Reading Time: 21 min read

15 Engaging W-I-T-H With Songs (2025) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Ulkar Batista from Pexels; AcatXIoย fromย Pixabay]15 Engaging W-I-T-H With Songs features songs by JORDY, Kate Bush, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Mitty Collier, Omar Apollo, and Whitney Houston.

Question: Are you W-I-T-H, with it, or arenโ€™t you? Decide! For 15 Engaging W-I-T-H With Songs, I highly recommend that you get with it, N-O-W, now! The concept and theme are simple, folks.ย  Every song must feature the preposition โ€˜withโ€™.ย  In other words, these 15 songs canโ€™t be without it! It isnโ€™t the first time The Musical Hype has explored with-it-ness either: this musical compendium arrives after 13 With or Without Songs: Vol. 2 (2021) and 12 Half โ€˜Withโ€™ & Half โ€˜Withoutโ€™ Songs (2018).ย  This marks the first time we exclude the without-ness, though. With exclusivity! 15 Engaging W-I-T-H With Songs features songs by JORDY, Kate Bush, Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, Mitty Collier, Omar Apollo, and Whitney Houston. So, if youโ€™re with it, wonโ€™t you join us in celebrating the with-it-ness of 15 Engaging W-I-T-H With Songs?! And if not, you kick rocks, you un-with-it ๐Ÿคฌ๐Ÿคฌ๐Ÿคฌ ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ!

 


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1. Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, โ€œDie With a Smileโ€ 2. Omar Apollo, โ€œDone With Youโ€ 3. Whitney Houston, โ€œI Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)โ€ 4. JORDY, โ€œSEX WITH MYSELFโ€ 5. Taylor Swift, โ€œI Can Do It With a Broken Heartโ€
6. Lynks, โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€ 7. Juno Lev, โ€œI had gay sex with god (it couldโ€™ve gone better)โ€ 8. Landon Barker, โ€œFriends With Your EXโ€ 9. Kate Bush, โ€œRunning Up That Hill (A Deal With God)โ€ 10. JC Chasez, โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€
11. Pat Benatar, โ€œHit Me With Your Best Shotโ€ 12. Teddy Pendergrass, โ€œCome Go with Meโ€ 13. Tanya Tucker, โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)โ€ 14. Tiny Tim, โ€œTip Toe Thruโ€™ the Tulips with Meโ€ 15. Mitty Collier, โ€œI Had A Talk With My Manโ€

 


1. Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars, โ€œDie With a Smileโ€

MAYHEM ยป Interscope ยป 2025

Lady Gaga, MAYHEM [๐Ÿ“ท: Interscope]In 2024 music lovers worldwide were bestowed a big-time gift: a collaboration between Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. These award-winning, gifted individuals duetted on โ€œDie With A Smileโ€. โ€œDie,โ€ which appears on Gagaโ€™s 2025 album, MAYHEM, earned her and Mars a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.ย  Lady Gaga, Mars, Andrew Watt, Dernst โ€œDโ€™Mileโ€ Emile II, and James Fauntleroy penned this number-one hit. Gaga, Mars, Emile, and Watt produced it. The results are sublime. โ€œDie With A Smileโ€ commences with a rhythm guitar which propels the groove. Mars sings the first verse, pre-chorus, and chorus. โ€œI, I just woke up from a dream / Where you and I had to say goodbye,โ€ he sings, continuing, โ€œAnd I donโ€™t know what it all means / But since I survived, I realized / Wherever you go, thatโ€™s where Iโ€™ll follow.โ€ As always, his tone is beautiful; he delivers a commanding and smooth performance.

The chorus is big and soulful, in a pop sort of way, welcoming punchy drums:

โ€œIf the world was ending

I’d wanna be next to you

If the party was over

And our time on Earth was through

Iโ€™d wanna hold you just for a while

And die with a smile

If the world was ending

Iโ€™d wanna be next to you.โ€

Lady Gaga arrives in the second verse. Mars harmonizes with her (โ€œโ€˜Cause you already know what you mean to me / And our loveโ€™s the only one worth fighting forโ€).ย  Their vocal chemistry is undeniable โ€“ two dynamic singing voices meshing celestially.ย  Following the dynamic second chorus, there is a change of pace during the brief bridge, where the piano is more prominent in the accompaniment (โ€œRight next to you / Next to you / Right next to youโ€).ย  With the return of the chorus, this dynamic duo is just that โ€“ dynamic! Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars make a formidable team in their first-ever collaboration.ย  โ€œDie With A Smileโ€ is pop gold.ย 

