13 Utterly Superb SO Songs

Reading Time: 21 min read

13 Utterly Superb SO Songs features songs by Clipse, Gracie Abrams, Madonna, Miles Davis, Olivia Dean, and Peaches.

“Smoke / SO be it, SO be it.”

Clipse has spoken, PERIOD. Madonna also has something to say, in the spirit of SO: “But out here / On the dance floor / I feel so free.” Word. And for good measure, what does Peaches have to say that is SO incredibly notable? “NO LUBE, SO RUDE.” Yeah, that would make for a rough… You know what, never mind! The common thread between Clipse, Madge, and Peaches is SO.

So earned the spotlight on The Musical Hype in 2022 with 13 Songs Buoyed by the Power of SO. With more than four years having elapsed, a sequel has been long overdue, like SO long. That’s where 13 Utterly Superb SO Songs come into play. 13 Utterly Superb SO Songs features songs by Clipse, Gracie Abrams, Madonna, Miles Davis, Olivia Dean, and Peaches. SO, without further ado, let’s give SO its flowers with these 13 Utterly Superb SO Songs!

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1. Madonna, “I Feel So Free”

2. Clipse, “So Be It”

3. Peaches, “No Lube So Rude”

4. Dmitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiësto & Dido, “Thank You (Not So Bad)”

5. Olivia Dean, “So Easy (To Fall In Love)”

6. LUKAS OSCAR, “So Romantic U + I”

7. Charli XCX, “Girl, so confusing” (Ft. Lorde)

8. Gracie Abrams, “That’s So True”

9. Bloodhound Gang, “I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks”

10. The 2 Live Crew, “Me So Horny”

11. The Pointer Sisters, “He’s So Shy”

12. The Chi-Lites, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)”

13. Miles Davis, “So What”

1. Madonna, “I Feel So Free”

CONFESSIONS II » Boy Toy Inc. / Warner Records » 2026

“But out here / On the dance floor / I feel so free.”

Noted, Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone). Madge, pushing 68, returned in 2026 with her 15^th studio album, CONFESSIONS II. Leading the charge on her new LP is the opener, “I Feel So Free”. It was written by Madonna, Stuart Price, and Lil Louis (Marvin Louis Burns). Madonna and Price produced it. “I Feel So Free” runs longer than most pop singles – north of five minutes in the two-and-a-half to three-minute age. She sets the tone with the enigmatic spoken-word intro excerpted earlier. She’s accompanied by a vibrant, dance/electronic-pop backdrop, reminiscent of her “Hung Up” / Confessions on a Dancefloor era. The sound is nothing brand-new, but it slaps, nonetheless. Colorful synths and a hard-hitting, danceable beat never grow stale! The same could be made of Madonna’s voice. She doesn’t surprise with her performance but sounds respectable. As always, she brings fierceness and personality to the track, particularly the spoken-word, talk-sung moments. Thematically, “I Feel So Free” is simple. She wants to dance, and on the dance floor, guess what? “I feel so free / I feel so free / I feel so free / I feel so free.” But also, dancing with someone special is key, too. “Come on, meet me on the dance floor,” she asserts in the refrain, and continues, “Come here, baby, I can give you much more tonight / Oh, baby, let’s do it right.” Do, huh? All told, “I Feel So Free” is an enjoyable electronic/dance-pop song from a legendary artist who has nothing else to prove. It’s not the second coming, but it’s pleasant and well-rounded.

Appears in 🔻:

13 More Songs Where the FEEL is Real (2026)

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2. Clipse, “So Be It”

Let God Sort Em Out » Clipse / Roc Nation Distribution » 2025

“Smoke / So be it, so be it.”

Word. Grammy-winning rap brother duo Clipse – Pusha T and Malice – made a big-time comeback in 2025 with Let God Sort Em Out, their first in 16 years. “So Be It” marked the second single and fourth track from their Grammy-nominated fourth studio album. Pusha T and Malice wrote the banger with producer extraordinaire Pharrell Williams. Notably, it was nominated for the Grammy for Best Music Video.

