Land | 5ive Songs

1. Gary Clark, Jr., “This Land”

💿 This Land • 🏷 Warner • 📅 2019

“Paranoid and pissed off / Now that I got the money / Fifty acres and a model A / Right in the middle of Trump country.” Uh oh – we see where this is going! 🎵 “This Land”, the electrifying minor-key title track from 🎙 Gary Clark, Jr.’s 2019 album 💿 This Land, reflects on the American plight of people of color.  Throughout the course of the song, the eclectic blues/rock singer/guitarist depicts the prevalence of racism within the world’s greatest country.

The most powerful lyrical statement that is made on “This Land” comes courtesy of the chorus, where Gary Clark, Jr. unapologetically states the mindset of racists:

“‘Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from, uh
Nigga run, nigga run
Go back where you come from
We don’t want, we don’t want your kind
We think you’s a dog born’
Fuck you, I’m America’s son
This is where I come from.”

Following the utterly ridiculous statement made about the American-born black musician, who represents numerous African Americans, he packs a mighty punch on the post-chorus where he asserts, “This land is mine.”  Also, worth noting, Clark, Jr. delivers a totally bad ass guitar solo.  Say it and play it loud Gary!

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2. Glass Animals, “Dreamland”

💿 Dreamland • 🏷 Wolf Tone • 📅 2020

“Pullin’ down backstreets, deep in your head / Slippin’ through dreamland like a tourist.” Indeed 🎙 Glass Animals, indeed! These are key lyrics from the chorus of 🎵 “Dreamland,” which appears as the opener on the collective’s 2020 studio album, also titled 💿 Dreamland.  When it comes to dreaming, we often imagine things that haven’t happened and perhaps in some cases, we want to happen.  When we dream, well, we visit another world, something that 🎙 Dave Bayley captures so well on this title track.

“All you’ve done in bed, all on Memorex
All ‘round-‘round your head, all ‘round-round your head.”

Much like the lyrics that appear throughout “Dreamland,” the production is quite dreamy.  We’d expect a dream-pop palette with dream-driven song, right? Right! We get a warm backdrop comprised of keys, synths, and even some pitch-shifted vocals.  Bayley sings beautifully, perfectly capturing the dreamy sensibilities and vibe of ‘dreamland.’

“You’ve had too much of the digital love
You want everything live; you want things you can touch
Make it feel like a movie you saw in your youth
Make it feel like that song that just unopened you.”

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3. Sara Bareilles, “A Safe Place to Land”

Ft. John Legend

💿 Amidst the Chaos • 🏷 Epic • 📅 2019

🏆 Grammy winning singer/songwriter 🎙 Sara Bareilles returned with a bang in 2019 with her sixth studio album, 💿 Amidst the Chaos.  Amidst the Chaos serves as a contrast from her earlier discography, in a positive way, of course.  Contributing to the contrast is the production by decorated producer 🎛 T-Bone Burnett. Burnett produces the album’s closing cut (penultimate on later editions of the album), 🎵 “A Safe Place to Land”, which was written by Bareilles and highly-respect songwriter, 🎼✍ Lori McKenna.

“So, say the Lord's Prayer twice, hold your babies tight
Surely someone will reach out a hand
And show you a safe place to land.” 

Production by T-Bone Burnett and a co-write with Lori McKenna aren’t the only reasons why “A Safe Place to Land” is notable. Bareilles enlists the marvelous Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter 🎙 John Legend for the assist.  Both musicians have tremendous vocal chemistry on this chilling ballad.  While more tempo wouldn’t have been a bad thing in the context of the sequencing of the album, if you’re going to close with a ballad, this one serves as a fitting coda. Worth noting, Bareilles shared with Apple Music that “I wrote this with Lori McKenna during the height of the border crisis, and it almost didn’t make the record… We wondered if it should be a stand-alone track to drive home the message. Getting to have John as a part of this project made the experience so special.”

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4. J. Cole, “Land of the Snakes”

💿 Born Sinner • 🏷 Roc Nation • 📅 2013

“Lord, know some hoes from the past like / ‘Damn Cole, wish I knew that you would be rich’.” 🎵 “Land of the Snakes” is a highlight from 💿 Born Sinner, the sophomore album by 🏆 Grammy-winning rapper, 🎙 J. Cole.  The record examines his past as well as his ‘sinful’ endeavors.  He ‘cockily’ proclaims “My kicks hard, my whip hard / I came out the womb with my dick hard” on the second verse.  Now that is some surefire hardness right there!

On the chorus, Cole eschews church for a hook-up:

“She said ‘You bout to miss church’ while she riding me
I like my sundaes with a cherry on top
Make that ass drop.”

That is some sacrilege for sure, though there are plenty who would/do opt for good sex over the good word. It exemplifies the metaphor of the land of the snakes. If that’s not bad enough, Cole details a one-night stand, but at least admits to being regretful of his actions.  Again, one-night-stands are common occurrences, but they’re never really a good idea in the long run.

5. Wilson Pickett, “Land of 1000 Dances”

💿 The Exciting Wilson Pickett • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 1966

“1-2-3 / 1-2-3 / Ow! Uh! Alright! Uh!” Ah, 💿 The Exciting Wilson Pickett – what a great way to characterize legendary soul singer 🎙 Wilson Pickett.  He was, indeed, quite exciting, infusing ample energy into his music.  The 60s marked the ascent of Pickett, with 🎵 “Land of 1000 Dances” ranking among his best and most important songs of his career.  “Land of 1000 Dances” was written by and originally performed by 🎙 🎼✍ Chris Kenner in 1962.  Pickett, of course, would record the definitive version in 1965.

What makes “Land of 1000 Dances” so awesome? It’s fun, infectious, and TONGUE-N-CHEEK period.  You can’t listen to this Wilson Pickett classic without smiling, singing along, or moving and grooving.  The “na-na’s” rank among the most memorable parts.  That said, there are plenty of fun lyrics, including those that reference other songs such as “Got to know how to pony / Like ‘Bony Maronie’.”  Music doesn’t sound like “Land of 1000 Dances” anymore, but honestly, that’s part of the charm of hearing this six-decade-old gem in the 2020s.