20 Great Songs All About Men! | Playlist

1.BROCKHAMPTON, “Man On The Moon”

TM • RCA • 2022 

In case you missed it, BROCKHAMPTON released their final two albums in 2022. Of the two projects released, TM had the least fanfare, spending just one week on the Billboard 200 (no. 100).  Yeah, it tanked, but there was one manly song that came from it: “Man On The Moon.” Ryan Beatty, an affiliate member of the now disbanded collective, sings in the chorus: “I wanna kiss the man on the moon / And I just gotta say, I love everybody here in this room / Touchin’ me, touchin’ you / If I had to be stuck with anyone, I’m so happy it’s you.” Is this a reference to Kid Cudi? Perhaps!

Kevin Abstract precedes Beatty on the intro, asserting, “Los Angeles, you’ve been too good to me,” acknowledging the significance of the city in the collective’s career.  Unlike The Family,  the Kevin Abstract-dominated album, his fellow members appear on TM.  On “Man On The Moon,” Matt Champion contributes on the verse (“I want you, through the clouds and the smoke”), with Joba dropping a repeated line on the bridge (“Get down on it, superstar”).  While there are sections on this record, it feels very free and nontraditional.  That appears to be by design.  The sound is quite interesting with the driving rhythms and effects-heavy vocals.  It definitely sounds like it was recorded on the moon. 

2. Azealia Banks, “Fuck Him All Night”

“Fuck Him All Night” • Chaos & Glory Recordings • 2021

“I was fucking him all night / I fuck him all ways / And fucking him on sight, bitch.” Holy $hi†! Azealia Banks has never been shy – UNDERSTATEMENT! While her outspokenness has often eclipsed her music career, she has some great records, including the blunt, unapologetic “Fuck Him All Night”. Sex is the modus operandi, period! The one-liners are endless, beginning with, “Yeah, I’ve been fucking him all night / I’ve been taking raw dick since 11.” Oh shit! It doesn’t stop there because this guy has “Got me [her] lock jawed, dick deep in my mouth.”  Furthermore, over the sketchy, slinky beat, produced by Galcher Lustwerk, she asserts, “‘Cause we can slut, we can fuck, we can dig in the guts / And we can suck to the nut if you ready to bust.” Also, she throws in cunnilingus for good measure: “He got a crush on me now, I got him spending his bucks / He wanna touch on my body while his tongue in my c.”

While it’s mostly X-rated sex, Banks does take the time to make it crystal clear she’s a ‘bad bitch’:

“All these bitches is zeroes, nill, nada, DeNiro

I’m high like Sharon Stone in Casino

I’m the don diva, all these bitches is small fries

When I come through, yes, all these bitches they gon’ hide.” 

Banks has always had a huge personality – bigger than life! That doesn’t fade in the least “Fuck Him All Night,” which is, fittingly, unapologetic. There’s sex, braggadocio, and terrific production work.

Appears in :

• Azealia Banks, “Fuck Him All Night”: After Dark No. 39 (2021)  
• 21 Songs About the Universal, 3-Letter Word, SEX
• 13 Ear-Catching Night Songs
• 15 More Songs, Clearly For Under Consent of the King

3.Billy Joel, “Piano Man”

Piano Man • Columbia • 1973

There is no possible way that any piano list would be complete without the most piano song of all – “Piano Man.”  This is an iconic song by an iconic musician, period.  Billy Joel is the definition of beast – in the most musical genius way possible! “Piano Man” appears as the second track on his 1973 album, also titled Piano Man.

The five-time Grammy Winner amazingly wasn’t awarded for arguably his most popular song – go figure.  Nonetheless, even approaching fifty years since it first arrived, “Piano Man” remains beloved.  What makes it so great? Terrific vocals by Joel, awesome piano playing, some harmonica, and of course, the songwriting itself.  Nothing shines more than the refrain:

“Sing us a song, you’re the piano man

Sing us a song tonight

Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody

And you’ve got us feeling alright.”

Appears in :

• Piano : 5ive Songs No. 18 (2021)
• 11 Stellar Songs That Reference The Piano

4.Todrick Hall, “Rainin’ Fellas”

FEMULINE • Todrick Hall / frtyfve • 2021

“Get your umbrellas, get your umbrellas / It’s raining fellas, it’s raining fellas.” Where is this happening, Todrick Hall? With “Rainin’ Fellas”  ( FEMULINE), Hall keeps things GAY AF.  A prime example of the gayness served up: “It’s raining dicks and ass, ass” on the pre-chorus.  Honestly, isn’t Hall’s weather report a lot more stimulating than the weather report on the local news?

There’s no cure for horniness like Hall’s forecast that proclaims, “It’s gon’ be raining all night / And I’m hoping it rains the kind of dudes that I like.” He later elaborates on what those dudes look like, with their “pecs and abs, abs.” Aside from the chorus, the most fun section of this bright, energetic LGBTQ+ ️‍ pop gem is the bridge:

“It’s raining thighs, tris, briefs and boxers

It’s raining fly guys, flight attendants and doctors

It’s raining feminine gentlemen, dripping down like a faucet

Yeah, these boys are coming out like the sky was the closet.”

Adding fuel to the fire is an unapologetically gay music video , including cross-dressing, makeup, and ample skin. Woo!

Appears in :

• Todrick Hall, “Rainin’ Fellas”: After Dark No. 20 (2021)
• Queer Joy: 5ive Songs No. 82 (2021)
• 15 Gay Anthems That Exude Joy (Vo1. 1)

5. Whitney Houston, “All the Man That I Need”

I’m Your Baby Tonight • Arista • 1990

“And in the evening / When the moon is high / He holds me close and won’t let go / He won’t let go.” The late, great  Whitney Houston had a knack for covers.  Her most famous cover was  “I Will Always Love You” with  “The Greatest Love of All” in the mix as well.  However, on her 1990 album,  I’m Your Baby Tonight, the Grammy-winning singer also did wonders with another cover and no. 1 hit,  “All the Man That I Need”. “All the Man That I Need” was written by  Dean Pitchford and  Michael Gore and originally recorded by  Linda Clifford in 1982.  Also, prior to the iconic Houston version,  Sister Sledge recorded it as the penultimate track on their 1982 album,  The Sisters.  Ultimately, despite being a cover, Houston’s recording has become the definitive version.  Prior to researching “All the Man That I Need,” aside from a Luther Vandross reinterpretation ( “All the Woman I Need” from  Songs), it was the only version of the song I’d heard.

Basically, everything that Whitney touched in her heyday turned into gold.  “All the Man That I Need” never ignited the charts until she anointed the track.  The big takeaway is that Houston made this non-original sound completely original.  The authenticity is a big selling point, as you buy what Houston is selling regarding love:

“He fills me up
He gives me love
More love than I’ve ever seen
He’s all I got
He’s all I got in this world
But he’s all the man I need.”

The chorus is the crowning achievement, particularly post-saxophone solo (courtesy of  Kenny G!).  We get a dramatic key change, and those signature, indescribable Houston ad-libs.  Her voice soars effortlessly, supported by marvelous backing vocals.  Also, the lush, warm production work cannot be denied ( Narada Michael Walden). 

Appears in :

• Whitney Houston, “All the Man That I Need”: Throwback Vibez  No. 6 (2021)

6. Disco People, “It’s Snowing Men”

It’s Snowing in Key West • Essential Media Group LLC • 2021

Gays (+ and straight allies) everywhere received a new favorite Christmas song, courtesy of Disco People: “It’s Snowing Men”! “It’s Snowing Men” is novel, tongue-in-cheek, and ‘campy’ as you might expect. The collective serves up an outlandish, head-shakable, but irresistibly G-A-Y holiday gem. “It’s Snowing Men” appears on the collective’s 2021 album, It’s Snowing in Key West.

The premise of “It’s Snowing Men” is rather than snowing snowflakes, men are snowing down from the heavens.  Hmm, sounds like it’s adapted from a beloved, gay classic, “It’s Raining Men”! Yah, pretty much: “It’s snowing men, hallelujah / It’s snowing men.” Of course, there’s encouragement for this precipitation, with lines like, “Let it fall down now” and “Ooh, I’ve gotta have one.”  Hey, can’t knock their lust! Perhaps the best lines are as follows:

“Sexy men, sexy men, everywhere falling

Reindeers, reindeers everybody’s calling

Santa’s dropping presents

Bet you I’m gonna catch me one.”

