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āPrepare to Be Numbed by These 16 Numbing Songsā features Chase Atlantic, Linkin Park, Pink Floyd, ScHoolboy Q & XXXTENTACION.
Prepare to be totally numbed! Are you shook already? Yeah, thatās a copycat of the intro I used when I compiled the original version of this list, These 13 Songs Will Totally Numb You back in March 2018.Ā The criteria for that list was simply the songs must feature some form of the word numb in its title. Being the perfectionist and sometimes revisionist that I am, I decided to revisit and upgrade the original playlist and lemme tell you, that list definitely needed a glow up! So, thatās where PREPARE TO BE NUMBED BY THESE 16 NUMBING SONGS comes into play.
Think of PREPARE TO BE NUMBED BY THESE 16 NUMBING SONGS as the deluxe edition of These 13 Songs Will Totally Numb You. I added three additional songs (couldāve added more but, it didnāt happen), which is often the case with an expanded edition of a studio album. Furthermore, I tweaked the blurbs adding additional details, lyrical quotes, and basically whatever made them slightly more descriptive than before.Ā So, what Iām saying is, PREPARE TO BE NUMBED BY THESE 16 NUMBING SONGS isnāt a total copy and paste job, even though I shouldnāt feel guilty regardless because Iām copying and pasting ā I mean ā retooling my own work.Ā Enough being needlessly verbose.Ā PREPARE TO BE NUMBED BY THESE 16 NUMBING SONGS features music courtesy of Chase Atlantic (āNumb to the Feelingā), Linkin Park (āNumbā), Pink Floyd (āComfortably Numbā), ScHoolboy Q (āNumb Numb Juiceā) and XXXTENTACION (āNumb the Painā and āNUMBā) among others. Let the numbing commence!
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1. Linkin Park, āNumbā
Meteora ā¢Ā Warner ā¢ 2003
āIām tired of being what you want me to be / Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface / Donāt know what youāre expecting of me / Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes.ā R.I.P. Chester Bennington, sigh ā hard to believe the gifted singer/songwriter is no longer alive. Ā We might as well begin with one of the most famous numb song, shouldnāt we? Letās take it back to the aughts baby!
āNumb,ā from the 2003 hit album Meteora, represents the crĆØme de la crĆØme of the Linkin Park catalogue without question.Ā Itās quite possibly the bandās crowning achievement.Ā On āNumb,ā the vocals, the lyrics, the messaging, and the angst exhibited are nothing short of awesome. The chorus is the centerpiece, not to mention one of the truly memorable and easily recognizable choruses of the aughts.
āIāve become so numb; I canāt feel you there Become so tired, so much more aware Iām becoming this, all I want to do Is be more like me and less like you.ā
Worth noting, Linkin Park and Jay-Z would release a joint, mashup album in 2004, including the mashup of āNumb/Encore.ā
2. ScHoolboy Q, āNumb Numb Juiceā
CrasH Talk ā¢Ā Interscope ā¢Ā 2019
āI mean thatās bitch shit / Faking like you got it in your pockets, yeah, thatās bitch shit / Talking to them hoes, you steady gossip, yeah, thatās bitch shit.ā Even with just two minutes to work with, ScHoolboy Q manages to do work on āNumb Numb Juiceā. āNumb Numb Juiceā is one of the best songs from Qās 2019 studio LP, CrasH Talk.
On āNumb Numb Juice,ā ScHoolboy Q backed by a minimalist, malicious-sounding backdrop ā perfect fuel for the grimy fire of the rapper, whoās profane and unapologetic. Q mostly raps about violence, specifically shooting, fakes ā āgangsta shitā you might say.Ā Sure, āNumb Numb Juiceā is ābeen there and done that,ā but Q is potent as ever.Ā Worth mentioning, the āNumb numb juiceā mentioned on the chorus below is a reference to both alcohol and E-40.Ā Alcohol certainly has a numbing effect.
āTwo-door coupe, hoppinā out like Jack-in-the-Box, nigga Iām gonā shoot if this 30ās all that I got, nigga Yāall on mute, aināt no back-talk on my block, nigga Numb numb juice to the head, fuck up the opps, nigga.ā
3. XXXTENTACION, āNumb the Painā
Bad Vibes Forever ā¢ Bad Vibes Forever ā¢Ā 2019
āIt just keeps me wonderinā, this goddamn silence / It just keeps me goinā insane / Numb the pain like I was Novocaine / Numb the pain, pain.ā The late XXXTENTACION often dealt depression, pain, and tough topics in his music. Despite embracing a more minimalist, eclectic style musically, prior to his death, it was obvious XXXTENTACION was much more than a record like the utterly filthy, unapologetic āLook at Meā (āCanāt keep my dick in my pants /ā¦ Look at me, fuck on meā¦ā) On āNumb the Pain,ā released posthumously on the 2019 compilation, Bad Vibes Forever, he sings authentically and emotionally about eradicating the pain heās experienced.Ā The above-mentioned lyrics comprise the entirety of the ultra-brief, though numbing, guitar-accompanied song.
4. XXXTENTACION, āNUMBā
? ā¢ Bad Vibes Forever ā¢Ā 2018
Prior to that numbness experienced on āNumb the Pain,ā while he was alive, XXXTENTACION also offered up āNUMB,ā which appeared on the 2018 album, ?.āAnd every single year / Iām drowning in my tears, Iām drowning in my tears again / I canāt seem to forget the pain I seem to give / The pain I seem to give, my friend.ā With ? exploring a variety of styles, XXX opted for is pop/rock on this John Cunningham / Robert Soukiasyan production.
Among key features of the production are the driving bass line, pummeling drums, and biting guitars.Ā The vibe is definitely a key component to āNUMB.āĀ Notably, unlike āNumb the Pain,ā as well as some of the other songs on ?, āNUMBā is a full-length, three-minute-plus song.
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5. Carlos Vara, āNumbā
āNumbā ā¢ Carlos Vara ā¢ 2018
āYou fill me up to pour me up / You build me just to break me down.ā āNumbā is the stunning debut single by 20-year old, openly gay, Nashville-based pop-soul artist, Carlos Vara. It blends old-school soul with some modern pop and urban contemporary trickery.Ā Among the superb sounds are the vintage guitar chords, dusty, hard-hitting drums, a dash of trumpet, and synths. Narratively, Varaās lover has him completely out of sorts.
With his expressive, robust pipes, he sums up his feelings, particularly on the recordās centerpiece, the chorus.
āYou make me go numb Hypnotized, I know itās dangerous Donāt speak, just make me come down.ā
Discussing the viral success of āNumb,ā Vara tells Patrick Crowley (Billboard):
āāNumbā is written in a way where it sounds very relationship-y, but it was really written at a time in my life when there were just so many emotions going on with a bunch of different relationships and I felt, well, numb to it all.ā
6. Chase Atlantic, āNumb to the Feelingā
āNumb to the Feelingā ā¢ Warner ā¢Ā 2018Ā
āMy tolerance is going up / And Iām getting numb to the feeling, yeah / And Iāve been abusing drugs / Iām getting numb to the feeling, yeahā¦ā Alternative might be the best way to categorize and characterize Australian collective Chase Atlantic (Mitchel Cave, Christian Anthony, and Clinton Cave), at least regarding their 2018 single, āNumb to the Feelingā. In regard to overall sound and vibe, āNumb to the Feelingā sounds like an urban contemporary or hip-hop record.Ā No, Michel Cave doesnāt necessarily drop bars, but the rhythmic approach to the lines, coupled with some colorful language, make āNumb to the Feelingā fit into the current musical landscape without a hitch.
Cave has boyish tenor, which is both appealing and charming. That said, he quickly erases any sense of innocence as he sings about drugs and sex.Ā Essentially, heās numb to the feeling of drugs after abusing them, and numb to sex as well, requiring āextraā to put it respectably.Ā The chorus sums up the barrage of numbing issues that are taking down Cave.
āā¦I need you to show me love 'Cause Iām getting numb to the feeling, yeah I need you to ride me harder when we fuck āCause Iām getting numb to the feeling, woah.ā
7. Ryan Caraveo, āNumbā
At Least I Tried ā¢ Ryan Caraveo ā¢ 2018
āDonāt wake me up, Iām having good dreams / I canāt feel nothing, and thatās a good thing / I feel useful when I get used / So numb, I donāt wanna hear the truth.ā Melodic hip-hop artist Ryan Caraveo hails from the Pacific Northwest ā Seattle, Washington. Caraveo delivers āNumbā (At Least I Tried, 2018) in cool, calm, and mellow fashion, yet the record still packs a punch.
Naturally, throughout the course of āNumb,ā Caraveo speaks on his inability to feel ā numb to it all.
āSo numbĀ (so numb, so numb) We've become so numbĀ (so numb, so numb) How'd we get so numb?Ā (so numb, so numb) We've become so numbĀ (so numb) So numb.ā
8. Rihanna, āNumbā
Ft. Eminem
Unapologetic ā¢ Def Jam ā¢Ā 2012
āEcstasy in the air / I donāt care / Canāt tell me nothing / Iām impaired /No worse for wear.ā āDiamondsā was the clear centerpiece of Rihannaās 2012 album, Unapologetic ā period.Ā That said, Unapologetic has its fair share of sick bangers. Ā Among those bangers was āNumb,ā where sheās assisted by Eminem.Ā
āNumbā features superb production work, from a team that includes Oak, Flippa123, Kuk Harrell, and āPopā Wansel.Ā Besides the team itself, itās worth mentioning āNumbā samples one of my favorite Kanye West songs ā āCanāt Tell Me Nothingā.Ā Ā But, of course, weāre focused on the numbness and the numbness only! So, with that said, Rihanna is āgoing numbā from excess and clearly, she doesnāt give a ā !
āāCause Iām going numb Iām going numb, Iām going numb Iām going numb, Iām going numbā¦ (Let the champagne splash, let that man get cash Let that man get past, let that man get cash).ā
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9. 21 Savage, āNumbā
Issa Album ā¢Ā Epic ā¢Ā 2017
āMama, itās a lot of secrets that I had to keep from you / Got in so much trouble, thought the teachers had beef with you /And it paid off ācause we livinā like the Greeks and Jews / Used to leave your stove runninā, stove runninā.ā Despite the pain heās experienced throughout his life, Grammy-winning 21 Savage chooses to āNumb the pain with the money, numb the pain with the money,ā or so he asserts on āNumb.ā āNumbā appears as one of the highlights from his debut album, Issa Album.
So, why does āNumbā shine? Number one, this record shines because itās dark ā āNo shit, Sherlock!ā Production work by the ubiquitous Metro Boomin helps cultivate the darkness.Ā Ā Ā When you hear the word ānumb,ā it has a negative connotation. Ā Honestly, any of these ānumbā songs wouldāve been welcome on 15 Songs That Possess a Negative Connotation. Anyways, focusing on the song at hand, another reason why it shines is that 21 Savage himself shows a bit more edgy compared to some other tracks.
10. Nick Jonas, āNumbā
Ft. Angel Haze
Nick Jonas X2 ā¢ Island ā¢ 2015
āThis is so dumb, this is so bad / Gotta be numb to push you like that / Liftinā me up, lettinā me fall / Fuck with my head like itās nothinā at all.ā Nick Jonas X2 showed Nick Jonas evolving from a teen heartthrob to a more mature young man.Ā In the process, on āNumb,ā he drops the f-bomb, showing a bit more edgy, and dare I say ābadassā tendencies.Ā Of course, if you tuned in to his 2016 follow-up, Last Year Was Complicated, the man was letting bombs fly right and left.
Anyways the focus here is not Nick Jonasā potty mouth, so letās move on. On āNumb,ā Nick isnāt taking being dumped well.Ā Thatās to be expected. Ultimately, on this Angel Haze feature, her effect by dumping him and finding a new man leave him ā wait for it ā NUMB!
āYou donāt know what it is you do to me Yeah, you stole my heart And all I have is a hole where it used to be And the hardest part is Now youāve got some substitute for me But heās not the one You donāt know what it is you do to me Yeah, you leave me numb.ā
Worth noting, Mike Posner served as one of the writers on the record while Nick Monson produces.
11. Phora, āNumbā
Yours Truly Forever ā¢ Warner ā¢ 2017
āLook, I know I aināt been myself lately / Iāve been feelinā like someone else lately / Itās prolly this empty Colt 45 thatās numbing the pain inside / āCause truthfully I aināt felt latelyā¦ā Phora delivers the sole verse on the brief āNumb,ā which appears on his 2017 album, Yours Truly, Ā with incredible honesty and authenticity.Ā In the aforementioned excerpt, the rapper numbs pain of a defunct relationship with substance, specifically liquor.
Phora continues, rapping:
āIām still a sinner, Iām losing myself, I need a sign I needed space, I needed love, I needed time And I never understood how you could treat me so heartless Until I realized that you just needed mine.ā
Heās in full-on reminiscent and reflective mode on āNumb.ā As with most ānumbā songs, well, the connotation is negative.
