15 Incredibly Likable LIKE Songs

Reading Time: 20 min read

15 Incredibly Likable LIKE Songs features songs by Aerosmith, Dixon Dallas, Jessie Murph, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah the Scientist, and Stephanie Mills.

According to decorated, West Coast rapper, Kendrick Lamar, “They not LIKE 👍 us, they not like us, they not like us.” Pop singer/songwriter Jessie Murph, sharing the desires of her heart, and what she LIKES 👍, sings, “I want you on your worst behavior / Touch me like a gangster.” As for Stephanie Mills, she informed us all, back in 1980, “I never knew love LIKE 👍 this before.” The common thread between these three artists’ songs is the word LIKE. Like dominates the entertaining, highly LIKABLE 👍 musical compendium, 15 Incredibly Likable LIKE Songs.

15 Incredibly Likable LIKE Songs has one criterion: every song must feature the word like in its title. 15 Incredibly Likable LIKE Songs features songs by Aerosmith, Dixon Dallas, Jessie Murph, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah the Scientist, and Stephanie Mills. So, without further ado, let’s explore this list of incredibly likable LIKE songs, shall we?!

~ Table of Contents ~

1. Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”	2. Jessie Murph, “Touch Me Like A Gangster”	3. Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”
4. Mariah the Scientist, “Like You Never”	5. Vardaan Arora, “Dance Like You”	6. JENNIE, “like JENNIE”
7. Dixon Dallas, “Like Honey”	8. Tate McRae, “Like I do”	9. Ne-Yo, “Get Down Like That”
10. Lainey Wilson, “Heart Like a Truck”	11. Snoop Dogg, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (Ft. Pharrell Williams)	12. Mariah Carey, “It’s Like That”
13. Aerosmith, “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”	14. Stephanie Mills, “Never Knew Love Like This Before”	15. James Brown, “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”

1. Kendrick Lamar, “Not Like Us”

“Not Like Us” » Kendrick Lamar / Interscope » 2024

“I see dead people.”

And so, begins the Kendrick Lamar diss directed toward Drake, “Not Like Us”. The sound is intentionally clubby and commercial. Atypical of him artistically, Kendrick clowned Drizzy post-“Family Matters”. “Not Like Us” was produced by Mustard, Sounwave, and Sean Momberger. “They not like us, they not like us, they not like us.” The sleekness of the instrumental is a selling point, but the bars ‘take the cake.’ Early on, K-Dot spits, “What’s up with these jabroni-ass niggas tryna see Compton?” He adds, “Beat your ass and hide the Bible if God watchin’.” He’s willing to compromise his Christianity to F him up. There’s more, in the first verse: “Certified Lover Boy? Certified pedophiles,” and, “Why you trollin’ like a bitch? Ain’t you tired? Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A minor.” Gah-day-um! Verse two finds Lamar continuing to eat Drake TF up, bringing up skeletons in the closet: “Fucked on Wayne girl while he was in jail, that’s connivin’…” He clowns his moniker as the 6 God: “Devil is a lie, he a 69 God, ayy / Freaky-ass niggas need to stay they ass inside, ayy.” In the third verse, he criticizes his artistry, accusing him of using others for clout. One of the best jabs by K-Dot: “Let me hear you say, ‘OV-ho.’” “Not Like Us” is the third of three red-hot joints where Kendrick destroys his adversary.

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2. Jessie Murph, “Touch Me Like A Gangster”

Sex Hysteria » Columbia » 2025

“I like whips and chains, I like being tied to things, babe / I like some pain, turn me upside down on swings, baby.”

Oh, snap, Jessie Murph! Truly, WE LISTEN AND WE DON’T JUDGE! “I’d like to know, how far you gon’ go? / How far we gon’ go?” she continues in the pre-chorus. The Alabama-bred pop singer-songwriter brings the sass and the spice on “Touch Me Like A Gangster”, a single and highlight from her sophomore album, Sex Hysteria.