Those presents, of course, have big muscles and, presumably, BDE. “It’s Snowing Men” is meant to be fun, and of course, unapologetically gay. The liberation is easily perceptible and hey, I’m here for it!  You’ll want to bump this novel Christmas song well into the winter, and of course, hope those snowflakes really do turn into a legit hunk, LMAO!

Appears in :

• Disco People, “It’s Snowing Men”: LGBTQ Bopz 10 (2021)
• 13 Merry Christmas Gems (Newer & Older)

7. Lorde, “The Man with the Axe”

Solar Power • Universal Music New Zealand Limited • 2021 

 Lorde has made quite the name for herself.  She won the Grammy for Record of the Year for her no. 1 hit, “Royals” as a teenager.  Her sophomore album, Melodrama (2017), was one of the best of the decade.  As for her 2021 comeback LP, Solar Power, it received mixed reviews.  Ultimately, I found it to be pleasant with a few elite moments.

“You felled me clean as a pine

The man with the axe and the look in his eyes

We’ve been through so many hard times

I’m writin’ a love song for you, baby.”

On the ‘manly’ song at hand, “The Man with the Axe,” Lorde sounds particularly raspy, residing in her lower register.  Her voice is an instrument that’s an acquired taste. She’s no ‘powerhouse,’ but I honestly like the aesthetic she gives here.  Adding to the timbre, there are harmonized vocals, used sparingly.  As far as the backdrop (O’Connor, Jack Antonoff, and Malay), it floats, never growing too high.  By the end, there’s some contrast and a bit more oomph, smart considering this fine track also feels the slightest bit too chill and casual.  Lyrically, there are some alluring moments, fitting her artistic lane.

8. 21 Savage & Metro Boomin, “Many Men”

 Savage Mode II • Epic • 2020

“When there’s smoke, we pull our stickies and they call the PD / Many men wanna kill me, dawg, I feel like 50…” If parts of  “Many Men” sounds familiar, that’s because this  21 Savage &  Metro Boomin song samples the  50 Cent standout from his  Get Rich or Die Tryin’ days (2003). Like the original, the Grammy-winning rapper brings the heat, remaining edgy as he has throughout his 2020 album,  Savage Mode II.

21 Savage delivers a quicker flow compared to much of Savage Mode II.  That said, “Many Men” is very much in the wheelhouse of southern hip-hop, trap, and ATL sound (regardless of if 21 was born overseas). Worth noting, Academy Award winner actor  Morgan Freeman, who appears throughout Savage Mode II, appears once more on the outro of “Many Men” (“The evil man envies the good in others / What this means is all hatred is really born from hatred of self”).

Appears in :

• Man/Men: 5ive Songs No. 58 (2020)

9. Tammy Wynette, “Stand By Your Man”

Stand by Your Man • Sony BMG Music Entertainment • 1968

“Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman / Giving all your love to just one man / You’ll have bad times / And he’ll have good times.” Hmm, somehow, that seems unfair – just saying! Can one of the greatest country songs of all time also be controversial? Why, of course, it can! Tammy Wynette deservingly won a Grammy Award for the classic, “Stand by Your Man”.  Wynette wrote “Stand by Your Man” alongside Billy Sherrill, who also produced the record.  Still, this gorgeous, lushly produced, dedicated tune to one’s man raises some eyebrows.

Is “Stand by Your Man” intended to be controversial? No, but even when it was released in 1968 ( Stand by Your Man), some considered antifeminist and certainly not progressive to women’s liberation.  Makes sense, considering how Wynette seems to suggest women should ‘stand by their man’ even when he’s a dog, lol:

“But if you love him

You’ll forgive him

Even though he’s hard to understand

And if you love him

Oh, be proud of him

‘Cause after all, he’s just a man.”

Wow! Why should a man get a pass because he’s a man? Why should a woman accept any and everything from a man? Clearly, in the 2020s, “Stand by Your Man” wouldn’t fly, nor should it. Wynette has made it clear she wasn’t trying to be political, though is it shocking that a record like this one comes off as such? We should acknowledge this record as one of the greatest, most memorable country songs of all time but also acknowledge that hopefully, most of us have moved beyond the idea that women should “take one for the team” and allow their men to do any and everything and expect forgiveness.  Women shouldn’t be complacent.