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2. Omar Apollo, โ€œDone With Youโ€

God Said No ยป Omar Apollo / Warner ยป 2024

Omar Apollo, God Said No [๐Ÿ“ท: Warner]โ€œIโ€™m so done with you, done with you, done with you, done with you, done.โ€ Iโ€™d venture to say that Grammy-nominated pop singer/songwriter Omar Apollo (Omar Velasco) is D-O-N-E โœ… with him. โ€œDone With Youโ€ is the fourth track from his 2024 sophomore album, God Said No. โ€œSometimes, love donโ€™t make it right,โ€ he sings in the pre-chorus. True. During the first verse, Omar reminisces.ย  He recollects moments such as talking and missing him when heโ€™s gone. In the second verse, there is clinging to the past: โ€œWonโ€™t you please just let me go? / Iโ€™d be better off alone / Iโ€™m still wearing all your clothes / Let me go, let me go.โ€ Of course, in the chorus, he swears off him โœ…, whether that is true or not. Throughout โ€œDone,โ€ Omar blesses us with his soulful, expressive, and nuanced vocals.ย  His runs are fabulous. He sings over a groovy, R&B backdrop โ€“ think neo-soul/contemporary soul. The melodies are beautiful. Velasco wrote and produced โ€œDone With Youโ€ with Blake Slatkin, Carter Lang, Teo Halm, Dylan Wiggins, and Scott Bridgeway. One of the best moments adds to the lighthearted nature of the track.ย  In the second pre-chorus, we get the fun lyric, โ€œBro, you got better bitches, like.โ€ Word.

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3. Whitney Houston, โ€œI Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)โ€

Whitney ยป Arista ยป 1987โ€ฏ

Whitney Houston, Whitney [๐Ÿ“ท: Arista]โ€œOh, I wanna dance with somebody / I wanna feel the heat with somebody / Yeah, I wanna dance with somebody / With somebody who loves me.โ€ Woo, thatโ€™s #ICONIC!!! She just wants to dance and be in love with someone, sigh (understandable and relatable). Despite living just 48 years ๐Ÿ˜ญ, the musical legacy of Whitney Houston (1963 โ€“ 2012) endures, given a catalog filled with hits, including the beloved โ€œI Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)โ€.โ€ฏ โ€œI Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),โ€ written by Shannon Rubicam and George Merrill, graces Houstonโ€™s sophomore album, Whitney, released in 1987.โ€ฏ Spending two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, โ€œI Wanna Dance With Somebodyโ€ is one of 11 number-one hits and 23 top-10 hits by Houston.

It goes without saying that โ€œI Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)โ€ is an incredibly fun and infectious listen.โ€ฏ It is up-tempo, and the minute the song begins playing, it is instantly recognizable.โ€ฏ One of the quintessential numbers of the 1980s, it never loses its luster beyond the decade, which is a testament to its legendary, classic status. As excerpted, the chorus is the centerpiece โ€“ the crรจme de la crรจme.โ€ฏ Houston shows off her immense musicianship, singing with ample energy, showing off an incredible personality, and most of all, wowing with THE VOICE.โ€ฏ Beyond the elite singing and the chorus, the verses and the pre-choruses are memorable too, setting up that magnificent chorus. In the second verse, she asserts, โ€œIโ€™ve been in love and lost to my senses / Spinninโ€™ through the town / Sooner or later, the fever ends / And I wind up feelinโ€™ down.โ€ Again, relatable โ€“ who doesnโ€™t want to find love to rid themselves of loneliness? The sound is also marvelous, featuring arranging and production by the great Narada Michael Walden.โ€ฏ All told, โ€œI Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)โ€ speaks for itself โ€“ a true pop classic. Honestly, โ€œDonโ€™t you wanna dance? Say you wanna danceโ€ฆโ€ Cโ€™mon, baby!โ€ฏโ€ฏย 

โ€ฏย 

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4. JORDY, โ€œSEX WITH MYSELFโ€