Although the sex is progressive, “Touch Me Like a Gangster” has a classic, incredibly refined sound. Bēkon, Laura Veltz, and Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman produced this pop track with retro and vintage-sounding vibes (old-school pop and a dash of soul). The most impressive part of the song is the vocals. Jessie Murph sounds distinct from the first note, showing off her gritty, sultry, and throaty vocals. I love how Murph’s voice cuts – like scissors, baby! Of course, the sex can’t be ignored. It is part of the charm and success of the song as well. Despite appreciating his tenderness, in the first verse, Murph informs him, “Boy, I got a sign that you’ll wanna see, baby.” In the second verse, she asserts, “You look like you like whips and chains, won’t you do something insane, baby?” Ooh-wee. The section to beat, the crowning achievement, the crème de la crème, is the chorus. It is bold, tuneful, and unforgettable to the nth degree!

“I’ll tell you this, my love

I do not give a fuck

I want you on your worst behavior

Touch me like a gangster

Rock me, baby boy, give it hell

This bed ain’t gon’ break itself.”

Damn, girl! Naughty, naughty, naughty, “Touch Me Like A Gangster” is that surefire guilty pleasure you aren’t able to resist.

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3. Future, Metro Boomin & Kendrick Lamar, “Like That”

WE DON’T TRUST YOU » Wilburn Holding Co. / Boominati Worldwide / Epic » 2024

One of the big catalysts in the Kendrick Lamar and Drake rap beef of 2024 is the Billboard Hot 100 number one hit, “Like That.” “Like That” appears on WE DON’T TRUST YOU, the first of two collaborative albums by Grammy-winning rapper Future and ‘it’ hip-hop producer Metro Boomin. Young Metro and Prince 85 produced, incorporating a trio of samples. Kendrick is the featured guest where he memorably asserts in the second verse, “Motherfuck the big three, nigga, it’s just big me / Nigga, bum / What? I’m really like that / And your best work is a light pack.” WOO 😮‍💨! Future does ‘Future’ things in the first verse (“I know she gon’ swallow, she a G.O.A.T.” and “Bring a friend, bitch, we fucked ‘em at the same time”). His bread is buttered in the chorus where he takes a shot at his former collaborator: “Niggas from the bottom really like that (If you like that).” “Like That” is one of the biggest rap songs of 2024 from one of the biggest albums.

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4. Mariah the Scientist, “Like You Never”

HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY » Buckles Laboratories, LLC / Epic » 2025

“Said he teaching me the difference / Said he showing me it’s real,”

Mariah the Scientist (Mariah Buckles) sings in the first verse of “Like You Never.” The R&B singer/songwriter continues, “Said I wouldn’t ever find another / Guess he holding up the deal.” Ah, those matters of the heart, L-O-V-E, are firmly planted in the ninth/penultimate track from her fourth studio album, HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY, released in 2025. Mariah penned “Like You Never” alongside producers NEZ and Nineteen85. The sound of the record is pleasant, thanks to the radiant detuned pads (keyboards) and the banging drum programming that anchors the track. Buckles delivers an expressive, nuanced vocal performance as she reflects on love (“Though I kept it inside, I know hearts were broken / Took some time to realize that’s how I was coping”). The melodies are not only tuneful but also rhythmic. The most tuneful moments arrive in the memorable chorus where she ups the ante, singing in her stunning upper register:

“Tell me, would you

Love me like you never loved?

Touch me like you never touched?

Trust me, like you never had inhibitions?

Baby, I’m listening

Tell me, would you

Love me like you never loved? (Never loved)

Touch me like you never touched? (Never touched)

Trust me, like you never had inhibitions?

Baby, I’m listening.”

Honest and well-rounded, Mariah The Scientist delivers a highly listenable, relatable, and worthwhile R&B joint with “Like You Never.”

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5. Vardaan Arora, “Dance Like You”

“Dance Like You” » Vardaan Arora » 2018

“I wish I could dance like you / Throw it back in a dive at two / I wish I could move like you / Dance like you.”

