“Songs That Require Sharp Sight to See, Vol. 2” features 13 sight-driven songs by AJR, Arctic Monkeys, Childish Gambino, Devin Dawson & PARTYNEXTDOOR.

Hey, hey – HEY! Please, please, PUH-lease make sure that your SIGHT is SHARP AF so that you can SEE these songs!!! Yeah, that STILL made no sense whatsoever.  The emphasis on STILL comes from the fact that I totally recycled much of this opening paragraph from the playlist Songs That Require Sharp Sight to See, Vol. 1 which was published on July 10, 2019 – don’t judge me!  Vol. 1 features songs courtesy of Billie Eilish (“you should see me in a crown”), Dustin Lynch (“Seein’ Red”), Fantasia (“When I See U”), Ghost (“See the Light”), and Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth (“See You Again”).

Songs That Require Sharp Sight to See, Vol. 2 is the follow-up to list where all 13 songs feature some form of the word ‘see’ in the song title.  It’s that simple. Musicians contributing to this excellence in sight include the likes of Arctic Monkeys (“Suck it and See”), AJR (“Finale (Can’t Wait to See What You Do Next)”), Childish Gambino (“You See Me”), Devin Dawson (“I Don’t Care Who Sees”) and PARTYNEXTDOOR (“Come and See Me”) among others. Without further ado, here are Songs That Require Sharp Sight to See, Vol. 2.

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1. AJR, “Finale (Can’t Wait to See What You Do Next)”

Neotheater • BMG Rights Management • 2019

“Come outside, come outside / You fell low, but now you’re high / You been outside, been outside / So go ahead and do it one more time.” Okay AJR, whatever you say. AJR (Adam Metzger, Jack Metzger & Ryan Metzger), comprised of three brothers from New York, makes quite the interesting collective.  AJR delivers their own unique brand of pop – yep, it’s definitely alt-pop that’s a bit more left-field than many of the songs gracing the Top 40.  The song at hand, “Finale (Can’t Wait to See What You Do Next),” matches this playlist’s expectations – the requirement of ‘sharp sight to see.’ 

“They wanted heaven from me / I gave ‘em hell / Now they want something bigger / I’m overwhelmed.” In the context of AJR’s third album, Neotheater, “Finale (Can’t Wait to See What You Do Next)” is the opposite of “Dear Winter” that precedes it. “Finale” is a robust, sleekly produced pop record filled with oodles and oodles of tricks and exemplifying ‘left of centered-ness.’  The final cut of Neotheater, it is a great way to conclude the colorful LP with the pre-chorus and chorus sections shining brightly. Furthermore, those aforementioned ‘tricks’ within the production include dramatic choral vocals and stunning orchestral cues.

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2. Joji, “I’ll See You in 40”

BALLADS 1 • 88rising / 12Tone Music • 2018

“Ooh… / Please don’t come around / … Please don’t, please don’t.” Alternative R&B artist Joji showcases ample potential on his moody, full-length, debut studio album, BALLADS 1. The vibes are real. The lengthiest song of BALLADS 1, “I’ll See You in 40,” concludes the project.  Following a lush, mysterious intro, “I’ll See You in 40” settles into a relaxed, rhythmic ballad that plays to Joji’s strengths.

 

Even though “I’ll See You in 40” is a relaxed, rhythmic ballad, it’s clear that ‘matters of the heart’ are firmly in play.  And by ‘matters of the heart,’ we mean a break-up, signaled by the intro.  There’s one verse, and expectedly, Joji is moody, with a keyword being “hiding,” which relates to the intro, as well as the outro:

“I won’t come around
Ooh yeah…
I will find myself
And I still love you
I still love you…”

Prior to that outro, the chorus is also interesting, written in poetic fashion:

“I could feel the change
The way you sing your song
I could feel the waves
You send from kingdom’s sun.”

