Monogamy | 3 to 5 BOPS

Monogamy: 3 to 5 BOPS No. 20 (2023), features musical BOPS courtesy of Aloe Blacc, anees, Beyoncé, John Legend, and Omar Apollo.

Ah, you know what time it is! It’s 3 to 5 BOPS time – WOO! On 3 to 5 BOPS, it’s all about brevity and sweetness… for the most part! There’s a theme/topic, 3, 4, or 5 songs, and a blurb – two paragraphs or less.  3 to 5 BOPS, hence, is a mini playlist that shouldn’t take much time to consume.  In the 20^th edition of 3 to 5 BOPS (2023), we select songs that are associated with MONOGAMY in some form or fashion. The BOPS arrive courtesy of 🎙 Aloe Blacc, 🎙 anees, 🎙 Beyoncé, 🎙 John Legend, and 🎙 Omar Apollo. Okay, let’s get into it!

1. Omar Apollo, “3 Boys”

🎵 “3 Boys” • 🏷 Warner • 🗓 2023

“I should take your advice and find someone new / So I could have two.” That number is significant on 🎵 “3 Boys”, the first single of 2023 by 🏆 Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter, 🎙 Omar Apollo.  On “3 Boys,” Apollo continues to be open about sexuality, something that has always made me respect him.  He adds a different wrinkle on “3 Boys,” drifting from monogamous territory to polyamorous territory… to a degree.  The thing is, even though the boy that Apollo digs (likely an ex) encourages bringing another into the fold, Apollo isn’t a fan of the idea. “Seems like everything I do take me further from you,” he asserts in the pre-chorus.  So, it’s a play between monogamy, polyamory, and unrequited love. Woo!

The centerpiece is the chorus, where he soulfully expresses his issues with polyamory/still being in love with someone he’s not with anymore.  He only wants one boyfriend (himself and the boy he loves) and doesn’t want three in the mix.  “Three boys would work if I wasn’t so tethered to you,” he sings, continuing, “What should I do? / I can’t even choose / I’m tethered to you.” I find this anti-polyamorous stance quite relatable, as many others will, whether it’s an open heterosexual or homosexual relationship.  Also, unrequited love affects everyone too, regardless of sexual preferences. Apollo brings up relevant points about being dedicated to the ONE he loves.  He sings well, superbly bringing the lyrics of this co-write with 🎼 ✍ Mustafa, Nathan Phillips, and Sir Dylan (who also produces) to life. It is easy to continue to be in love with Omar Apollo 😍… him and his music, of course! 🎵 “3 Boys” is another wonderful addition to his growing collection of bops

Appears in 🔻:

• Awesome Songs: February 2023

2. Beyoncé, “Cuff It”

💿 RENAISSANCE • 🏷 Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia • 📅 2022

“I feel like fallin’ in love (Fallin’ in love) / I’m in the mood to fuck somethin’ up (Tonight, I’m fuckin’ somethin’ up, baby).” Ooh wee, 🎙 Beyoncé! Go on and do the day-um thang, gurrlll! The 🏆 Grammy winner is open about her intentions and what she desires on 🎵 “Cuff It”, a surefire highlight from 💿 RENAISSANCE. The best way to describe how she’s feeling: sexy AF!  When we think of cuffing, we think of locking down that partner exclusively. All indications on “Cuff It” suggest this sexy joint is monogamous.  That said, monogamy doesn’t have to be vanilla either.  Clearly, Beyoncé is having a hell of a night, and the feeling should be the same for the audience listening to this slickly produced pop joint.  See the third verse: “Hypersonic, sex erotic / On my body, boy, you got it / Hit them ‘draulics while I ride it / Got me actin’ hella thotty.” Woo! Jesus! If you have any plans to “fuck up the night,” allow Queen Bey and “Cuff It” to serve as the soundtrack.  It’s one of the best songs from the totally stacked RENAISSANCE.

Appears in 🔻: 

• Beyoncé, “Cuff It”: After Dark 🕛 🌃 58 (2022)
• Awesome Songs: August 2022
• 50 Best Songs of 2022

3. anees, “sun and moon”

🎵 “sun and moon” • 🏷 Anees LLC • 📅 2022

“Baby, baby, you’re my sun and my moon / Girl, you’re everything in between.” For versatile rapper/singer/songwriter 🎙 anees (Anees Mokhiber), on 🎵 “sun and moon”,  ‘She’ is the sugar honey iced tea.  He sings about her as if she is the very best thing in his life, which is awesome.  Essentially, for Mokhiber, on this two-and-a-half minute gem, he has found THE ONE and nobody else will do.  “A lot of pretty faces could waste my time / But you’re my dream girl,” he continues in the feel-good chorus, adding, “You make the flowers bloom / Girl, you make the stars collide / And I don’t know what I did to get lucky like this / But it sure feels fine.” Indeed, indeed!

Anees’ adoration for the girl of his dreams continues well into the verses. He acknowledges what she does for him, and his role in the relationship.  Anees gives her protection, loyalty, and trust.  Likewise, he knows she will never let him down.  The monogamy is lit, particularly lines like, “I wake up grateful to breathe in / The air you flat through.” In an age where music has grown much more explicit, focused on being edgy as opposed to innocent, anees gives listeners something truly special – a monogamous anthem that is nothing short of a surefire, sunny vibe.

Appears in 🔻:

• anees, “sun and moon”: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 4 (2023)
• 13 Sunny Songs About the Sun & Sunshine (2023)

4. Aloe Blacc, “All Love Everything”

💿 All Love Everything • 🏷 BMG Rights Management • 📅 2020

“It’s like all love everything / I wanna wake up in the morning with a wedding ring…” The dedication is real – L-I-T 🔥 – on 🎵 “All Love Everything.” The talented 🎙 Aloe Blacc returned in 2020, following a six-year hiatus.  Following up a gargantuan hit like 🎵 “The Man” is tough, but Blacc comes through nicely on 💿 All Love Everything, all told. Sure, he does little to move the needle, but his focus on love, dedication, monogamy, and being an upstanding man is a terrific message.

“Doing anything with you is my favorite thing

Like the sweetest melody, you make my heart sing out like.”

Love is crucial on the album’s title track. “All Love Everything” suits Aloe, blending contemporary soul and pop, with the utmost finesse.  Sure, it’s old-fashioned to some extent, bucking the trends of modern R&B, but there’s something refreshing about an artist who keeps it classy as opposed to devolving into sex. Monogamy never sounded better!

Appears in 🔻:

• 11 Epic Songs That Are Everything! (2022)

5. John Legend, “One Woman Man”

💿 Fifty Shades Darker • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2017

“A one-woman man / A one-woman man, oh / Want you all to myself / Don’t want nobody else…” Now that’s some monogamy right there! Among the best, most memorable songs from the 💿 Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack is 🎵 “One Woman Man,” courtesy of 🎙 John Legend. Co-written by producer and songwriter 🎼 ✍ 🎛 Toby Gad, The arrival of Legend and “One Woman Man” gives the Fifty Shades Darker soundtrack a timely lift. “One Woman Man” incorporates a pair of virtues: love and temperance. Always classy and eternally soulful, Legend continues to show his knack for nuance and emotionally driven vocal performances.  Basically, there is no other woman for John – he’s a one-woman man, baby!

Appears in 🔻:

• 15 Songs That Incorporate Virtues (2017)
• Ballads from 2017 That’ll Give You Those Feels
• 100 Best Songs of 2017
• 13 Songs About ‘The Man,’ Whoever He May Be (2019)
• 15 Marvelous Songs About Women (2019)

Monogamy  3 to 5 BOPS No. 20 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Anees LLC, BMG Rights Management, Parkwood Entertainment / Columbia, Republic, Warner; Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels]