15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword

Reading Time: 20 min read

15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword features songs by Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Leon Thomas, Melanie Martinez, RAYE, and Sam Cooke.

“That’s just the WAY IT IS, then we can settle down, settle down.”

Noted, Justin Bieber. Love IS also on Ariana Grande’s mind, who asserts, “The boy IS mine / I can’t wait to try him.” Ooh-wee, it’s getting hot in herre 🥵! Melanie Martinez has legitimate concerns when she asks, “IS this a cult? Can we revolt?” The thread connecting these talented artists and their respective songs is the word IS. I-S is kind of a big deal in English – the present tense third-person singular of be, according to Merriam-Webster. A verb that we use all the time, it’s so simple that the definition sounds far too complex! Surprisingly, The Musical Hype has failed to give IS its flowers 10 years into the site’s existence. The drought for IS ends today with 15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword.

The criteria are simple for 15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword. The verb, in all of its glory, MUST be featured in the song title – no ifs, ands, or buts! There are lots of songs featuring I-S, but, only 15 get the spotlight on this musical compendium. No worries, the 15 selected are bops through and through. 15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword features songs by Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Leon Thomas, Melanie Martinez, RAYE, and Sam Cooke. So, what IS you waiting for? Dive into these 15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword!

~ Table of Contents ~

1. RAYE, “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND?”	2. Justin Bieber, “WAY IT IS” (Ft. Gunna)	3. Melanie Martinez, “IS THIS A CULT?”
4. Leon Thomas, “YES IT IS”	5. Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis, “Is It A Crime”	6. The Weeknd, “Is There Someone Else?”
7. Tyla, “IS IT”	8. Dominic Fike, “How Much Is Weed?”	9. Doechii, “DENIAL IS A RIVER”
10. Haddaway, “What Is Love”	11. Ariana Grande, “the boy is mine”	12. Nas, “The World Is Yours”
13. Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Sun Is Shining”	14. Tammi Terrell, “All I Do Is Think About You”	15. Sam Cooke, “A Change is Gonna Come”

1. RAYE, “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!”

THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. » RAYE / Human Re Sources » 2026

“Baby (Woo-hoo), where the hell is my husband? (Woo-hoo) / What is takin’ him so long to find me?”

Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter RAYE (Rachel Keen) never fails to impress! In “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” she’s waiting for a great man to make her his wife. She penned and produced “HUSBAND” alongside Mike Sabath. “Why is this beautiful man waiting for me to get old?” she asks in the first verse, and adds, “Wait till I get my hands on him, I’ma tell him off, too / For how long he kept me waitin’, anticipatin’.” The loneliness has really gotten to RAYE in the second verse, where, “I’m doing lonely acrobatics, unzipping my dress at 2 am / And I’m tired of living like this.” Her loneliness and yearning are our listening pleasure. From start to finish, RAYE wows with her commanding, distinct, expressive, and nuanced instrument. The melodies are rhythmic and tuneful, while the lyrics are engaging, memorable, and in most instances, relatable. Further fueling her fire is a colorful musical accompaniment, which has some jazz, soulful, and vintage touches. Though old-school is easily perceptible, “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” sounds incredibly refreshing. All told, RAYE knocks it out of the park with the promo single from her second studio album, THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE.

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

2. Justin Bieber, “WAY IT IS” (Ft. Gunna)

SWAG » ILH Production Co. LLC / Def Jam Recordings » 2025

“That’s just the way it is, then we can settle down, settle down / No more drama, no reason to complicate it, we can settle down.”

Matters of the heart, baby, and the Grammy-winning “Baby” singer himself, Justin Bieber, sells it like a champ on “WAY IT IS”, the seventh track on his 2025 Grammy-nominated album, SWAG. “WAY IT IS” also appears as the 30^th track on the gargantuan, expanded SWAG II. Bieber taps Grammy-nominated rapper Gunna for the assist. Speaking of assists, there are lots of cooks in the kitchen that whipped up, aka composed, this soulful pop joint: Bieber, Gunna, Tobias Jesso Jr., Carter Lang, Eddie Benjamin, Sir Dylan, Jackson Lee Morgan, and Daniel Chetrit. Carter Lang and Sir Dylan also produced it.

There is lots to like about “WAY IT IS.” It features a backdrop of smooth keys and synths, anchored by a hard-hitting, rhythmic beat. Like many Justin Bieber songs, it has those R&B vibes working for it. Justin Bieber draws first blood on this collaboration, performing the second verse. Justin Bieber shows off his upper register; he sings with exuberance and soul. “I’m dreamin’, I’m reachin’ and pullin’ you closer,” he sings, and continues, “We could settle down, I’m dreamin’ of a place that we can go way.” Oh, snap! Beyond the core rhythmic melody, Bieber drops sweet runs and ad-libs. As referenced earlier, the chorus is infectious, memorable, rhythmic, and incredibly tuneful. I love it when Bieber dips into his sweet falsetto. He also gets help from Gunna, preceding the second verse. Gunna brings it, flaunting his syrupy, melodic rap flow. He delivers a compelling cadence and flow, intact with plenty of, dare I say, SWAG. “I need more doses of your love, I’m intoxicated (Intoxicated) / I love the way you feel (Way you feel), dreamin’ and travelin’ places we’ve never seen,” the rapper raps. As his verse progresses, it grows more rhythmic, with him throwing even more rhymes into the mix. “You get your bang for your buck, I get whatever for you / Ain’t no one else, it’s just us, and it’s whatever for you.” Ooh-wee! After Bieber professes his desires on the post-chorus (“And I just want you, hold you, love you”), “WAY IT IS” concludes with a lovely instrumental outro. All in all, this collaboration between Bieber and Gunna is pretty sweet!

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

3. Melanie Martinez, “IS THIS A CULT?”

HADES » Atlantic Recording Corporation » 2026

“What a fine fellow, said his name was Hades / Picked me up in the back of his Mercedes…”

👀 Uh-oh, Melanie Martinez… smells like trouble. Hades, a fine fellow? Methinks not! Perhaps the attraction is the long hair resembling Jesus, which makes this cult leader appealing. These lyrics appear in the verse of the marvelous song, “IS THIS A CULT?” “IS THIS A CULT?” appears as the second track from Martinez’s fourth studio album, HADES. Conceptually, Martinez paints a picture of a situation where she and other women have been tricked and mistreated by men. Of course, she and a squad of powerful women aren’t going to stand for that! Martinez wrote “IS THIS A CULT” with producers CJ Baran and Halo Boy.

“IS THIS A CULT?” is a Melanie Martinez track through and through, and we ain’t mad about it! It commences with an enigmatic, dark instrumental, set in a minor key. Given the mention of “cult” in the song title, this is fitting. Martinez sings beautifully as always; her tone is haunting. She brings those dark, rhythmic, tuneful melodies to life. The lyrics are striking and… hellish, unsettling… After discovering Hades was a bad, abusive fella with all kinds of women, Martinez asserts in the first pre-chorus, “He doesn’t know I’m the jealous type / His face made me wet when I pulled out a knife.” Oh, snap! The chorus is the crème de la crème, varied each iteration. It adds more instrumentation, including a banging, syncopated beat. Most importantly, Martinez and her squad of girls kick ass and take names against this no-good cult leader. Memorably, in the first iteration, Martinez sings, “Is this a cult? Can we revolt? / I don’t play nice, and you’re not listening / I’ll be the first one to steal all your bitches.” Woo! In the second iteration, “We see the future and get what we want / We killed the leader, and now we’re on top.” Mic drop! Before Hades is killed, the second verse adds more dark goodness, including the memorable coda: “Cracked some eggs on his bruised-up tummy / Let him cook, yeah, let him cook, yeah.” The outro is delightful, yet unsettling with the effects-laden “la-la, la-la, la-la, la-la.” “IS THIS A CULT?” is a jam-packed, dark alternative pop song. Martinez and the women mistreated, disrespected, and underestimated get their lick back on this undisputed, unbelieving asshole.

