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Mary J. Blige, Just Fine: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 8 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Geffen; BD Jewel, Dave H, Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Joshua Brown, Vansh Mehta from Pexels; AcatXIo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]In the eighth edition of Music Lifts (2025), we’re uplifted by Award-winning R&B artist Mary J. Blige performing, “Just Fine.”

Welcome to Music Lifts 🎶 🏋, a column highlighting songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs exuding fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the eighth edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2025), we highlight “Just Fine” as performed by Mary J. Blige.

Mary J. Blige, Growing Pains [📷: Geffen]“Let it go / Can’t let this thing called love get away from you,” Mary J. Blige sings radiantly, continuing, “Feel free right now, go do what you wanna do / Can’t let nobody take it away, from you, from me, from we.” Word! For the nine-time, Grammy-winning R&B superstar, it’s all positive vibes. There are no negatives to “Just Fine”, among the best and most uplifting songs from her 2007, Grammy-winning, platinum-certified album, Growing Pains. “Just Fine” gave MJB another top 40 hit, peaking at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 2008.

Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Dave H, Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Vansh Mehta from Pexels]Matching the positive vibes of the record is bright, ‘feel-good’ musical accompaniment produced by Christopher “Tricky” Stewart and Jazze Pha.  The percussive groove, the bass line, the keys, and the synths are EVERYTHING! The backdrop gives Mary J. Blige ample fuel for her fire. Blige is on autopilot when it comes to vocals.  It inspires hearing her happy, eschewing drama and heartache, and embracing living her best life.  The chorus is the centerpiece, in all its glory:

“So, I like what I see when I’m looking at me

When I’m walking past the mirror (Mirror)

Don’t stress through the night, at a time in my life

Ain’t worried about if you feel it (Feel it)

Got my head on straight, I got my vibe right

I ain’t gonna let you kill it

You see I wouldn’t change my life, my life’s just…

Fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, fine, ooh…”

“Just Fine” is self-explanatory. Life is good, baby!


Mary J. Blige // Growing Pains // Geffen // 2007

Mary J. Blige, Just Fine: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 8 (2025) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Geffen; BD Jewel, Dave H, Jean-Daniel Francoeur, Joshua Brown, Vansh Mehta from Pexels; AcatXIo, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay]

 


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.