Waste | 5ive Songs

1. Evanescence, “Wasted on You”

💿 The Bitter Truth • 🏷 BMG Rights Management • 📅 2021

“I don’t need drugs / I’m already six feet low / Wasted on you…” 🎵 “Wasted on You”, released in 2020 and appearing on the 2021 🎙 Evanescence album, 💿 The Bitter Truth, is emotional and hard hitting.  Throughout its course, 🎙 Amy Lee balances subtler, tenderer vocals with a more overt, oomph-filled approach.  As always, the sound is very ‘Evanescence,’ if you catch my drift.  Piano arrives in an accompaniment role early on, with synthesizers and souped-up guitars eventually filling things out. 🎛 Nick Raskulinecz does a fine job of producing. The end product is strong, particularly considering the circumstances in conception (a mixture of studio and remote work).

As far as the songwriting, it’s very emotionally driven. Lee is so filled with pain that a degree of numbing can’t even hope to assuage it.  On the chorus, which references six feet (albeit death), Lee is completely ‘wasted on him,’ in the context of a sketchy relationship. She exhibits little hope, stifled by her situation. On the bridge, she questions the future, but also exhibits more optimism:

“Shield my eyes to face the day
Come too far to slip away
But it’s killing me to go on without you.”

Also Appears On 🔽:

🔗 🎧 Songs That Capture & Embody the Pandemic, Vol. 3

🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: May 2020

2. Morgan Wallen, “Wasted on You”

💿 Dangerous: The Double Album • 🏷 Big Loud / Republic • 📅 2021

🎵 “Wasted on You” is a highlight from 💿 Dangerous: The Double Album, the 2021 sophomore album by country standout 🎙 Morgan Wallen. Wallen has had a hell of a 2020-21, regarding both successes (tearing up the charts) and failures (partying and inexcusable racial slurs).  For our intents and purposes here, we’ll merely address the song.

“Wasted on You” incorporates plenty of country cues, satisfying more traditional listeners but doesn’t limit itself. How so? Well, that drum programming definitely doesn’t characterize your father’s brand of country music, now does it? Where so often pop experiments in country fall flat, Wallen makes them work successfully here. Most of all, his ace-in-the hole, his voice, shines.

3. Alicia Keys, “Wasted Energy”

Ft. Diamond Platnumz

💿 Alicia • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2020

“Too many times, you turned a blind eye to the way I feel / Oh, you’re the reason why I’m numb…” #WASTED ENERGY!!! On 🎵 “Wasted Energy,” the fourth track from the delayed 💿Alicia (2020), we get a starkly different 🎙 Alicia Keys. How so? Well, in the form of fusing reggae and R&B.  This isn’t the first time the 🏆 Grammy winner has brought in the music of the islands. That said, “Wasted Energy” is certainly the most overt example.

Keys sounds quite expressive atop the 🎛 P2J production, drops a fitting f-bomb on the vibe-laden chorus:

“Wasted energy
Why did you, why did you fuck up the chemistry?”

Besides expressiveness and potty mouth, Keys also gets a pretty sweet outro from 🎙 Diamond Platnumz. #VIBES

4. The Weeknd, “Wasted Times”

💿 My Dear Melancholy, (EP) • 🏷 Republic • 📅 2018

“‘Cause I ain’t got no business catchin’ feelings anyway.” The lush 🎵 “Wasted Times” keeps the tempo on the slower side of the metronome on 💿 My Dear Melancholy,, the 2018 EP by 🎙 The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye). Even with the tempo running slow, the 🏆 Grammy winner is in his comfort zone, keeping things incredibly interesting by expressing the plight of love.

Abel reflects back on his relationships, and wonders who his exes are dating now.  “Wasted Times” contains one of ‘the lyrics of the album.’ On the second verse, he offers his services:

“I hope you know this dick is still an option.”

In that same verse, he likens the sex – presumably with Bela Hadid – to an equestrian.  Besides the honest and personal lyrics, the production stands out, particularly the contributions of 🎛 Skrillex alongside mainstay 🎛 Frank Dukes.

5. Kings of Leon, “Waste a Moment”

💿 WALLS • 🏷 RCA • 📅 2016

🎵 “Waste a Moment” serves as the opener from 💿 WALLS, the seventh studio album by 🏆 Grammy winning rock band, 🎙 Kings of Leon.  “Waste a Moment” is all about rebelliousness and being carefree. The female protagonist is a “ticking time bomb, time bomb gonna blow us all away.” Her boyfriend is described as “a live wire, wire, shooting sparks in the night.” Woo!

The production work (🎛) is exuberant and enthusiastic in quality.  The groove is fantastic, while the guitars sound particularly exceptional. 🎙 Caleb Followill delivers powerful, clear vocals. The chorus serves as the epic centerpiece:

“Oh, take the time to waste a moment
Oh, facing where the lines are broken
Oh, name a price to all this living
Oh, never ask to be forgiven.”