Memories | 5ive Songs

1. Kane Brown & blackbear, “Memory”

🎵 “Memory” • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2021

Never in a million years would I consider pairing 🎙Kane Brown and 🎙blackbear on the same song.  That said, this unexpected pairing works surprisingly well on 🎵 “Memory”. Although a pop song, Kane Brown remains true to country, in the process.  His gorgeous baritone adorns the backdrop by blackbear and 🎛 Andrew Goldstein superbly (“The bottles on the shelf I’m ‘bout to run through / Doin’ everything I wish that I could undo”). Brown and blackbear collaborate on the chorus, which is catchy AF, before ‘bear gets his own big solo moment.

Expectedly, blackbear provides a stark contrast, but a successful one.  Blackbear remains true to self, with the verse being relatively quick and rhythmic (“Tryna find things I never said to prove a point / I’ma roll my feelings into a joint”). Soon enough it’s the two of them dropping that epic chorus, followed by an outro.

“I wanna live fast, I don’t know how to slow down
I wanna get high, I don’t know how to come down
Help me now, I’m runnin’ on empty
And I don’t wanna be a memory.”

Kane Brown and blackbear? Still probably shouldn’t work, but hey, it totally does! This two-and-a-half-minute number isn’t game changing, but it’s a VIBE!

2. Maroon 5, “Memories”

💿 JORDI • 🏷 Interscope • 🗓 2021

“Here’s to the ones that we got / Cheers to the wish you were here, but you’re not / ‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories / Of everything we’ve been through…” According to a tweet by 🎙 Maroon 5 front man 🎙 Adam Levine, 🎵 “Memories” (💿 JORDI) is “for anyone who has ever experienced loss. In other words, this song is for all of us.”

Levine’s description of “Memories” is spot-on, further exemplified by the excerpted lyrics from the chorus, which continues as follows:

“Toast to the ones here today
Toast to the ones that we lost on the way
‘Cause the drinks bring back all the memories
And the memories bring back, memories bring back you.”

On the verses, Adam remains reflective, using the loss and memories of loved one to become a better person.  “When I felt all of the hatred was too powerful to stop,” he sings on the second verse, he adds, “Now my heart feels like an ember and it’s lighting up the dark / I’ll carry these torches for ya that you know I’ll never drop.” Musically, the backdrop is simple but effective, placing more weight on Levine’s vocals and most of all, the lyrics and the reflective, remembering theme of the song itself.  The theme and thoughtfulness of “Memories” makes it pack quite a respectable punch.  It’s not the flashiest Maroon 5 record, but certainly effective and meaningful.

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3. Laine Hardy, “Memorize You”

🎵 “Memorize You” • 🏷 Buena Vista / Industrial Media’s 19 Recordings • 📅 2021

There’s good news and bad news for 🎙 Laine Hardy.  The good news is he’s a handsome, talented country singer who won the second season of the rebooted, ABC version of 📺 American Idol.  The bad news is, translating success on that TV show into the mainstream has been dicey.  Early in the Idol run, superstars were being churned out left and right – 🎙 Kelly Clarkson, 🎙 Carrie Underwood, etc.  These days, eh, not so much.  Nonetheless, Hardy gets some love here through ‘memorization’ on his 2021 single, 🎵 “Memorize You.” 

It should come as no surprise that a hot girl is the object of Hardy’s memorization.  It’s a tried-and-true script that transcends genre, sexuality, etc. If you’re into someone, you want to know everything about them.  That’s the case here where the passionate youngster asserts, via the chorus:

“I wanna know your heart by heart and your kiss by kiss
Wanna know what it was like every day before me
What’s your story, baby, every single line
What makes you laugh, makes you dance, makes you fall
Like only love can do
Give me some time with our smile, baby
I wanna memorize you
Memorize, memorize you.”

Honestly, what more is there to say?

4. Jennifer Hudson, “Memory”

💿 Cats: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack • 🏷 Universal Pictures • 📅 2019

Whether you’ve seen it or not, the 2019 film version of 🎦 Cats was, um, disastrous. That said, one of the bright spots was 🎙 Jennifer Hudson singing the 🎼✍ Andrew Lloyd Webber classic, 🎵 “Memory.” Maybe the 🏆 Academy Award/Grammy winner couldn’t save a train wreck, but her powerful, soulful pipes were tailor made for this gorgeous, beloved gem.

We’ll keep the ‘memory’ short and sweet here. With “Memory,” forget any of those godawful memories surrounding the film. Just close your eyes and let Hudson’s dramatic, nuanced rendition soothe you – assuage any ills.  Furthermore, listen to the accompanying orchestra helping to fuel her fire.  Hudson’s at her best within the final minute, as “Memory” reaches a fever pitch before bringing things back down.

5. One Direction, “Midnight Memories”

💿 Midnight Memories • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2013

In 2013, then preeminent boy band, 🎙 One Direction, returned with their third album in two years.  💿 Midnight Memories found the Brit-Irish band taking one step closer to adulthood. Furthermore, they eschewed a teen-pop sound in favor of rock. Embracing rock certainly toughened up their image to some extent.  One of the best examples of the effectiveness of rock exhibited by the groups comes by way of 🎵 “Midnight Memories.”  The boys get a lift from a Def Leppard classic, 🎵 “Pour Some Sugar on Me”.

Does “Midnight Memories” feel natural or legitimately authentic on One Direction? It’s debatable, but 1D does get some lyrical punches and exhibit more personality compared to the past.  Keeping it classy, there are two instances that find 1D referencing shit: “People talk shh we don’t listen” and “Same old shh but different day.” Censorship rears its head and maintains the band’s cleanliness to its youngest fan base.  Still, we all know what the boys are thinking with lines like “5 foot something with the skinny jeans / Don’t look back, baby, follow me.”

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