wave pop cut with edge. Also, worth noting, “Blow Me” can be characterized by its four on the floor beat (most true to form at the beginning of the verses). As for Alecia Moore, well, she slays vocally. The vocal production is perfect, particularly on the second part of the chorus, excerpted at the top and continued as follows:

“I think that life’s too short for this
I want back my ignorance and bliss
I think I’ve had enough of this
Blow me (one last kiss).”

One of those cuts that easily gets stuck in your head, “Blow Me (One Last Kiss)” is a gem.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Kisses: An Intriguing Compendium of Kiss Songs 💋

7. Sam Smith, “One Last Song”

💿 The Thrill of it All • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2017

“Maybe one day I won’t sing about you / I’ll sing a song about someone new.” Hopefully that is the case, 🎙 Sam Smith! 🎵 “One Last Song,” a standout from 💿 The Thrill of it All, the sophomore album by the 🏆 award-winning musician, possesses them throwback soul vibes 🤩! Other admirable highlights from “One Last Song” include its harmonic progression, production (🎛 Jimmy Napes, 🎛 Steve Fitzmaurice, and 🎛 Tyler Johnson), and most importantly, Smith’s heartfelt, hard-hitting vocals.  The production incorporates vintage backing vocals, horns (🎙 The Dap-Kings Horns), strings, and piano, all part of that soul idiom. 

Beyond elite vocals, Smith serves up relatable songwriting, co-writing wth Napes, Johnson, and 🎼✍ Charlie Smalls.  As the excerpted lyric suggests, the nonbinary musician is trying to stop writing and singing songs about an ex-boyfriend. “I’m sendin’ a message to you / And I’m hopin’ that it will get through,” they sing on the pre-chorus, adding on the chorus, “I know you don’t want to talk to me, so this is what I’ll do / Maybe you’re listenin’, so here’s one last song for you.” Again, the emotional, stirring “One Last Song” marks one of the best moments from The Thrill of it All.

8. Shawn Mendes, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”

Ft. Camila Cabello

💿 Handwritten • 🏷 Island • 📅 2015

On the most recent editions of 💿 Handwritten, the debut album by Canadian heartthrob 🎙 Shawn Mendes, 🎵 “I Know What You Did Last Summer” appears as the closing song. “I Know What You Did Last Summer” is an infectious, playful minor-key teen-pop joint.  While Mendes hadn’t yet reached the level of maturity shown on his sophomore album 💿 Illuminate, one hears the potential of what’s to come loud and clear. 

Besides an appearance from just one pop standout, we get two. Worth noting, this cute little tune features pre-solo-career 🎙 Camila Cabello.  Like her future boyfriend, Cabello also provided a successful preview of ‘what was to come.’ The chemistry between the two on this summery tune is strong. 

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 13 Captivating Summer Songs
🔗 🎧 Last: 5ive Songs No. 60 (2021)

9. SAINt JHN, “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night”

💿 Collection One • 🏷 Godd ComplexX • 📅 2018

“I heard you got too litt last night / Didn’t make it home / Mixin’ purple with your purple sprite / Things you should’ve known / I heard you flexin’ on em’ yeah / You wanna mix it up / But fuck it baby no regret / And never switch it up.” Brooklyn-bred rapper 🎙 SAINt JHN dropped a 🎵 “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night”, which appears on his debut LP, 💿 Collection One. “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night” sounds easy on the ears.  The production work is smooth, yet energetic and rhythmic.  The choice of synths, anchored by punchy drums, is impressive. SAINt JHN kicks things off with a melodic chorus, matching the ‘chill’ musical backdrop. In addition to the melodic nature of the chorus (excerpted above), it’s also catchy. 

The melody continues to be the selling point of “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night.”  Even as smooth as it is, SAINt JHN still ‘lives on the edge.’  On the chorus, he references purple drank.  On the first verse, the rapper pop-raps, “Too turnt / Last night you showed me all that ratchet shit that you learned.” On the second verse, he references pills, and maybe more outlandishly, “Me and three bad bitches call it foreplay.” And on the third verse, it’s “Panties on my dash, pictures with no flash.”  Even with all the excess and shallowness, the colorful record allures.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 17 Songs That Were Made for the Night
🔗 🎧 Last: 5ive Songs No. 60 (2021)

10. Chris Stapleton, “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning”

💿 From a Room: Vol. 1 • 🏷 Mercury • 📅 2017

“Oh, the last thing I needed, the first thing this morning / Was to have you walk out on me.” Sigh. 🏆 Grammy-winning country musician 🎙 Chris Stapleton remains consistent on his throwback, sophomore album, 💿 From a Room: Volume 1. From A Room is a brief affair, but superbly executed – understatement. Stapleton shines on his rendition of “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning,” which arrives 35 years after the original by 🎙 Willie Nelson. 