“So Be It” begins with a distinct Arabian sample: “Maza Akoulou” by Talal Madah. Pusha T sets the tone with spoken word on the intro. Post-intro, “So Be It” settles in with a banging beat that is Pharrell-like through and through. The strings, which carry over from the sample, shine. Push T delivers a compelling cadence and flow while rapping three out of the four verses (one, two, and four). “When I was born, grandmama could see it / I be Bentley driven and very strategic,” he raps in the first verse, and continues, “R.M. sleeve, no diamonds are needed / Floors are heated, so be it, so be it.” In the second verse, there are no so be it(s) to be found, but King Push keeps it a buck: “Fuck around and get your body traced tryna test me / ‘Cause niggas that I’m with like to draw when it’s sketchy.” Woo! The fourth verse is something else, too, taking shots at Grammy-nominated rapper Travis Scott 👀:

“You cried in front of me, you died in front of me

Calabasas took your bitch and your pride in front of me

Her Utopia had moved right up the street

And her lip gloss was poppin’, she ain’t need you to eat.”

Push also performs the chorus, excerpted earlier, which is simple but memorable to the nth degree. Malice raps the third verse only but makes it worthwhile with his own compelling cadence, flow, confidence, and wordplay: “All black, back to back, this ain’t traffic / Can’t wrap your head ‘round that, you ain’t Arab / Y’all tweet, bird talk, we all parrots /Lone star, cross the border, we like Dallas.” In short, Clipse drop an awesome rap banger with “So Be It”. Names taken and ass kicked 🤭!

Appears in 🔻:

Clipse, So Be It: Bangerz N Bopz No. 42 (2026)

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3. Peaches, “No Lube So Rude”

No Lube So Rude » Kill Rock Stars » 2026

“Make you scream / Spritz it like a wet dream.”

Now that is quite the lyric! Bisexual Canadian feminist musician, producer, director, and performance artist Peaches (Merrill Nisker, b. 1966) never fails to bring the heat. She remains potent to the nth degree on her bold, unapologetic single, “No Lube So Rude”. There is no shortage of eyebrow-raising lyrics. “No Lube So Rude” is the third track from her seventh studio album of the same name. Peaches wrote and produced this striking no-lube gem.

“No Lube So Rude” begins with a thudding kick. Eventually, there are some pummeling, jungle-like drums, which match the rawness of this record. Additionally, rhythmic, colorful synths shine within the initial minimalist accompaniment. But it’s Peaches and those unapologetic lyrics that draw the most attention. “If you wanna tug / We can rub right here / Bring the strap right here / All caps right here.” Oh, snap, Peaches! It doesn’t stop there: “In the back / In the front / In the cunt / Juicy plump / Take a sip / We can stuff / We can fluff.” Wow! Expectedly, the titular lyrics get some love before even more sexual lyrics arrive. “Bag of nuts / Bag of tricks / Suck my bits,” she asserts, and continues, “Do you like to bottom / Like to top / Like to switch / Like to flop.” Well, she has it all covered, doesn’t she?! Later, she informs us she ran out of lube; hence, “No lube, so rude.” Rude indeed… like, painful… Peaches gives no fucks in her performance – she’s all business with her primarily un-pitched performance. However, on the word “Lube,” she is pitched. As the record progresses, it adds more instruments (synths, additional programming). Also, Peaches provides even more oomph. Truly a piece of work, “No Lube So Rude” is entertaining and, of course, not safe for work (“When you show up dry / Lube is smoothin’ out the ride”). Never change, Peaches!

Appears in 🔻:

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4. Dmitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiësto & Dido, “Thank You (Not So Bad)”

“Thank You (Not So Bad)” » Cheeky » 2023

DJs and producers love a remix/reworked version of a popular song. On “Thank You (Not So Bad),” Dmitri Vegas & Like Mike, Tiësto, and W&W join forces for a remake/remix of the Dido classic “Thank You”. In their hands, “Thank You” gets a more modern sound. The synths are sharp, the beat is sick, and the energy is high. Fittingly, Dido sings the track. How could she not? She made “Thank You” a top 10 hit on the pop charts in 2001 (it peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100). Before things ratchet up, the vocals are barely discernible (“And I can’t see at all / But your picture on my wall / That it’s not so bad, it’s not so bad”). Soon enough, the most iconic and memorable lyrics from “Thank You” are presented clearly by Dido:

“My tea’s gone cold; I’m wondering why I got out of bed at all

The morning rain clouds up my window, and I can’t see at all

And even if I could, it’d be all grey, but your picture on my wall

It reminds me that it’s not so bad; it’s not so bad.”

