Incredibly Shy Songs, Vol. 1 features songs by Babyface Ray, BRONZE AVERY, Carly Rae Jepsen, Great White, The Pointer Sisters, and Twenty One Pilots.
Perhaps Twenty One Pilots say it best: โDonโt you shy away.โ The duoโs words are wise but also much easier said than done. S-H-Y, shy is the keyword on the musical compendium at hand, Incredibly Shy Songs, Vol. 1.ย The criterion is simple โ some form of the word shy must be used in the song title! Incredibly Shy Songs, Vol. 1 features songs by Babyface Ray, BRONZE AVERY, Carly Rae Jepsen, Great White, The Pointer Sisters, and Twenty One Pilots.ย So, without further ado, embrace the shyness, or lack thereof!
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2. Carly Rae Jepsen, โShy Boyโ
3. Babyface Ray, โShy Kidโ
4. Tiรซsto & KAROL G, โDonโt Be Shyโ
5. Twenty One Pilots, โShy Awayโ
9. The 1975, โIf Youโre Too Shy (Let Me Know)โ
10. The Pointer Sisters, โHeโs So Shyโ
13. Great White, โOnce Bitten Twice Shyโ
1. BRONZE AVERY, โSHYโ
HEATWAVE // BRONZE AVERY // 2024
โYou and me for tonight / Playing rough, playing nice / Finish what you start / Donโt be shy, donโt be shy.โ Ooh wee, BRONZE AVERY ๐ฅต ๐ฎโ๐จ! The sexy ๐ pop singer, songwriter, and producer brings the heat on โSHYโ, the fourth track on his 2024 summery LP, HEATWAVE. ย Written, produced, and performed by AVERY, he serves up a sleek, colorful instrumental, enticing, infectious lyrics, and smooth, flirty vocals.ย Fully engaged, BRONZE asserts in the first verse, โAt the afterparty, in the red light / We can make a move, out of time.โ A showstopping couple, in the second verse, he sings, โJust show me off around the block / Weโre stopping traffic โcause I look good on you.โ I do not doubt that!ย Have I mentioned BRONZE AVERY is ๐ฅ ๐ฅต ๐ ๐ฎโ๐จ.ย In the pre-chorus, he tells his man/soon-to-be-man/whatever he is โBaby, just say my name / Come show me why you came.โ Word.ย What isnโt allowed on this delightful, gay little pop-bop is shyness!ย
2. Carly Rae Jepsen, โShy Boyโ
The Loveliest Time // School Boy / Interscope // 2023
According to Carly Rae Jepsen, โSo sick of everybody tellinโ me what to do / When all I need is your eyes across the room.โย Even though they are discouraging the Canadian pop singer/songwriter from this shy boy on โShy Boyโ, Jepsen knows exactly what she wants! โShy Boyโ is the fifth track from her 2023 album, The Loveliest Time.ย It was written by Jepsen, Kyle Shearer, Nate Campany, Ben Romans, Boaz Watson, Ethan Gruska, and June Williams. James Ford produced it. โShy Boyโ samples the 1986 song, โMidas Touchโ by R&B collective Midnight Star. In the chorus, the centerpiece, Jepsen encourages him to embrace her:
โShy boy, stir me up
Get a little something for your morning cup
Whoa, oh, oh, oh,
Woah
โฆ You didnโt even know you got the Midas touch.โ
The boy is special to her, so much so that to Carly, โThe room spinsโ and โthe earth quakes.โ She sees something more in him than others do and sheโs willing to pursue it! All told, โShy Boyโ is a surefire vibe.ย Jepsen sings well, the lyrics are entertaining, and the production, with its warm, detuned pads and synths, is a blast.