Appears in :

• Tammy Wynette, “Stand by Your Man”: Controversial Tunes 9 (2022)

10. Trivium, “What the Dead Men Say”

What the Dead Men Say • Roadrunner • 2020

“What the dead men say / It’s just between us / What the dead men say / You can’t let go.” Okay… Metal collective Trivium isn’t new to the game.  The Florida band was formed back in 2000 – two decades ago as of the publication date.  Say ‘what!’ What the Dead Men Say, released at the end of April 2020, marks their ninth LP.  Fittingly, the title track graces this masculine, manly playlist!

“I’m calling out to you, can you hear me / Numb and disconnected, just beyond your sight / I’m not myself anymore / But I’m not alone.”  The dark “What the Dead Men Say” arrives as the second track on the album.  Of the song, Paolo Gregoletto tells Kerrang on the track-by-track guide that it was inspired by a book inspired by an article of the same title as the song, as well as in-between states, death, and grieving.  Even with so many inspirations, Gregoletto makes it clear, “I don’t think that’s one hundred percent exactly what this song means, but I want people to be in that mindset and know about some things that inspired it.” The lyrics seem to confirm Gregoletto’s various inspirations.  Such is obvious in the second verse when lead vocalist/guitarist Matt Heafy sings, “I’m waiting for a sign of life / And I can’t let go.”  Musically, “What the Dead Men Say” is about as infernal as you’d expect – angular, athletic, jagged, distorted guitar lines, prominent bass, and heavy, pummeling drums serve as an epic soundtrack.

Appears in :

• A Playlist Comprised of 13 ‘What’ Songs
• Trivium, “What the Dead Men Say”: Mad Monday

11. Taylor Swift, “The Man”

 Lover • Taylor Swift • 2019

“I’d be a fearless leader / I’d be an alpha type / When everyone believes ya / What’s that like?” Contextually, on her 2019 album,  Lover,  Taylor Swift follows the slower title track with the quicker, personality laden,  “The Man.”  She approaches the song from the perspective of ‘the man’ quite effectively.  Considering this compendium is all about men , “The Man” is a perfect fit!

Naturally, this approach allows her to highlight the issue of gender inequality, even if it’s packaged as a commercial, hella fun pop song.  “I’m so sick of running as fast as I can,” she sings in the chorus. She continues, “Wondering if I’d get there quicker if I was a man.” Food for thought, indeed!

Appears in :

• Man/Men: 5ive Songs No. 58 (2020)

12. Alice in Chains, “Man in the Box”

Facelift • Sony Music Entertainment • 1990

“I’m the man in the box / Buried in my shit.” Woo, that’s some statement  Layne Staley makes on “Man in the Box”! It’s a key statement on a song that seems to have multiple meanings, depending on whom you ask.  Staley was a brilliant frontman for the Seattle grunge band  Alice in Chains. Sadly, he’d succumb to a drug overdose at just 34 years old in 2002.  Nonetheless, Layne left his mark on this 1990 Grammy-nominated record purportedly about censorship… or drug addiction… or being boxed-in…

 “Rooster” remains my favorite AIC record but “Man in the Box” is clearly in the mix.  The band is in top-notch form – it marks their debut single from their debut album!  Revisiting being the “man in the box,” by the pre-chorus, Staley asks to be saved.  Saved from what? Well, that’s debatable and again, depending on who you ask, a source of controversy.  Worth noting, Staley is backed by guitarist/co-songwriter  Jerry Cantrell on the oft-analyzed chorus:

“Feed my eyes
Can you sew them shut?
Jesus Christ
Deny your maker
He who tries
Will be wasted
Feed my eyes
Now you’ve sewn them shut.”

Cantrell, interestingly, contradicts/offers the opposite of Staley, which is part of the charm of the record. The “feed your eyes…sew them shut” lyrics speak to the censorship angle.  Of course, it can also be interpreted to mean other things as everyone seems to have an opinion on this song. The second verse returns with more “shit,” censored on some versions of this classic (That’s some shit right there). While outlandishness earns “Man in the Box” the most attention, we should be talking about that rad Jerry Cantrell solo. Woo!

Appears in :

• Don’t BOX Yourself in With These 13 Songs
• Alice in Chains, “Man in the Box”: Outlandish Rock  4 (2021)

13. Juice WRLD, “Man of the Year”

 Legends Never Die • Interscope • 2020

“MAN of the year, still got problems / Lookin’ in the mirror, you look awful / Talkin’ to myself, do it too often / JK, Juice WRLD, you’re so awesome.” Even though  Juice WRLD is no longer with us, his music and his spirit live on, particularly with his 2020 posthumous album,  Legends Never Die.  “Man of the Year” appears late on the album, the 21st track to be precise.

“Man of the Year” falls under the umbrella of hip-hop, albeit via pop-punk.  Not every artist could pull off this sound, but I’m not the least bit surprised it works for Juice.

“Let’s raise our hands, let’s sing and dance

I know I’m here to save you, I know I’m here to save you

Let’s raise our hands and sing and dance

I know my lyrics saved you, I know I helped your breakthrough.”

Appears in :

• Man/Men: 5ive Songs No. 58 (2020)

14. The Weather Girls, “It’s Raining Men”

Success • CBS • 1982

“It’s raining men! Hallelujah! / It’s raining men! Amen!” HALLELUJAH !!!  Maybe it’s blasphemous – pretty sure it is – but “Picture it…” Sophia Petrillo ( Golden Girls)!!! F**k that rain! Imagine that chiseled, hunky men are falling from the skies – a gift from heaven – just ready to be “Boo’d Up” with various “Prospects”? Oh, the joystick action! Now that you’ve been properly stimulated and titillated, you can see why The Weather Girls’ “It’s Raining Men” is considered an iconic, joyful gay anthem based on its infectious, lustful chorus!

Long before Todrick Hall informed us “It’s raining fellas, it’s raining fellas” – those Weather Girls ( Izora Armstead and Martha Wash) gave us that legendary forecast in 1982. A Success? Well, surprisingly only moderately to the tune of no. 46 on the Billboard Hot 100, but hey, the charts had to be hating on this surefire post-disco bop, penned by Paul Jabara and Paul Shaffer (yes, that Paul Shaffer) back then!

“God bless Mother Nature, she’s a single woman too

She took off to heaven and she did what she had to do

She taught every angel

She rearranged the sky

So that each and every woman could find her perfect guy.”

Perhaps Mother Nature is a single woman, but she could be anybody these days, and with how beloved “It’s Raining Men” is within the gay community, I’m not so sure Mother Nature isn’t a member of the LGBTQ+ community! Regardless, with “Humidity… rising” and “barometer’s getting low,” “For the first time in history / It’s gonna start raining men.” To that, again I say, HALLELUJAH !!!

Appears in :

• The Weather Girls, “It’s Raining Men”: LGBTQ Bopz 7 (2021)
• 15 Gay Anthems That Exude Joy (Vo1. 1)
• 13 Songs Where, When It Rains It Pours (Pt II)

15. Ozzy Osbourne, “Ordinary Man” (Ft. Elton John)

Ordinary Man •  Epic • 2020

“Yes, I’ve been a bad guy, been higher than the blue sky / And the truth is, I don’t wanna die an ordinary man.” “Ordinary Man” ( Ordinary Man), is quite an elite pop/rock record. As the chorus suggests, British metal icon Ozzy Osbourne reflects on his life. Specifically, he focuses on fame, regrets, and mistakes, and being in a better place now that he’s older and wiser.  “I was unprepared for fame then everybody knew my name,” he sings on the first verse, continuing, “No more lonely nights, it’s all for you.”

Featured guest Elton John also reflects on the rock-star life, singing with strength in the second verse. Vocally, and lyrically, both men sound fantastic.  The chorus soars.  Beyond the vocals and songwriting, the production ( Andrew Watt and Tom Herbert) – the music itself – is superb.  Between the final two chorus, there’s an idiomatic guitar solo ( Slash), that hearkens back to the 70s/80s.  Maybe more impressively, there are STRINGS, as well as a CHOIR! These amplify the sound and the overall impact making it a truly epic affair. Osbourne may be past his prime, but man, does he sound awesome at 71.