“And I laid down beside you, and I wanted your loving
‘Cause your love makes my life complete.”

“Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning” takes the vintage country sound to the next level. Compared to the country music released that year, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to characterize the record as sounding anachronistic. Anachronistic is meant as no disrespect, however. If anything, “Last Thing I Needed, First Thing This Morning” proved to be refreshing, hearkening back to the glory days of the genre. This record, in Stapleton’s hands, is chocked-full of character, led by his over, expressive vocals, which are clearly ‘grittier’ than Nelson’s take. What I love about this interpretation is that Stapleton makes it his own, not seeking to emulate Nelson.  That, folks, is the mark of a true artist. 

 Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 10 Songs Perfect for the Morning
🔗 🎧 11 Captivating Songs About Firsts
🔗 🗣2🗣 Willie Nelson vs. Chris Stapleton

11. All Time Low, “Last Young Renegade”

💿 Last Young Renegade • 🏷 Fueled By Ramen • 📅 2017

“Just a couple kids on a summer street / Chasing around to a flicker beat…” Sadly, youth doesn’t last always.  Sigh, we all wish this weren’t the case and that there was legit fountain of youth.  On their 2017 album 💿 Last Young Renegade, emo darlings 🎙 All Time Low realize this.  Last Young Renegade overall finds the band in reflective mode, embracing newfound MATURITY.  Of course, 🎵 “Last Young Renegade” the song is a prime example.

“You were my last young renegade heartache
It only took one night
Caught in the eye of a hurricane, darling
We had to say goodbye.”

“Last Young Renegade” commences the LP more subdued than what we typically associate with All Time Low. The poise of front man 🎙 Alex Gaskarth is surprising.  The record still has energy, but it’s not until the chorus (lyrics excerpted above) that All Time Low packs its signature punch.  Ultimately, the chorus is worth the wait, with its infectiousness. Still, a newfound maturity is written all over the title track and much of the album overall.  “We said forever but forever wouldn’t wait for us.”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Renegade: 3BOPS No. 45 (2021)
🔗 🎧 Last: 5ive Songs No. 60 (2021)

12. Jazmine Sullivan, “Forever Don’t Last”

💿 Reality Show • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2015

🎵 “Forever Don’t Last” is arguably the best moment from 💿 Reality Show, the 🏆 Grammy-nominated third studio album by R&B standout 🎙 Jazmine Sullivan.  Here, an emotionally charged Sullivan masterfully depicts the end of a relationship she believed would last forever.  Showing off her dramatic, nuanced contralto, she’s on autopilot. 

“I had high hopes for us baby / like I was on dope for us baby,” she sings robustly on the first verse, continuing, “Chasin’ after a high that I’d never get back again.”  While she certainly doesn’t reinvent the wheel or the soul script, “Forever Don’t Last” finds her flexing – NO CAP. On the moving record, she comes to the realization that the perceived love was nothing more than pyrite:

“But I guess forever, doesn’t last too long...
And I tried to believe that we could make it
But trying don’t work, so I just have to face that forever
Doesn’t last too long these days.”

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 15 Songs Whose Focus is on Forever

13. Etta James, “At Last”

💿 At Last • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 1960

“At last / My love has come along / My lonely days are over / And life is like a song.” Oh the nostalgia – the vibes! It’s fitting that the ‘last’ song of any ‘last’ list be 🎵 “At Last” by 🎙 Etta James. “At Last” is a gorgeous classic, period.  James sounds elite – the perfect singer to perform this 🎼✍ Harry Warren and 🎼✍ Mack Gordon-penned joint. 

“At Last” commences with a lush introduction before Etta James blesses us with her compelling instrument.  She sings two verses, focused on matters of the heart, before unveiling a contrasting bridge section:

“I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I’ve never known.”

Ooh la-la Etta!  After that change of pace harmonically (love remains intact, of course), Ms. James delivers one final verse on this Chess Records staple.  The closing lines are iconic themselves: “And here we are in heaven / For you are mine at last.”