Reading Time: 18 min read

15 Fantastic CAN Songs (2025) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; AcatXIo, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, guilane, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]15 Fantastic CAN Songs feature songs by Elton John, JORDY, Kehlani, Kim Petras, Shirley Caesar, and Whitney Houston.

Question: Can you feel it? Hopefully, you can because the keyword of 15 Fantastic CAN Songs is the word, can! There are no exceptions.ย  Canโ€™t and Cannot are not accepted! This musical compendium is all about the power of C-A-N โ€“ the can-ness is real! 15 Fantastic CAN Songs feature songs by Elton John, JORDY, Kehlani, Kim Petras, Shirley Caesar, and Whitney Houston. No need to prolong the intro needlessly.ย  Letโ€™s jump into a sea of CAN songs!


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1. JORDY, โ€œCAN U HOST?โ€ 2. Kim Petras, โ€œCan we fuck?โ€ 3. Johnny Nash, โ€œI Can See Clearly Nowโ€ 4. FLETCHER, โ€œTwo Things Can Be Trueโ€
5. Ansel Elgort, โ€œYou Can Count On Meโ€ 6. Kehlani, โ€œCan Iโ€ 7. Tevin Campbell, โ€œCan We Talkโ€ 8. Shirley Caesar, โ€œYou Can Make Itโ€
9. New Edition, โ€œCan You Stand the Rainโ€ 10. Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., โ€œNothing Can Stop Meโ€ 11. The Pointer Sisters, โ€œYes We Can Canโ€ 12. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, โ€œHope That We Can Be Together Soonโ€ (Ft. Sharon Paige)
13. Whitney Houston, โ€œHe Can Use Meโ€ 14. R. Kelly, โ€œI Believe I Can Flyโ€ 15. Elton John, โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonightโ€ ย 

 


1. JORDY, โ€œCAN U HOST?โ€

SEX WITH MYSELF // JORDY // 2024

JORDY, SEX WITH MYSELF AND IT LASTS LONGER [๐Ÿ“ท: JORDY / EMPIRE]โ€œMy roommateโ€™s gonna kill me / Been having too much fun / I really should move out of the house.โ€ The fun that JORDY (Jordy Shulman) speaks about is naughty fun between consenting adults. Sex positivity is all rage! A hookup is imminent for Shulman.ย  The temperature between him and this smoking hot fella is hot ๐Ÿฅต. ย โ€œYou know Iโ€™d rip all your clothes off / Right here if we had this club to ourselves,โ€ Shulman sings, continuing, โ€œBut my intuition and your inhibition say / We should go fuck somewhere else.โ€ The problem โ€“ the conundrum โ€“ in the sleekly produced โ€œCAN U HOST?โ€ from the album, SEX WITH MYSELF, is logistical. Where can they have sex privately? โ€œSo, keep on talking to me / Yeah, thereโ€™s no need for this to stop / We can figure it out,โ€ he sings, adding, โ€œBut can you lead the way / And help get us out of this crowd.โ€ย  In this sleek, clubby, danceable bop produced by Mattisnotfamous, JORDY wants him to host. Gayish produced a compelling episode about hosting.ย  Once a private venue is secured, the fun is on: โ€œGet a room, me and you / Find a friend and bring him too / Can you host, Let me know / If you can then babe, letโ€™s go.โ€ Ultimately, โ€œCAN U HOST?โ€ is another sickening bop from the handsome and talented JORDY.ย  Sure, itโ€™s a song about casual sex but should be relatable to anyone who has scrambled to secure a place to do it ๐Ÿ˜œ.ย  Shulman sounds awesome on this sexy gem.

