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Thankful ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 2: 5ive Songs No. 59 [๐Ÿ“ท: BMG Rights Management, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, RCA, Sony, Unsplash, Verity]On this edition of 5ive Songs, we compile the second five songs from the THANKFUL SONGS ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ column into one list.

On 5ive Songs, we (I) keep things short and sweet โ€“ no extra calories or needless fluff.  Thereโ€™s a topic, five songs, and a short blurb that doesnโ€™t exceed a paragraph.  Yes, itโ€™s a playlist, but itโ€™s a miniature playlist that shouldnโ€™t take much time to consume.  On this edition of 5ive Songs, we compile the second five songs from the THANKFUL SONGS ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ column into one list.

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1. Byron Cage, โ€œGratitudeโ€

Ft. Mumen Ngenge

๐Ÿ’ฟ Memoirs of a Worshipper โ€ข ๐Ÿท Verity Gospel Music Group โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2012

Byron Cage, Memoirs of a Worshipper [๐Ÿ“ท: Verity]๐ŸŽ™ Byron Cage commences his 2012 album, ๐Ÿ’ฟ Memoirs of a Worshipper, with the moving ballad, ๐ŸŽต โ€œGratitude.โ€ He delivers fine lead vocals, accompanied by piano primarily, expressing his gratitude towards God (โ€œ[Lord], youโ€™ve sustained my path, kept me through it all / Even when I felt like I would fallโ€). On the second verse, the lead shifts to ๐ŸŽ™ Mumen Ngenge.  The arrangement kicks things up a notch yet Ngenge retains a certain level of poise before things ascend to that next level. โ€œIf it were not for your loving hands that helped me find my way,โ€ she sings, โ€œI 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€™ (โ€œThank 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 โ€œGratitudeโ€ overall.

Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Thankful Songs ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 6

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง 11 Songs That Provide That Spiritual Refresh


2. Aloe Blacc, โ€œFamilyโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ All Love Everything โ€ข ๐Ÿท BMG Rights Management โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2020 

Aloe Blacc, All Love Everything [๐Ÿ“ท: BMG Rights Management]

โ€œAnd on my dark days / My sad and broken heart days / Youโ€™re all that I need / And through your worst times / Together weโ€™ll be alright / Youโ€™re safe here with me.โ€ Right on, ๐ŸŽ™ Aloe Blacc, RIGHT ON! ๐ŸŽต โ€œFamilyโ€ sets the tone for ๐Ÿ’ฟ All Love Everything, the long-awaited, comeback album from Blacc. Itโ€™s an optimal, prime example of a clean-cut, thoughtful R&B record โ€“ one that wouldnโ€™t 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, โ€œโ€ฆI know itโ€™s 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 Blaccโ€™s own aspirations: โ€œIโ€™m gonna show them [my little ones] how to dream / Weโ€™ll plant a seed and watch it grow into a tree.โ€

Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง 13 Songs Where Family ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘งโ€๐Ÿ‘ฆ Comes First

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Thankful Songs ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 7 


3. Alicia Keys, โ€œGood Jobโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ Alicia โ€ข ๐Ÿท RCA โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2020 

Alicia Keys, Alicia [๐Ÿ“ท: RCA]

โ€œYouโ€™re the engine that makes all things go / And youโ€™re always in disguise, my hero / I see your light in the dark / Smile in my face when we all know itโ€™s hard.โ€ Say that, ๐ŸŽ™ Alicia Keys, SAY THAT! There are lots of things to like about ๐ŸŽต โ€œGood Jobโ€, the fourth single from Keysโ€™ long awaited 2020 album, ๐Ÿ’ฟ 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.

โ€œGood job, youโ€™re doinโ€™ a good job, a good job,โ€ she sings on the chorus, continuing, โ€œDonโ€™t 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 ๐Ÿ”ฝ:

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง  11 More Really โ€˜Goodโ€™ Songsโ€ฆ Itโ€™s That Simple

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง  Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: April 2020

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง  Alicia Keys, โ€œGood Jobโ€: Terrific Tuesday No. 6

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง  Weekly Gems ๐Ÿ’Ž No. 6: Week of 5-4-2020

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Thankful Songs ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 8


4. The Script, โ€œRun Through Wallsโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ Sunsets & Full Moons โ€ข ๐Ÿท Sony โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 2019

The Script, Sunsets & Full Moons [๐Ÿ“ท: Sony]โ€œIโ€™ve got friends that will run through walls / Iโ€™ve got friends that will fly once called / When Iโ€™ve got nowhere left to go / And I need my heroes / Iโ€™ve got friends that will run through walls.โ€ Sigh, thatโ€™s a beautifully penned, thoughtful chorus if I do say so myself! ๐ŸŽต โ€œRun Through Wallsโ€ appears as the third track from ๐Ÿ’ฟ Sunsets & Full Moons, the sixth studio album by Irish pop/rock collective, ๐ŸŽ™ The Script. The Script are best known for hits like โ€œHall of Fameโ€, โ€œBreakevenโ€, and โ€œSuperheroesโ€. Sunsets & Full Moons didnโ€™t ignite the US charts, but at least we were blessed with โ€œRun Through Walls,โ€ which is quite personal and reflective throughout its course.

๐ŸŽ™ Danny Oโ€™Donoghue speaks to the power of true friendship.  On the first verse, while he asserts, โ€œThereโ€™s no one born with X-Ray eyes.โ€ He goes on to say, โ€œBut you always say the words that save my life.โ€  On the second, he cites a specific event โ€“ โ€œAnd that day my mother diedโ€ โ€“ to reference the power of real friends.  โ€œAnd you held me up and you wiped my eyes,โ€ he sings, continuing, โ€œIt was in that moment when I realized.โ€ Walls, indeed, have been broken down.

Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง 12 Intriguing Songs That Reference Walls

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Songs Thatโ€™ll Make You Wanna Run II

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Thankful Songs ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 9


5. Avril Lavigne, โ€œHead Above Waterโ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ Head Above Water โ€ข ๐Ÿท BMG Rights Management โ€ข ๐Ÿ—“ 2019

Avril Lavigne, Head Above Water [๐Ÿ“ท : Avril Lavigne Music / BMG Rights Management]

โ€œAnd I canโ€™t see in the stormy weather / I canโ€™t seem to keep it all together / And I, I canโ€™t swim the ocean like this forever / And I canโ€™t breathe.โ€ ๐ŸŽ™ Avril Lavigne definitely looks to hills, from whence cometh her help. ๐ŸŽต โ€œHead Above Waterโ€ appears as the title track of her 2019 ๐Ÿ’ฟ comeback album. Lavigne shines on the title track and album opener, โ€œHead 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: โ€œCome 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 sheโ€™s been experiencing and petitioning God to help her persevere through.

โ€œGod, keep my head above water
Donโ€™t let me drown, it gets harder
Iโ€™ll meet you there at the altar
As I fall down to my knees
Donโ€™t let me drown, drown, drown
Donโ€™t let me, donโ€™t let me, donโ€™t let me drown.โ€

Also appears on ๐Ÿ”ฝ:

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง 100 Best Songs of 2018

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง 13 Songs That Involve the Head in Some Capacity

๐Ÿ”— ๐ŸŽง Thankful Songs ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 10



Thankful ๐Ÿ™๐ŸŽถ No. 2: 5ive Songs No. 59 [๐Ÿ“ท: BMG Rights Management, Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, RCA, Sony, Unsplash, Verity]


the musical hype

the musical hype (Brent Faulkner) has earned Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music (music education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and freelance music blogger. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.