When you see a confident, handsome man, it’s easy to be envious. For the handsome, talented Indian actor and musician Vardaan Arora 😍, he desires more than dancing, moving, or throwing it back like him. Arora, based in New York, was born and raised in New Delhi, India. He represents an underrepresented demographic: the South Asian LGBTQ community. The out-and-proud Arora ‘brings the heat’ on his 2018 dance-pop bop, “Dance Like You”. He penned the three-minute cut while Sonic Pilot produced it. “Dance Like You” is a vibe from the get-go. It boasts an infectious groove that is readymade for the dance floor. The synths are electrifying as well. The beautiful Vardaan delivers equally beautiful vocals. During the verses, he keeps it cool, never getting too high or too low. He brings tuneful melodies to the table as he is enticed by a hottie. “Sittin’ here, nervous / When you walk in / Talkin’ in circles, I’m shaking,” he sings in the first verse. In the second, he asks him, “Tell me your secret / Promise I won’t tell / Don’t tell me to leave it / I know you don’t care.” In the catchiest section that is not named the chorus (the pre-chorus), Arora memorably asserts, “Your grass is green than the way you make me feel / I’m tryna hide it, but my lips don’t seem to seal.” Word. The chorus, excerpted above, is the section to beat; it’s catchy as albeit. But the non-bridge, spoken by Vardaan, is sweet too: “You thought I was going to sing a bridge, didn’t you / I just wanna dance like you.” “Dance Like You” slaps.

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6. JENNIE, “like JENNIE”

Ruby » Columbia » 2025

“Ha, c’mon, it’s gon’ be fucking hard.”

Oh, snap, JENNIE! The BLACKPINK member definitely comes at us fucking hard on the brief but electrifying “like JENNIE”. “Like JENNIE” is the second track from her 2025 debut solo album, Ruby. JENNIE ‘can’t be tamed’ on “like JENNIE” where she is unstoppable. Embracing rapped, chanted vocals, JENNIE sounds aggressive, assertive, confident, and playful. She delivers a compelling rhythmic cadence and flow in this minor-key cut. “Special edition and your AI couldn’t copy,” she spits in the first verse, and adds, “I’m leaving clues in the fittin’ room and it’s hot tea / No, I’m not thinking ‘bout no exes, know they miss me.” Ooh-wee!

In the second verse, she drops some Korean bars, with English incorporated, too. Some of the English lyrics that stand out include the likes of “They can’t deal with me ‘cause I’m priceless,” and “I’ve slayed it, and I graved it / Yes, I’m guilty.” D-d-damn, girl! The crème de la crème is the chorus:

“Who wanna rock with JENNIE

Keep your hair done, nails done like JENNIE

Who else got ‘em obsessed like JENNIE?

Like, like, like…”

Beyond the badass bars JENNIE spits, she’s accompanied by badass production by Diplo, LeClair, and Jaxxtone. The striking sounds include the drum programming and the looped, edgy synths. Short but potent and sweet, “like JENNIE” is a surefire bop and vibe from Ruby, no cap!

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7. Dixon Dallas, “Like Honey”

“Like Honey” » Dixon Dallas » 2024

“I ain’t ever been too good with my words, but you just look so good it hurts.”

You’re pretty fly yourself, Dixon Dallas (Jake Hill). The country music persona of Hill, Dixon Dallas brings a queer perspective to a predominately heterosexual genre. “Like Honey” marks the latest gem from Dallas, where he’s open about his desires. Written by Dallas, Paul Siefert produced this honey-sweet country cut.

@iamactuallyjakehill

dixon dallas is about to drop the next #1 country music hit! #fyp #dixondallas #countrymusic

♬ original sound – Jake Hill

Does “Like Honey” sound like a contemporary country song? Yes, without a doubt. The songwriting is idiomatic. The vocals, very ‘masc’ with a twang, ‘fit the bill’ as well. The musical accompaniment checks off the country boxes too. So, the only thing that differs is the perspective. Rather than a man singing to a woman, the man is singing to another man. “I know some might not like these words I sing, but I think I found the man of my dreams,” Dallas sings in the second verse, adding, “And I just can’t help lovin’ you out loud. It shouldn’t be a big deal, but homophobes are gonna be homophobic, unfortunately. Why shouldn’t Dallas’ man “Climb on up, saddle up, and let [him] scream [his] name?” The centerpiece is the chorus, like Dallas’ best songs:

“That boy’s so fine and he’s breaking my back
Working up a sweat, yeah, I like it like that
Making it clap till I see that mornin’ light
(Making it clap till I see that mornin’ light)
He tastes so sweet, somethin’ kinda like honey
Beatin’ it up like I owe him money
Making it clap till I see that mornin’ light
(See that mornin’ light).”

What more can you say but, damn, that’s hot! Keep making sickening gay country bangers, Dixon Dallas!

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8. Tate McRae, “Like I do”

So Close To What » RCA » 2025

“Got your own, but you started eyein’ down on my man,”

Tate McRae sings in the first verse of “Like I Do”. She continues, “And my clothes, and my plans / Know you’re prayin’ on my downfall.” Naturally, our Canadian Gen-Z pop standout disapproves of anyone trying to steal her man or who is jealous of what she brings to the table. In the pre-chorus, she is honest about her feelings: “I don’t trust you, not at all.” She’s even more honest in an interlude where she coolly but memorably tells this chick, “But also, fuck you / Get the fuck away from me.”

Tate adds fuel to the fire in the second verse of the 10^th track from her third studio album, So Close To What. “You ain’t what you paint to the public, nah, nah / Friends with the ones that you know you shit-talkin’ about,” she sings, and adds, “I ain’t never seen that many faces (Oh) / I ain’t never ever wanna ever switch places.” Can you say, burn?! Backtracking, McRae sets the tone early with the chorus, the first section of the song that is heard:

“Say you wanna know me, you don’t wanna know me

You just wanna do what I do

You been tryna read me, think you wanna be me

You should go ahead and try to

Say you wanna know me, you don’t wanna know me

You just wanna do what I do

What I do (I do)

Like I do (Ooh).”

Ooh-wee! Beyond the lyrics, engaging, playful, and well-rounded vocals from Tate, “Like I do” features ear-catching production (Grant). The keys – pads and synths – are warm, while the drum groove provides a trunk-rattling anchor. Self-assured and eradicating bullshit and fake friends, Tate McRae excels something fierce on “Like I Do”.

Appears in:

Tate McRae, Like I Do: Bangerz N Bopz 🔥 No. 92 (2025)

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9. Ne-Yo, “Get Down Like That”

In My Own Words » The Island Def Jam Music Group » 2006

When Ne-Yo (Shaffer Smith) is single, he is “a man with a very healthy appetite for chicks.” However, things change when he decides to settle down. “Still may be a couple cuties at my door / Thinking we could get down like we did before,” he sings in the first verse of “Get Down Like That”, continuing, “And get mad when I tell her / It can’t be like that no more.” When Ne-Yo is locked in 🔒 with that special woman, he “just don’t get down like that” – being unfaithful, that is. “Get Down Like That” is the ninth track from his 2006 double-platinum debut album, In My Own Words. This contemporary R&B cut has more of a neo-soul vibe, thanks to sampling a 1976 The O’Jays song, “I Swear, I Love No One but You”. Besides a writing credit for the legendary Bunny Sigler, Smith penned “Get Down Like That” alongside producer Ervin “EP” Pope.

Ne-Yo sings beautifully, never forcing things. His ad-libs are effortless, too as he shows himself to be a ‘changed man’ when fully committed. “Thinking about cheating would be crazy,” he sings in the bridge section. Indeed! The chorus is infectious – among the most memorable from In My Own Words.