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3. Babyface Ray, โShy Kidโ
The Kid That Did // Wavy Gang / EMPIRE // 2024
According to rapper Babyface Ray (Marcellus Rayvon Register), โWas a shy kid, [but] lately, I been blinded by the lights.โ Word.ย On โShy Kidโ, the fourth track from his 2024 album, The Kid That Did, Babyface Ray adds: โIโll buy a bitch, I just need some comfort for the night / I be high as shit, I thumb it once, I gotta thumb it twice / Shawty 5โ6โ and super band, Iโm fuckinโ her for life.โ The shy kid seems dead and gone, right? At least heโs honest on this slickly produced joint. The backdrop is enticing with colorful keys and banging, rhythmic 808s. ย Throughout, Babyface Rae delivers a colorful, confident, and intriguing cadence and flow. ย A prime example of this newfound confidence: โBitch, you know your man want a feature, stop recordinโ me / Iโm in Ace and Spades, put on a show, these hoes applaudinโ me.โ Oh, snap! Now a big deal, Ray spits in the chorus, โTucked in the back with some curtains / I custom made it myself, I need a fridge with the syrup.โ Big shitโs poppinโ foโ dam shoโ on this brief but potent banger!
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4. Tiรซsto & KAROL G, โDonโt Be Shyโ
โDonโt Be Shyโ // Musical Freedom / Atlantic // 2021
What happens when you pair KAROL G and Tiรซsto? Sheer excellence, of course! The Colombian singer/songwriter and the Dutch DJ join forces for a worldwide smash, โDonโt Be Shyโ. An enigmatic, ear-catching intro sets the tone before G drops her clear, sexy, expressive vocals with warm vocal effects (reverb). โBaby, break my heart / Give me all you got / Donโt ask โWhy, why, why?โ / Donโt be shy, shy, shy.โ KAROLโs best moment comes on the chorus, which is melodic and infectious. She continues singing, โIs it love or lust? / I canโt get enough / Don’t ask โWhy, why, why? โDonโt be shy, shy, shy.โ While Ms. G holds it down, Tiรซsto plays a sizable role too, behind the boards.ย Alongside Teemu Brunila, they construct sleek production, set in a minor key. The listener is treated to colorful synths, a banging beat, and an auditory experience where you canโt remain in your seat โ makes you want to D-A-N-C-E.ย Shifting eyes back to KAROL for a moment, those โla-la-lasโ she drops are particularly infectious in the post-chorus. Ultimately, โDonโt Be Shyโ is a surefire V-I-B-E.
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5. Twenty one pilots, โShy Awayโ
Scaled and Icy // Fueled by Ramen // 2021
In advance of Scaled and Icy (2021), Grammy-winning alternative duo twenty one pilots โ Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun โ unveiled, โShy Awayโ.ย Like much of the bandโs past music, thereโs plenty to sink oneโs teeth into. Twenty one pilots keep things short and sweet on โShy Away.โ The production is intriguing; sleek and well-rounded.ย Given its rhythmic sound and quick pace, thereโs no way to shy away from this record.ย Joseph exudes ample personality as he performs. The theme and lyrics go a long way in making this a successful record. Tyler encourages ditching shyness and being unafraid to reach for dreams and ambition โ shedding modesty and reaching for the stars.
โDonโt you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Manifest a ceiling
When you shy away (Ah-ah-ah)
Searchinโ for that feelinโ
Just like an โI love youโ (Ooh, ooh)
That isnโt words (Ooh, ooh)
Like a song he wrote, thatโs never heard (Ah-ah-ah)
Donโt youโฆโ
Appears in ๐ป:
- โSโ Songs: No Rhyme or Reason, Vol. 2 (2021)
- Away: 5ive Songs No. 12 (2022)
- 13 Terrific AWAY Songs (2022)
- Shy: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 4 (2023)
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6. Tinashe, โSHY GUYโ
333 // Tinashe Music Inc. / Equity Distribution // 2021
โYou could be here sippinโ with me right now / You should be here, but youโre trippinโ on my right now.โ Tinashe is bored and lonely on โShy Guy,โ the brief fourth track from her 2021 LP, 333.ย She has to occupy herself because itโs so quiet in her house without him and she gets in her head.ย She probably has good reason to be in her head, judging by the shyness he exhibits in the chorus: โShy guy, always sayinโ itโs the wrong time / Even though you know it feels right / Love donโt fit into your timeline.โ Speaking as a shy guy, Tinasheโs characterizations can be accurate โ love, which can open doors, can also be overwhelming, even if there is a vibe between two people.ย Speaking of vibes, this one-minute- and change track is certainly a vibe albeit it bite-sized. Dwilly produces this picturesque exploration into male shyness and female loneliness.ย That beat is the sugar honey iced tea! The synths too, honestly!
