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“14 House Songs More Thrilling Than Chilling at the House” features music courtesy of Cam, Five Finger Death Punch, Flo Rida, Panic! At the Disco, and Sia. 

A house is defined by Merriam-Webster as a building that serves as living quarters for one or a few families. There’s also a sub-genre of dance music referred to as house, which Complex provides a superb brief history. Not to be left out of the fray, there’s also the television series House, which starred English actor Hugh Laurie. Laurie, by the way, happens to be a musician in addition to his acting chops.

After breaking down the wide-ranging term house, the most relevant here is the first (Merriam-Webster’s take).  That means that there are no house songs on this list or any songs related to the TV series. Nonetheless, these 14 songs featuring the word house are more thrilling than chilling at the house.  Sometimes chilling at the crib can be thrilling, but that’s beside the point. 14 House Songs More Thrilling Than Chilling at the House features music courtesy of Cam, Five Finger Death Punch, Flo Rida, Panic! At the Disco, and Sia among others. Enough rambling – time to groove!’

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1. Flo Rida, “My House”

My House • Atlantic • 2015

Love him or hate him, Flo Rida always seems to be good for a hit.  In this case, Flo’s latest hit is the infectious “My House.”  While “My House” is a rousing, carefree anthem for partying or sports, Flo seems to have booty on his mind.  “Welcome to my house / baby take control now,” he sings on the hook, continuing, “we can’t even slow down / we don’t have to go out.”  Innuendo to the nth degree.

The confirmation about what’s going down in Flo’s house comes during the second verse:

“Morning comes and you know what you wanna stay

Close the blinds, let’s pretend that the time has changed

Keep our clothes on the floor, open up champagne

Let’s continue tonight, come one, celebrate.”

Flo Rida sure knows how to show southern hospitality.

2. Panic! At The Disco, “House of Memories”

Death of a Bachelor • Fueled by Ramen • 2016

“If you’re a lover, you should know / The lonely moments just get lonelier / The longer you’re in love / Than if you’re alone” Say what?  “House of Memories” deals with the anxieties of past and present love.  What’s most intriguing about the aforementioned line is how Panic! At the Disco frontman Brendon Urie tackles loneliness from a committed perspective: “I don’t want to be afraid / The deeper that I go / It takes my breath away.” By the refrain, with the “house built,” Urie asks for her word: “Promise me a place / In your house of memories.” Emo, poetic…checks off many boxes.

3. Sia, “House On Fire”

This Is Acting • RCA • 2016

“Baby, I’m a house on fire / And I want to keep burning / Boy, I’m going up in flames / And you’re to blame.” Hmm, Sia is clearly infatuated with this man and it’s not good. Remember Panic! At The Disco likened a house to a relationship? Sia does the same, only this one is “on fire.”

Lyrically poetic, Sia clearly articulates her point on “House On Fire” – there are no hidden motives in the least.  “So take me to the heavens now / As we burn down…” is brilliant because it signifies the pleasure and pain.  Pleasure and pain are two common contrasts in relationship-themed songs.

4. Cam, “Burning House”

Untamed • Sony • 2015

Keeping in step with love, Cam’s “Burning House” is a gorgeous, if sad example of the end of a relationship. “Burning House” finds Cam dreaming, yet clearly poetically expressing heartbreak and regret.  According to Cam, “I’ve been sleepwalking / Been wandering all night / Trying to take what’s lost and broken / Make it right.”  She’s been trying to salvage a relationship that has already ended, and naturally, it’s not working.

5. The Weeknd, “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls”

Trilogy • Republic • 2012

“If it hurts to breathe, open the window / Oh, your mind wants to leave but you can’t go.” Oh boy! The Weeknd is notorious for songs about sex and drugs. “House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls” is just that. Focusing on part one, it seems that the girl that The Weeknd sings about is clearly experiencing hell at a suspect party.  She’s high, everyone around her is high, and she can’t escape (1) being faded and (2) The Weeknd and his crew.  The Weeknd makes it clear – “you belong to me.”  As for part two, it’s an extension of part one.  Sex, drugs, and a heap of irresponsibility.

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6. Sam Hunt, “House Party”

Montevallo • MCA Nashville • 2014

In some respects, Sam Hunt’s “House Party” is simple.  It’s a fun, carefree record that lacks depth – there’s tons of those.  In another respect, it’s also simple, but with enough innuendo not to turn off more conservative country fans.  That innuendo resides on the chorus:  “We’ll have a house party, we don’t need nobody / Turn your TV off, break that boom box out / We’ll wake up all the neighbors ‘til the whole block hates us / And the cops will show up and try to shut us down.” Okay. Isn’t it hard to believe that Sam and his “homebody” girl are just going to listen to music and dance all night? The really question is what kind of dancing? Furthermore, the “Wake up all the neighbors” is just a little too Trey Songz to resist, right?