Does “Thank You (Not So Bad)” supplant the original ‘thankful’ song? No, but it reintroduces it to an entirely new generation. That, my friends, is something to be thankful for!

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5. Olivia Dean, “So Easy (To Fall In Love)”

The Art of Loving » Universal Music Operations Limited » 2025

“‘Cause I make it so easy to fall in love / So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us.”

Sigh, if only falling in love were as easy as listening to any Olivia Dean song. The Grammy-winning English singer-songwriter has IT, PERIODT. She’s incredibly gifted. “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” is the fifth track from her delightful 2025 sophomore album, The Art of Loving. It was written by Dean, John The Blind (John Ryan), Max Wolfgang, and Amy Allen. John The Blind, Julian Bunetta, and Zach Nahome produced it.

There’s lots to L-O-V-E about “So Easy (To Fall In Love).” This one is, indeed, so easy to fall in love with. It begins with the production, which features bossa nova music cues, led by the chill, rhythmic guitar. The horns sound delightful (Mark Rudin), accentuating the color and the romance! As delightful as the musical accompaniment is, Olivia Dean is the star of the show. She excels with smooth, soulful vocals. The best way to describe her voice is… ANGELIC 😇! But it’s not just the vocals! “So Easy (To Fall In Love)” is incredibly melodious. “I could be the world to you, the missing piece / The extra sentimental kind of chemistry,” Dean sings in the first verse, and concludes, “Some people make it hard; with me, that isn’t the case.” Word. The romantic vibes continue in the second verse: “There’s no need to hide if you’re into me / ‘Cause I’m into you quite intimately / And maybe one night could turn into three / Well, I’m down to see.” Aww! The most memorable and tuneful moment of the song occurs during the chorus, excerpted earlier. In its glorious entirety, it plays out a little something like this:

“‘Cause I make it so easy to fall in love

So, come give me a call, and we’ll fall into us

I’m the perfect mix of Saturday night and the rest of your life

Anyone with a heart would agree

It’s so easy

To fall in love with me.”

Olivia Dean truly makes falling in love sound so easy. Even if falling in love feels much harder than conveyed in “So Easy (To Fall In Love)”, the song itself is utterly sublime. Great vocals, tuneful melodies, memorable songwriting, and sophisticated production seals the deal.

Appears in 🔻:

Olivia Dean, So Easy (To Fall In Love): Bangerz N Bopz No. 51 (2026)

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6. LUKAS OSCAR, “So Romantic U + I”

From Under My Bed (EP) » LUKAS OSCAR » 2025

“You show up unannounced at night / That creepy hour between 3 and 5.”

So, LUKAS OSCAR (Lukas Oscar Janisch), this nameless person, arrives at an unholy hour? Hmm, I have so many questions. There seems to be an ‘intimate encounter’ in “So Romantic U + I”, the opening track from his 2025 EP, From Under My Bed. Oscar continues singing in the brief, sub-two-minute song, “Then you blind the room in sequins / Plastic pupils in your plastic eyes.” Intriguing, thought-provoking lyrics. Sequins are obnoxiously bright and eye-catching. Are they so bright that they have created googly eyes (plastic pupils and plastic eyes)? The Gen-Z Filipino Austrian musician penned and produced this romantic indie pop joint.