Appears in 🔻:

Melanie Martinez, IS THIS A CULT?: Bangerz N Bopz No. 37 (2026)

~ Table of Contents ~

4. Leon Thomas, “YES IT IS”

MUTT Deluxe: HEEL » EZMNY Records / Motown Records » 2025

“When I’m talking to you, I don’t know what to say.”

Hmm, what’s going on here, Leon Thomas? Dude, what’s the problem if you can “call up a stranger and talk [your] whole life away?” The Grammy-winner is all over the place regarding her on his marvelous Grammy-nominated R&B song, “YES IT IS”. What is NOT all over the place is the banger status of the eighth track from his Grammy-winning R&B album, MUTT. Thomas co-wrote “YES” with Bizzy Cook and producers Mike Hector, Ali P, JEHREEUS, and Peter Lee Johnson. The production is a chef’s kiss, no cap! Strike that! The whole song is chef’s kiss, like, PERIOD!

The ear candy is decadent! It’s #GIVING! The bass line is robust – thick just how I like it 😈! The piano lines are incredibly elegant. The harmonic progression adds musical depth – more than three chords and the truth! Of course, the crowning achievement of “YES IT IS” is the expressive, high-flying, nuanced vocals of Leon Thomas. He puts his foot into this performance. That includes his delicious vocal ad libs. The rhythmic melodies shine throughout, elevating this track’s excellence. Of course, the theme and lyrics go a long way, too. “Young, wild, and free, I can’t blame her / Young, wild, and pretty in Miami, I can’t tame her,” he sings in the second verse, and concludes, “She’s a Virgo, so I can’t explain her / Just tell me, ‘Yes, it is’.” Yes, it is, what, you ask? That she’s his, which is what he questions throughout the song’s centerpiece, the chorus:

“All I hear is, ‘Yes, it is’

… My ears are sensitive

Tell me that it’s mine, oh

… So, when I ask you, ‘Is it mine?’

All you ever say is, ‘Yes, it is.’”

Leon wants her, but seems concerned, even as she constantly reassures him. Is it legit? Whether it is or isn’t, “YES IT IS” the song itself is truly legit. “MUTT” is the song to beat, but “YES IT IS” is a bop in its own right.

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

5. Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis, “Is It A Crime”

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

“I fell, you fell in love a couple times / Tell me, what’s it to ya? Tell me, is it a crime?”

Mariah the Scientist (Mariah Amani Buckles) taps Grammy-nominated Latin/R&B singer Kali Uchis for her criminal love-driven single, “It Is a Crime”. “Is It a Crime” is the fourth track from Mariah’s 2025 album, HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY. She penned “Is It A Crime” with Karly Loaiza, Matthew Worthem, Oliver Easton, and Nineteen85 (Paul Jeffries). Mat1k and Easton produced it. Backed by a lush, sleek, quintessential contemporary R&B instrumental, “Is It A Crime” is nothing short of exquisite.

In this duet, both musicians sing separately. Mariah the Scientist draws first blood, singing radiantly in the first verse and chorus. Mariah mentions, “They, they were wrong about us, I hate the way they paint it.” She adds, “It ain’t love they see / But it ain’t nothin’ to discuss ‘cause it is to me.” Kali Uchis sings the second verse, contrasting with Mariah yet showing off her elegant pipes. She clarifies that love is no crime, singing, “‘Cause if loving me is jail, then you’re my prisoner.” Adding emphasis, rather, an expletive, Kali asserts, “Let ‘em know we don’t give a fuck / All they want to see is us breaking up.” In the centerpiece, the chorus, Mariah asks, “Tell me, what’s it to ya? Tell me, is it a crime to fall?” That’s a big fat rhetorical NO. It is never a crime to fall in love. It’s certainly no crime to fall in love with “It Is a Crime”, where both the talented Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis bring their A game.

Appears in 🔻:

13 Songs That Explore It, Vol. 6 (2026)

~ Table of Contents ~

6. The Weeknd, “Is There Someone Else?”

Dawn FM » Republic » 2022

“Oh, is there someone else or not? / ‘Cause I wanna keep you close / I don’t wanna lose my spot.”