“Girl, you know I got a girl

I just don’t get down like that

I don’t get down like that

Baby you fine, baby you’s a dime

But I just don’t get down like that

I don’t get down like that.”

With terrific songwriting, classic production, and marvelous singing, “Get Down Like That” is an enduring bop from Ne-Yo. Amazingly, this gem was not released as a single 🤯. Blasphemy! Notably, there is a remix, featuring Ghostface Killah that concludes the album.

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10. Lainey Wilson, “Heart Like a Truck”

Bell Bottom Country » This Is Hit, Inc. / Broken Bow » 2022

“I gotta find a field, I need to spin my wheels / I gotta hankerin’ for four wide tires.”

Hmm, sounds like a truck to me! Fittingly, country singer Lainey Wilson is indeed referencing a truck on “Heart Like A Truck”, a highlight from her 2022 album, Bell Bottom Country. As important as the truck is, the key noun in this is the heart. Still, to have a “heart like a truck,” you’ve gotta have both. Wilson, Trannie Anderson, and Dallas Wilson penned “Heart Like A Truck” while Jay Joyce produced it. Wilson sings in the chorus, “I got a heart like a truck / It’s been drug through the mud / Runs on dreams and gasoline / And that old highway holds the key,” and continues, “It’s got a lead foot down when it’s leavin’ / Lord knows it’s taken a hell of a beatin’ / A little bit of love is all that it’s needin’.” Is any further explanation needed? Wilson’s heart is like a truck, which is a prized possession among country artists. Wilson sings with incredible feeling, impressing with her power and her twang.

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11. Snoop Dogg, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (Ft. Pharrell Williams)

R&G **(Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece » Geffen » 2004**

“Snoop / Snoop!”

Ooh wee! Snoop Dogg (Calvin Broadus) earned his first number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Drop It Like It’s Hot”. The 16-time Grammy-nominated rapper (who should have won at least one) got a huge lift from the production of The Neptunes. Beyond the distinct, minimalist accompaniment crafted by the duo, Pharrell Williams serves as a featured guest. 20 years old, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” remains fresh and well deserving of the title of a rap classic. With innovative production and two big personalities collaborating (Snoop and Pharrell), magic was inevitable.

The chorus, first and foremost, is the section to beat regarding lyrics:

“When the pimp’s in the crib, ma

(Drop it like it’s hot, drop it like it’s hot, drop it like it’s hot)

When the pigs try to get at you

(Park it like it’s hot, park it like it’s hot, park it like it’s hot)

And if a nigga get a attitude

(Pop it like it’s hot, pop it like it’s hot, pop it like it’s hot)

I got the Rollie on my arm and I’m pourin’ Chandon

And I roll the best weed, ’cause I got it goin’ on.”

Gah-day-um! One of the best, most infectious hooks, hands down. Beyond the hook, which ignited the popularity of the phrase ‘drop it like it’s hot,’ Snoop says his fair share of memorable lines. “I keep a blue flag hangin’ out my backside / But only on the left side, yeah, that’s the Crip side,” he raps in the second verse, referencing his gang affiliation. In the third verse, the former pimp asserts, “I’m a bad boy with a lotta hoes / Drive my own cars and wear my own clothes.” Translation: he’s rich, bi-otch! Pharrell also deserves his flowers for the first verse, confidently and raunchily rapping, “Eligible bachelor, million dollar beat / That’s whiter than what’s slippin’ down your throat.” Oh, snap! No deep analysis is necessary for “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, one of the best rap songs to come out of the 2000s. SNOOP!

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12. Mariah Carey, “It’s Like That”

The Emancipation of Mimi » Mariah Carey / UMG Recordings, Inc. » 2005

“I came to have a party / Open off that Bacardi / Feeling so hot tamale / Boy, I know you watchin’ me / So what’s it gonna be?”