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7. Jai Waetford, โShyโ
Shy โ EP // Sony Music Entertainment Australia Pty Ltd. // 2015ย
โEvery time you walk into the room / Got me feeling crazy / Shock my heart, boom boom.โ Cue the innocent, bubblegum-filled, puppy dog love vibes ๐ฅบ! Why? When Gen-Z Australian pop singer Jai Waetford released โShyโ and the Shy โ EP before his 16th birthday in 2015.ย Before teen-pop stars became edgy in the late 2010s and 2020s, it was customary for them to be more clean-cut and unproblematic. Letโs face it.ย Waetford was a handsome, inoffensive teen who won many hearts on the fifth season of The X Factor Australia. โShyโ didnโt earn Waetford significant accolades, but it has earned plenty of streams since its release. Waetford, Nelly Joy, and producer Rune Westberg ย penned โShy.โ ย The keyword to describe โShyโ is smooth.ย There are smooth vibes from the production, vocals, and overall aesthetic. Waetford sounds fabulous, making teen girls swoon with his every word: โTrying not to freak when you look at me / Try to make a move, but I freeze / You donโt have a clue what you do to me.โย Hmm, I wonderโฆ โShyโ features lovely, tuneful melodies, particularly the chorus:
โGirl, you make me shy, shy, shy
You make me run and hide, hide, hide
Feel like I get lost in time
Whenever you’re near me
Girl, you make me shy, shy, shy
I’m fighting butterfli-fli-flies
Yeah, you make me lose my mind
Whenever you’re near me
Girl, you make me shy.โ
Will โShyโ change your life 10 years later? Probably not, but Jai Waetford โhad it going onโ back in the day.ย What guy wouldnโt be jealous of the heartthrob?ย And by the way, Jai is still hot!
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8. Diana King, โShy Guyโ
Tougher Than Love // SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT // 1995
โEverywhere mi guh, di man dem a rush mi.โ Word. Diana King was a popular girl back in 1995.ย She struck gold with her infectious reggae-pop hit, โShy Guyโ. ย Early on, King expresses the desires of her heart, and itโs not those boys pursuing her: ย โI donโt want no fly guy / I just want a shy guy.โ You read correctly โ she prefers shy guys.ย โBut I donโt want somebody whoโs loving everybody / I need a shy guy / Heโs the kinda guy whoโll only be mine.โย She has a point!
โShy Guyโ appeared on her 1995 album, Tougher Than Love.ย An international hit, in the U.S., it peaked at no. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.ย This was by far the Jamaican singerโs biggest hit stateside, and one of only two top 40 singles.ย King, Kingsley Gardner, and producer, Andy Marvel, penned the irresistible joint. ย The musical accompaniment thrives off its groove, rhythmic, and tropical vibes.ย King infuses ample personality, and Jamaican patois, into her performance.ย โRoughneck man, mi nah waan nuhn a dem,โ she asserts in the second verse, adding, โBig tings a gwaan fi all di shy man dem.โ King sums up her feelings perfectly in the unforgettable chorus:
โHave mercy, mercy, mercy
But nuhn a dem nah move mi, move mi, move mi
Shy guy a weh mi wanty, wanty, wanty
Only him can mek mi irie, irie, irie.โ
Word. The big-personality, big-voiced Diana King shines on the 1990s bop, โShy Guyโ.ย Hard to believe this song is pushing 30!
