Away | 5ive Songs

On the 12^th edition of 5ive Songs (2022), we select five songs that are associated with the word AWAY in some form or fashion.  

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elcome to 5ive Songs, where we keep things short and sweet – no extra calories or needless fluff! There’s a theme/topic, five songs, and a short blurb.  Yes, it’s a playlist, but it’s a miniature playlist that shouldn’t take much time to consume.  On the 12^th edition of 5ive Songs (2022), we select five songs that are associated with the word AWAY in some form or fashion.  Okay, let’s get into it!

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 1. Twenty one pilots, “Shy Away”

Scaled and Icy • Fueled by Ramen • 2021

Grammy-winning alternative duo twenty one pilots are back with their sixth studio album, Scaled and Icy.  In advance of the LP, Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun unveiled promo single, “Shy Away”.  Like so many of the band’s music of the past, there’s plenty to sink one’s teeth into on “Shy Away.”

Twenty one pilots keep things short and sweet on “Shy Away.” As always, the production is quite intriguing – sleek and well-rounded.  Given its rhythmic sound and quick pace, there’s no way to “Shy Away” from this record.  Joseph exudes ample personality as he performs.  As always, the theme and lyrics truly go a long way in making this a successful record. Here, Tyler encourages ditching the shyness and being unafraid to reach for dreams and ambition – shedding modest and reaching for the stars.

“Don’t you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)

Manifest a ceiling

When you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)

Searchin’ for that feelin’

Just like an ‘I love you’ (Ooh, ooh)

That isn’t words (Ooh, oooh)

Like a song he wrote, that’s never heard (Ah-ah-ah)

Don’t you…” 

Once more, twenty one pilots have truly tickled our fancy on “Shy Away.” Great vocals by Tyler, great production, and thoughtful, positive songwriting make this ‘S’ song a surefire winner.

Appears in :

• ‘S’ Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2

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2. Summer Walker, “Throw it Away”

Still Over It • LVRN / Interscope • 2021

“We reached a ceilin’ / I had a feelin’ / From the beginnin’ / Must be endin’.” Summer Walker perfectly captures the plight of love on “Throw it Away.”  The two-and-a-half-minute number graces her 2021 sophomore album, Still Over It.  Walker is upset by the way things went down, accepting responsibility that she shouldn’t. “Had me thinkin’ that I was average,” she sings in the pre-chorus, adding, “When you’re to blame.” Oh, snap!

After putting the blame where it deserves to go, Summer piles that sugar honey iced tea on him.  “How you gonna throw it away?” she asks in the chorus, later adding, “How you gonna make it so damn hard to explain?” She has a legitimate point! As “Throw it Away” progresses, Summer only gets angrier showing she’s truly Still Over It – all the BS that is! Walker is backed by a production team that includes London on da Track. #Winning!

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3. Berlin, “Take My Breath Away”

Count Three & Pray • UMG Recordings, Inc. • 1986

“Watching every motion in my foolish lover’s game / On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame…” American new wave collective Berlin are most renowned for one song: “Take My Breath Away.”  “Take My Breath Away” is the quintessential 80s record, and I dare you argue against that!  Recognizable from the opening tip thanks to those warm, colorful synths, Berlin never needed to record another song. Of course, they had other hits, but the former no. 1 hit is their most beloved, most requested song.

“Take My Breath Away” famously appears on the Top Gun soundtrack.  Notably, the song won an Oscar, rightfully so.  In addition to being the signature song from Top Gun, it also appears on the band’s 1986 album, Count Three & Pray.  The theme is an always relatable one: LOVE.  “Take my breath away / My love, take my breath away,” Terri Nunn sings elegantly on the simple yet unforgettable chorus.  “Take My Breath Away” was famously produced by Giorgio Moroder.  Worth noting, Jessica Simpson covers “Take My Breath Away” on her 2003 album, In This Skin.

Appears in :

• 13 Breathe Songs That Leave You Totally Breathless

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4. James Blake, “Put That Away and Talk to Me”

The Colour in Anything • Polydor • 2016

“Put that away and talk to me / I’m not the one with a fantasy / As lonely as you feel right now / Put that away and talk to me.” Alternative/electronic (and generally genre-bending) musician James Blake is one of the most creative artists in the music business – that’s NOT up for debate. Furthermore, he’s among the most distinct, with his unique vocals and his approach to production.  Among the best songs on his 2016 album, The Colour in Anything is “Put That Away and Talk to Me.”

“I’m in a waiting after every inhalation,” Blake sings on the second verse, continuing, “They’re keeping me full today / Where is my beautiful life?” Say what? “Put That Away and Talk to Me” is nothing short of a trip. That said, the ‘trip’ part is literal, considering Blake has admitted, the song is about smoking too much weed. Makes sense – the high seems to permeate.   The music is minimalist but brilliant, mysterious, and a bit trippy.  He embraces his falsetto, always a win, as well as autotune. All in all, his high is also high-flying for listeners everywhere.

Appears in :

• Small Talk + More Songs Worth Talking About

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5. Brian McKnight, “Every Time You Go Away”

Gemini • Motown • 2005

“Every time that I’m with you girl / Can’t believe you share my world / But it’s real,” Brian McKnight proclaims in “Every Time You Go Away.” “Every Time You Go Away” is a gem from McKnight’s 2005 album, Gemini, among his last to make some noise commercially.  On this ultra-smooth, grown-folks R&B ballad, McKnight expresses his dedication to her and doesn’t care what anybody else says: “See, I don’t give a damn / What my homies say / Don’t matter anyway / See I never felt this way before / You leave a brother wanting more.” Woo!

Of course, the centerpiece in “Every Time You Go Away” is the chorus which is magnificent.  McKnight sings expressively:

“I hate to see you go even though

I know when you’re coming back

It’s hard to breathe without you girl

And baby that’s a fact

I know sometimes you have to leave

But I wish that you could stay

Every time you go away.”

Wow, he’s infatuated with her! On the bridge, he goes on to express his feels, calling her “the sunshine of my day” and acknowledging, “You take a piece of me with you.” The best moment of the record are the closing iterations of the chorus, intact with soulful ad-libs by Brian. No reason to shy away from this gem!

Appears in :

• Brian McKnight, “Every Time You Go Away”: Throwback Vibez 25 (2022)

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Away: 5ive Songs No. 12 (2022) [: Brent Faulkner, Clovis Cheminot, Fueled By Ramen, Interscope, LVRN, Motown, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pixabay, Polydor, UMG Recordings, Inc.]

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