Store | 5ive Songs

1. Nas, “Store Run”

💿 King’s Disease II • 🏷 Mass Appeal • 📅 2021

“So, I’m clean as a whistle, drinking premium liquor / In-between two Argentinian sisters.” 🎵 “Store Run,” one of many highlights from 💿 King’s Disease II, is classic 🎙 Nas.  Here, the 🏆 Grammy winners is backed by a sleek but old-school, soul sample-driven production (🎛 Enzo and 🎛 Hit-Boy). What more can you say but sweet music to our ears!

As far as the bars, we’ve got a little bit of everything.  Nas is socially conscious, a fanboy of Argentinian women, and pays ode to late rap gods.  Other than his fantasy about Argentinian women, one lyric that stands out is about legendary status in hip-hop:

“Stood on stages most never can, pyrotechnics and leather pants
Shifting culture
Mention me with Mick Jagger and Bono like you’re ‘posed to
I’m standing next to rookies, somehow they looking older.”

Man, oh man – what killer lines!

2. Walker Hayes, “Dollar Store”

💿 boom. • 🏷 Monument • 📅 2017

🎙 Walker Hayes is not your typical country musician.  The Alabaman musician proved that on his 2017 sophomore album, boom.. Hayes’ less orthodox approach proved to be refreshing, particularly on two standouts from the LP, 🎵 “You Broke Up with Me” and 🎵 “Shut Up Kenny”. Unfortunately, neither of those fit the store/shop criteria here – BUMMER.  Thankfully, Hayes has a song from boom. that does successfully match the criteria – 🎵 “Dollar Store.”

“Dollar Store” is filled with quirkiness, swagger, and perhaps most of all, pop…or maybe hip-hop.  This is a prime example of Hayes’ new brand of country that doesn’t appeal to traditionalists, but rather those willing to blur lines (not like that problematic Robin Thicke song, tho).  For most, there’s not much middle ground – this is a ‘love it or hate it’ type.  Regardless of where you stand on “Dollar Store,” the chorus is infectious, as is the groove. Also, the prices are cheap – sorry – couldn’t resist!

“Uh, woohoo
Baby I’m a million bucks from rich
But I can grant you a discount wish
Down at the dollar store
Buy you whatever you holla for.”

3. The National, “Carin at the Liquor Store”

💿 Sleep Well Beast • 🏷 4AD • 📅 2017

“I was a worm, I was a creature / I get on the ground the second I’d see you / You cannot command your love.” 🎙 The National won a 🏆 Grammy for their spectacular 2017 album, 💿 Sleep Well Beast.  Sleep Well Beast is an adventurous alternative rock album, unafraid of darkness and experimentation.  Filled with numerous highlights, among those standouts is 🎵 “Carin at the Liquor Store”, which was released as a single in advance of Sleep Well Beast.  “Carin” commences with acoustic piano, creating ambience.  There are subtle sounds in the background in addition to the piano-dominated production. Front man 🎙 Matt Berninger adds his rich, distinct baritone atop the simple backdrop, eventually expanding in instrumentation.

“Carin at the Liquor Store” never grows incredibly overt, always maintaining poise and control.  Even so, Berninger infuses more energy as it progresses, particularly towards the end when he ascends from the bottom end of his vocal register. Regarding form, each of the choruses are slightly different, with common ground.  The first chorus is the shortest: “So blame it on me / I really don’t care / It’s a foregone conclusion.”  Those lines recur on the second and third choruses. The second chorus is the lengthiest, bearing the most detail.

“So, blame it on me
I really don’t care
It’s a foregone conclusion
It wasn’t so bad, I wasn’t that sick
Got taken by love, I wasn’t that quick...”

The M.O. is love, specifically for his wife, Carin Besser.

4.Father John Misty, “I Went to the Store One Day”

💿 I Love You, Honeybear • 🏷 Sub Pop • 📅 2016

“We met in a parking lot / I was buying coffee and cigarettes / Firewood and bad wine long since gone / But I’m still drunk and hot.”  Good to know 🎙 Father John Misty… we think.  These are the lyrics that appear on the first verse of 🎵 “I Went to the Store One Day,” the closing cut from his second studio album (and best album to date), 💿 I Love You, Honeybear.  Contextually, “I Went to the Store One Day” follows the grandiose 🎵“Holy Shit”.

“I Went to the Store One Day” marks a stark contrast to “Holy Shit” which precedes it.  This is calmer, softer, and more ‘reverent’ record in sound.  The lyrics retain their honesty and poetry, accompanied chilling, crescendoing strings and rhythmic guitar.  Furthermore, how about that mandolin? On this fine closer, Josh Tillman is focused on the love of his life, his wife.  Notably, on the second verse, her asks her, “Don’t let me die in a hospital / I’ll save the big one for the last time we make love.”   Wow, now that’s the way to go out for sure!

5. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, “Thrift Shop”

💿 The Heist • 🏷 Macklemore • 📅 2012

🎙Macklemore & Ryan Lewis had a big year in 2012 – that can’t be denied.  🎵 “Thrift Shop,” featuring 🎙 Wanz was a gigantic hit, period.  Wanz, of course, plays a crucial role, anchoring the infectious, memorable chorus, intact with f-bomb: “I’m gonna pop some tags / Only got twenty dollars in my pocket / I’m, I’m, I’m huntin’, lookin’ for a come up / This is fucking awesome.” “Thrift Shop” would earn the duo three 🏆 Grammys: Best New Artist, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap Album. The problem, of course, was a better artist and musician was up for those awards, one that has had longer staying power: 🎙 Kendrick Lamar (he’d go on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music, years later).

Of course, it’s not Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ fault they ended up winning. Forgetting the controversy, “Thrift Shop” is a fun, novel rap song.  It’s certainly not what rap songs typically encompass thematically (thrifting), but it ended up being an unexpected, unlikely hit.  As for Macklemore, his bars are compelling, and there’s still profanity A-Z, even with lines like “I’m at the Goodwill, you can find me in the bins / I’m not, I’m not stuck on searchin’ in that section (Mens).” Furthermore, shout out to him for being open-minded about his clothing choices, including “The built-in onesie with the socks on the motherfucker.” Yeah, the white kids ate this one up especially, but admittedly, it’s a fun, novel cut.