Appears in :

• 51 Best Songs of 2020 (So Far): Year in Review
• Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: January 2020
• 100 BEST SONGS OF 2020

16.Ian Abel, “Right Hand Man”  

“Right Hand Man” • Ian Janer • 2022 

“I’ve got my eyes on you / You twinky little ginger…” Wow! It doesn’t take long for Ian Abel to express his desires on “Right Hand Man”.  The lust is clear from the start: “The way you wear your shirt so snug / That bubble butt, those nipple studs / That supple chest, those chestnut eyes…” So, are you titillated yet? It’s safe to say on this slickly produced gem ( Carey Clayton) that Abel is true to self and unafraid to be unapologetically G-A-Y.   

Of course, unfortunately, the man Abel is crushing on isn’t waiting for him, dang it! “How could you know that he was waiting patiently / For someone else.” Ah, what a bummer! Despite the fact Abel isn’t able to attain the twinky little ginger that caught his eye, he can fantasize nonetheless, hence why he sings, “But you can use your right hand, man / When you’re on your own tonight.” Woo! Similarly, in the second verse, Abel knows that the love connection won’t happen, but he can’t get past it: “But that look in his eyes has gotta be torture / Based on the way you’re bustin’ out of those shorts.” Jesus! Another lyrical highlight occurs on the bridge, where there is a distinct separation between the verses and the chorus.  Abel is incredibly playful and sassy during this section:  

“Sure, I like to watch and sure he likes to play  

And ‘boys will be boys’ is not just a cliché  

But hands off bitch, ‘cause not today, no  

Who invited you anyway?” 

The theme and lyrics of “Right Hand Man” are the biggest draw.  Still, the production is incredibly slick with gorgeous, rhythmic strings, warm synths, and a strong beat. Abel sings those marvelous lyrics sings beautifully. “Right Hand Man” is relatable, regardless of your sexuality. We’ve all crushed on someone whom we couldn’t have but were free to fantasize about.    

Appears in :   

• Ian Abel, “Right Hand Man”: After Dark No. 73 (2022) 
• 15 Steamy Songs Best Listened to After Dark, Vol. 3  
• 14 Exceptional LGBTQ Songs from 2022

17. Jonas Brothers, “What a Man Gotta Do”

“What a Man Gotta Do” • Republic • 2020

Jonas Brothers ( Nick Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Kevin Jonas) remained on track in 2020 with their infectious 2020 B-O-P, “What a Man Gotta Do”. “What a Man Gotta Do” commences with intense, rhythmic guitar, setting the assertive tone of the record.  This is a nice lead-in and accompanying backdrop for Nick’s commanding lead vocals.  In both verses, he gives us a nice blend of chest vocals, as well as a dash of falsetto. Joe gets his vocal opportunities on the chorus, the centerpiece, best described as incredibly catchy and filled with attitude and energy.

As “What a Man Gotta Do” progresses, it only grows more soulful.  When both Nick and Joe sing together it’s sweet.  Of course, they owe plenty of love to their co-writers ( Dave Stewart, Jess Agombar, and Ryan Tedder), as well as producers (Stewart and Tedder) for conceiving such a fun, energetic, and irresistible piece of pop music. Hate on the bros if you want, but you won’t be able to get “What a Man Gotta Do” unstuck out of your head.

Appears in :

• Awesome Songs: January 2020
• 13 Splendid Songs Where the Men Ask Questions
• 51 Best Songs of 2020 (So Far): Year in Review
• 100 BEST SONGS OF 2020
• 13 Totally Ear Catching WHAT Songs

18. Fries On The Side, “Men Are Hot”

“Men Are Hot” • Fries On The Side • 2019

“I like women for sure / But yet I’m unsure / Tits really aren’t that great / They have no allure but.” Wow – we can see where “Men Are Hot” is going! Essentially, on this 2019 single, Fries On The Side explore sexuality, switching sides from women to those hot men, temporarily (check out the outro).  In the first verse, it is all about convincing himself he likes women – he’s not, you know, GAY (that internalized homophobia piece).  Still, by the chorus, he admits, “Men look just a bit hot / And I might suck a cock /… Being straight is alright / But I might end up bi / Cause I kinda feel like butt-fucking a guy.” Wow…