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9. The 1975, โIf Youโre Too Shy (Let Me Know)โ
Notes on a Conditional Formย // Interscope // 2020
โIf Youโre Too Shy (Let Me Know)โย arrives as the seventh single thatย Theย 1975ย released before their gargantuan album,ย Notes on a Conditional Form. ย โIf Youโre Too Shy (Let Me Know)โ feels like โlucky number sevenโ โ itโs accomplished in just about every facet. Instrumentally, it serves up decadent ear candy, styled in the 80s vain with its horns and keys complementing the guitars. One of the brightest spots musically comes by way of an electrifying saxophone solo. Vocally,ย Matthew Healyย is compelling, particularly given the subject matter: online dating. โI see her online, all the time / Iโm trying not to stare down there.โ Hmm, maybe itโs sketchier than online dating. Regardless, Healy is particularly intrigued by her looks and the sexual potential more than an emotional connection. ย In the second verse, he freakily adds, โIโve been wearing nothing every time I call you / And Iโm starting to feel weird about itโฆโ Of course, the chorus is the crowning achievement:
โโMaybe I would like you better if you took off your clothes
Iโm not playing with you baby; I think that you should give it a goโ
She said, โMaybe I would like you better if you took off your clothes
I wanna see and stop thinking if youโre too shy then let me โ
Too shy then let me know.โโ
Wow. ย โIf Youโre Too Shy (Let Me Know)โ is a fun, memorable cut โ quite the bop thanks to its sound, energetic vocals, and theme & lyrics.
Appears in ๐ป:
- 11 Superb Songs, Five Minutes or More (2020)
- 15 Fantastic Songs Where You Just KNOW (2023)
- Shy: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 4 (2023)
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10. The Pointer Sisters, โHeโs So Shyโ
Special Things // Sony Music Entertainment // 1980
โWhen I first saw him standing there / I longed to speak but did not dare.โ Aww, the shyness! However, it was NOT June Pointer (1953 โ 2006) or the rest of The Pointer Sisters (Ruth Pointer and the late Anita Pointer) who were the shyest! Adding in the first verse of โHeโs So Shyโ, June asserts, โAnd then he smiled and turned away / That told me all he could not say / Thatโs when I knew he wanted me too / But I had to do some breaking through.โ โHeโs So Shyโ is the second track from the Grammy-winning collectiveโs seventh album, Special Things. One of seven top 10 hits by The Pointer Sisters, โHeโs So Shyโ peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.ย Cynthia Weil and Tom Snow wrote the gold-certified single. Richard Perry produced.ย It was nominated for a Grammy at the 23rd Annual GRAMMY Awards for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.ย Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb ultimately won the award in a stacked category for โGuiltyโ.
The sound of โHeโs So Shyโ is to die for.ย The musical accompaniment is sleek.ย The keys and synths are warm, the riffs are tight, and the groove is S-T-R-O-N-G ๐ช.ย The sound is idiomatic of 1980s pop and R&B. The melodies are tuneful in the verses, as evidenced by the first verse, particularly the chorus. The chorus is infectious melodically and lyrically:
โHeโs so shy
Heโs so shy
That sweet little boy who caught my eye
Heโs so shy
Heโs so shy
And heโs much too good to let get by.โ
There are lyrical variations with the chorus, as well as some ad-libs.ย Regardless of the lyrics, The Pointer Sisters paints a picture of how special and sweet this man is.ย Yes, heโs shy and it took some workย (โAnd Iโm glad I took the time / That I had to take to make him mineโ), but it was well worth it.ย Not only is the dedication sweet on โHeโs So Shyโ, but the song is utterly sweet too.ย Did The Pointer Sisters ever miss? Nope. ICONIC!
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11. Leon Bridges, โShyโ
Good Thing // Columbia // 2018
โRunning from a feeling now / You know that I want you.โ On โShyโ (Good Thing, 2018), Grammy-winner Leon Bridges is dealing with a girl he greatly desires but her shyness is a barrier. โMmm, donโt get me started at this time of night,โ he sings in the pre-chorus, adding, โHard to keep my guard up and the feelingโs right.โ Woo! He describes her as โstandoffish, coy,โ when meeting her, trying to woo her and make her realize how much he digs her. โShyโ may not be the crowning achievement from Good Thing โ looking at you, โBet Ainโt Worth The Handโ โ but it is a sweet moment. It features simple but ย effective production work courtesy of Ricky Reed and Niles City Sound. One of the best features of this mid-tempo, romantic joint, besides those incredible vocals by Bridges (goes without saying, honestly) is its memorable chorus.
