Sometimes | 5ive Songs

In the 76th edition of 5ive Songs (2022), we select five songs that are associated with Sometimes in some form or fashion.

Welcome to 5ive Songs, where we keep things short and sweet – no extra calories or needless fluff! There’s a theme/topic, five songs, and a short blurb.  Yes, it’s a playlist, but it’s a miniature playlist that shouldn’t take much time to consume.  In the 76th edition of 5ive Songs (2022), we select five songs that are associated with Sometimes in some form or fashion.  Okay, let’s get into it! 

1. The Undisputed Truth, “Smiling Faces Sometimes”   

💿 The Undisputed Truth • 🏷 Motown • 📅 1971  

“Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes / They don’t tell the truth,” 🎙 The Undisputed Truth asserts on the chorus of the classic, 🎵 “Smiling Faces Sometimes”. The memorable, timeless chorus of this minor-key gem continues, “Smiling faces, smiling faces sometimes / Tell lies and I got proof.”  Woo! Penned by the dynamic Motown duo 🎼✍ Barrett Strong and 🎼✍ 🎛 Norman Whitfield, “Smiling Faces Sometimes” is actually a COVER! Shock and awe, folks!     

What’s interesting about the fact that “Smiling Faces Sometimes” wasn’t originally recorded by The Undisputed Truth is WHO originally recorded it 👀.  Strong and Whitfield are Motown writing legends, so, Motown artists often recorded songs recorded by other Motown artists.  🎙 The Temptations recorded the original 👀! The Temptations did a marvelous job on the 12 ½ minute original, but The Undisputed Truth earned the biggest hit of their career, peaking at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It probably also helps that The Undisputed Truth version runs just over three-minutes-long, while capturing the marvelous tune and exceptional production and orchestration. TUT get right to the point, which is more readymade for airplay on radio. Take one listen and you’ll see the hype and can’t resist smiling at the truth the collective serves up! The lush production intact with fat bass line, the memorable songwriting – #SICKENING! While you don’t get those epic lead vocals from 🎙 Eddie Kendricks, the performances by committee are awesome, nonetheless.  This 1971 song from 💿 The Undisputed Truth is an undisputed bop to this day!   

“The truth is in the eyes  

Cause the eyes don’t lie, amen  

Remember a smile is just  

A frown turned upside down  

My friend let me tell you.”  

https://media.giphy.com/media/eGljUsRYCcNVJI6Scj/giphy.gif    

Appears in 🔻:  

• 13 More Songs Sure to Make You Smile  
• The Undisputed Truth “Smiling Faces Sometimes”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 10 (2021)
• The Temptations vs. The Undisputed Truth: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 39 (2021) 

 2. Juice WRLD, “Sometimes” 

💿 Fighting Demons (Deluxe) • 🏷 Grade A Productions / Interscope • 📅 2022 

“Pick up the rock, score / I pill pop some more / Why? It numbs me inside / I know it ain’t right, but it’s part of the ride.” 🎙 Juice WRLD clearly had his fair share of problems.  Many of his songs explored mental health and numbing the pain with drugs.  Tragically, his demons got the best of him, only days after his 21st birthday in 2019. The song at hand, 🎵 “Sometimes,” marks another reminder of not only how talented Juice WRLD was, but also his downward spiral that ultimately cost him his life.  “Sometimes” appears on the digital deluxe edition of his second posthumous album, 💿 Fighting Demons.  

The quality of “Sometimes” is not debatable. Juice WRLD is backed by top-notch, banging production (🎛 Danny Wolf and 🎛 Otxhello) that suits his melodic, emo brand of rap.  Juice sounds terrific, musically, wowing with his distinct flow and brand.  That said, it is the lyrics and the messaging that are depressing and tragic. “I wanna be by my lonely / I pop these Perc’ by my lonely,” he sings in the chorus, adding, “.40 on me, you know it’s my homie.” Of course, he’s even more candid as the early example indicates, as well as lines like, “As of lately, my demons they still bother me / When I’m sleepin’, they sittin’ on top of me / And wherever I go, they’ll follow me / I fell into the pit and it’s bottomless.” It is still sad that he is no longer living.  His music lives on, both a testament to his talent as well as a cautionary tale about mental health and drug abuse.   