Oh, snap, The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye)! Rather than potentially live in untruth, the Grammy-winning Canadian superstar wonders if she’s with someone else on “Is There Someone Else?” In the first verse, Abel admits to lying in the past, but now, he believes she’s the one being dishonest. “I don’t deserve someone loyal to me / Don’t you think I see?” he sings in the second verse, continuing, “And I don’t want to be a prisoner to who I used to be / I swear I changed my ways for the better, the better / ‘Cause I want to be with you forever, forever.” Those are heartfelt and honest lyrics from him. Expectedly, the singing is on point, bringing those lyrics and the beautiful melodies to life. Another compelling, ear-catching moment from his 2022 album, Dawn FM, “Is There Someone Else?” was produced by The Weeknd, Oneohtrix Point Never, TBHits, Peter Lee Johnson, Max Martin, and Oscar Holter.

Appears in 🔻:

13 Sensational Somebody or Someone Songs (2025)

~ Table of Contents ~

7. Tyla, “IS IT”

“IS IT” » FAX/EPIC » 2025

“Is it the fucks that I don’t give? / Is it the men that I don’t miss?”

Holy f-bomb! Tyla comes out swinging on “IS IT”. Backed by sleek production, anchored by a fabulous, hard-hitting beat, our Grammy-winning South African pop artist is on autopilot! The summery vibes are alive and well on this joint filled with attitude and confidence. That f-bomb sets the tone, but Tyla eschews profanity the rest of the way, letting her fierceness shine through the fun lyrics and memorable melodies of the verses. The second verse is steamy, though, as she leans into desire, wondering if the drink has been thinking about hooking up with him (“Like what it’s like when you take me home / And what it’s like when you take it off”). Beyond the verses, the pre-chorus (“I can’t leave, I can’t leave / Leave you alone with your eyes on me, no…”) prefaces the crème de la crème, the tuneful, irresistible chorus: “Is it wrong that wanna get right / Wanna get right with you?” Decisions, decisions, decisions. What isn’t a hard decision is adding “IS IT” to the listening rotation. Tyla remains consistent, serving up a well-rounded vocal, memorable songwriting, and striking production (Mocha Bands, Sammy Soso, Ari PenSmith, and Believve). It’s giving bop, bop, bop!

~ Table of Contents ~

8. Dominic Fike, “How Much Is Weed?”

Sunburn » Sandy’s Boys, LLC / Columbia » 2023

“Photo album, but the color faded from it / If I could go back and tell ya how it ends, I woulda done it / Don’t look down.”

Woo! Dominic Fike kicks off his sophomore album, Sunburn, with a bang. “How Much Is Weed?” falls somewhere between alternative pop with its use of guitar and groove, and alternative rap with Fike’s agile rhymes. Fike wrote “Weed” with Jim-E Stack. Fike, Stack, and Ariel Rechtshaid produced it.

Dom is most fired up in the second verse, yielding no shortage of intensity. “She went to jail and shit went left, and I was left,” he spits, adding, “I did my best, I needed rest, I got arrested.” This highlights a dark time for Fike’s mom and himself. At just two minutes and change, “How Much Is Weed?” sets the tone for the album.

~ Table of Contents ~

9. Doechii, “DENIAL IS A RIVER”

Alligator Bites Never Heal » Top Dawg Entertainment / Capitol » 2024

“Remember old dude from 2019, nice clean nigga, did me dirtier than laundry / Took a scroll through his IG, just to get a DM from his wifey… / I open up the message, then had to hit the zoom / Turns out the girl was really a dude?”

WOO! Florida rapper Doechii delivered a fierce debut mixtape with Alligator Bites Never Heal. Many of the songs from the dynamic, Grammy-winning tape deserve recognition. Among the best songs is “Denial Is a River.” In the fourth track, Doechii highlights the storytelling of classic hip-hop, delivering honest, humorous, smart, and unapologetic rhymes and raw rhymes. Ian James beats, Joey Hamhock, and Banser produced the badass banger. “Denial” feels like a therapy session as she confides in a friend about her life. Doechii brings an epic cadence and flow with ample personality. There is no shortage of memorable rhymes, as evidenced by the excerpted first verse. In the second verse, she discusses her successes. In the third, she opens up about her lifestyle:

“I mean fuck, I like pills, I like drugs

I like gettin’ money, I like strippers, I like to fuck

I like day-drinkin’ and day parties and Hollywood

I like doin’ Hollywood shit, snort it, probably would.”

“Denial Is a River” distinguishes itself from other rap songs released in 2024. It’s sensational!

Appears in 🔻:

60 Best Songs of 2024

~ Table of Contents ~

10. Haddaway, “What Is Love”

The Album » BMG Rights Management GmbH » 1993

“What is love? / Oh, baby, don’t hurt me / Don’t hurt me, no more.”

Iconic. Trinidad-born, German-bred singer Haddaway (Nestor Alexander Haddaway) dropped a dance bop for the ages with “What Is Love”. The most memorable section is excerpted above: the timeless chorus! The lyrics aren’t deep, but they are relatable to the nth degree. “What Is Love” is the opener from The Album (titled Haddaway elsewhere), released in 1993. Dee Dee Halligan (Tony Hendrik) and Junior Torello (Karin Hartmann) wrote and produced this enduring ‘90s bop, which reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was certified gold by the RIAA. But this was Haddaway’s only top 40 hit in the United States.

The chorus is the crème de la crème of “What is Love.” Undoubtedly, it is the section to beat – the part everyone remembers! But, there are plenty of reasons beyond the chorus why this song is the sugar honey iced tea. Halligan and Torello put in work behind the boards. The production is colorful, catching the ears from the onset with its slick, driving synths. The beat is sick, the perfect catalyst for the dance floor. Haddaway brings ample energy with his vocals. He possesses a lovely instrument that was tailor-made for this song. Not only is the melody tuneful during the chorus, but it shines in the verses, too. “No, I don’t know why you’re not there / I give you my love, but you don’t care,” he sings in the first verse, continuing, “So, what is right and what is wrong? / Give me a sign.” The second verse is penned simply as well, finding Haddaway hurt. Oh, the plight of love, particularly unrequited love! Haddaway is the star but shout out Lisa Noya for her stellar vocal ad-libs. Those runs are sweet! More than three decades later, “What Is Love” by Haddaway still slaps. It is a dance bop for the ages. It has been sampled many times.

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

11. Ariana Grande, “the boy is mine”

eternal sunshine » Republic » 2024

“How can it be? You and me / Might be meant to be, can’t unsee it / But I don’t wanna cause no scene.”

Ariana Grande is fierce AF on the 90s-inspired “the boy is mine”, the eighth track on her critically acclaimed, 2024 LP, eternal sunshine. In this song, written and produced by Grande alongside Max Martin, Shintaro Yasuda, and DaviDior (ILYA also produces), Grande accepts the controversy she receives being in a relationship with this man. In the first verse, she adds, “I’m usually so unproblematic,” but of course, the power of the boy has driven her to the dark side (“And God knows I’m tryin’, but there’s just no use in denying”). Despite being devilish, she sounds angelic from a vocal perspective. In the second verse, she makes it clear the way this relationship has gone down wasn’t as intended. Still, she’s confident that “My girls, they always come through in a sticky situation / Say, ‘it’s fine.’” In the bridge, she takes accountability for the mess, but also states, “I can’t ignore my heart, boy.” In the chorus, Grande embraces her lustful side: “The boy is mine / I can’t wait to try him / Le-let’s get intertwined / The stars, they aligned.” Messy love or nah, the Grammy winner brings the heat on this one.