โI just want to see you, you could come over
I know ya shy, you can be shy with me
You know I need you and Iโm not quite sober
I know ya shy baby, you can be shy, shy itโs alright.โ
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12. NewJeans, โSuper Shyโ
NewJeans 2nd EP โGet Upโ // ADOR Co., Ltd. // 2023ย
โIโm super shy, super shy / But wait a minute while I make you mine, make you mine /โฆ I wanna tell you but, Iโm super shy, super shy.โย The most relatable part, personally, is the super shyness that NewJeans exhibit on โSuper Shyโ from their 2023 EP, NewJeans 2nd EP โGet Upโ. Perhaps less relatable for some of us shy peeps on the second track from the EP is landing the boy or girl, phew ๐ฎโ๐จ! Despite their shyness on this slickly produced K-pop cut, NewJeans have a plan! They keep things simple: โAnd I wanna go out with you / Where you wanna go? / Find a lil spot, just sit and talk / Looking pretty, follow me.โ Hmm, so, they pursue/ask him out? Thatโs the scary part, girls ๐ฑ! Naturally, โSuper Shyโ is a mix of English and Korean, so, perhaps some of NewJeansโ tricks are lost in translation so to speak. But, clearly, the girls refuse to let their shyness hold them back from securing that man! On God!
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13. Great White, โOnce Bitten Twice Shyโ
Twice Shy // Capitol // 1989
โWell, the times are getting hard for you, little girl / Iโm a-humming and a-strumming all over Godโs world.โ Word. ย โYou didnโt know that rock and roll burned / So, you bought a candle, and you lived, and you learned.โ Also, word. โOnce Bitten Twice Shyโ is the ninth and final track from the multiplatinum Twice Shy, the 1989 album by American rock band, Great White. The song was written and originally recorded by Ian Hunter in 1975.ย Yes, that means the successful Great White version is indeed a cover ๐คฏ! The gold-certified single marked the biggest hit of the bandโs career.ย Their sole top 10 hit peaked at no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Sometimes a marvelous cover is a song to beat, particularly if it earns more attention and notoriety than the original (Hunter charted one song on the Billboard Hot 100, and it was not โOnce Bitten Twice Shyโ).
โMy, my, my, Iโm once bitten, twice shy, baby.โ โOnce Bitten Twice Shyโ dons a sick groove from the onset. The tone of the drums is awesome.ย Also awesome is the rhythmic guitar accompaniment. Later, things get bluesier with piano riffs giving Great White the โglam.โย Well, piano doesnโt determine the glam-ness but it is a killer touch.ย Also, โkillerโ is the electrifying guitar soloing that occurs later in this high-energy gem.ย Flowers must be given to Jack Russell, who sadly passed away in August 2024. He delivers assertive, dynamic lead vocals.ย He brings ample punch and oomph to the lyrics.ย โWoman, youโre a mess, going to die in your sleep / Thereโs blood on my amp and my Les Paulโs beat,โ he sings in the third verse, continuing, โCanโt keep you home, youโre messing around / My best friend told me youโre the best lick in town.โ Ooh-wee, oh, snap! Not only is โOnce Bitten Twice Shyโ one of the gems from the Great White catalog, but it is also one of the most memorable rock songs from the 1980s ๐ค. โYou told me I was the only one / But look at you now, itโs dark as itโs dumb.โ WOO!ย
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Incredibly Shy Songs, Vol. 1 (2024) [๐ท: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; ADOR Co., Ltd., Atlantic, BRONZE AVERY, Capitol, Columbia, EMPIRE, Equity Distribution, Fueled By Ramen, Interscope, Musical Freedom, School Boy, Sony Music Entertainment, Sony Music Entertainment Australia Pty Ltd., Tinashe Music Inc., Wavy Gang; Anna Shvets, Ayberk Mirza, cottonbro studio, ย Deeana Arts, Ila Bappa Ibrahim, Maria Pashkova, Mikhail Nilov, Samson Katt, SHVETS production from Pexels]