SEX WITH MYSELF ยป JORDY ยป 2024

JORDY, SEX WITH MYSELF AND IT LASTS LONGER [๐Ÿ“ท: JORDY / EMPIRE]โ€œItโ€™s better alone โ€˜cause I know / Just what to do more than you.โ€ The sex, I mean, that line โ€˜hits different,โ€™ JORDY (Jordy Shulman)! Rather than rely on the stimulation of a boy who isnโ€™t coming to the party, Shulman has decided to have sex with himself on โ€œSEX WITH MYSELFโ€.ย  The boldly titled โ€œSEX WITH MYSELFโ€ is the seventh track of his sophomore album, fittingly titled Sex with Myself.ย  Yes, the song is quite, um, masturbatory, but it goes beyond the physical stimulation of solo touch.ย  โ€œPut on a show of my own / And Iโ€™ll follow through,โ€ the sexy, talented artist continues singing in the pre-chorus. โ€œIโ€™ll just have sex with myself / Iโ€™m obsessed with myself / Iโ€™ll keep my hands to myselfโ€ฆโ€ This ode to self-pleasure and acknowledging, โ€˜I donโ€™t have to have a man to fulfill meโ€™ was written by JORDY and Perry Xthona alongside producers Alex Borel and Colin Foote.

The sound is danceable, flirty, and, of course, sexy.ย  Upping the ante are the playful vocals by JORDY. He seems unbothered that itโ€™s just him and his body. โ€œThink Iโ€™m catching feels / Fall in love, think I might be the one,โ€ he sings in the second verse, concluding, โ€œMe myself and Iโ€™m getting closer.โ€ Hmm, getting closer to what, handsome ๐Ÿฅต ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ? Anyways, if the audio titillates, watch the music video. Not only does JORDY have a blast, all alone, the way he simulates the sex with himself, tastefully, mind you, is hawtโ€ฆ On the sleek, sexy โ€œSEX WITH MYSELFโ€, Jordy makes โ€˜self-sexโ€™ sexyโ€ฆ or sexierโ€ฆ You catch my drift.

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5. Taylor Swift, โ€œI Can Do It With a Broken Heartโ€

THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT ยป Taylor Swift ยป 2024

Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology [๐Ÿ“ท: Taylor Swift]โ€œThere in her glittering prime / The lights refract sequin stars off her silhouette every night / I can show you lies.โ€ Those sharp lyrics hail from the one-and-only Taylor Swift. Specifically, they appear in โ€œI Can Do It With a Broken Heart,โ€ the 13th track on THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT.ย  โ€œI Can Do It With a Broken Heartโ€ was written and produced by Swift and Jack Antonoff.ย  As always, the Grammy winner delivers her fair share of ear-catching lyrics. โ€œโ€˜Cause Iโ€™m a real tough kid / I can handle my shit,โ€ she sings in the pre-chorus, adding, โ€œThey said, โ€˜Babe, you gotta fake it โ€˜til you make itโ€™ / Lights, camera, bitch, smile.โ€ The chorus also marks another stellar moment:

โ€œI’m so depressed, I act like it’s my birthday every day

Iโ€™m so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like the plague

I cry a lot, but I am so productive, itโ€™s an art

You know youโ€™re good when you can even do it with a broken heart.โ€

Word! โ€œI Can Do It With a Broken Heartโ€ features tuneful melodies, something Swift excels at.ย  She sings respectably.ย  No, itโ€™s not an otherworldly or powerhouse performance, but well-rounded.ย  The production is solid, too: a driving, rhythmic instrumental accompaniment, set in an optimistic major key. Swift proves she can do a lot with a broken heart!ย 

ย 

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6. Lynks, โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€

ABOMINATION ยป Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS] ยป 2024ย 

Lynks, ABOMINATION [๐Ÿ“ท: Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS]]โ€œIโ€™m on the DLR, on my way to fuck a stranger / Know his age, know his height, donโ€™t know his name,โ€ Lynks asserts in the first verse of the colorful โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€. They acknowledge the risks in the highlight from their 2024 album, ABOMINATION: โ€œShould be ashamed, all the danger I put myself in in the name of a shag, and a bad one at that / Itโ€™s a matter of fact, to fuck a stranger is rarely a positive act for me / But I still go back โ€˜cause whoโ€™s keeping track.โ€ Lynks penned and produced the unique electro-tinged alternative joint.ย  It is nothing short of an exhilarating ride.

โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€ features intense, noisy-sounding musical accompaniment.ย  This establishes a high-energy, intense vibe. Lynksโ€™ vocals are unapologetic, often rapped and talked, using a distortion effect at times. He narrativizes an imminent hookup bringing ample personality to the table.โ€œOh, the wonders of technology when youโ€™re horny / Ordering a man like youโ€™d order a curry,โ€ they sing in the second verse, continuing, โ€œCall me up, babe, I’ll be there in a hurry / Iโ€™m free delivery and all I really need is you to fuck my brains out.โ€ Holy cannoli! Lynks, being young and horny, isnโ€™t picky regarding his sexual rendezvous.ย  Grindr overdrive! Even though Lynks is receiving pleasure, the satisfaction or deeper connection is missing, which they highlight in the talk-sung chorus:

โ€œRomance isnโ€™t dead, itโ€™s in a coma

Me? Iโ€™m just a dog out, tryna get a boner

I donโ€™t wanna spend my night alone (No)

So, I donโ€™t think about how Iโ€™ll feel when itโ€™s over

โ€˜Cause honestly, Iโ€™ll probably feel the same

No miracle, no epiphanies

And disappointment always is the danger

But what did you expect from sex with a stranger?โ€

โ€œ(WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM) SEX WITH A STRANGERโ€ is a sex-positive song but simultaneously acknowledges the unfulfillment of empty sex.

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7. Juno Lev, โ€œI had gay sex with god (it couldโ€™ve gone better)โ€

when they find your body ยป Milkboy ยป 2021

Juno Lev, I had gay sex with god (it could've gone better)[๐Ÿ“ท: Milkboy]โ€œI spent all of last night in godโ€™s bed / Mom, please donโ€™t get upset / โ€˜Cause now Iโ€™ll be immortalized / Iโ€™ll be immortalized.โ€ Ooh-wee, Juno Lev (Jack Braun, who formerly performed as Jackfruit), Iโ€™m speechless ๐Ÿ˜ถ! Anytime spirituality is woven into music, it creates a compelling, thought-provoking listen.ย  โ€œI had gay sex with god (it could’ve gone better)โ€ is a prime example of a song with spiritual elements that easily catches the ears. The open-minded and progressive souls will eat this up, while those who are the most god-fearing will cry foul.ย  โ€œI saw god in a Trader Joeโ€™s / Buying organic blueberries / Prettiest man Iโ€™d ever seen.โ€ Noted, Juno Lev. โ€œI had gay sex with god (it could’ve gone better)โ€ is the fourth track from their 2021 EP, when they find your body. Juno Lev produced this LGBTQ gem with the talented Zach Benson.

ย 

Juno Lev, when they find your body (EP)[๐Ÿ“ท: Milkboy]After god kissed Juno Lev, with dried apricots in one hand, they assert, โ€œI think my teeth are gonna rot.โ€ The other experiences with god (Lev uses โ€˜godโ€™ lowercased throughout) are questionable too, including โ€œLips sliding open in a prayerโ€ (a blowjob), and stating that sex with him was โ€œAs close to heaven as Iโ€™ll getโ€.ย  Arguably the best line: โ€œSecond coming in a bathroom stall / But now god wonโ€™t return my calls, wrote him a love letter.โ€ Holy shit! Beyond mixing queer sex and god, the music is heavenly on โ€œI had gay sex with god (it could’ve gone better).โ€ The electronic sound palette (keys and pads) shine.ย  The drum programming and snaps that arrive during the second verse are sweet.ย  The snare drumming is a superb touch. Of course, Lev is the star, singing expressively and gorgeously.ย  They are authentic to the nth degree, even as the lyrics are playfulโ€ฆ and blasphemous ๐Ÿคญ. Adding to the allure are tuneful melodies from the get-go.ย  Oh, and how about one final lyrical shout-out?ย  At the end, can I get an โ€œAmen, ah men?โ€ Perhaps the sex couldโ€™ve gone better on โ€œI had gay sex with god (it could’ve gone better)โ€, but the song remains a surefire, queer-to-the-nth-degree bop! We Stan!