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3. Devin Dawson, “I Don’t Care Who Sees”

Dark Horse • Warner Music Nashville • 2018

“A crowded room don’t mean a thing / And I don’t mean to cause a scene / …I don’t care who sees (I was leanin’ in for a kiss, I’m givin’ in) / Even though it ain’t like me.” The pro-PDA song “I Don’t Care Who Sees” serves as the sixth track and from Dark Horse, the 2018 debut album from California country musician Devin Dawson. Out of character for the anti-PDA musician, he reverses course on “I Don’t Care Who Sees.”

 

“I Don’t Care Who Sees” features a nice, easy-going sound. Even though it’s easy-going, the production is ‘driving,’ with an excellent rhythmic backdrop with acoustic and electric guitars and banjo. The main attraction (Devin Dawson) delivers a well-rounded vocal performance. He never over-sings but packs just the right amount of punch.  In addition to the excellent chorus excerpted above, On the verses, Dawson does a fine job of expressing his affection (“‘Cause everybody here can tell that I just can’t help myself…”), as well as the bridge (“I ain’t tryin’ to spotlight / Yeah, all I’m sayin’ is, we ain’t gotta hide it.” Sharp-sightedness y’all!

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4. Jason Mraz, “Let’s See What the Night Can Do”

Know. • Atlantic • 2018

“Let’s drive out to the desert at midnight /… Where no one will know how to get us / We don’t need a map we’ll just drive, drive, drive.” Typically, deep in a musician’s career, innovative spirit, let alone innovations, come at a premium. Jason Mraz was no geezer by any means when he released his sixth studio album, Know., in 2018.  At the time, Mraz was 41 but also far removed from being the “Geek in the Pink”. After a four-year hiatus, the Grammy-winning pop singer/songwriter focuses on “love” throughout Know.  He kicks things off with the song at hand, “Let’s See What the Night Can Do.”

“Let’s See What the Night Can Do” is a thoughtful number with a folk-pop sensibility, accompanied initially by acoustic guitars.  Mraz doesn’t need much production to fuel his fire – he sounds terrific. Later, he adds electric guitar, acoustic piano, and drums, sweetening an already sweet performance.  Honestly, he sums up things best himself on the chorus:

“I wanna get lost with you
And hide out under the light of the moon
I wanna get lost with you
And see what it’s like
To spend the whole night with you, just you
You, just you.”

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5. Niall Horan, “Seeing Blind”

Ft. Maren Morris

Flicker • Capitol • 2017

Following their 2015 album Made in the A.M., and down ZAYN, it just felt like One Direction was ‘en route’ to an indefinite hiatus. Sure enough, said indefinite hiatus occurred, and the solo singles and solo albums began to arrive.  Zayn spread his wings first (Mind of Mine), followed by Harry Styles (Harry Styles), and then, the sole Irish member of the collective, Niall Horan.  Horan released his debut album, Flicker, in 2017, buoyed by the success of “This Town” and “Slow Hands”.  While both of those are noteworthy songs, neither fits the parameters of this playlist.  “Seeing Blind,” featuring Grammy-winning country musician Maren Morris does fit however.

“I have seen, seen it all in paper dreams / Watched it unfold on the screen / But I never understood…” Ah, matters of the heart – love.  From a cursory listen, from the onset, “Seeing Blind” seems destined for success.  The production is driven by an acoustic sound, treading light as opposed to being heavy. The sound is heavier on the chorus, which is more intense and thrilling.

“Oh, my, my, you just took me by surprise
And I can’t believe my eyes
Oh, I. must be seein’ blind
Oh, no I, you’re too good to be all mine
Now I’m lookin’ in your eyes
Oh, I must be seein’ blind.”

While Maren Morris is an unexpected collaborator for Horan, she ends up being a ‘match made in heaven.’  “Seeing Blind” is folk-pop, and honestly, not too far-fetched from country, particularly given the songwriting.