The important thing is when it comes to this Fries On The Side song is to take it with a grain of salt. It is intended to be comical and of course, shocking. That said, the other side of things is, we must remember that there are people who struggle with their sexuality each and every day. That is no joke.  Continuing in this sus song, the listener is informed of the erection (“I know it was just a thought / But I’m hard as a rock”), admission “My sexuality’s an area grey,” and of course a gay sex sound effect.  There is, of course, more TMI as he asserts, “Here I am deep in a guy / Not questioning why.”  I guess the positive is, “I’m no longer afraid / I’ll fuck whatever sex as long as I get laid.” Well, positive with safety, of course!

19. The Jackson Southernaires, “Don’t Look Down on a Man,” 

Greatest Hits • Malaco • 1985 

“Don’t look down on a man / Don’t look down on a man / Don’t look down on a man / Oh no!” The Jackson Southernaires has a legitimate, prudent point on  “Don’t Look Down on a Man,” one of their most renowned songs.  This highlight from  Greatest Hits (1985) shows tremendous musicianship from the high-flying vocals (including harmonies), the radiant production, and the thoughtful songwriting.  “Don’t Look Down on a Man” is a gospel record penned by  Frank Williams,  Huey Williams, and  Luther Jennings.  Worth noting, the record doesn’t focus on Christ explicitly, but rather, living Christ-like.

The Jackson Southernaires emphasizes living humbly and helping your fellow man. “The only time that you / Should look down on a man,” they sing in key instance, “is when you’re picking him up.”  True, because so many times, those of us who have more than someone else are quick to judge, and that’s messed up.  The group makes a stellar point when they reference how things change on a dime: “One day your life may be filled with happiness / And the next day with so much sorrow.”  That, my friends, is life.  One of the most moving lyrics occurs on the bridge, where self-examination is rightfully promoted:

“You should go to the mirror

And take a good look at yourself

And then, you will see that

You are no, better than nobody else.”

“Don’t Look Down on a Man” is a prime example of a spiritual refresh song that should appeal to any and everyone.  This is about doing the right thing.  For Christians, that’s exemplifying the lifestyles.  For non-Christians, the message this gospel collective presents is about morality and being the best, caring, and empathetic person, you can be.  Powerful, soul stirring message.

Appears in :

• The Jackson Southernaires, “Don’t Look Down on a Man”: Sunday Refresh 20 (2021)

20. Ray Charles, “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”

A Message From The People • Tangerine • 1972

“What good is the sun if there is no sky above?” That is a legitimate question that Ray Charles asks on “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”.  The legendary, Grammy-winning musician continues to inquire in the first verse of this gem from   A Message From The People (1972), “Why should the rivers flow? / Why should a candle glow?” So, what is Charles’ point on this Sadye Shepard-penned classic? Unity and the dysfunction caused by the lack of it.  As the chorus and titular lyric, performed by a gorgeous, lush choir, “Ah, ah, ah, there’ll be no peace without all men as one.”

Throughout the rest of the verses, Charles continues with hypothetical questions, all of which feel authentic and legitimate.  In the second verse, he’s concerned with the state of nature – leaves, trees, and flowers – all referring back to the idea of humankind not getting right and being on one accord.  Similarly, in the third verse, he’s worried about a lack of songs, bells ringing, and even day.  Worth noting, he delivers a ripe falsetto by the end of this verse, driving his transcendent point home.  Essentially, with Shepard’s poetic pen, and a marvelous arrangement courtesy of Sid Fuller, Quincy Jones, and Mike Post, Charles implores us to be better people who work together.  Sadly, Charles’ call to action still falls far too often on deaf ears.  The world is an incredibly polarized place and yet if we’d only entertain Charles’ petition for peace and unity, wouldn’t we be in a better place? If nothing else, “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One” offers up prudent food for thought.  Furthermore, it’s a radiant, radiant classic from a truly iconic, one-in-a-lifetime musician.

Appears in :

• Ray Charles, “There’ll Be No Peace Without All Men as One”: Music Lifts 35 (2022)
• 13 Captivating Songs About Peace or Piece(s)