On this edition of 5ive Songs, we compile the second five songs from the THANKFUL SONGS 
column into one list.
On 5ive Songs, we (I) keep things short and sweet โ no extra calories or needless fluff. Thereโs a topic, five songs, and a short blurb that doesnโt exceed a paragraph. Yes, itโs a playlist, but itโs a miniature playlist that shouldnโt take much time to consume. On this edition of 5ive Songs, we compile the second five songs from the THANKFUL SONGS column into one list.
1. Byron Cage, โGratitudeโ
Ft. Mumen Ngenge
Memoirs of a Worshipper โข
Verity Gospel Music Group โข
2012
Byron Cage commences his 2012 album,
Memoirs of a Worshipper, with the moving ballad,
โGratitude.โ He delivers fine lead vocals, accompanied by piano primarily, expressing his gratitude towards God (โ[Lord], youโve sustained my path, kept me through it all / Even when I felt like I would fallโ). On the second verse, the lead shifts to
Mumen Ngenge. The arrangement kicks things up a notch yet Ngenge retains a certain level of poise before things ascend to that next level. โIf it were not for your loving hands that helped me find my way,โ she sings, โI would be so lost and drifted like a ship / A ship without a sail.โ Both trade a few lines and duet together, leading into the most powerful section, the chorus, where they totally let the gratitude ripโ (โThank you, Lord / For everything that you have done in my life I sayโ). During this section, we get a key change that brings the full choir in, excellent vocal harmonies between Cage and Ngenge, and the most epic parts of the thankful โGratitudeโ overall.
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2. Aloe Blacc, โFamilyโ
All Love Everything โข
BMG Rights Management โข
2020
โAnd on my dark days / My sad and broken heart days / Youโre all that I need / And through your worst times / Together weโll be alright / Youโre safe here with me.โ Right on, Aloe Blacc, RIGHT ON!
โFamilyโ sets the tone for
All Love Everything, the long-awaited, comeback album from Blacc. Itโs an optimal, prime example of a clean-cut, thoughtful R&B record โ one that wouldnโt dare offend in the least. Obviously, the title suggests a certain sentiment, one viewed through a positive connotation. Nothing wrong with positivity!
On the chorus, Aloe Blacc asserts, โโฆI know itโs a long road but all I need / Is right here next to me / My family / My family.โ On the verses, the importance of family and life lessons shine like a beacon lyrically, particular Blaccโs own aspirations: โIโm gonna show them [my little ones] how to dream / Weโll plant a seed and watch it grow into a tree.โ
Also appears on :
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Comes First
3. Alicia Keys, โGood Jobโ
Alicia โข
RCA โข
2020
โYouโre the engine that makes all things go / And youโre always in disguise, my hero / I see your light in the dark / Smile in my face when we all know itโs hard.โ Say that, Alicia Keys, SAY THAT! There are lots of things to like about
โGood Jobโ, the fourth single from Keysโ long awaited 2020 album,
Alicia. First and foremost, it is incredibly thoughtful, giving thanks to everyone affected and helping to combat the devastating COVID-19 pandemic. Alicia Keys is being encouraging and uplifting, providing that positive reinforcement that educators seek to give their students.
โGood job, youโre doinโ a good job, a good job,โ she sings on the chorus, continuing, โDonโt get too down / The world needs you now / Know that you matter, matter, yeah.โ Essentially, lyrically, she says all of the right things. Also, as she sings, she infuses her soul into it, given it that next level of authenticity. While the production eschews a bunch of bells and whistles, it suits the tone of this record.
Also appears on :
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4. The Script, โRun Through Wallsโ
Sunsets & Full Moons โข
Sony โข
2019
โIโve got friends that will run through walls / Iโve got friends that will fly once called / When Iโve got nowhere left to go / And I need my heroes / Iโve got friends that will run through walls.โ Sigh, thatโs a beautifully penned, thoughtful chorus if I do say so myself!
โRun Through Wallsโ appears as the third track from
Sunsets & Full Moons, the sixth studio album by Irish pop/rock collective,
The Script. The Script are best known for hits like โHall of Fameโ, โBreakevenโ, and โSuperheroesโ. Sunsets & Full Moons didnโt ignite the US charts, but at least we were blessed with โRun Through Walls,โ which is quite personal and reflective throughout its course.
Danny OโDonoghue speaks to the power of true friendship. On the first verse, while he asserts, โThereโs no one born with X-Ray eyes.โ He goes on to say, โBut you always say the words that save my life.โ On the second, he cites a specific event โ โAnd that day my mother diedโ โ to reference the power of real friends. โAnd you held me up and you wiped my eyes,โ he sings, continuing, โIt was in that moment when I realized.โ Walls, indeed, have been broken down.
Also appears on :
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5. Avril Lavigne, โHead Above Waterโ
Head Above Water โข
BMG Rights Management โข
2019
โAnd I canโt see in the stormy weather / I canโt seem to keep it all together / And I, I canโt swim the ocean like this forever / And I canโt breathe.โ Avril Lavigne definitely looks to hills, from whence cometh her help.
โHead Above Waterโ appears as the title track of her 2019
comeback album. Lavigne shines on the title track and album opener, โHead Above Water.โ On this powerful ballad that dips into CCM and religious music, Lavigne is thankful for surviving a scare with Lyme Disease. Faith is key on this inspirational record. On the first verse, she references being safe โ surviving and weathering the storm. The second verse, shorter than the first, remains meaningful and thoughtful: โCome dry me off and hold me close / I need you now, I need you most.โ On the bridge (excerpted at the top), she continues to confirm her fight to live despite adversity.
She delivers powerful vocals on the chorus, summarizing the deep emotions sheโs been experiencing and petitioning God to help her persevere through.
โGod, keep my head above water Donโt let me drown, it gets harder Iโll meet you there at the altar As I fall down to my knees Donโt let me drown, drown, drown Donโt let me, donโt let me, donโt let me drown.โ
Also appears on :
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