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2. Kim Petras, โ€œCan we fuck?โ€

Slut Pop Miami // Amigo Records, LLC / Republic // 2024

Kim Petras, Slut Pop Miami [๐Ÿ“ท: Amigo / Republic]โ€œCan we fuck? / Let me see what you got danglinโ€™.โ€ Damn, Kim Petras! The brutally honest โ€œCan we fuck?โ€ is the 12th track on Petrasโ€™ second โ€˜sex-positive overdriveโ€™ album, Slut Pop Miami, released in 2024. Is Petras a size queen? The slang is often associated with gay men who prefer larger penises, but, women can have preferences too! In the chorus, where the inquiry into fucking first appears, the Grammy-winning pop adds, โ€œBend me over, watch me handle it / Watch me handle it, watch me handle it.โ€ Woo! Dr. Luke produced this sub-two-minute NSFW dance-pop banger.ย  The track sounds like sex with its hard-hitting, danceable beat and infectious synth bass line. Petras sings about his โ€˜danglerโ€™ in the chorus.ย  In the verse, she raps! The sex can occur anywhere โ€“ย  the park, car, or beach. ย Kim wants him to be aggressive, too.ย  โ€œCome and feed me, sweet dessert / In a circ, Iโ€™ll make it jerk,โ€ she spits, adding, โ€œWe can play dirty games / Tie me up, dicks and chains / Call your friends, run a train.โ€ No, Kim is not talking about an innocent choo-choo train ๐Ÿ˜ณ! There is nothing emotional about โ€œCan we fuck?โ€.ย  This song is what it is โ€“ an empty but utterly satisfying sex song.

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3. Johnny Nash, โ€œI Can See Clearly Nowโ€

I Can See Clearly Now // Sony BMG Music Entertainment // 1972

Johnny Nash, I Can See Clearly Now [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony BMG Music Entertainment]โ€œI can see clearly now the rain is gone / I can see all obstacles in my way.โ€ Iconic lyrics! โ€œI Can See Clearly Nowโ€ was performed, written, and produced by Johnny Nash, who incorporated pop, reggae, and soul into his music. A no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, the single earned Nash his sole gold single. โ€œI Can See Clearlyโ€ is the seventh track on his 1972 album, I Can See Clearly Now. So, what makes โ€œI Can See Clearly Nowโ€ the bomb diggity? Well, expressive and exuberant lead vocals from Nash play a sizable role.ย  Also, the positive vibes of the songwriting truly put the cherry on top. The first verse, excerpted above, continues: โ€œGone are the dark clouds that had me blind / Itโ€™s gonna be a bright, bright, sun shiny day.โ€ Similarly, in the second verse, Nash speaks about โ€œThat rainbow Iโ€™ve been praying for,โ€ signaling surefire happiness! If thatโ€™s not enough, in the bridge, Nash sees โ€œNothing but blue skies.โ€ Ooh-wee! The production matches the exuberance of the lyrics and singing, making this easily one of my favorite songs my elementary music teacher played.ย  Sadly, Nash died at 80 in 2020 but his iconic song lives on forever!

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4. FLETCHER, โ€œTwo Things Can Be Trueโ€

In Search of the Antidote // Snapback Entertainment LLC / UMG Recordings, Inc. // 2024

FLETCHER, In Search of the Antidote [๐Ÿ“ท: Snapback Entertainment LLC / UMG Recordings, Inc.]โ€œDid I want more than friends? Maybe / Should I have gotten involved? No / But did I like it every time we touched? Yeah.โ€ In โ€œTwo Things Can Be Trueโ€, the fifth track from In Search of the Antidote (2024),ย  pop singer/songwriter FLETCHER (Cari Fletcher) messed around with a โ€˜straightโ€™ (possibly bi) girl. โ€œWas I delusional in thinkinโ€™ I could be in your life after all of this? Yup.โ€ In the pre-chorus, she sings, โ€œNow you found someone else to hold you / In all the ways I couldnโ€™t / It hurts, he makes you happier.โ€ Interesting, at least for the listener, not so much for Cari. FLETCHER, Jennifer Decliveo, and Julia Michaels penned โ€œTwo Things Can Be True.โ€ Decliveo produced it.

Throughout โ€œTwo Things Can Be True,โ€ FLETCHER serves up sickening vocals.ย  The lyrics come directly from the heart.ย  Their โ€˜relationshipโ€™ (or hook ups) are history. FLETCHERโ€™S ex-girlfriend is now with him. Bummer! The chorus perfectly sums up the sentiment โ€“ truly, two things can be true!