7. Five Finger Death Punch, “House of the Rising Sun”

The Wrong Side of Heaven and the Righteous Side of Hell (Volume 2) • Prospect Park • 2013

Including Five Finger Death Punch definitely provides a change of pace.  The thing is, this is an original! FFDP are covering a traditional folk song, most famously recorded by The Animals. Why not include The Animals famed original? The reason is because it is so well-known while Five Finger Death Punch’s interpretation is less familiar. The explanation is that simple.

8. Wiz Khalifa ft. Curren$y, “House in The Hills”

Blacc Hollywood • Atlantic • 2014

Unlike so many of the songs on this list, Wiz Khalifa’s “House In The Hills” is actually about a house…to an extent.  The main objective of “House In The Hills” is for Wiz to rap about his “come up.” Examine most rappers’ discography, and there’s at least one song about how they “made it.”  In this case, Wiz “used to turn on the TV, see what I want / And now the same one I dreamed about, the same one I’m stuntin’ in.”  Wiz “started small to them houses in the hills.”

9. Bring Me the Horizon, “The House of Wolves”

Sempiternal • Epitaph • 2013

“Show me a sign, show me a reason to give / A solitary fuck about your god damn beliefs.” Whoa! Every playlist needs at least one song that shocks the hell out of you. Metalcore band Bring Me the Horizon excel at shock value, passing it with “flying colors.” One thing is clear: “Brick by brick by brick / These walls begin to cave in / The house of wolves you built / Is burning a thousand times.” …

Speaking of hell, It’s clear that the dudes of Bring Me the Horizon aren’t the most religious folks… The picture of the afterlife they paint clearly isn’t heavenly or hellish.  “And when you die the only kingdom you’ll see/ Is two-foot wide and six-foot deep.” To each their own.

10. Twenty One Pilots, “House of Gold”

Vessel • Fueled By Ramen • 2013

After the disturbing “The House of Wolves,” Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun deliver some substance on the touching “House of Gold.” Written in straightforward fashion, Joseph has a conversation with his mom – in the context of the song that is. “She asked me, ‘son, when I grow old / will you buy me a house of gold,” Joseph sings from his mom’s perspective.  He later replies (as himself), “I will make you the queen of everything you see / I’ll put you on the map / I’ll cure you of disease.” How sweet!

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11. Radiohead, “House of Cards”

In Rainbows • XL Recordings • 2007

One way to describe darling alternative band Radiohead is heady.  Are Thom Yorke and company heady on “House of Cards?” Yes, expectedly. That said, Yorke – or his character in the context of the song – clearly states he wants to be in a relationship with a married woman. “Forget about your house of cards / And I’ll do mine.” Even though there’s an obvious narrative constructed here, “House of Cards” certainly isn’t closed to multiple ideas and interpretations beyond its basic plot.

12. My Chemical Romance, “House of Wolves”

The Black Parade • Reprise • 2006

Ah, more wolves! In the case of defunct band My Chemical Romance, “Houses of Wolves” predates Bring Me the Horizon’s by seven years. There are clear differences.  Frontman Gerard Way makes more overt spiritual references than Bring Me The Horizon: “Well, I said hey, hey, hallelujah / I’m going to come on sing the praise / And let the spirit come on through you / We got innocence for days.” Throughout its course the following words appear from the Christian faith: prayer, hallelujah, spirit, hell, angel, sin, and devil. Follow the narrative of The Black Parade, and the dude is dying from cancer. Like the Geniuses point out, his afterlife seems to be in question.  “I been a bad motherfucker!”  Hey, aren’t we all “sinners saved by grace?”

13. Van Halen, “House of Pain”

1984 • Rhino / Warner Bros. • 1984

Van Halen’s famous 1984 album closes with a bang – “House of Pain.”  What was most painful about the house? Him…No, her…both of them.  “Say you’re gonna leave me / cause I only tie you up / I always loved you tender / but you only like it rough?” The relationship is clearly dysfunctional, but also read into the song, and one questions the sadomasochistic undertones as well… There’s emotional pain, physical pain, and sexual pain… my, my, my…

14. Commodores, “Brick House”

Commodores • Motown • 1977

Commodores’ famed “Brick House” totally isn’t about a house a family or a few families lives in. Urban Dictionary nails this one, defining a “brick house” as a full-figured female.  Lionel Richie and company were describing a dime-piece – one bad chick!  “She’s a brick house / she’s mighty-mighty, just letting it all hang out.” “Brick House” manages to be both sexual and sexy without being explicit.

[Photo Credits: Atlantic, Epitaph, Fueled by Ramen, MCA Nashville, Motown, Pixabay, Prospect Park, RCA, Reprise, Republic, Rhino, Sony, Warner Bros., XL Recordings]

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