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

12. Nas, “The World Is Yours”

Illmatic » Columbia » 1994

“Whose world is this? / The world is yours, the world is yours / It’s mine, it’s mine, it’s mine…”

💪 Sadly, it only took an entire career for iconic rapper Nas to earn his first Grammy. Looking back through an illustrious catalog, including his 1994 album, Illmatic, and the question is, why did it take so long? Furthermore, even if you neglect Illmatic, for whatever reason, how can you neglect the gold-certified song, “The World Is Yours”? “The World Is Yours” is classic hip-hop at its finest, featuring production by Pete Rock. The sampling choices – Ahmad Jamal Trio, T La Rock & Jazzy Jay, and Jimmy Gordon & His Jazznpops Band – give “The World Is Yours” both a distinct East Coast sound coupled with jazz/jazz rap sensibilities. Also, how about Pete Rock singing on the unforgettable chorus?

Pete Rock plays a pivotal role on “The World Is Yours.” Still, the star of the show is the young don himself, Nas. Nas has been serving up those bars for years, all the while deserving more credit than he’s received. There are endless bars, delivered with a conscious mentality, that catch the ear. He starts off fast, asserting at the beginning of the first verse, “I sip the Dom P, watchin’ Ghandi ‘til I’m changed, then / Writin’ in my book of rhymes, all the words past the margin / To hold the mic I’m throbbin’, mechanical movement / Understandable smooth shit that murderers move with.” Woo! He closes the verse, spitting, “I’m out for dead presidents to represent me.” There are some intriguing spiritual lines in the second verse, which seem to reference the MC’s son: “My strength, my son, the star will be my resurrection / Born in correction, all the wrong shit I did, he’ll lead in right direction.” In the third verse, in the line, “Picturin’ my peeps not eatin’ can make my heartbeat skip” is a prime example of social consciousness. It does hit differently, doesn’t it? The big takeaway is, “The World Is Yours” is one of the greatest hip-hop songs of all time.

Appears in 🔻:

Nas, The World Is Yours: Rap BNGRZ No. 8 (2023)

~ Table of Contents ~

13. Bob Marley & The Wailers, “Sun Is Shining”

Kaya » The Island Def Jam Music Group » 1978

“Sun is shining, the weather is sweet / Make you want to move your dancing feet.”

Ah, the “Sun Is Shining” indeed, Bob Marley (1945 – 1981) – at least from a positive vibes perspective! Marley continues singing, “To the rescue, here I am / Want you to know, you all, where I stand.” Word. The five-minute classic is the fourth track on Kaya, the 1978 album by Bob Marley & The Wailers. “Sun is Shining” was written and produced by the iconic reggae collective.

“Sun Is Shining” thrives off positivity – “(Wednesday morning) Tell myself a new day is rising / (Thursday evening) get on the rise)” – but it is set in a minor key. Bob Marley & The Wailers are locked-in – they sound connected and tight from a musical perspective. The production and sound are sublime! It’s the percussion, active yet fat bass, yearning guitar, and those keys. The groove is electrifying, the expectation for reggae stylistically. Also, Marley gets superb support from the background vocals. Bob, of course, is elite, singing authentically, commandingly, and expressively to the nth degree. “Sun is Shining” marks one of his best vocal performances. Throw in the sense of hope, and “Sun is Shining” shines even more: “Awake from your sleep and slumber / Today could bring your lucky number.” “Sun is Shining” is a surefire vibe from a legendary musician and band.

Appears in 🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

14. Tammi Terrell, “All I Do Is Think About You”

Come On And See Me: The Complete Solo Collection » Motown / UMG Recordings, Inc. » 2010

“‘Cause all I do is think about you!”

Woo! Ah, the feels, and those pesky matters of the heart! Fun fact: Did you know that the short-lived, Motown legend Tammi Terrell (1945 – 1970) originally recorded “All I Do Is Think About You”? 🤯 If you are unfamiliar with the song, released decades after it was recorded in 1966, you may be familiar with the original release, “All I Do”, by Stevie Wonder (b. 1950). “All I Do” appeared as the second track on Wonder’s 1980 album, Hotter Than July. Terrell originally recorded “All I Do” as “All I Do Is Think About You,” but it remained unreleased until 2002. Wonder is responsible for the first release. He penned the original with Clarence Paul and Morris Broadnax.