โ€œTwo things can be true

He can love you, baby, and, baby, I can too

Things, they can be true

You can have his body and still think of mine too

You can still call mะต up at night

He can still be the lovะต of your life

You can ignore me in every room and still miss me

And me too, things can be true

He can love you, baby, and, baby, I can too.โ€

Ultimately, FLETCHER still has feelings for her on โ€œTwo Things Can Be Trueโ€ โ€“ย  she still wants some sort of relationship. If you are LGBTQ, particularly the โ€˜Lโ€™ or โ€˜G,โ€™ you have likely fallen for a straight girl or guy.ย  The situation can also be flipped โ€“ a straight guy falling for a lesbian, or a heterosexual girl falling for a gay guy.ย  This bop from Cari Fletcher is R-E-L-A-T-A-B-L-E!

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5. Ansel Elgort, โ€œYou Can Count On Meโ€ (Ft. Logic)

โ€œYou Can Count on Meโ€ //โ€ฏIsland // 2017ย 

Ansel Elgort, You Can Count on Me [๐Ÿ“ท: Island]โ€œBaby, you can count on me / Iโ€™ll be right there for you / Iโ€™ll always adore you.โ€ Dashing actor/singer Ansel Elgort showed off his pipes in his 2017 single, โ€œYou Can Count on Meโ€. Notably, the then 23-year-old tapped Grammy-nominated rapper Logic for the assist on this love-centric joint. Elgort shows off a husky, robust voice as he expresses his dedication and feelings: โ€œโ€˜Cause when Iโ€™m around you, yeah / The world seems so much sweeter than it was / The friends all around you, yeah, they say itโ€™s not / But we know that it’s love.โ€ At first, the song feels a bit clunky.ย  The palette of sounds used is superb, but it takes a while for things to lock in.ย  Once things get cooking, the listener can see the logical progression. A gimmicky record, โ€œYou Can Count on Meโ€ was intended to sound โ€˜glitchyโ€™, with the combo of glitches and more sustained synths creating a music oxymoron of sorts.ย Logic provides a change of pace, but the vibe carries more weight than his lyrics. Give him credit for โ€œAnd even though we got more issues than GQ / No matter what happens, itโ€™s always gonโ€™ be you.โ€ย Word. Even with its idiosyncrasies, โ€œYou Can Count on Meโ€ is charming, whether itโ€™s Elgortโ€™s voice or the quirkier elements of the production.

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6. Kehlani, โ€œCan Iโ€

It Was Good Until It Wasnโ€™t // Atlantic // 2020

Kehlani, It Was Good Until It Wasn't [๐Ÿ“ท: Atlantic]โ€œThis shitโ€™s so good, should be illegal / Need round two, I need a sequel / Hit the backboard like a free throw / You next level, you a cheat code.โ€ Ooh-wee, Kehlani! โ€œCan Iโ€ is a sexy highlight from It Was Good Until It Wasnโ€™t, the sophomore album by the Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter. โ€œCan Iโ€ was produced by Jake One, Pop Wansel, and Some Randoms. Kehlani delivers agile melodic lines in the verse, opting for more legato lines in the chorus. In the chorus, they sing, โ€œCan I come over? / (Can) Can I (I) stop by (Stop by) to see you (See you) tonight? / Can I stop by to see you (Tonight).โ€ The original featured controversial rapper/singer Tory Lanez, who provided a perfect response to her steamy verses (โ€œI got you leaking like a brake pipe / Swimming in your sea, just like a diver / Iโ€™m in it, just creeping like a great whiteโ€). In the deluxe edition, however, Kehlani removed his verse, standing with women following his infamous shooting incident with Megan Thee Stallion. Notably, Kehlani recorded a new verse.ย  Still steamy, they sing, โ€œWe both on fire, love the teamwork / Leave with juices on your t-shirt.โ€ Ooh-wee! In the third verse, for good measure, they add, โ€œIf these walls could talk / Theyโ€™d tell you donโ€™t pull out.โ€ Word!

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7. Tevin Campbell, โ€œCan We Talkโ€

Iโ€™m Ready // Warner // 1993

Tevin Campbell, Can We Talk [๐Ÿ“ท: Warner]โ€œNow, I build up my confidence / Girl, next, next time you come my way / Iโ€™ll know just what to say.โ€ Word.ย  โ€œCan We Talkโ€ is the opening track from Iโ€™m Ready, the sophomore album by Grammy-nominated R&B singer, Tevin Campbell. Campbell was a mere teen when he released this contemporary R&B gem. Babyface and Daryl Simmons wrote and produced it. A rousing success on the pop charts, โ€œCan We Talkโ€ peaked at no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.ย  It was certified gold by the RIAA and nominated for a Grammy. Matters of the heart fuel โ€œCan We Talk.โ€ The chorus, the centerpiece, speaks volumes:

โ€œCan we talk for a minute?

Girl, I want to know your name

Can we talk for a minute?

Girl, I want to know your name.โ€

The verses find the young Campbell enticed by this nameless girl. โ€œLast night, I, I saw you standing / And I started, started pretending / That I knew you, and you knew me,โ€ he sings in the first verse.ย  In the second, he wants to do something cleverer than writing letters: โ€œI wanted to get down and sweet talk you.โ€ The pre-choruses bridge the verses to the chorus, with the ultimate goal being to talk to her. In the bridge, he asks for โ€œOne more chance with you again.โ€ Itโ€™s all about love, baby! The youngster sings beautifully beyond his years.ย  His tone is excellent, while the riffs and runs are scintillating. The instrumental accompaniment is characteristic of the rhythmic but smooth New Jack Swing prominent in the โ€˜90s.ย  To this day, โ€œCan We Talkโ€ is a memorable and impressive R&B performance.ย  Notably, after his music career, Campbell came out as gay.

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8. Shirley Caesar, โ€œYou Can Make Itโ€

You Can Make It // Word Entertainment LLC // 2000ย 

Shirley Caesar, You Can Make It [๐Ÿ“ท: Word Entertainment LLC]โ€œNo hope it seems, still I believe / That I can make it.โ€ Amen ๐Ÿ™! Despite feeling a lack of hope and a heaping dose of adversity, Shirley Caesar possesses faith! It seems her faith is even greater than a grain of mustard seed. She sincerely believes that the Lord is on her side on โ€œYou Can Make Itโ€. โ€œI am needing, the king and I,โ€ she sings, continuing, โ€œI will survive, and I know / I can make it.โ€ โ€œYou Can Make Itโ€ is the third track from her 2000 album, also titled You Can Make It.ย  Bearing superb contemporary gospel production, Caesarโ€™s anointed vocals are expressive and nuanced.ย  She sounds authentic and sincere as she encourages during dark times. The chorus is the section that truly warms the soul, as Caesar testifies of resilience, thanks to God.ย  It is her Isaiah 54:17 moment: No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper. ย 

โ€œI can make it

Through the sunshine and rain

Make it

Through my sickness and pain

Make it

When they scandalize my name

Make it

Just as long as the Lord is on my side, everything I know will be alright

I can make, make it.โ€

During the second verse of this six-and-a-half-minute music ministry, Caesar continues to share adverse scenarios. Despite the odds seeming to be against you, the Pastor is an optimist because of Him: โ€œBut God is going to make us the head and not the tail / All you have to do is make up in your mind to make it.โ€ That is a great message! During the second chorus, Caesar gets a lift from the choir, allowing her to riff and bless us with the sheer power of her instrument. โ€œYou Can Make Itโ€ is a fantastic, spiritually uplifting number. It speaks to the power of faith when things seem most dire.ย  God can do anything!

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9. New Edition, โ€œCan You Stand the Rainโ€

Heart Break // MCA // 1988

New Edition, Heart Break [๐Ÿ“ท: MCA]โ€œSunny days, everybody loves them / Tell me, baby, can you stand the rain?โ€ Well, can you? โ€œCan You Stand the Rainโ€ arrives courtesy of male R&B collective, New Edition. โ€œCan You Stand the Rainโ€ topped the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, though only peaked at no. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100. The parent album, Heart Break was certified double platinum.ย โ€œCan You Stand the Rainโ€ opens memorably with birds tweeting.ย  The record possesses that quintessential 1980s R&B sound with the boxy drum programming.ย  It features lush production work courtesy of the Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis with the keys and guitars.ย  Throughout, our ears are blessed with silky smooth, passionate vocals.ย  Johnny Gill sounds amazing handling the lead vocals in the two verses (โ€œOn a perfect day, I know that I can count on you / When thatโ€™s not possible / Tell me can you weather the stormโ€). Ralph Tresvant provides incredible contrast in the pre-chorus section (โ€œโ€˜Cause I need somebody who will stand by me / Through the good times and bad times / She will always, always be right thereโ€).ย  Of course, the centerpiece is the incredibly memorable, tuneful chorus performed by the entire collective:

โ€œSunny days, everybody loves them

Tell me, baby, can you stand the rain?

