Break | 5ive Songs

In the 38^th edition of 5ive Songs (2022), we select five songs that are associated with BREAK in some form or fashion.  

Welcome 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.  In the 38^th edition of 5ive Songs (2022), we select five songs that are associated with BREAK  in some form or fashion.  Okay, let’s get into it!

1. Beyoncé, “Break My Soul”

💿 RENAISSANCE • 🏷 Parkwood Entertainment LLC / Columbia • 🗓 2022

After six long years, the most awarded woman in 🏆 Grammy history, 🎙 Beyoncé, began her 💿 RENAISSANCE 🤘. She gets off to an electrifying start with 🎵 “Break My Soul”, which features no shortage of writers including  🎼 ✍ Terius The-Dream Nash and 🎼 ✍ Christopher “Tricky” Stewart, who also produce. The boisterous intro by 🎙 Big Freedia gets you hyped for what’s to come (sampling 🎵 “Explode” from 2014). “Break My Soul” establishes itself as a house-driven pop/R&B joint, contrasting what Beyoncé has served up in the past. It’s a positive thing.

The record features an infectious, danceable groove, led by beloved, archetypical house keys, bass synth, and beat. Beyoncé produces alongside The-Dream and Tricky, who kill it. Lyrically, “Break My Soul” features its fair share of inspirational lyrics, including the titular lyric – “You won’t break my soul” – as well as exudes confidence. (“Motivation / I’m lookin’ for a new foundation, yeah / And I’m on that new vibration / I’m buildin’ my own foundation, yeah / Hold up, oh, baby, baby”). Besides singing, Beyoncé also serves up a rapped verse, keeping things interesting.  Furthermore, can’t fail to mention those lovely, harmonized backing vocals, sigh – such a V-I-B-E!  Honestly, there’s lots to heart on this bop, ready-made for summer!

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: June 2022

2. Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”

💿 Chain Breaker • 🏷 Provident / Sony Music Entertainment • 📅 2017

Sometimes, we all need inspiration – a pick me up.  What better than a little J-E-S-U-S? No, not a little J-E-S-U-S, but a great big, awesome, omniscient JESUS! No false idols here, but a legitimate 🎵 “Chain Breaker”.  That’s what Christian rock singer 🎙 Zach Williams gives us on the title track from his 2017 album, 💿 Chain Breaker.   

“If you’ve got pain, He’s a pain taker

If you feel lost, He’s a way maker

If you need freedom or saving, He’s a prison-shaking Savior

If you got chains, He’s a chain breaker.”

Zach Williams offers encouragement on this rousing, well-put-together CCM joint.  He wrote “Chain Breaker” with 🎼 ✍ Jonathan Smith and 🎼 ✍ Mia Fieldes.  Lyrically, the team does a fine job of leading those discouraged or lost to ‘The Great I Am.’  Musically, the dynamic, exuberant sounds don’t hurt either – piano, organ, guitar, drums, choral backing vocals.  Even if you’re not a believer, or more casual when it comes to spiritual matters, you might dig this one 😜.

Appears in 🔻:

• Zach Williams, “Chain Breaker”: Sunday Refresh 🙏 3 (2021)
• 11 Intriguing Songs Associated with Chains ⛓
• 13 More Songs That Provide That Spiritual Refresh

3. Lizzo, “Break Up Twice”

💿 Special • 🏷  Nice Life / Atlantic • 🗓 2022

🎵 “Break Up Twice” samples the beloved 🎙 Lauryn Hill no. 1 hit, 🎵 “Doo Wop (That Thing)” and 🎵 “Private Number” by 🎙 Judy Clay and 🎙 William Bell.  “Break Up Twice” is one of the most soulful numbers on 💿 Special, the sophomore album by 🏆 Grammy-winning pop standout, 🎙 Lizzo. Yes,  Lizzo is, indeed, “the whole damn meal!” Woo!

It’s not surprising, with 🎛 Ricky Reed and 🎛 Mark Ronson behind the boards, two producers who do a fine job integrating retro elements.  Thematically, Lizzo sings about love taking time, and a willingness to work things out. That said, she also gives a clear warning to that boy that wants a second chance: “‘Cause, boy, you know me better / You know me so much better / You know that I don’t break up twice.” Better heed her warning!

4. Dua Lipa, “Break My Heart”

💿 Future Nostalgia • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2020

“I wonder, when you go, if I stay on your mind / Two can play that game, but you win me every time.” 🎵 “Break My Heart” ranks among the best of the best gracing 💿 Future Nostalgia, the stellar,  🏆 Grammy-winning pop album by English pop star,  🎙 Dua Lipa. “Break My Heart” is fueled by an 🎙 INXS sample, 🎵 “Need You Tonight”.  Furthermore, Dua Lipa works with an elite production team (🎛 Watt and 🎛 The Monsters and Strangerz) who helps her to #slay.

How does Dua slay, you ask? With her attitude, feistiness, and sassiness – WOO! In the chorus, she asserts:

“I would’ve stayed at home

‘Cause I was doing better alone

But when you said, ‘Hello’

I knew that was the end of it all.”

Ultimately, she asks herself at the end of the chorus, “Am I feeling in love with the one that could break my heart?” Seems like that’s the case, Dua.  Regardless, she says herself, “Everyone before you was a waste of time / Yeah, you got me.” The infatuation is lit 🔥.

5. Ricky Dillard, “Breakthrough”

💿 Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live) • 🏷 Motown Gospel • 📅 2022

“Breakthrough, breakthrough / And my faith is in You God / ‘Cause you’re all I’ve got / I’m trusting, and I’m believing You.”  Now that is a good, inspiring, and uplifting word! Amen 👏 🙌! Indeed, on the 🎙 Ricky Dillard gem 🎵 “Breakthrough” (penned by 🎼✍ Zebulon Ellis), the spiritual refresh is lit 🔥!  On “Breakthrough,” the title track from his 2022 live album, 💿 Breakthrough: The Exodus (Live), Dillard is not only joined by his anointed choir, but also by the powerful pipes of 🎙 D’Shondra.  After Dillard and the choir set the tone, D’Shondra takes the reins in the second half of the song, singing with incredible authenticity, touting the mercifulness of the Lord.

The message is loud and clear on “Breakthrough.” God is all-knowing, all-powerful, and can do all things.  If you are in need and in search of your breakthrough, you should look to Him – put your faith and trust in Him.  This simple yet rousing number does an awesome job of highlighting this.  Besides the moving lyrics and anointed vocals, we also get marvelous music.  What about those modulations? What about the harmonic progressions fueling the fire? After listening to 🎵 “Breakthrough”, how could you NOT want to break through? Blessings upon blessings 🙏!

Appears in 🔻:

• Ricky Dillard, “Breakthrough”: Sunday Refresh 🙏 3 (2022)
• Awesome Songs: January 2022

Break: 5ive Songs No. 38 (2022) [📷: Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Clovis Cheminot, Columbia, (El Caminante) from Pixabay, Motown Gospel, The Musical Hype, Nice Life, OpenClipart-Vectors, Parkwood Entertainment, Pixabay, Provident, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner]