Girl 👧 | 5ive Songs

1. Megan Thee Stallion, “Girls in the Hood”

🎵 “Girls in the Hood” • 🏷 300 Entertainment • 🗓 2020

“Fuck bein’ good, I’m a bad bitch…” Ah 🎵 “Girls in the Hood” – another successful banger from the ever unapologetic 🎙 Megan The Stallion. “Girls in the Hood” is short but sweet, featuring fine production work from Illadaproducer and Scott Storch, including some old-school hip-hop cues coupled with a modern, hard-hitting beat. The biggest reason for the success of the record is Megan, who serves up plenty of aggressive lyrics. A self-described “bad bitch,” she’s sexed up and assertive AF about what she does to her men (“I’ma make him eat me out while I’m watchin’ anime”). There is no shortage of colorful one-liners.  The catchy chorus serves as the centerpiece.

“I’m a hot girl, I do hot shit (I do hot shit)
Spend his income on my outfit (On my outfit)
I don’t text quick ‘cause I ain’t thirsty (I ain’t thirsty)
These bitches mad, mad, they wanna hurt me (Ah, ah).”

2. Charlie Puth, “Girlfriend”

🎵 “Girlfriend” • 🏷 Atlantic • 🗓 2020

🎙 Charlie Puth is adorkable, and that’s part of his charm.  Though he’s had his fair share of issues with schmaltziness in the past, he continues to show growing maturity, exemplified by the single, 🎵 “Girlfriend”. “Girlfriend” features sleek production by Puth that’s led by keyboards – sweet, sticky-sounding synths.  The record sounds balanced and uncluttered – perhaps even spare at times; never are his vocals inhibited. “Girlfriend” sounds as if it could’ve easily launched in the 1980s.  Even though it’s retro, the single still sounds refreshing and an optimal fit for Puth.  He’s definitely ‘sexy’ here, but without crossing any lines. His falsetto is absolutely awesome, while the chorus is infectious to the nth degree.

“Baby, would you ever want to be my girlfriend?
I don’t wanna play no games
This is more than just a phase
Baby, would you ever want to be my girlfriend?
If you want it, let me know
We could make this official.”

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: July 2020

3. BLACKPINK, “Lovesick Girls”

💿 THE ALBUM • 🏷 YG Entertainment / Interscope • 🗓 2020

The first half of 💿  THE ALBUM, the 2020 album by K-Pop girl group 🎙 BLACKPINK is fantastic – four straight hits.  The second half doesn’t disappoint either, beginning with the GIRL song at hand, 🎵 “Lovesick Girls.” Performed with a blend of Korean (mostly) and English, the girls make sure they emphasize key lyrics in English for their English-speaking fans.  This includes the epic chorus (“We are the lovesick girls”) as well as an entertaining hip-hop verse (“No love letters, no X and O’s / No love, never, my exes know…”).  Honestly, “Lovesick Girls” sounds like a contemporary, American pop song.  That’s a positive thing.

4. blackbear, “hot girl bummer”

💿 everything means nothing • 🏷 Alamo / Interscope • 🗓 2020

“Fuck you, and you, and you / I hate your friends and they hate me too.” What a colorful way to commence 🎵 “hot girl bummer,” 🎙 blackbear, not to mention his 2020 album, 💿 everything means nothing. With “hot girl bummer,” blackbear earned the biggest hit of his career.  Essentially, he’s totally unimpressed with these stereotypical, shallow young women – he’s not with it. Depending on who you ask, “hot girl bummer” was among the worst songs of 2019.  That said, from my end of things, contextually, it’s an enjoyable start to the album, not to mention a perfect fit for this GIRL centric list.

5. Lana Del Rey, “Cinnamon Girl”

💿 Norman Fucking Rockwell! • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 2019

🎵 “Cinnamon Girl” boasts some of the best production work of 💿 Norman Fucking Rockwell!, the best 🎙 Lana Del Rey album to date. She can thank Jack Antonoff for his work behind the boards. Sound wise, the keyboards and drum programming stand out.  Beyond the backdrop, the chorus shines, particularly the way she sings it, as well as the lyrics (“There’s things I wanna say to you, but I’ll just let you live / Like if you hold me without hurting me / You’ll be the first whoever did”).  It’s followed by a marvelous post-chorus, where some of those aforementioned production tricks arrive.