Storms will come

This we know for sure (This we know for sure)

Can you stand the rain?โ€

โ€œCan You Stand the Rainโ€ is a #CLASSIC!

ย Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:ย 

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10. Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., โ€œNothing Can Stop Meโ€

I Hope We Get to Love in Time // Sony BMG Music Entertainment // 1976ย ย 

Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., I Hope We Get to Love in Time [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony BMG Music Entertainment]Soul duo + married couple Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. are best known for โ€œYou Donโ€™t Have to Be a Star (To Be in My Show)โ€, an awesome 70s R&B classic that won a Grammy! This ace in the hole commences their 1976 album, I Hope We Get to Love in Time.ย  That said, thereโ€™s another marvelous gem from the same album,ย โ€œNothing Can Stop Meโ€, thatโ€™s become a popular source for sampling. Notably, The Dells first recorded it in 1974, with a rendition by Cissy Houston following in 1975. Thematically, McCoo & Davis Jr. tackle love. In the centerpiece, the chorus, they lay it all out:ย โ€œNothing in the whole wide world can keep me from youย / Nothing and nobody can stop me from loving you.โ€ย McCoo & Davis Jr. take turns professing their love for one another on the verses.ย  โ€œIf I have to climb a mountain / Iโ€™m gonna climb that mountain,โ€ Davis Jr. sings in the first.ย  McCoo responds: โ€œIf I have to swim the ocean / Iโ€™m going to swim the ocean.โ€ You get the idea, and itโ€™s a total vibe.ย  While the songwriting is relatable and those vocals are buttery smooth and idiomatic of 70s soul, arguably the biggest selling point of โ€œNothing Can Stop Meโ€ is the lush production work (Don Davis).ย  Itโ€™s beautiful with the refined sounds of horns, strings โ€“ that orchestral treatment! No wonder those riffs have been sampled, particularly the strings. โ€œNothing Can Stop Meโ€ is a timeless classic that still sounds fresh in the 2020s.ย 

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:ย 

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11. The Pointer Sisters, โ€œYes We Can Canโ€

The Pointer Sisters // UMG Recordings, Inc. // 1973โ€ฏย 

The Pointer Sisters, The Pointer Sisters [๐Ÿ“ท: UMG Recordings, Inc.]It is amazing the work that can be put in with a vamp.โ€ฏ Never underestimate the power of repetition because it can be the catalyst for a great, great song. Grammy winners The Pointer Sisters, one of the great girl groups of the 1970s/80s, struck gold on their 1973 album, The Pointer Sisters, with an Allen Toussaint (1938 โ€“ 2015) penned funk record, โ€œYes We Can.โ€ Originally performed by Lee Dorsey, The Pointer Sisters made โ€œYes We Can Canโ€ into a pop hit. โ€œYes We Can Canโ€ peaked at no. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and no. 12 on the R&B charts. Focusing on this cover (hard to believe ๐Ÿคฏ), that fat bass line, emphasizing a C chord faithfully, riding a funky groove is EPIC (David Rubinson produces)!โ€ฏโ€ฏย Itโ€™s not just the simple music thatโ€™s lit ๐Ÿ”ฅ โ€“ potent AF.โ€ฏ Itโ€™s also the vocals by The Pointer Sisters, led by Anita Pointer. The ladies ooze with musicianship, personality, and, what else, soul! That groove, which runs the course of six minutes, is plenty of fuel for the fire.โ€ฏ Anitaโ€™s lead โ€“ melody and riffs โ€“ are on autopilot. โ€œNowโ€™s the time for all good men / To get together with one another,โ€ she sings, adding, โ€œWe got to iron out our problems / And iron out our quarrels / And try to live as brothers.โ€ Preach, girl! Likewise, her sistersโ€™ harmonized vocals are locked-in, adding to the sheer excellence of โ€œYes We Can Canโ€.โ€ฏ The centerpiece is the chorus, which is catchy, infectious, and memorable to the nth degree!โ€ฏโ€ฏย โ€ฏย 