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8. Landon Barker, โ€œFriends With Your EXโ€

โ€œFriends With Your EXโ€ ยป DTA / Elektra ยป 2023

Landon Barker, Friends With Your EX [๐Ÿ“ท: DTA / Elektra]In 2023, Gen-Z influencer Landon Barker, the son of Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler, dipped his toes into the music biz with his brief, two-minute debut single, โ€œFriends With Your EXโ€.ย  His father,ย  Travis, contributed as a writer and producer. In addition to Landon and Travis, Jaden Pullaro, Dark Waves, and โ€‹noahmadethiss penned โ€œFriends With Your EX.โ€ Travis, Dark Waves, and noahmadethiss produce.ย โ€œFriendsโ€ features pop-punk vibes. Landon offers up respectable singing.ย  The record gets off to an abrupt start with the intro previewing the chorus, which arrives later in full.ย  The chorus is gargantuan โ€“ predictable! Itโ€™s filled with guitars and pummeling drumming. Notably, โ€œFriendsโ€ is tuneful throughout, with the chorus earning top honors in the melodic department:ย ย 

โ€œI was friends with your exย 

You were with him when we metย 

Guess he hasnโ€™t found out yetย 

But I know heโ€™s gonna kill me when he sees me with youย 

Youโ€™re a dream in my headย 

Now Iโ€™m sleeping in your bedย 

He’ll be wishing I was deadย 

But I know heโ€™s gonna kill me when he sees me with you.โ€ย ย 

Ultimately, โ€œFriends With Your EXโ€ is an enjoyable and pleasant introduction of Landon Barker to the world.

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9. Kate Bush, โ€œRunning Up That Hill (A Deal With God)โ€

Hounds of Love ยป Noble & Brite Ltd ยป 1985โ€ฏ

Kate Bush, Hounds of Love [๐Ÿ“ท: Noble & Brite Ltd]โ€œDo you wanna know, know that it doesnโ€™t hurt me? / Do you wanna hear about the deal Iโ€™m making?โ€ โ€œRunning Up That Hill (A Deal With God)โ€ marks the biggest hit from Kate Bush. It experienced moderate success in the mid-1980s but received greater success in 2022 thanks to being featured in the fourth season of the Netflix series, Stranger Things.โ€ฏ In the U.S., โ€œRunning Up That Hillโ€ eventually reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100. The opener from her 1985 LP, Hounds of Love, is idiomatic of the โ€˜80s to the core. Nostalgic synths and pads stand out, as does the drum groove.โ€ฏ Those drums pummel consistently, creating an intense soundtrack that matches the lyrics and overall aesthetic. Bush serves up a compelling vocal, exhibiting poise at times, but also digging in when things grow more intense. As the record progresses, we get additional rhythm (via rhythmic guitar ๐ŸŽธ), additional boxy drums, and additional bite from Bush.โ€ฏ And what about this deal she references in the first verse? The chorus shed some light:โ€ฏโ€ฏย 

โ€œAnd if I only couldโ€ฏย 

Iโ€™d make a deal with Godโ€ฏย 

And Iโ€™d get him to swap our placesโ€ฏย 

Be runninโ€™ up that roadโ€ฏย 

Be runninโ€™ up that hillโ€ฏย 

Be runninโ€™ up that buildinโ€™โ€ฏย 

Say, If I only could, oh.โ€โ€ฏ

Woo! I donโ€™t think such deals go down, but give Bush credit for trying.โ€ฏ The lyrics are incredibly captivating, including the likes of โ€œUnaware, Iโ€™m tearinโ€™ you asunder / Oh, there is thunder in our hearts.โ€ Like, BOOM ๐Ÿ’ฅ! โ€œRunning Up That Hill (A Deal With God)โ€ is a prime example of a record being โ€œold but still lit ๐Ÿ”ฅ!โ€โ€ฏโ€ฏย 

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10. JC Chasez, โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€

Schizophrenic ยป Zomba Recording LLC ยป 2004

JC Chasez, Schizophrenic [๐Ÿ“ท: Zomba]Post-NSYNC, the โ€˜best singerโ€™ from the group, the handsome and talented JC Chasez, was unable to craft a lucrative solo career. Schizophrenic, his sole studio album, debuted at number 17 on the Billboard 200, charting for only four weeks.ย  Ouch! Chasez only charted two singles on the pop charts, with โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€ landing in the top 40 (number 35 on the Billboard Hot 100). Mr. Chasez, hence, is a one-hit wonder.ย  He penned โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€ alongside producer Dallas Austin.

โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€ is a fun pop/contemporary R&B song. JC Chasez brings plenty of energy and personality to the track. His ad-libs are fierce โ€“ soulful.ย  The single arrived long before Schizophrenic as part of the Drumline soundtrack. โ€œGirl, itโ€™s just the sexy way / You back yourself into me,โ€ he sings in the second verse, adding, โ€œYouโ€™ve got me all bent out of shape / Thinking โ€˜bout you all day.โ€ Oh, snap! In the pre-chorus, Mr. Chasez states, โ€œI-I-I / I canโ€™t lose you, babe.โ€ The best part of โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€ is โ€“ drumroll, please โ€“ the chorus:

โ€œShe was disco lights on a Friday night

She moves across the floor (sugar)

She was, oh so tight, like dynamite

Blowinโ€™ me up with her love.โ€

The quicker breakdown section marks another bright spot.ย  JC brings the heat as he asserts, โ€œLook at shorty / She was leaning on me / Getting horny / Maybe weโ€™ll get naughty.โ€ Ooh-wee! Beyond the electrifying lyrics, the musical accompaniment is lit.ย  The beat, the keys, and the synths are scintillating. Itโ€™s a shame that โ€œBlowinโ€™ Me Up (With Her Love)โ€ wasnโ€™t a bigger hit for Chasez.

 

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11. Pat Benatar, โ€œHit Me With Your Best Shotโ€

Crimes of Passion ยป Capitol ยป 1980โ€ฏย 

Pat Benatar, Crimes of Passion [๐Ÿ“ท: Capitol]โ€œHit me with your best shot / Why donโ€™t you hit me with your best shot,โ€ Grammy-winning singerย Pat Benatar implores on โ€œHit Me With Your Best Shotโ€. She adds, fitting, โ€œFire away.โ€ Of course, even if he takes his best shot at her, he wonโ€™t win โ€“ she has more fortitude, power, resilience, and toughness than he does ๐Ÿ’ฏ! The fourth track is a highlight from the pop/rock singerโ€™s 1980, multiplatinum album, Crimes of Passion.ย  The top 10 hit (peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100), was written by Eddie Schwartz. Keith Olsen and Neil Giraldo produced this gold-certified earworm.ย ย ย 

Early on, Pat Benatar is not going to let this man continue his โ€œLong history / Of breaking little hearts like the one in me.โ€ Woo! In the second verse, citing the fact that he โ€œdonโ€™t fight fair,โ€ she fires back, โ€œKnock me down, itโ€™s all in vain / I get right back on my feet again.โ€ You go girl! In the third verse, she plays the stereotypical male role, stating, โ€œBefore I put another notch in my lipstick case / You better make sure you put me in my place.โ€ Besides superb songwriting by Schwartz, and Benatar bringing those words alive powerfully with her voice, the sound of the record flat-out rocks.ย  The instrumental moments are as much of a blast as the vocals โ€“ you canโ€™t beat a marvelous guitar solo! Sigh, thereโ€™s nothing like an independent woman unafraid of standing up to a man! โ€œHit Me With Your Best Shotโ€ will forever be a BOP!ย ย 

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13 Songs That HIT The Spot (2023)ย 

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12. Teddy Pendergrass, โ€œCome Go with Meโ€

Teddy ยป Sony Music Entertainment ยป 1979ย 

Teddy Pendergrass, Teddy [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony]โ€œCome on and go with me / Come on over to my place.โ€ Ooh-la-la ๐Ÿคญ! โ€œCome Go With Meโ€ commences Teddy, the third studio album by the late, great Teddy Pendergrass (1950 โ€“ 2010).ย  Teddy earned the gifted Philly soul singer (and sex symbol) his third consecutive platinum album.ย  While โ€œCome Go With Meโ€ failed to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, it peaked at number 14 on the R&B charts in October 1979. It is the second-biggest song from Teddy; โ€œTurn off the Lightsโ€ takes top honors.ย  Even as a โ€˜bridesmaidโ€™ and not the bride on Teddy, โ€œCome Go With Meโ€ is thrilling. The opener was written and produced by the dynamic, iconic tandem of Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff.ย  Pendergrass excelled with their songs, PERIOD.

As always, Teddy Pendergrass sounds epic singing โ€œCome Go with Me.โ€ His baritone was one of a kind โ€“ among the greatest and most soulful voices ever.ย  The musical accompaniment is equally alluring.ย  The lush, sophisticated sounds of 70s soul, specifically Philly soul, are perfectly captured here. As always, Gamble and Huff โ€˜put their footโ€™ into it. Besides sensational vocals, tuneful melodies, and an elite backdrop, it is the theme and lyrics that make โ€œCome Go with Meโ€ a classic. โ€œI donโ€™t feel like beinโ€™ lonely tonight / You see, I want, I want some company,โ€ Pendergrass sings in the first verse, adding โ€œAnd you wonโ€™t be under any kind of pressure / You see, weโ€™ll just let, weโ€™ll just let the eveninโ€™ flow.โ€ Call it what it is โ€“ NSA, no strings attached!ย  In the second verse, itโ€™s suggestive without screaming โ€˜itโ€™s going downโ€™ per se (โ€œLetโ€™s sit by a cozy fire / And we can be in each otherโ€™s companyโ€). No worries, though, the third verse encourages the rendezvous:

โ€œMy carโ€™s right outside

We can leave right now

Thatโ€™s if youโ€™re ready to go

I know youโ€™re just meeting me

You see, Iโ€™d understand it

Iโ€™d understand it if you said no

But donโ€™t you do it, baby.โ€

We all know what Gamble, Huff, and Teddy had in mind.ย  A one-night stand is never explicitly mentioned, but, going over to a strangerโ€™s house where โ€˜romanceโ€™ is on the mindโ€ฆ Weโ€™ll leave it there. โ€œCome Go With Meโ€ deserves as much praise as any other Teddy Pendergrass song. Itโ€™s marvelous!

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13. Tanya Tucker, โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In A Field Of Stone)โ€

Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone) ยป Sony Music Entertainment ยป 1974ย 

Tanya Tucker, Would You Lay With Me In a Field of Stone [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment]โ€œWould you lay with me in a field of stone / If my needs were strong, would you lay with me,โ€ Grammy-winning country musician Tanya Tucker sings in โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ€.ย  She continues, asking him, โ€œShould my lips grow dry, would you wet them, dear / In the midnight hour, if my lips were dry.โ€ โ€œWould You Lay With Meโ€ is the opening track from her 1974 album, also named Would You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone). David Allan Coe penned this love song, and would later record it himself, and Billy Sherrill produced it.ย  โ€œWouldโ€ impacted the pop charts modestly, reaching number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100.ย  It topped the country music charts, unsurprisingly. Tucker earned her second career Grammy nomination for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.

โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ€ is controversial.ย  Why? The song felt โ€˜matureโ€™ for a teenage country singer. Tucker was 15 years old when the song was released as a single in 1973.ย  While the lyrics are not explicit by todayโ€™s standards at all, a sexual relationship is implied. The innuendo is loud and clear, particularly the lyrics excerpted above.ย  Arguably, the relationship aspects of the song feel premature for someone as young as Tucker.ย  โ€œWill you bathe with me in the stream of life / When the moon is full, will you bathe with me?โ€ she asks, continuing, โ€œWill you still love me when Iโ€™m down and out / In my time of trial will you stand by me.โ€ Those lyrics confirm what Tucker states Coeโ€™s song was intended to be about: wedding vows.ย  Controversy, or minor controversy aside, Tucker sounds marvelous on โ€œWould You Lay With Me (In a Field of Stone)โ€.ย  Her voice is beautiful, distinct, and โ€“ wait for it โ€“ more mature than most 15-year-olds.ย  Backed by a stunning musical backdrop with country cues and sweet orchestrations, Tucker โ€˜ate this one up.โ€™

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14. Tiny Tim, โ€œTip Toe Thruโ€™ the Tulips with Meโ€

God Bless Tiny Tom ยป Warner ยป 1968

Tiny Tim, God Bless Tiny Tim [๐Ÿ“ท: Warner]โ€œTiptoe through the window / By the window, that is where Iโ€™ll be / Come tiptoe through the tulips with me.โ€ Sometimes, a novelty song can translate into a hit.ย  That was the case for Herbert Khaury, best known asย  Tiny Tim (1932 โ€“ 1996). Khaury transformed a 1929 song, โ€œTip Toe Thruโ€™ the Tulips with Meโ€, into a novel hit. Al Dubin and Joe Burke composed the gem first recorded by Nick Lucas.ย  Timโ€™s version peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, his sole hit on the pop charts.