“And it’s so romantic you and I

And that one guy that’s watching from outside

We’re one big family

One home…”

Again, the lyrics are thought-provoking. Later, OSCAR requests, “Cut the lights,” adding some odd, open-to-interpretation lyrics: “Mh mh cut the l1ghts c0ldled fe1n r1gh / G0t the l1ghts fu0 me c1t1 r1ght.” Say what, now?! It sounds sexual… Supporting this intimate experience with this nameless person is a great production. It features an awesome groove – a dusty, soulful hip-hop beat. Besides the beat, superb music cues include low-key synths and pads. Also, ‘low-key’ is Oscar’s vocals. They sound chill and laid-back. He is expressive yet manages to sound both indulgent and nonchalant simultaneously. The melodies are tuneful even when Lukas drops the less decipherable lyrics. “So Romantic U + I” feels sexy without being explicit or overt.

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7. Charli xcx, “Girl, so confusing” (Ft. Lorde)

Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat » Atlantic » 2024

Charli xcx produced nothing but bops – surefire bangers – from Brat and Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat. One of the best-remixed songs was “Girl, so confusing” featuring Grammy-winning alternative pop singer/songwriter Lorde. “Girl, so confusing” commences with ear-catching vocals and sound effects. Produced by A. G. Cook, the sounds are sublime, with a heavy synth bass and thudding dance beat. The vocals during the first verse by Charli xcx are more ‘talked’ and less pitched. “Yeah, I don’t know if you like me / Sometimes I think you might hate me,” she sings, continuing, “Sometimes I think I might hate you / Maybe you just wanna be me.” Is she referencing Lorde? Following the memorable chorus, Lorde addresses Charli, asserting, “Let’s work it out on the remix.” Lorde delivers a remarkable confessional verse, admitting, “‘Cause for the last couple years / I’ve been at war with my body / I tried to starve myself thinner / And then I gained all the weight back.” A stellar pre-chorus follows this epic verse, where the comparisons between both artists are brought to light: “People say we’re alike / They say we’ve got the same hair / It’s you and me on the coin / The industry loves to spend.” Charli xcx and Lorde make a formidable pair on “Girl, so confusing,” a rare remix that deserves recognition as one of the best songs of 2024.

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8. Gracie Abrams, “That’s So True”

The Secret of Us (Deluxe) » Gracie Abrams / Interscope » 2024

“I could go and read your mind / Think about your dumb face all the time / Living in your glass house, I’m outside.”

Matters of the heart, from a post-relationship perspective, shape “That’s So True”, the 15^th track on The Secret of Us (Deluxe). Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Gracie Abrams can easily read her ex-boyfriend based on being in a relationship with him. Since their union ended, he has moved on, dating a new girl. As for Gracie, she’s still affected by him and the end of their relationship. Does she want him back? Lines like, “You’re an idiot, now I’m sure / Now I’m positive, I should go and warn her” suggest she escaped, and she should be the bigger person and warn his new girl. “That’s So True” is a deluxe cut, but it earned Gracie Abrams her first top 10 hit (number six on the Billboard Hot 100).

Gracie Abrams and Audrey Hobert penned “That’s So True.” Abrams, Aaron Dessner, and Julian Bunetta produced it. “That’s So True” has a nice driving nature, led by the guitar accompaniment. Abrams’ vocals are smooth, but she still brings some ‘edge’ to “That’s So True.” “What’d she do to get you off? (Uh-huh) / Taking down her hair like, oh my God / Taking off your shirt, I did that once / Or twice, uh,” Gracie sings in the colorful second verse, adding, “No, I know, I know I’ll fuck off / But I think I like her, she’s so fun / Wait, I think I hate her, I’m not that evolved.” Word. She shines during the centerpiece, the chorus:

“Ooh, bet you’re thinking, ‘She’s so cool’

Kicking back on your couch, making eyes from across the room

Wait, I think I’ve been there too, ooh.”

Another highlight from “That’s So True” is the rhythmic melodic lines. We don’t wish the pain of a defunct relationship on anyone but Abrams’ expired union, and her efforts to ensure the ‘next woman up’ is aware he’s ‘no good’ (maybe…) is our listening pleasure. “That’s So True” is truly a fine song.

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9. Bloodhound Gang, “I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks”

One Fierce Beer Coaster » Geffen » 1996

“If your ass is a Chinese restaurant, I’ll have the Poo Poo Platter.”

Oh, Jimmy Pop 😏! We see what you did there, pooping up the pu pu platter. When it comes to Bloodhound Gang, depth, let alone anything higher level or transcendent, is not the modus operandi. That joke in the intro was shit… literally. Anyways, the band has always been bold, thriving on dumb humor, being offensive, and shock value. On their 1996 album, One Fierce Beer Coaster, Jimmy and company dipped their toes into the LGBTQ+ community, specifically the Q as in queer. That’s right, Mr. Pop asserts in the fourth track from the LP, “I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks”. My, my, my! It shouldn’t come as a shock that Jimmy wrote and produced it.

“I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks” features outlandish lyrics that play on gay stereotypes. This is where the controversy, or problematic nature of the song, comes into play. The best starting place is the chorus: “Chicks dig guys that are / Queer guys that don’t dig / Chicks that don’t dig guys like me / See, I’m not queer, I’m too ugly.” There is a lot to unpack. First, the word queer, which the LGBTQ+ community has reclaimed, is not synonymous with gay. In this context, Jimmy Pop seems to think of the terms as interchangeable while queer has more nuance. But, even if we give Jimmy a pass there, the assertion that all queer/gay guys are beautiful is false. Yes, many beautiful, fine, gorgeous, and handsome men identify as queer or gay, but, not all men that identify as such are. While I can’t speak from a woman’s perspective, it would also be a stereotype that they desire gay guys, etc. Yes, it happens, but Jimmy is pushing buttons.

Beyond the chorus, Jimmy Pop serves up plenty of intriguing, questionable lyrics. In the first verse, he has to prove his masculinity, following a kiss from his friend, Jerry, and getting his ass kicked by jarheads. Oh, high school! But, after bro-ing it up, he states his faux-queer intentions 😏… Things get more pseudo homo in the second verse, where he desires queerness to attain a supermodel. See as her GBF, “I’d be a good listener so she’d treat me like a sister and soon I’d become / That trusted friend that cares that rubs her back and braids her hair / No, it wouldn’t take a week before I’m in her underwear.” Damn, Jimmy! It doesn’t end there, either. Matters of the peen enter the picture… Jimmy makes it clear, “The only smoked meat, the only sausage I would eat is made by Jimmy Dean / See, I’m not too keen on the smell of Vaseline.” Vaseline as lube for anal sex… yikes! WE LISTEN AND WE DO JUDGE, JIMMY! Besides that, we get the male hairdresser stereotype, as well as wearing mom’s lingerie, a love of Broadway, Depeche Mode, and ballet. But, confirming he’s not queer, once again, “And I don’t shave my heiny…” Ultimately, “I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks” is best taken with a grain of salt. Is it ultra-controversial? No. Is it problematic? Yes, though I don’t believe Jimmy Pop or Bloodhound Gang meant any harm. Being brash and saying off-the-wall, out of pocket things is what they have done throughout their career. But, it is important that beyond the enthusiastic instrumental with its filthy, driving guitars, and the wacky lyrics sung by Jimmy Pop that stereotypes are misleading.

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10. The 2 Live Crew, “Me So Horny”

As Nasty As They Wanna Be » LIL JOE » 1989

“Ahh! Me so horny! / Me love you long time!”