โ€œI know we can make itโ€ฏย 

I know darn well we can work it outโ€ฏย 

Oh yes we can, I know we can-canโ€ฏย 

Yes we can can, why canโ€™t we?โ€ฏย 

If we wanna, yes we can-can.โ€โ€ฏย 

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:โ€ฏโ€ฏย 

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12. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, โ€œHope That We Can Be Together Soonโ€ (Ft. Sharon Paige)ย 

To Be True // Sony Music Entertainment // 1974

Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, To Be True [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment]โ€œI hope that we can be together soon / Real soon, can you make it real soon?โ€ Matters of the heart, L-O-V-E are central to the Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes classic, โ€œHope That We Can Be Together Soonโ€.ย  The collective, which often features the late great Teddy Pendergrass (1950 โ€“ 2010) on lead vocals, tapped Sharon Paige (1952 โ€“ 2020) for the assist.ย  While Pendergrass appears at the end of โ€œHope That We Can Be Together,โ€ wowing with his gritty, soulful outro, Harold Melvin (1939 – 1997) handles the male lead vocals.ย  Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff penned and produced โ€œHope That We Can Be Together Soon,โ€ the fourth track from the Harold Melvin & The Blue Notesโ€™ 1974 album, To Be True.ย  Although the ballad didnโ€™t set the pop charts on fire, it peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100.ย  It reached number one on the R&B charts.

Paige is the star early on.ย  Her vocals are smooth, soulful, and filled with desire.ย  โ€œWhen Iโ€™m away from you, boy / All I seem to do is cry,โ€ she sings, adding, โ€œAnd then when I see you, boy / My, how the time does fly.โ€ The dedication is lit.ย  Harold Melvin brings the male perspective in the second verse, with his robust pipes.ย  โ€œWhen I think about you, girl / Chills run up and down my spine,โ€ he sings, continuing, โ€œAnd if my wish would come true, girl / Iโ€™d be with you all the time.โ€ The centerpiece is the chorus, excerpted earlier: itโ€™s all about togethernessโ€ฆ real soon.ย  As for Teddy, he caps things off: โ€œEvery day my love grows stronger / Ooh, baby, and I, Iโ€™d like to make it real soon.โ€ Beyond brilliant vocal performances by Paige, Melvin, and Pendergrass, the musical backdrop is elite. The orchestration, with the strings and brass, is brilliant. This is Philly soul at its finest.ย  Unsurprisingly, โ€œHope That We Can Be Together Soonโ€ has been sampled by others โ€“ looking at you Jaheim (โ€œLife Of A Thugโ€).

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13. Whitney Houston, โ€œHe Can Use Meโ€

I Go To The Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston // Sony Music Entertainment // 2023

Whitney Houston, I Go To The Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony Music Entertainment]โ€œI wanna live / So that God / Can use me / Anytime / Anytime / And anywhere.โ€ That is a good word right there! โ€œHe Can Use Meโ€ marked the second single from the posthumous gospel compilation by Whitney Houston (I Go To The Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston). On โ€œHe Can Us Me,โ€ we hear a young Houston (recorded in 1981, when she was a teen) showcasing a truly anointed, special voice โ€“ one that would only mature, reaching higher heights. The premise of โ€œHe Can Use Meโ€ is simple.ย  On this nearly five-minute gospel record, Houston sings about serving the Lord โ€“ letting him use her as he sees fit.ย  โ€œSee, I wanna walk, yes / Yes, in this world / So the Lord will walk with me,โ€ she sings on the verse adding, โ€œI wanna talk / โ€ฆ Just knowing that the Lord will talk with meโ€ ๐Ÿ™Œ.ย  Houston is supported by a reverent backdrop, one that sufficiently supports this faith-driven journey. Getting more context into the early career of Whitney Houston โ€“ her gospel roots โ€“ helps us to appreciate her once in a lifetime artistry even more.ย ย 

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:ย ย 

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14. R. Kelly, โ€œI Believe I Can Flyโ€ย 

R. // Zomba // 1998ย 

R. Kelly, R. [๐Ÿ“ท: Zomba]โ€œIf I can see it, then I can do it / If I just believe it, thereโ€™s nothing to it!โ€ R. Kelly (Robert Kelly) is as controversial and embattled as they come.ย It is difficult to buy what the three-time Grammy winner is selling given his issues with SEX.ย  Even as Kelly is โ€˜mutedโ€™ given his countless sins, one particular record remains timeless and unforgettable: โ€œI Believe I Can Fly.โ€ย The least problematic hit in his discography, R. Kelly can thank the uplifting gospel-tinged R&B number for his Grammys.ย  Also, if thereโ€™s any way the musician can save some face, itโ€™s through this unifying anthem. The lyrics feel incredibly authentic and sincere, coupled with Kellyโ€™s smooth vocals and eventually, his dizzying runs.ย  In addition to the pre-chorus above, the chorus is simply perfect, giving you chills every time itโ€™s performed:ย ย 

โ€œI believe I can flyย 
I believe I can touch the skyย 
I think about it every night and dayย 
Spread my wings and fly awayย 
I believe I can soarย 
I see me running through that open doorย 
I believe I can fly.โ€ย ย 

Of course, the spirit hits with the backing choral vocals during the โ€œI can flyโ€ part, with Kells riffing.ย  For most of his career, Robert has embraced full-on salacious mode, but back in โ€™97, he delivered a sincere, โ€˜once in a lifetimeโ€™ gem.ย 

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15. Elton John, โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonightโ€

The Lion King // The Walt Disney Company // 1994ย 

The Lion King [๐Ÿ“ท: The Walt Disney Company]โ€œThereโ€™s a calm surrender to the rush of day / When the heat of a rolling wind can be turned away.โ€ย  Those timeless, unforgettable lyrics hail from โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonightโ€, one of the truly great songs from the 1990s.ย  Elton John recorded a masterpiece, plain and simple. โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonightโ€ is the 12th and final track from The Lion King.ย  The film version, penned alongside lyricist Tim Rice, appears as the fifth track. The more sophisticated end title runs a minute longer, featuring a slower, more relaxed tempo. Although the song is associated with The Lion King, one of Disneyโ€™s greatest animated films, it is a marvelous, standalone song. โ€œCanโ€ peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified platinum by the RIAA in 2018. Impressive. Beyond sales, streams, and chart success, John won his first Academy Award for Best Original Song (beating his other compositionsย  โ€œCircle Of Lifeโ€ and โ€œHakuna Matataโ€), and a Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Everything about โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonightโ€ feels right.ย  It features a gorgeous, adult contemporary sound. This sound was prevalent in the 1990s. The orchestration is top-notch.ย  John delivers commanding, soulful vocals bringing Riceโ€™s poetic, poignant lyrics to life. โ€œThereโ€™s a time for everyone, if they only learn,โ€ he sings in the second verse, adding, โ€œThat the twistinโ€™ kaleidoscope moves us all in turn.โ€ John didnโ€™t compose the lyrics, but he penned the marvelous melodies and music. The musical underpinnings, specifically the harmonic progression, are part of the elite musicianship of โ€œCan You Feel the Love Tonight.โ€ The moment to beat is the chorus, among the most memorable of all time.

โ€œAnd can you feel the love tonight? (Tonight)

It is where we are

Itโ€™s enough for this wide-eyed wanderer

That we got this far

And can you feel the love tonight? (Tonight)

How itโ€™s laid to rest?

Itโ€™s enough to make kings and vagabonds

Believe the very best.โ€

โ€œCan You Feel The Love Tonightโ€ is nothing short of iconic.ย  Elton John has written many hits.ย  This Disney collaboration with Tim Rice is one of his greatest.ย 

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:

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15 Fantastic CAN Songs (2025) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Amigo Records, LLC, Atlantic, JORDY, MCA, Republic, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Snapback Entertainment LLC, Sony Music Entertainment, The Walt Disney Company, UMG Recordings, Inc., Warner, Word Entertainment LLC, ย Zomba; AcatXIo, Clker-Free-Vector-Images, guilane, OpenClipart-Vectors from 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.