โ€œKnee-deep in flowers, weโ€™ll stray / Weโ€™ll keep the showers away.โ€ โ€œTip Toe Thruโ€™ the Tulips with Meโ€ is a brief record that clocks in under two minutes. In the hands of Tiny Tim, it has a haunting quality.ย  It wouldnโ€™t be far-fetched to describe the second track from the 1968 album, God Bless Tiny Tom, as odd.ย  Notably, Khaury accompanies himself on the ukulele. Beyond the ukulele, the musical accompaniment includes a rhythm section and strings. His voice is distinctโ€ฆ that is an understatement. His pipes are quite an acquired taste, with an incredibly ripe falsetto.ย  Beyond tiptoeing in the verses, and being โ€œknee-deep in flowersโ€ in the pre-chorus, the chorus is memorable:

โ€œAnd if I kiss you in the garden, in the moonlight

Will you pardon me

And tiptoe through the tulips with me?โ€

What more is there to be said? โ€œTip Toe Thruโ€™ the Tulips with Meโ€ isโ€ฆ something.

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15. Mitty Collier, โ€œI Had A Talk With My Manโ€

Talking With Her Man: The Chess Singles 1961 โ€“ 1968 ยป Geffenย ยป 2008

Mitty Collier, Talking With Her Man: The Chess Singles 1961 โ€“ 1968 [๐Ÿ“ท: Geffen]โ€œI had a talk / With my man last night / He reassured me everything / Was still alright.โ€ Sometimes, Mitty Collier (1941 โ€“ ), we need reassurance, particularly from a significant other.ย  The doubts of the former soul singer, who became a pastor and gospel singer, are alleviated with this reassurance on โ€œI Had A Talk With My Manโ€: โ€œMy blues got bright / He made me know / I was the star of the show.โ€ Aww, the feels! The love! The romance! โ€œI Had A Talk With My Manโ€ appeared on her 1965 album, Shades of Genius, most accessible via the compilation, Talking With Her Man: The Chess Singles 1961 โ€“ 1968.ย  Billy Davis and Leonard Caston wrote it in its secular form. According to Secondhand Songs, it was adapted from โ€œI Had a Talk with Godโ€, written by the late, great gospel music legend, James Cleveland (1931 โ€“ 1991). Classy and refined, โ€œTalkโ€ exhibits some gospel sensibilities, evident in its meter, harmonic progression, and the robustness of Collierโ€™s voice. โ€œTalkโ€ peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest charting song of her career.

โ€œI said I sat down, and had / A talk with my man last night,โ€ Collier continues enthusiastically, โ€œHe filled my heart with pure delight.โ€ Sweet! Also sweet is the gorgeous instrumental backdrop that accompanies her. There is a sublime blend of orchestral touches (French Horn, strings, etc.) and the traditional rhythm section. Beyond the orchestration, the musical underpinnings, the harmonic progression shines.ย  There are some colorful chord choices, including an epic B-flat minor 7 flat 5 (an altered ii chord with a dramatic effect).ย  Still, Mitty Collier is the star, bringing the tuneful melodies and her loving relationship with โ€˜her manโ€™ to life. โ€œHe told me that he needed me / More than words could ever say,โ€ she asserts. What a heart-melting moment!ย  โ€œI Had A Talk With My Manโ€ also closes sensationally:

โ€œI began to cry

He kissed my tears

From my weeping eyes

Oh, yes, he did, yes, he did

Yes, he did, oh, yes

I had a talk with my man last night.โ€

Simply put, they donโ€™t make songs like this anymore. Classic, classic, classic!

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~ Table of Contents ~ ยปย ~ intro ~

15 Engaging W-I-T-H With Songs (2025) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Arista, Capitol, DTA, Elektra, Geffen, Heavenly Recordings, Interscope, JORDY, Milkboy, Noble & Brite Ltd, Omar Apollo, [PIAS], Sony Music Entertainment, Taylor Swift, Warner, Zomba Recording LLC; Ulkar Batista from Pexels; AcatXIoย fromย Pixabay]

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the musical hype

The Musical Hype (he/him) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education and music theory/composition, respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Music and writing are two of the most important parts of his life.