Say, what?! Hmm, I know what you’re thinking. Those lyrics don’t signal an uplifting experience, particularly when you add the likes of “Purple taking me higher / I’m lifted, and I like it.” That’s weed for ya! No, the vibes are not spiritual or religious. But, on “It’s Like That”, the lead single from the 2005 Mariah Carey comeback album, The Emancipation of Mimi, Carey feels freed, liberated, stress-free, and simply wants to have fun! If anyone has told her what to do and how to live her life in the past, she has cast them aside. In the pre-chorus, she asserts fearlessly, “‘Cause it’s my night / No stress, no fights / I’m leavin’ it all behind / No tears, no time to cry / Just making the most of life.” “It’s Like That” was written by Carey, Jermaine Dupri, Manuel Seal, Johntá Austin, and Fatman Scoop. Dupri and Carey produced this gem, which samples Run-DMC (“Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)”). It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA.

“Them chickens 🐓 is ash and I’m lotion 🧴.”

Woo! Carey radiates with confidence throughout “It’s Like That.” Was this always the case with Mariah? Probably not, or so the lyrics imply. In the second verse, she adds, “It’s a special occasion / Mimi’s emancipation / A cause for celebration / I ain’t gonna let nobody’s drama bother me.” I know that’s right, diva! Tell ‘em, Mimi! Carey slays in the vocal department, catching the ears from the get-go. She is at her best in the pre-chorus (excerpted earlier) and chorus, particularly when she ad-libs:

“Everybody is livin’ it up

All the fellas keep lookin’ at us

‘Cause me and my girls on the floor like what

While the DJ keeps on spinnin’ the cut

It’s like that y’all.”

“It’s Like That” is uplifting because Mariah Carey has decided to free herself of the BS. She’s liberated, and liberation never sounded better than this groovy, mid-2000s gem. IT’S LIKE THAT, Y’ALL!

Appears in:

Mariah Carey, It’s Like That: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 20 (2025)

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13. Aerosmith, “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)”

Permanent Vacation » Geffen » 1987

“That dude looks like a lady.”

Whoa, whoa, woah! Aerosmith took a risk with “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” from their 1987 album, Permanent Vacation. A song about referencing an androgynous, transgender 🏳️‍⚧️ person in the Regan era was bold. The inspiration for the song was Vince Neil, who Steven Tyler (b. 1948) mistook for a blonde-haired lady at a bar. Navigating gender issues elevates controversy, even if the song doesn’t suffer many repercussions or censorship. There were far fewer LGBTQ+ songs back then, but Tyler and Joe Perry (b. 1950), with the help of songwriter Desmond Child (b. 1953) recorded one. The late, Grammy-nominated, Canadian producer Bruce Fairbairn (1949 – 1999) produced it.

Following the chorus, “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” remains bold. “Cruise into a bar on the shore / Her picture graced the grime on the door,” Tyler sings in the first verse. The cruise lyric is worth mentioning because “Dude” was originally named, “Cruisin’ for the Ladies.” In the second, we get the spiciest lyrics. Taken with this ‘lady,’ Steven sings, “Somebody said / ‘Forgive me if I seem out of line’ / And she whipped out a gun and tried to blow me away.” Following the ‘big reveal’ 😳, Tyler takes a progressive stance. “Never judge a book by its cover / Or who you gonna love by your lover,” he sings in the third verse, concluding, “She had the body of Venus, Lord, imagine my surprise.” By the bridge, “He was a lady.” “Dude” is intriguing. Yes, it rocks instrumentally, as well as the big-time chorus, but is it a song that would be recorded in the 2020s? Doubtful. Is it transphobic? I do not think so, but opinions vary. There is more nuance about gender and sexuality in music, often performed by members of the LGBTQ community. One thing that “Dude (Looks Like A Lady)” does well is initiate an important conversation.

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14. Stephanie Mills, “Never Knew Love Like This Before”

Gold » UMG Recordings, Inc. » 2006

“I never knew love like this before / Now I’m lonely never more / Since you came into my life.”