Oh, snap! 2 Live Crew were As Nasty As They Wanna Be in 1989. Their third album made history by being legally labeled as obscene. Filthy, highly sexual lyrics and their respective songs earned the chagrin of politicians, leading to the album’s obscene declaration. After ridiculous arrests were made for selling the album and performing songs from the album, such as the horny gem “Me So Horny”, the federal judge’s obscenity ruling was rightfully overturned. “Me So Horny” was no angelic track from the rap collective. But as we’ve seen in the 2020s, music has become far more sexual, particularly sex positive. Despite being declared obscene, As Nasty As They Wanna Be was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. “Me So Horny” achieved pop success, reaching number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Me So Horny” features multiple samples. The excerpted horny line performed by Papillon Soo Soo doesn’t hail from a porno: it’s from the highly respected movie Full Metal Jacket. Dialogue also appears from another film, Which Way Is Up?, while the song “Firecracker” by Mass Production has multiple elements sampled. The lyrics are nasty, naughty, and NSFW. Raunchy is what 2 Live Crew was renowned for, and they didn’t disappoint in this classic. “Sitting at home with my dick all hard / So I got the black book for a freak to call,” Brother Marquis (1967 – 2024) asserts in the first verse. He adds, “I’m like a dog in heat, a freak without warning / I have an appetite for sex, cause me so horny.” Word. Fresh Kid Ice gets into the filth in the second verse, dropping the bomb in the first line: “Girls always ask me why I fuck so much / I say, ‘What’s wrong, baby doll, with a quick nut?” Holy shit! Brother Marquis returns in the third verse, where he raps, “I’ll be blowing your mind while you’re blowing my brains.” As for Fresh Kid Ice, in the fourth verse, he encourages her to “Put your lips on my dick and suck my asshole too.” Gah-day-um! “Me So Horny” is still raunchy in the 2020s, but since then, music has progressively grown risqué and unapologetically sexual. The brutally honest band may have been ‘rough around the edges,’ but their music, no matter how dirty, shouldn’t have been labeled obscene. Luke and 2 Live Crew produced a banger for the ages.

Appears in 🔻:

The 2 Live Crew, Me So Horny: Controversial Songs No. 11 (2024)

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11. The Pointer Sisters, “He’s So Shy”

Special Things » Sony Music Entertainment » 1980

“When I first saw him standing there / I longed to speak but did not dare.”

Aww, the shyness! However, it was NOT June Pointer (1953 – 2006) or the rest of The Pointer Sisters (Ruth Pointer and the late Anita Pointer) who were the shyest! Adding in the first verse of “He’s So Shy”, June asserts, “And then he smiled and turned away / That told me all he could not say / That’s when I knew he wanted me too / But I had to do some breaking through.” “He’s So Shy” is the second track from the Grammy-winning collective’s seventh album, Special Things. One of seven top 10 hits by The Pointer Sisters, “He’s So Shy” peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow wrote the gold-certified single. Richard Perry produced. It was nominated for a Grammy at the 23^rd Annual GRAMMY Awards for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

The sound is to die for. The musical accompaniment is sleek. The keys and synths are warm, the riffs are tight, and the groove is S-T-R-O-N-G 💪. The sound is idiomatic of 1980s pop and R&B. The melodies are tuneful in the verses, as evidenced by the first verse, particularly the chorus. The chorus is infectious melodically and lyrically:

“He’s so shy

He’s so shy

That sweet little boy who caught my eye

He’s so shy

He’s so shy

And he’s much too good to let get by.”

There are lyrical variations with the chorus, as well as some ad-libs. The Pointer Sisters paints a picture of how special and sweet this man is. Yes, he’s shy, and it took some work (“And I’m glad I took the time / That I had to take to make him mine”), but it was well worth it. Not only is the dedication sweet on “He’s So Shy”, but the song is utterly sweet. ICONIC!

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12. The Chi-Lites, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)”

I Like Your Lovin’ (Do You Like Mine?) » Brunswick Record Corp. » 1970

“‘Cause I’m so, so tired, oh, you set my soul on fire / I’m so tired, well, you set my soul on fire.”

Woo! Chicago R&B quartet The Chi-Lites dropped fire with their 1970 single, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)”. “Are You My Woman?” is the opening track from their 1970 album, I Like Your Lovin’ (Do You Like Mine?). “Woman” was modestly successful on the pop charts, peaking at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. It performed much better on the R&B charts, reaching number eight. Lead vocalist Eugene Record (1940 – 2005) wrote and produced “Woman.”

The musical backdrop is one of the biggest selling points of “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So).” Famously, the Beyoncé contemporary R&B/hip-hop classic, “Crazy In Love”, samples it. It features an epic percussion and drum groove from the beginning that is funky to the nth degree! The horns sound utterly electrifying. As always, Eugene Record brings the heat on lead vocals. Beyond his lead, there is great use of the various voices of the group that bring a lot of personality to the track. The chemistry in this group is a sight to behold; rather, it is ear-catching. Those bass vocals in particular are lit. The chorus is the centerpiece – the crème de la crème:

“Are you my woman? Tell me so

Are you my woman? Tell me so

Well, are you my woman? Tell me so

Well, if you’re not my woman, let me go.”