Listening to the original version of “All I Do Is Think About You,” it is a shame that it wasn’t released during the 1960s. Tammi Terrell ate and left no crumbs! Her voice is nuanced and powerful, and she sings with incredible sincerity. “You made my soul a burning fire / You’re getting to be my one desire / You’re getting to be all that matters to me,” she sings in the first verse. “And let me tell you, boy! / Think of how exciting it would be,” she sings enthusiastically in the second verse, and adds, “If you should discover you felt like me / If you should discover this dream is for two.” Beyond Terrell’s fabulous lead vocals, the background vocals are excellent, outlining the melody of the chorus, at least how we know it from the Wonder-released version of the song. The vocal arrangement is on point, with the blend of backgrounds and lead being utterly divine. Beyond the vocals, “All I Do Is Think About You” thrives off a great arrangement and production. The sounds are vintage Motown, featuring the rhythm section (including a vibraphone), horns, and strings. I love how the drums pack a mighty punch. Although lesser known, the Tammi Terrell original of “All I Do Is Think About You” is a Motown classic that music lovers should’ve heard much sooner than we did. Tammi did that!

Appears in🔻:

~ Table of Contents ~

15. Sam Cooke, “A Change is Gonna Come”

Ain’t That Good News » ABKCO Music & Records, Inc. » 1964

“I was born by the river / In a little tent / Oh, and just like the river, I’ve been runnin’ / Ever since.”

Those lyrics are iconic and instantly recognizable. They hail from the first verse of the moving soul classic “A Change Is Gonna Come”. Sam Cooke (1931 – 1964), the King of Soul, did his big one, without question. “A Change Is Gonna Come” appeared as the seventh track on Cooke’s final studio album, Ain’t That Good News. Cooke’s most renowned song was NOT his highest charting, however. It peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, a far cry from the number two peak of “Chain Gang”. Even so, the more important record is “Change,” which Cooke composed himself. Hugo & Luigi – Hugo Peretti (1916 – 1986) and Luigi Creatore (1921 – 2015) – produced it.

“A Change Is Gonna Come” is an ultra-sophisticated, gospel-infused protest anthem. The musical orchestration and production are dynamic. Sam Cooke features a celestial backdrop (those lush, emotional strings and articulated brass), which further fuels his fire. Vocally, he oozes with soul. Every lyric he sings, you buy what he is selling, because of the authenticity and sincerity he brings. In the second verse, he speaks of how hard it is to live, yet, the fear of death – the unknown (“‘Cause I don’t know what’s up there / Beyond the sky”). Later, someone tells him not to hang around downtown, referencing the racism running rampant in the South at the time. The fourth and final verse is troubling, but timeless:

“Then I go to my brother

And I say, ‘Brother, help me please.’

But he winds up

Knockin’ me

Back down to my knees.”

Perhaps the context was different back in the 1960s, but as we know, history repeats itself. Despite all the bad things going on, Cooke is optimistic that change will happen, eventually. The chorus is the crème de la crème – the crowning achievement of this unforgettable masterpiece:

“It’s been a long

A long time comin’, but I know

A change gon’ come

Oh, yes, it will.”

No extensive analysis is necessary for “A Change Is Gonna Come”. It is one of the most important songs of the soul catalog, one of the best songs of the 1960s, and one of the greatest songs of all time. Yes, change has come, but more is needed to make the world a better place for all of its people.

Appears in 🔻:

Sam Cooke, A Change Is Gonna Come: Music Lifts No. 9 (2026)

~ Table of Contents ~ » ~ intro ~

15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; ABKCO Music & Records, Inc., Atlantic Recording Corporation, BMG Rights Management GmbH, Buckles Laboratories, LLC, Capitol, Columbia, Def Jam Recordings, Epic, EZMNY Records, FAX, Human Re Sources, ILH Production Co. LLC, Motown, RAYE, Republic, Sandy’s Boys, LLC, The Island Def Jam Music Group, Top Dawg Entertainment, UMG Recordings, Inc.; Khalifa Yahaya from Pexels; Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

15 Interesting Songs Where I-S is the Keyword | Playlist

Published by the musical hype on June 8, 2026June 8, 2026