Ready | 5ive Songs

1. Sam Smith & Demi Lovato, “I’m Ready”

💿 Love Goes • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2020

“I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready, I’m ready / For someone to love me.” Those simple lyrics sum up “I’m Ready”, a bonus track from 💿 Love Goes that encompasses matters of the heart. With “I’m Ready,” we get superstar collaboration between 🏆 Academy Award and Grammy-winning artist 🎙 Sam Smith and 🏆 Grammy-nominated artist 🎙 Demi Lovato.  On this soulful, contemporary pop number, both Smith and Lovato are ‘ready’ to take a risk on love.

Smith sings, on the first verse, “It’s a cold night in my bed in the heat of summer / I’ve been waitin’ patiently for a beautiful lover…” For Smith, a good man is hard to come by, but they’re willing to take chance. The case is the same for Lovato, who contrasts the summer of Smith’s verse with winter: “It’s a hot night in my head in the chill of the winter.” Besides awesome vocals, the production is quite ripe (🎛 Ilya). Ultimately, “I’m Ready” is relatable, well-performed, well-produced, and well-written.

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2. Raphael Saadiq, “So Ready”

💿 Jimmy Lee • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2019

🎵 “So Ready” is a must-hear, funky fresh joint from 💿 Jimmy Lee, the 2019 studio album from 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B musician 🎙 Raphael Saadiq. The groove and the bass line are irresistible. Saadiq sounds awesome vocally, delivering a nuanced performance overall.

Even with ample energy and a sense of brightness, the record references sins (“I’m still out here living wrong / These drugs was too strong”), not to mention breaking hearts.  Sure, the heartbreak can be associated with love, but it also seems to be associated with the ‘loss of control’ exhibited by the character portrayed on this highlight from Jimmy Lee.

3. Taylor Swift, “…Ready for It?”

💿 Reputation • 🏷 Big Machine • 📅 2017

🎵 “…Ready for It?” commences 💿 Reputation, the second pop album by 🏆 Grammy-winning singer/songwriter 🎙 Taylor Swift. The production work is a selling point, embracing an electro-pop palette.  Vocally, Swift manages to pull off this rhythmic, urban-pop joint successfully, without delivering a knockout punch. Thematically, she tackles her favorite topic: boys.  Specifically, she focuses on one individual she’s taken with.

Clearly, on the chorus, she’s particularly lustful.

“In the middle of the night, in my dreams
You should see the things we do, baby
In the middle of the night, in my dreams
I know I’m gonna be with you
So, I take my time
Are you ready for it?”

The sex doesn’t cross the lines – it’s merely suggestive and quite tasteful. Ultimately, “…Ready for It?” is quite catchy even if it doesn’t supplant past hits.

4. Rick Ross, “War Ready”

Ft. Jeezy

💿 Mastermind • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2014

“Killas on front line when you’re war ready / Chopper shoot a thousand rounds when you’re war ready.” Woo! On 🎵 “War Ready,” assisted by 🎙 Jeezy, 🎙 Rick Ross keeps things 💯 (an uncredited 🎙 Tracy T performs the aforementioned hook by the way). Ross references his ‘shooters’ for about millionth time in the context of 💿 Mastermind. “War ready / You got shooters, I’ve got shooters,” he asserts on the intro, continuing, “We’ve got money / Let’s do what them other niggas can’t do…” BANG, BANG, BANG!

🎛 Mike Will Made It gives Ross and Jeezy magnificent, relaxed, yet malicious production to ‘put in work ‘over.  Of course, both rappers do just that.  Notably, Jeezy references a ‘Box Chevy’, despite the fact Ross released a song that didn’t’ make the cut on Mastermind (“Box Chevy hit the block, run the whole 50 shots / You just poppin’ ‘til you know you can’t pop ‘em no more…”).

5. Bob Marley & The Wailers, “One Love / People Get Ready – Medley”

💿 Exodus • 🏷 Island• 📅 1977

🎙 Bob Marley only lived to be 36 years young after his premature death from cancer in 1981.  Even so, the legacy that he left after such a short life is absolutely awesome. 🎙 Bob Marley & The Wailers’ 1977 album, 💿 Exodus, is among the great musical masterpieces of all time.  The hits are endless including the beloved gem, 🎵 “One Love / People Get Ready.” 

The backdrop of “One Love / People Get Ready” features typical reggae cues, in all their tropical glory.  The groove, the vibe, and the overall aesthetic is nothing short of awe-inspiring.  While the writing credits for 🎵 “One Love” are attributed to Marley & The Wailers, 🎵 “People Get Ready” is a beloved gospel-tinged soul classic by soul icon 🎙 Curtis Mayfield (performed with 🎙 The Impressions). The medley works so seamlessly, you could honestly believe (if you didn’t know better) that this one original song by Marley.  The songwriting and the message specifically, is spot on.

“One love! One Heart
Let’s get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying (One love!)
Hear the children crying (One heart!)
Saying: Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel alright
Saying: Let’s get together and feel all right.”

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