Adele | 3 or 4 BOPS

On the 1^st edition of 3 or 4 BOPS (2022), we select four of the greatest songs from the award-winning British pop star, Adele.

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h, sometimes it’s better to keep things lite on the fat and calories ! That’s the goal of the miniature playlists gracing The Musical Hype.  On 3 or 4 BOPS, we select a topic or theme, choose three or four relevant songs, and provide a lit , electrifying blurb.  3 or 4 BOPS shouldn’t take too much time to consume – typically 5 minutes or less! On the 1^st edition of 3 or 4 BOPS, we select four of the greatest songs from the award-winning British pop star, Adele.  Without further ado, let the BOPS begin!

 

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1. Adele, “Chasing Pavements”

19 • XL Recordings • 2008 

“I’ve made up my mind / Don’t need to think it over / If I’m wrong, I am right / Don’t need to look no further/ This ain’t lust, I know this is love.” Oh, “Chasing Pavements” – the gem that kickstarted an incredible, award-winning career for Adele! When examining the greatest hits by the British singer/songwriter, it starts with this standout from 19 (2008), penned by Adele and Eg White, who also produces.  White gives Ms. Adkins a marvelous, lush, and soulful backdrop to sing over.

So, what’s the premise of the record? Adele is in love (or convinced that she is), but pursuing this love seems to be going nowhere. Damn, that’s rough! On the chorus, she asks herself, “Should I give up, or should I just keep chasing pavements / Even if it leads nowhere?” In other words, would it be best that she moves on, potentially finds the ripe love somewhere down the line, or should she keep pursuing this love, which is going nowhere.  This is a case of “the heart wants what it wants” but again, despite her pursuits, all she’s been doing is chasing them pavements. Hey – at least she got a couple of Grammys out of it, right?

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2. Adele, “Rolling in the Deep”

25 • XL Recordings • 2011

Nine words: “We could have had it all / Rolling in the Deep.” Adele had already garnered buzz with her debut album, 19, which earned her first two Grammy wins.  That said, “Rolling in the Deep” from 21 had a much bigger impact than “Chasing Pavements” could’ve ever hoped for (and “Chasing Pavements” was quite underrated BTW).  “Rolling in the Deep” was a ubiquitous number one hit – a crossover masterpiece.

Where style is concerned, “Rolling in the Deep” fuses pop, soul, gospel, and retro superbly. Adele herself describes it as “gospel disco.” The minute I heard it I knew she had a surefire winner on her hands.  In addition to powerhouse vocals and awesome production, the theme and songwriting are top-notch.  Basically, her man wronged her, she’s done with him, and there’s going to be hell pay – “You’re gonna wish you – never had met me.”  No surprise that “Rolling in the Deep” won four Grammys by itself (including Record and Song of the Year), in addition to 21 winning two, most notably Album of the Year.

Also appears on :
13 Deep Songs Where the Depth is Real
Roll: 3BOPS No. 52 (2021)

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3. Adele, “Hello”

21 • Columbia • 2015

Six years before being advised to take it “Easy on Me”, Adele greeted us with “Hello”, written alongside Greg Kurstin. “Hello, it’s me / I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet…”  After a four-year hiatus, the Academy Award and Grammy-winning British pop singer/songwriter made an emotional, ‘pitch-perfect’ return. Among the saddest songs released in 2015, “Hello” managed to make everybody happy as the promo single from her second Album of the Year winner, 25.

“Hello, can you hear me? / I’m in California dreaming about who we used to be.” Sigh, “Hello” is an outstanding ballad in all facets tailor made for the soulful pop diva. The vulnerability and relatable nature of the songwriting plays a crucial role in its overall success.  Adele reflects on the past – specifically a relationship – examining her mistakes and trying to atone for them.   Furthermore, her performance is elite, showcasing incredible musicianship through those vocal chops. The verses are restrained and more poised while the chorus is emotional and gargantuan – where her bread is buttered.  That tuneful, sing-along chorus latches the first time you hear it:

“Hello from the other side

I must’ve called a thousand times

To tell you I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done

But when I call, you never seem to be home

Hello from the outside

At least, I can say that I’ve tried

To tell you I’m sorry for breaking your heart

But it don’t matter, it clearly doesn’t tear you apart anymore.”

“Hello” is sheer excellence exemplified – a shoo-in for Record and Song of the Year.  Even if she didn’t take substantial risks on “Hello,” she didn’t need to.  Hard to imagine someone successfully taking the ‘definitive’ status of this dominant hit away from her – FACTS!

Also Appears On :
Adele vs. Joe: Head 2 Head No. 33 (2021)

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4. Adele, “To Be Loved”

30 • Melted Stone / Columbia • 2021

One of the most emotional songs from 30, the fourth studio album by Academy and Grammy Award winner, Adele, is also among the crème de la crème: “To Be Loved.”  “I’m so afraid, but I’m wide open,” Adele sings vulnerably on the second verse, continuing, “I’ll be the one to catch myself this time.” Throughout the lengthy record, she reflects on the hardship of love and the number that it did on her.

 

“To Be Loved,” a ballad, is simple, accompanied by piano, but grows grander as her voice ascends (belts).  As this stunning record progresses, you feel every ounce of emotion she experiences.  The final chorus is the strongest, with the combination of high-flying vocals and gut-wrenching, heart-driven lyrics hitting the hardest:

“To be loved and love at the highest count

Means to lose all the things I can’t live without

Let it be known, known, know

That I will choose, I will lose

It’s a sacrifice, but I can’t live a lie

Let it be known,

Let it be known that I tried, that I tried

Let it be known that I tried.”

Also Appears On :
Best Songs of 2021: Top 20

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Adele: 3 or 4 Bops No. 1 (2022) [: Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Melted Stone, The Musical Hype, Wilson Blanco from Pixabay, XL Recordings]

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