3. MUNA, “Sometimes (From “Fire Island”)” 

🎵 “Sometimes (From “Fire Island”)” • 🏷 20th Century Studios • 📅 2022

In 2022, Hulu released the ultra-enjoyable, LGBTQ+ film, Fire Island, starring 🎭 Joel Kim Booster. Fire Island, as the title suggests, entails a liberating vacation to Fire Island, located in New York. ✍ Jack Parlett describes Fire Island as A gay paradise of sex and liberation. Notably, he authored a book about it, entitled, 📚 Fire Island: A Century in the Life of an American Paradise. I won’t use this blurb to explore Fire Island the place or the film, but it should be noted that the song, 🎵 “Sometimes” was featured in the film.   

“Sometimes I run, sometimes I hide / Sometimes I’m scared of you,” 🎙 MUNA sings familiarly in the chorus. “But all I really want is to hold you tight, treat you right / Be with you day and night / Baby, all I need is time.” The reason why it sounds so familiar is the indie-pop collective is covering the 🎙 Britney Spears classic penned by 🎼 ✍ Jörgen Elofsson. Many (though not all because we eschew stereotypes) people who identify as gay adore Britney Spears, so, it’s fitting one of her song graces the film. Furthermore, it’s fitting that MUNA, who’s three members identify as queer, perform the song. The film highlights gay relationships – something still far too rare on screen – with several of those relationships ultimately transcending hook ups (not to spoil the film if you haven’t seen it).  Anyways, MUNA gives Fire Island a fitting soundtrack with this well-rounded cover.  

4. The 1975, “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)”  

💿 A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships • 🏷  Polydor / Interscope • 📅  2018  

“You build it to a high to say goodbye / Because you’re not the same as them / But your death it won’t happen to you / It happens to your family and to your friends.” Damn, that pretty deep stuff right there. Near the end of 2018, British alternative collective 🎙 The 1975 delivered an interesting third album with 💿 A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships. One of the more interesting tunes appears at the conclusion of the album, the reflective and suicidal 🎵 “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes).”     

“I can hardly speak / And when I try, it’s nothing but a squeak,” front man 🎙 Matthew Healy sings. Despite having a depressing sensibility (understatement), “I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)” actually has more tempo and more rock cues compared to the songs that precede it.  Crossing over the five-minute mark, the band give us a strong, driving groove, lush strings, and some turned-up guitars.  The chorus is simple, yet melodically captivating. 

“And I always wanna die, sometimes   

I always wanna die, sometimes  

I always wanna die.”   

Appears in 🔻:  

• 15 Songs That Center Around Sadness & Depression 
• ALWAYS: 13 Songs That Exemplify Utmost Consistency 

5. Prince, “Sometimes It Snows in April”  

💿 Parade – Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon • 🏷 NPG / Warner • 📅 1986

“Sometimes it snows in April / Sometimes I feel so bad (So bad),” the late, truly great, 🎙 Prince sings on the 1986 classic, 🎵 “Sometimes It Snows in April”. “Sometimes It Snows in April” graces his album,  💿 Parade, which doubles as the soundtrack to the movie he also acts in, 💿 Under the Cherry Moon.  This closing record is a far cry – a stark difference – from sexually charged Prince which dominated the 1980s. Instead, on this nearly seven-minute ballad, Prince is reflective, more restrained, and somber.  The chorus, the centerpiece continues, “Sometimes I wish that life was never ending / And all good things, they say, never last.”   

Given Prince’s unexpected death on April 21, 2016, at the age of 57, the song takes on a new meaning for his fans.  It was a sad day losing one of the most prolific, talented musicians of all-time.  Just like Prince is sad regarding the death of Tracy – something revealed when he begins singing – the world was saddened and shocked to see another superstar pass away far earlier than anticipated.  The song fittingly speaks to how life is truly fleeting, and you shouldn’t take it for granted. “I used to cry for Tracy ‘cause he was my only friend / Those kind of cars don’t pass you every day,” he sings in the first verse, continuing, “I used to cry for Tracy ‘cause I want to see him again / But sometimes, sometimes life ain’t always the way.” So true, Prince, so true.  Prince wrote “Sometimes It Snows in April” alongside  🎼 ✍ Lisa Coleman and 🎼 ✍ Wendy Melvoin. It is a radiant tearjerker from a legendary 🏆 Academy and Grammy award winning musical icon.    

Appears in 🔻:  

• 11 Intriguing Snowy Songs 

Sometimes: 5ive Songs No. 76 (2022) [📷: 20th Century Studios, Brent Faulkner, Clovis Cheminot, Grade A Productions, Interscope, Motown, The Musical Hype, NPG,  OpenClipart-Vectors, Pixabay, Polydor, Warner]