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6. PARTYNEXTDOOR, “Come and See Me”

Ft. Drake

PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 (P3) • OVO Sound / Warner Bros. • 2016

“All she talkin’ ‘bout is, ‘Come and see me for once / Come and see me for one / You don’t ever come to me, you don’t ever come to me.’” Hmm, sounds like the relationship which PARTYNEXTDOOR sings about on “Come and See Me” (PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 (P3)) is basic AF, or at least, he’s not satisfying her emotionally.  On the first verse, prior to the aforementioned chorus, PND seems to be feeling the pressure of balancing a relationship and fame (“Shit just got real, things are gettin’ intense now…”). On the second verse, the pressure continues as he asserts, “Thumbin’ through the voicemails that you left me tellin’ me where I went wrong.”

As of yet, we’ve spent ample time on what PARTYNEXTDOOR sings about on the Noah “40” Shebib-produced joint. But we left out one big part – Drake is the featured guest on the penultimate, surefire gem from PARTYNEXTDOOR 3 (P3). On the third verse, Drake picks right up where PND left off:

“Why you gotta start, girl, why you gotta start?
I know we make time for the things that we want
I know you got another nigga tryna play the part
Just ‘cause he got a heart don’ tme he got heart…
This thing is gettin’ one-sided, I can’t even lie to you right now.”

Drake also performs the final chorus, previously sung by PND.

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7. Jeezy, “Seen It All”

Ft. Jay-Z

Seen It All: The Autobiography • Def Jam • 2014

“Hoes seen me in this big pretty mothafucka / Bet I leave the parking lot with about ten hoes.”  Eight words: Damn it feels good to be a gangsta. On “Seen It All,” arguably the crowning achievement from Seen it All: The Autobiography, southern rapper Jeezy certainly doesn’t come to play around.  It’s not only Jeezy mind you, as Jay-Z joins him on this certified banger to ‘keep it 100.’

As the aforementioned lyrical excerpt from the end of Jeezy’s verse confirms, he’s cocky and confident to the nth degree.  Prior to referencing how many hoes he’s going to pull, he rhymes about hustling (“In the kitchen ‘bout to make some magic”) as well as money (“Doors open up, I emerge with 10 chains”).  As ‘on’ as Jeezy is, Jay-Z’s verse truly shines, commencing with a bang:

“Uncle died on the spot, pop killed the family with heroin shots
Gave my life to the block, figured I get shot ‘least I die on top.”

Safe to say, Jeezy and Jay-Z speak real talk.

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8. The Script, “If You Could See Me Now”

#3 • Sony • 2012

“I still look for your face in the crowd / Oh, if you could see me now / Would you stand in disgrace or take a bow? / Oh, if you could see me now.” Irish pop collective The Script weren’t particularly clever in naming their third studio album #3 – understatement.  Also, critics weren’t particularly enthralled by the effort. Even so, Danny O’Donoghue and company did manage to earn a hit off the album in the U.S. with “Hall of Fame” alongside rapper/producer will.i.am. “Hall of Fame” is the crowning achievement, but another single, “If You Could See Me Now,” definitely deserves praise as well.

Danny O’Donoghue and Mark Sheehan handle vocal duties, with both rapping on verses one and two respectively.  O’Donoghue reminisces on his late father and how much he misses him, the encouragement that he gave him, and how great a man he was.

“And I’ll never get to show you these songs
Dad, you should see the tours that I’m on
I see you standing there next to Mom
Both singing along, yeah, arm in arm.”

Sheehan addresses his verse to both parents, both of which are deceased.  There are plenty of heartfelt, touching lines, such as early on, “Would you follow every line on my tear-stained face? / Put your hand on a heart that was cold as the day you were taken away?” Of course, it is the chorus, excerpted at the top that is the centerpiece, sung as opposed to rapped.  Add uplifting, memorializing music, and “If You Could See Me Now” is another gem from an album that didn’t get much love.

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9. Usher, “Lemme See”

Ft. Rick Ross

Looking 4 Myself • RCA • 2012

“She say she wanna take her skirt off / Be my guest / I decided to take my shirt off/ And show my chest…” Yeah, ultimately, Grammy-winning R&B artist Usher urges his girl to “be about it…” and “lemme see.” It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand where the 2012 summer jam “Lemme See” (Looking 4 Myself) is going, Usher is assisted by the Teflon Don, Rick Ross, while the mysterious, ultra-sleek production comes courtesy of Jim Jonsin and Mr. Morris.

As if anyone needed a hint, the rest of the pre-chorus finds Usher singing:

“And we been sipping on that Merlot
So, you know what’s next
Perfect intermissions, switching position
We so explicit oh…”

While he’s explicit with his actions in the bed room, Usher is content with being highly-suggestive as opposed to profane.  Honestly, on the second verse, he could’ve said much worse than “Sex education / Hands on when you’re with me / Can you handle me,” right? Right.  The chorus is the crème de la crème:

“You can say it all night long
That you couldn’t wait to get me home alone
What you gon’ do to me
Don’t talk about it, be about it
Let me see, let me see…”

 Other notes worth sharing.  Usher sounds fantastic in overall, whether he’s singing in his upper register dipping into falsetto or employing his chest voice.  Also, Rick Ross further accentuates this fantastic, memorable cut, doing what he does best – rapping about drip (money) with a side order of sex thrown in.

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10. The Game, “See No Evil”

Ft. Kendrick Lamar & Tank

Jesus Piece • Interscope • 2011

“I don’t read the XXL / Tote a .45 the church, think I’m destined for hell, oh well / Blood tears off the face of my Jesus piece / It’s bloodshed, feel the cracks in my city streets.” The Game truly sets the tone of “See No Evil,” a highlight from his 2011 album, Jesus Piece, early on.  Prior to the opening lyrics from his first verse, much of Jesus Piece alludes to religion, including controversial cover art.  It wouldn’t be far-fetched to throw out the word ‘blasphemy’ in reference to elements of Jesus Piece as well as the specific song at hand.  Later, on the third verse, Game spits, “You want to go to Compton? Nigga I’ll take you there/ Hub City bodies get burnt butt naked here…” Hmm…

Going into “See No Evil” itself, the big takeaway for listeners should be how The Game depicts Compton – it’s definitely ‘rough and tumble’ to the nth degree. Tank appears on the record with unique vocal production (effects), singing a stellar chorus:

“I said she see no evil, she don’t hear nothing at all
You want to see tomorrow, you promise not to talk
Say we on our way now, I’m a see you again
And when they ask you questions, you just answer
What happened then? What happened then?”

Tank splits into some lovely vocal harmonies during the chorus.  Also, worth noting, The Game, Tank, and Kendrick Lamar are supported by superb, restrained production work courtesy of Boi-1da. The sound is mysterious but complements the tone of this cut. Kendrick Lamar appears on the second verse:

“...Dirt off all under my fingers, dirt all of ‘em gon is gone
Shirt off when procedure, resuscitation came early
I need you to keep quiet as a mouse
Which is ironic ‘cause rats is what I’m talking about
I’m hearing the sonics of gunfire
The whispers, the silent cries
Even though I know it’s an eye for an eye.”

All in all, “See No Evil” is an excellent, though incredibly dark number about Compton.

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11. Arctic Monkeys, “Suck it and See”

Suck it and See • Domino • 2011

“Suck it and see, you never know…” Wow, that’s some serious sexual innuendo there Alex Turner… or is it?  In all honesty, the innuendo is pronounced on “Suck it and See,” the penultimate number from Grammy-nominated alternative collective Arctic Monkeys’ 2011 album Suck it and See, but Turner isn’t quite as ‘pervy’ as the title suggests without context.  If you’re not British, maybe you failed to understand what the informal British idiom “suck it and see” means – “to try something in order to find out if it is good, effective, etc.”