Word. An early gem by The Chi-Lites, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)” is fun, funky, and well-rounded.

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13. Miles Davis, “So What”

Kind of Blue » Columbia » 1959

Miles Davis (1926 – 1991) is the M-A-N – the sugar, honey, iced tea when it comes to music. Jazz was Miles’ wheelhouse, but his influence and innovativeness transcend it. The man is one of the giants in all of music history. “So What” is one of his greatest compositions and performances in an illustrious catalog. It commences his 1959 cool jazz, multiplatinum masterpiece, Kind of Blue. Beyond Davis on trumpet, he collaborates with a legendary group of musicians: Cannonball Adderley (1928 – 1975) on alto saxophone, John Coltrane (1926 – 1967) on tenor saxophone, Bill Evans (1929 – 1980) on piano, Paul Chambers (1935 – 1969) on bass, and Jimmy Cobb (1929 – 2020) on drums. Take one listen to “So What,” and it’s easy to be hypnotized by its sheer musical excellence.

“So What” begins ‘slowly and freely,’ just as the sketch score describes. Paul Chambers and Bill Evans set the tone. At times, the left-hand piano and string bass double one another, showcasing the incredible chemistry between the musicians. Evans’ harmonies are intriguing, sitting atop a sustained D in the bass. D Dorian ends up being the key, with the difference between it and D natural minor being the raised sixth. Following the intro, the tempo picks up (moderato) during the head/A section, led by Chambers’ iconic bass line. The swung bass line is firmly entrenched in D Dorian, with the B natural standing out. Jimmy Cobb enters the mix, providing time on the drums, while Evans catches the ear with his comping, with quartal harmonies (the top of the chord is a third). Miles Davis, Cannonball Adderley, and John Coltrane enter the mix, matching Evans’ chords. Meanwhile, Chambers continues to eat on one of the greatest bass lines of all time. Notably, during the head, there is a modulation up a half step. The sound remains classy and sophisticated, even with the wrinkle of the challenging E-flat Dorian thrown into the mix. Check out Jeff Bass play through the beastly bass line.

After the head has played out, in all its glory, Miles Davis performs the first solo. Davis is the definition of cool, never overextending with astronomical notes. His tone is delightful. Still, there are plenty of striking moments when he hits the upper register, staying within the cool aesthetic. In the second extended solo, by John Coltrane, his saxophone virtuosity is on full display. His riffs are incredibly rhythmic, and he shows off the upper register in several instances. His genius can be analyzed, but you don’t have to be a music theorist to understand that Trane was on another level. Cannonball Adderley has a tough act to follow. His alto saxophone solo is impressive too, with his fair share of flurries of notes, and playing with incredible accuracy. Like Trane, his improvisations are playful, filled with top-notch musicianship and a tremendous ear. Following the horns, Bill Evans has his moment in the spotlight. The harmonies take the cake, though his melodic moments are sweet. During his solo, Miles, Cannonball, and Trane perform the head (sans iconic bass). Speaking of the bass, Chambers gets another moment to shine, a brief walking bass line, before returning to the main bass line. Perhaps Jimmy Cobb has a thankless job throughout “So What”, but it’s incredibly important, holding all the hipness together through his drums, particularly the cymbal. All told, so much more can be said of “So What” – it’s a landmark, cool jazz chart. But, like all of the great musical masterpieces, even if there is plenty to analyze, it is best experienced by listening and enjoying the ride. Miles Davis ate and left no crumbs.

Appears in 🔻:

Miles Davis, So What: Throwback Vibez No. 33 (2026)

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13 Utterly Superb SO Songs (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Brunswick Record Corp., Cheeky, Clipse, Columbia, Geffen, Gracie Abrams, Interscope, Kill Rock Stars, LIL JOE, LUKAS OSCAR, Roc Nation Distribution, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Operations Limited; Canva AI; Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

13 Utterly Superb SO Songs | Playlist

Published by the musical hype on August 3, 2026August 3, 2026