Tattoo | 5ive Songs

1. Lauv, “Tattoos Together”

💿 ~how I’m feeling~ • 🏷 AWAL • 📅 2020

An infatuated 🎙 Lauv (Ari Leff) potentially ‘jumps the gun’ by getting matching ink with his newfound love interest on 🎵“Tattoos Together”. Yes, it’s a head shakable moment on the part of Leff who asserts, “Said I’d never fall, I’d never fall, I’d never fall / But then I fell for you, mmm.”  “Tattoos Together” appears as the 16^th track of Leff’s 2020 debut album,  💿 ~how I’m feeling ~.

The lyrics reflect Leff’s impulsiveness, especially the pre-chorus leading into the chorus:

“One weekend in Portland
You weren’t even my girlfriend
We were walking and talking
Then somebody said let’s get...
Tattoos together, something to remember
If it’s way too soon, fuck it, whatever
Give me shapes and letters if it’s not forever
Then at least we’ll have tattoos together.”

“Tattoos Together” is a lighthearted pop record – it doesn’t get too high ultimately.  The production (Leff) is well-rounded without being incredibly flashy or game changing.  Vocally, Leff serves up a chill performance, particularly when he casually drops “fuck it” on the chorus. All in all, it’s another enjoyable single.

Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 15 Songs Where We are in This Together!
🔗 🎧 15 T Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason

2. Marilyn Manson, “Tattooed in Reverse”

💿 Heaven Upside Down • 🏷 Loma Vista • 📅 2017

“So, fuck your bible and your Babel / I made this psalm into my dirty bomb.”  Even prior to his abuse allegations, 🎙 Marilyn Manson (Brian Hugh Warner) was a polarizing, controversial musician – UNDERSTATEMENT.  🎵 “Tattooed in Reverse,” a highlight from his 2017 album, 💿 Heaven Upside Down, exemplifies his penchant for controversy.  The excerpted opening lyric is damned for sure setting an unapologetic tone for the album’s second track.

Just think about the title of the album for minute and let that set in.  Clearly, Manson, a self-proclaimed nonbeliever, paints the picture of a deviant, who is deranged and seemingly ‘built all wrong from the start.’ This ‘loose cannon’ doesn’t care about religion or God in the least, essentially reversing things into utter hellishness and evil.  The chorus is thrilling, capturing the suspect state of mind of this psycho:

“I’m un-stabled, I’m not a show horse
I can’t be bridled, of course
I’m un-scabbed and un-regretted
I got tattooed in reverse.”

Dante wouldn’t look favorably upon Manson to say the least.

3. Ariana Grande, “Tattooed Heart”

💿 Yours Truly • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2013

Sigh, sometimes the debut album from 🎙 Ariana Grande, 💿 Yours Truly, feels like it arrived such a long time ago.  Perhaps the reason why is because this 2013 gem that began an illustrious career has become eclipsed album by album that Ari has released.  Even so, Yours Truly, like every Grande album, featured several hits.  Arguably, 🎵 “Tattooed Heart,” the fourth track, didn’t even rank among the top-tier of songs!  Nonetheless, it’s another fine cut from the Ari catalog.

“I wanna say we’re going steady
Like it’s 1954, no, it doesn’t have to be forever
Just as long as I’m the name on your tattooed heart.”

Those lyrics appear on the first verse of this soulful, compound duple pop joint.  A physical tattoo isn’t the modus operandi – it’s metaphorical – evidenced by the repetition of the titular lyric on the chorus.  L-O-V-E is the motivation:

“Wrap me in your jacket my baby
And lay me in your bed
And kiss me underneath the moonlight
Darling let me trace the light on your tattooed heart.”

Besides the love-oriented lyrics, the music itself is glorious.  There’s the excellent use of piano as an accompaniment instrument initially.  Additional instrumentation beginning on the chorus and beyond.  Of course, the main attraction is the 🏆 Grammy winner herself, who delivers stunning vocals, particularly the ad-libs and nuances.

4. Rauw Alejandro & Camilo, “Tattoo – Remix”

💿 Afrodisíaco • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2020

“Yo no sé ni qué hacer (No sé) cuando estoy cerca de ti.” 🎵 “Tattoo – Remix” appears as the 16^th and final track on 💿 Afrodisíaco, the 2020 debut studio album by Puerto Rican 🇵🇷 artist 🎙 Rauw Alejandro.  Worth noting, the English translation of Afrodisíaco, is Aphrodisiac, which suggests sex/sexiness is a key component to the LP.  On “Tattoo – Remix,” Alejandro is joined by Colombian 🇨🇴 standout Camilo (Camilo Echeverry), who happens to have one of the best mustaches ever!

Of course, “Tattoo – Remix” isn’t about Camilo’s ‘stache or either artist’s dashing good looks (though it’s worth noting 😍).  This is a silky smooth, rhythmic record that gives off serious V-I-B-E-S. The production is on-point, NO CAP 🚫🎓. Both Alejandro and Echeverry sing beautifully, particularly that youthful tenor of Echeverry, sigh – swoon worthy! The theme of the record? Love, love, love.  Camilo asserts, “En las costillas me tatúo tu nombre, yeah-eh-eh” (“I’ll tattoo your name on my ribs”), showing his love and affection.  As for Rauw, “Me di cuenta que por esa sonrisa yo vivo”(“I realize that because of that smile, I live”).

5. Hunter Hayes, “Tattoo”

💿 Storyline • 🏷 Atlantic • 📅 2014

“Your name, your name / Sounds real good next to mine,” 🎙 Hunter Hayes sings on 🎵 “Tattoo,” a standout from his 2014 album, 💿 Storyline.  He later adds, “Your name, your name, your name / Would be a good tattoo.” So, Hunter, are you going to get that ink? I’m sure it would look good on one of those biceps 💪, or perhaps, a pectoral muscle! Okay, okay – time to refocus!

“Now I think I know, I’ll wear it on my sleeve, I gotta let it show
Making it permanent ‘cause I never wanna let you go.”

Back in 2014, when Hayes released “Tattoo,” little suggested he’d get real ink. In fact, when he promoted his Tattoo (Your Name) Tour, the then 22-year-old country artist was wearing a Henna tattoo sleeve, hence #Not Committing to the Ink. No judgment, by the way, #Planet Fitness 🏋. Older country male artists, edgier than Hayes, have gobs of tattoos without ‘figuratively’ mentioning them like my boy Hunter.  Here, the handsome Louisianan is more ‘good ole southern Christian boy next door’ than say, ‘country bad ass.’