“Your love is like a studded leather headlock / Your kiss, it could put creases in the rain…” Wow… Now that you understand that Alex Turner isn’t being a total ‘horn-dog,’ you should know that he is infatuated with a particular girl who’s not giving him the ‘time of day.’ That said, he urges her on the chorus to “Be cruel to me ‘cause I am a fool for you.” In other words, he’s turned on by her even when she treats him meanly.  One of the best lines from this Arctic Monkeys gem comes on the second verse:

“That’s not a skirt, girl, that’s a sawn-off shotgun
And I can only hope you’ve got it aimed at me.”

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12. Childish Gambino, “You See Me”

Camp • Glassnote • 2011

Childish Gambino (Donald Glover) has matured since his early days.  Back in 2011, with the release of Camp, the multi-talented entertainer definitely showcased his raw side. Had Glover not ‘evolved’ artistically, even as enjoyable as an album like Camp is, would he have ended up winning Grammys at all? Probably not, let’s just be honest.  He certainly gives us a filthy joint on this sharp-sighted playlist with “You See Me.”

The hook pretty much sums up what is on Childish Gambino’s mind:

“I’m on my ballin’ each and every day
Asian girls everywhere, UCLA
You see me babe? You see me babe?
Asian girls, everywhere, UCLA.”

That’s honestly some of the least controversial rhymes that Glover serves up.  He flexes his machismo (“Realest motherfucker in the game like Tron, nigga”), dissing those who call him slurs (“If I’m a faggot spell it right, I got way more than two G’s”), an expressing his desire for Asian girls (“Forget these white girls, I need some variation / Especially if she very Asian”).  Of course, all those lyrics hail from just the first verse of this banger, which features malicious production work that only fuels Glover’s fire.  The third verse also raises eyebrows, whether its lines like “Can we hear the n-word one day and not get upset” as well as the following:

“You don’t wanna see my dudes when they get mad
I got a bunch of jackanapes at the back of me
That’ll lacerate anyone in the back of a matinee
And laugh while they masturbatin’ all over your beaten bod.”

Again, I ask, had Childish Gambino not evolved, would he have won a Grammy?

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13. Maroon 5, “If I Never See Your Face Again”

Ft. Rihanna

It Won’t Be Soon Before Long • Interscope • 2007

As hard as it is to believe, Grammy-winning pop collective Maroon 5 is nearing the two-decade mark as a force in the music biz.  Songs About Jane arrived in 2002 – whoa! The Adam Levine-fronted band wouldn’t release their sophomore album It Won’t Be Soon Before Long until 2007, but ‘man, oh man,’ was it another gem.  One of the best songs from sleekly-produced, well-written LP was “If I Never See Your Face Again,” a song later released as a duet with fellow Grammy-winner, Rihanna.

“Now as the summer fades, I let you slip away / You say I’m not your type, but I can make you sway…” Hmm, by sway, I’d venture to say that Adam Levine isn’t really referencing dancing.  Honestly, “If I Never See Your Face Again” definitely channels the spirit of “This Love” from Songs About Jane, where electrifying sex seems to fuel the fire.  Originally writing about this song many years ago, I sold short the length of the ‘connection’ characterizing it as a record about “a steamy, meaningless one-night stand.” Yes, sex is the draw, but “If I Never See Your Face Again” seems more summer fling with a couple of sessions as opposed to just one, not to mention the added wrinkle of an ‘affair.’ The chorus is the centerpiece, of course:

“‘Cause you keep me coming back for more
And I feel a little better than I did before
If I never see your face again, I don't mind
'Cause we got much further than I thought we'd get tonight.”

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“Songs That Require Sharp Sight to See, Vol. 2” [Photo Credits: 12Tone Music, 88rising, Atlantic, BMG Rights Management, Capitol, Def Jam, Domino, Interscope, Glassnote, OVO Sound, Pexels, Pixabay, RCA, Sony, Warner Bros.]

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