Tyrone Davis vs. Alicia Keys | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 31^st edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2023), Tyrone Davis (“In the Mood”) and Alicia Keys (“LALA (Unlocked)”) contend for the best record. 

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️, we pit at least two musicians against each other, comparing their performances.  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.  In the 31^st edition of head 🗣️2 head 🗣️ (2023), a special edition, 🎙 Tyrone Davis and 🎙 Alicia Keys contend for the best record between Davis’ 🎵 “In the Mood”, and Keys’ 🎵 “LALA (Unlocked)”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Tyrone Davis, “In the Mood”

💿 In the Mood with Tyrone Davis • 🏷 Columbia • 🗓 1979

There is just one question to ask: Are you 💿 In the Mood with Tyrone Davis??? 🎙 Tyrone Davis is best known for his top-five Billboard Hot 100 hit, 🎵 “Turn Back The Hands of Time” – one of the premiere soul joints of all-time 💪.  Even beyond his ace in the hole, as well as another gem, 🎵 “Can I Change My Mind”, Mr. Davis would impress once more near the end of the 1970s with 🎵 “In the Mood”. While “In The Mood” wouldn’t impact the pop charts, it did earn a top-10 showing on the R&B charts.  Notably, this slick record has been sampled many times, including prominently in 🎙 Alicia Keys’ 2021 song, 🎵 “LALA (Unlocked)” from 💿 KEYS.  

So, what makes “In the Mood” an awesome throwback vibe? First and foremost, it’s those soulful pipes of Tyrone Davis.  That man right there could S-A-N-G! Furthermore, the vibes on this particular song are sexy! Is there any doubt of Davis’ intentions? “Come here, baby / Girl, I wanna make sweet love to you, oh-oh,” he sings in the first verse, adding, “Just like ice cream / And honey, my love is gonna make you melt.” WOO! Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, which definitely puts you in the mood: “Ooh-hoo / Are you in the mood, baby? / Hoo-hoo / Are you in the mood, yeah / Hoo baby.” Throw in those “la-la-la(s)” that Keys borrowed for her song, and 🎵 “In the Mood” is L-I-T 🔥!

Appears in 🔻:

• Tyrone Davis, In the Mood: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 107 (2023) 

2. Alicia Keys, “LALA (Unlocked)”

Alicia Keys • 💿 KEYS • 🏷 RCA • 🗓 2021

“Light the incense (Incense), not to mention (Mention) / Skin like whiskey (Whiskey) / She’s cold like on the rocks (Rocks) / La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la.” 🎵 “LALA (Unlocked)” marked a departure of sorts for 🏆 Grammy-winning R&B singer/songwriter, 🎙 Alicia Keys. That said, R&B sounds far different now compared to when Keys was her most lucrative in the early aughts. I say that to say, it makes sense why she’d switch things up a bit. Within the context of her eighth studio album, 💿 KEYS, the single, featuring 🎙 Swae Lee, the record represented one of the better moments. Fueling the fire of “LALA (Unlocked)” is a the 🎙 Tyrone Davis classic, 🎵 “In the Mood”, which is sampled prominently 💪. Keys produced this soulful joint alongside 🎛 Mike WiLL Made-It.

Arguably, Swae Lee steals the show with his mellow vibes in both the chorus and first verse. The melodic rapper, who is one half of 🎙 Rae Sremmurd, he fits the chill, laidback aesthetic. Sure, the autotuned, syrupy vocals won’t tickle everyone’s fancy, but it’s a V-I-B-E for sure. Keys deserves credit too, never over singing and retaining the mellowness in her portion of the chorus (“Light the incense, lose the tension, feel like heaven / Lust mixed with a vodka / La, la-la, la, la-la, la, la / Feelings get lost in the lala”) as well as the second verse. 🎵 “LALA (Unlocked)”, ultimately is a solid repurposing of 🎵 “In the Mood”.  Still, without Davis fueling the fire, given the fact that so many elements are used – melody, riffs, and some lyrics – would “LALA (Unlocked)” stand on its own sans Tyrone?

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️

So, it comes down to the moment of truth! Is the winner 🎙 Tyrone Davis with his underrated, late 70s gem, 🎵 “In the Mood”, or does the crown belong to the more contemporary 🎵 “LALA (Unlocked)” by 🎙 Alicia Keys featuring  🎙 Swae Lee which samples and essentially, repurposes “In the Mood”?  Neither record had chart success on the pop charts, so, the Billboard Hot 100 doesn’t play a role whatsoever in this final verdict.  Surprisingly, “LALA” didn’t even chart on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs which speaks to how commercially unsuccessful it was, particularly compared to Keys’ many hits of the past.  As for Davis, “In the Mood” was a  top 10 R&B hit, peaking at no. 6.  Ultimately, the winner of this Head 2 Head 🗣️ should come as no surprise – It’s the oldie, Tyrone Davis’ 🎵 “In the Mood”, which fueled Keys’ fire, that wins hands down.  It’s the better song, reminding us of just how glorious 1970s soul was.

Tyrone Davis vs. Alicia Keys: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 31 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Columbia, RCA; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]