Stephanie Mills adds In the first verse of “Never Knew Love Like This Before”, “Once I was lost and now I’m found / Then you turned my world around / When I need I call your name.” Ooh-wee! “Never Knew Love Like This Before” is the seventh track from Mills’ 1980 gold-certified album, Sweet Sensation. The gold-certified track is most readily available on multiple greatest hits compilations, including Gold from 2006. Her highest charting hit, “Never Knew Love Like This Before” peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980. It also won the Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Song. James Mtume and Reggie Lucas penned and produced the R&B gem.

“Never Knew Love Like This” is sublime in every facet. The musical accompaniment is groovy and lush, characteristic of the R&B of the early 80s. We expect no less with James Mtume involved! The cool yet energetic sounds marvelously fuel Mills’ vocal fire. Mills sings with ease. For much of the song, she sounds as if she never breaks a sweat. Even with a cool, calm, and collected performance, the authenticity, energy, and passion are still piping hot. This person is extra special to Mills, undoubtedly. In the second verse, she asserts, “You are my sunlight, and my rain / And time could never change / What we share forevermore.” Word. The chorus sums up the impenetrable love:

“‘Cause I never knew love like this before

Open my eyes

Cause I never knew love like this before

What a surprise

Cause I never knew love like this before.”

By the outro, Mills ‘lets it rip’ with sickening vocal ad-libs and riffs. “Never Knew Love Like This Before” is a timeless R&B song and the ‘ace-in-the-hole’ in Mills’ catalog.

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15. James Brown, “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”

The 50^th Anniversary Collection » UMG Recordings, Inc. » 2003

“Fellas, I’m ready to get up and do my thing (Go ahead, do your thing, then, get on up and do it) / …I want to get into it, man, you know /… Like a, like a sex machine, man, (Yeah, yeah!).”

There will only ever be one James Brown. Rightfully dubbed The Godfather of funk, he left an indelible mark on the soul sub-genre. One of his best songs is “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine”. Sex Machine” was written by Brown, Bobby Byrd, and Ronald Lenhoff. Despite featuring sex in its title, it was a highly successful pop hit. It peaked at no. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. More than five decades after its arrival, “Sex Machine” remains the sugar honey iced tea – a timeless gem from James.

What makes “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” so good? James Brown infuses ample personality into his performance, period. Electrifying, the electricity begins with the infectious intro. After setting the tone, the rhythm section enters and is firmly ‘in the pocket. The groove is badass – funky as hell! The drums, rhythmic guitar, and bass ‘bring the heat.’ Notably, The Original J.B.s back Brown. This includes Bootsy Collins on bass and his brother, Catfish Collins, on guitar. Also, Brown provides some bluesy work on the keys. Even with sex raising eyebrows, the lyrics are simple and non-offensive.

“Get up (get on up) / Get up (Get on up)

Stay on the scene (Get on up)

Like a sex machine (Get on up).”

“Sex Machine” gives more of an attitude than bedroom talk. Notably, Brown quotes a past hit in the second verse: “You said the feeling you got to get / You give me the fever in a cold sweat.” Other notable moments include the unforgettable “Take ‘em to the bridge?” where Brown infectiously asserts, “Hit me now! / Come on! / Stay on the scene, like a sex machine.” “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” is a certified classic.

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~ Table of Contents ~ » ~ intro ~

15 Incredibly Likable LIKE Songs (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Boominati Worldwide, Broken Bow, Buckles Laboratories, LLC, Columbia, Epic, Geffen, Interscope, Kendrick Lamar, Mariah Carey, The Island Def Jam Music Group, This Is Hit, Inc., UMG Recordings, Inc., Wilburn Holding Co.; AcatXIo, Alexandra Koch, fernando zhiminaicela, Gerd Altmann, Gordon Johnson, Mr. Zed, from Pixabay]

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Published by the musical hype on November 24, 2025November 24, 2025