āWe running from the past and we numb ourselves hoping that it lasts āCause you left me when I need you most I said we always seem to run from those that love us the most And never open up because we scared to get close.ā
12. Flume, āNumb & Getting Colderā
Ft. KuÄka
Skin ā¢ Mom+Pop ā¢ 2016
āāCause you say it, but you wonāt admit it, oh / Numb and getting colder, physical existence disappears.ā āNumb & Getting Colderā (Skin, 2016) commences in agitated fashion ā mysterious and unsettling. Things grow more stable ā at least somewhat. KuÄkaās vocals are drenched in effects, amplifying the experimental nature of the record.
KuÄka plays a pivitol role, but itās definitely important to acknowledge the lead artist. Quite ambitious, Grammy-winner Flume deserves ample credit for thinking outside of the box on āNumb & Getting Colder.āĀ Ā
āSaid you begged to leave I wonāt be behind you And I canāt breathe, breath I wonāt be behind you.ā
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13. Ibeyi, āNumbā
Ash ā¢ XL Recordings ā¢ 2017
āNumb / Alone / Numb / I ache for home.ā Ibeyi, a duo comprised of French-Cuban twin sisters, first arrived on the scene in 2015.Ā Their self-titled album showcased a progressive spirit in regard to music.Ā Perhaps the most notable record on their sophomore album, Ash (2017), is āDeathlessā. Nonetheless, their own contribution to this numbing list, āNumb,ā has a killer vibe, anchored by dusty, hip-hop drums.
The chorus, which appears at the top of the blurb, and the song itself, is the centerpiece. Thereās also a verse that occurs twice, as well as an outro.Ā The outro, notably, is comprised of Yoruban lyrics. The verse is in English, with incredibly simple lyrics:
āYou talk to me I feel you walking by my side Take my hand Iāll save myself.ā
The biggest take away from āNumbā by Ibeyi ā the vibe.
14. Witt Lowry, āNumbā
I Could Not Plan This ā¢ Witt Lowry ā¢Ā 2017
āThey turn a rap in a mumble, I keep it real and stay humble, I know.āĀ Now thatās some confidence, and actually, a factual line ā at least the mumble part.Ā Anyways, I Could Not Plan This ā what a cool album title by Connecticut rapper, Witt Lowery.Ā On āNumb,ā this dude proves he has bars ā the flow is killer.
āI know where Iām from, but I donāt stay no more / āCause everyone back home donāt act the same no more,ā he spits, continuing, āSo, tell these motherfuckers I aināt playinā no more / Iām drowninā out my problems ātil my pain no more.ā Give Lowery the mic, allow him to drop a couple of āmotherfucks,ā and itās all good ā numb or not.
āIām goinā numb, hey I hope you see what youāve done to me Iām goinā numb, hey Blurry vision, live it fast Motherfuck my past, Iām goinā numb.ā
15. Usher, āNumbā
Looking 4 Myself ā¢ RCA ā¢Ā 2012
āThey say life is a battlefield / I say bring it onā¦ / Iām just saying that what donāt kill / Only makes you strong.ā āNumbā is among the highlights from Usherās electro-infused, 2012 album, Looking 4 Myself. Ā Notably, the record features production by a team that includes Alesso, Axwell Ī Ingrosso, Klas Ć hlund, and Steven Angello.
āNumbā shines because it is uplifting.Ā The major key and enthusiastic production certainly donāt hurt its case either. The record finds Usher reflective, looking to move forward against fear and adversity.
āLetās go numb You never know until you let go Letās go numb I can feel you now.ā
16. Pink Floyd, āComfortably Numbā
The Wall ā¢ Sony ā¢ 1979
āHello? / Is there anybody in there? / Just nod if you can hear me / Is there anyone at home?ā We began this numbing list with one of the most famous numb songs. Therefore, we must close with a surefire bang ā a classic! Long before Chester Bennington would ever sing about numbness, Pink Floyd would be āComfortably Numbā on The Wall (1979).Ā
Roger Waters sang the verses, while David Gilmour sang the choruses. Notably, Scissors Sisters would transform the late 70s gem into a dance record on their 2004 self-titled debut.
āThere is no pain, you are receding A distant ship, smoke on the horizon You are only coming through in waves Your lips move but I canāt hear what youāre saying When I was a child, I had a fever My hands felt just like two balloons Now Iāve got that feeling once again I canāt explain, you would not understand This is not how I am I have become comfortably numb.ā
Prepare to Be Numbed by These 16 Numbing Songs [Photo Credits: Bad Vibes Forever, Brent Faulkner, Carlos Vara, Def Jam, Epic, Interscope, Island, Mom+Pop, Pexels, Pixabay, RCA, Ryan Caraveo, Sony, The Musical Hype, Warner, Witt Lowry, XL Recordings]
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