Perfect 💯 | 5ive Songs

1. Alicia Keys, “Perfect Way to Die”

💿 Alicia • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2020

🎵 “Perfect Way to Die” (💿 Alicia) captures the racial inequality and police brutality that has dominated the headlines. On this piano/string ballad, 🎙 Alicia Keys tugs at the heartstrings as she depicts incidents where innocent black lives were lost.  “Simple walk to the corner store,” she sings on the first verse, continuing, “Mama never thought she would be gettin’ a call from the coroner / Said her son’s been gunned down.”

The second verse is similar, this time with a girl being the victim – the martyr if you will.  Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, where “the perfect way to die” comes into play.  There is no perfect way to die, but in a sense, it seems Keys is trying to find the positive that can come from such tragedy, including necessary change.  “Perfect Way to Die” is upsetting, but it’s an upsetting, woke song that needed to happen.

Also appears on 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Deadly Songs Unlikely to Leave You Literally Dead (Vol. 2)

🔗 🎧 DEATH: 5ive Songs No. 51

2. Ed Sheeran, “Perfect”

💿 ÷ • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2017

“When you said you looked a mess, I whispered under my breath / But you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight.” Aww, how sweet ❤ ❤ ❤! On “Perfect”, a highlight from his album, 💿 ÷, 🎙 Ed Sheeran is focused on love, a subject that frequents the 2017 album.

“Perfect” has a soulful, throwback quality that makes it quite pleasant to the ears.  Sheeran is sincere, exhibiting authentic, genuine emotions, carried by his personality.  He doesn’t break new ground on this ballad, but he doesn’t need to do so either.  In addition to the original, there’s a pretty sweet duet version with the one-and-only, 🎙 Beyoncé.

3. Lorde, “Perfect Places”

💿 Melodrama • 🏷 Universal Music • 📅 2017

“Every night, I live and die / Meet somebody, take ‘em home / Let’s kiss and then take off our clothes / It’s just another graceless night…” 🎵 “Perfect Places” concludes the 🎙 Lorde masterpiece, 💿 Melodrama, superbly. It opens with a sense of mysteriousness initially, best explained by its suspect, party vibe.  This sentiment comes through loud and clear on the first verse. The second verse confirms the carefree, unapologetic party vibes, in a sexually charged manner.  Spare production work on the verses allows for her voice to shine. A grand chorus is bright and energetic, featuring a sound vocal mix.

“All of the things we’re taking
‘Cause we are young and we’re ashamed
Send us to perfect places
All of our heroes fading
Now I can’t stand to be alone
Let’s go perfect places.”

4. One Direction, “Perfect”

💿 Made in the A.M.• 🏷 Sony • 📅 2015

“But if you like causing trouble up in hotel rooms / And if you like having little secret rendezvous…” Sigh, 🎵 “Perfect,” a standout from the ‘final’ 🎙 One Direction album, 💿 Made in the A.M. (2015) is at least near perfect, if not totally perfect 😉.  The grittiest member of the collective (and most successful solo artist I might add), 🎙 Harry Styles, totally nails it on the anthemic chorus, which continues as follows: “If you like to do the things you know that we shouldn’t do / then baby, I’m perfect / Baby I’m perfect for you.”

Tasteful with some innuendo thrown in, “Perfect” marks a nice balance between teen and transitioning into adulthood.  It should be noted, all members of the band – including Harry, the youngest – were all 20 or older when Made in the A.M. arrived.  🎙 Louis Tomlinson was pushing 24.

5. The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir & J.J. Wright, “Perfect Praise (Live)”

Ft. Chris Dingman, Emorja Roberson, Godwin Louis, Ike Sturm, Karen Schneider & Mark McLean

💿 Catch the Spirit (Live) • 🏷 The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir • 📅 2020

There are some songs that are truly PERFECT and never grow old.  One of those is the gospel classic, 🎵 “Perfect Praise,” penned by 🎙 Brenda Joyce Moore.  Sometimes referenced as “Jesus is Excellent,” this gem has been covered by numerous choirs and even arranged for marching band as well – pretty cool.  🎙The University of Notre Dame Folk Choir and 🎙J.J. Wright deliver a truly excellent rendition, recorded live in 2020, which appears on their album, 💿 Catch the Spirit (Live).  What makes this version so excellent, you ask? The awesome lead vocals by 🎙 Emorja Roberson is a huge selling point.  Of course, beyond his lead, the Folk Choir provide great supporting vocals, with the harmonies fully locked in, while the instrumentalists all shine in their respective roles.  You can tell just listening to this recording that this is indeed a favorite of the University choir – they do it justice by all means.