WEEKLY GEMS 💎 NO. 3: WEEK OF 4-13-2020 features music courtesy of Lauryn Hill, Twenty One Pilots & Tyga x Curtis Roach among others.

Welcome to Weekly Gems 💎, a conceptual column that features one song for each day of the week.  Where did this brilliant idea come from? While taking a shower actually… Anyways, here’s an outline of each of the criteria/premise of each day of Weekly Gems 💎.  Monday serves as the official start of the week.

Mad Monday serves as a marvelous means to start off a hectic, work week for many. Monday is among the more hated days of the week, so let’s spice it up with some music, shall we? After taking a “L” on Monday, Terrific Tuesday seems to be an ideal, perfect way to rebound. Go on and “Brush the dirt off your shoulders” and absolutely kill it on Tuesday. Wacky Wednesday is reserved for an intriguing song or piece of music that’s out of the ordinary – definitely ear catching. What better way to celebrate hump day, right?

Throwback Thursday (TBT) looks back at songs that have truly captivated or stuck with me for whatever reason. In some cases, there’s a compelling story or memorable happening behind the fan-girling.  Fun Friday features songs that are energetic and exciting; supercharged for the weekend. There will be no BALLADS whatsoever on Fun Fridays!  Steamy Saturday features songs where the temperature is hot, and we’re not talking about Celsius or Fahrenheit. Songs appearing on this day are seductive; sensual; sexy.  Somber Sunday perfectly captures the end of the weekend with its sadness, disappointment, and look towards yet another mad Monday.

So, with everything accurately laid out, and week no. 1 and no. 2 behind us, let’s jump right into WEEKLY GEMS 💎NO. 3: WEEK OF 4-13-2020, which features seven songs for each day of the week.  WEEKLY GEMS 💎NO. 3 features music courtesy of Lauryn Hill, Twenty One Pilots, and Tyga x Curtis Roach among others. 

Dixie Chicks, “Gaslighter” | Mad Monday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems  💎 No. 3 | Mad Monday No. 3, 4/13/2020

Spicing up Mad Monday with some awesome music, we look to Dixie Chicks, who are definitely ‘not ready to make nice’ on “Gaslighter.”   

Mad Monday serves as a marvelous means to start off a hectic, work week for many.  Monday is among the more hated days of the week, so let’s spice it up with some music, shall we? Today’s Mad Monday (April 13, 2020), arrives courtesy of The Chicks with “Gaslighter”. With Natalie Maines and company, they are pretty great when it comes to angry, feisty songs.  Remember “Not Ready to Make Nice”?

“Gaslighter, denier
Doin’ anything to get your ass farther
Gaslighter, big timer
Repeating all the mistakes of your father.”

After an extended hiatus, the ladies came back strong in 2020 with the awesome “Gaslighter,” which serves as the promo single from their long-awaited LP, Gaslighter. “Gaslighter” is an electrifying country record, plain and simple –#LIT.  Opening with powerful, piercing harmonized vocals, the tone is set early on by Dixie Chicks.  Set in a major key, producer Jack Antonoff constructs a potent, country/folk backdrop for the girls to ‘do work’ on.

“Gaslighter” seems to be about a failing relationship that includes deception and most pertinent to Natalie Maines, divorce – those exes!  “You thought I wouldn’t see it if you put it in my face / Give you all my money, you’ll gladly walk away,” she sings on the second verse, continuing, “You think it’s justifiable, I think it’s pretty cruel / And you know you lie best when you lie to you.” The rest of the chorus, excerpted earlier, goes something like this:

“Gaslighter, you broke me
You’re sorry, but where’s my apology?
Gaslighter, you liar.”

Angry Natalie Maines is the best in all honesty, hence why the terrific “Gaslighter” is the perfect fit for any MAD MONDAY. 

The Chicks, “Gaslighter” | Mad Monday 💎

Dixie Chicks • Gaslighter • Columbia • 2020

6 Dogs, “Energy” | Terrific Tuesday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems  💎 No. 3 | Terrific Tuesday No. 3, 4/14/2020

6 Dogs atones for the “L” taken on Monday, with “Energy,” the confident banger you need to ring in Terrific Tuesday.

After taking a “L” on Monday, Terrific Tuesday  seems to be an ideal, perfect way to rebound.  Go on and “Brush the dirt off your shoulders” and absolutely kill it on Tuesday.  How are we going to kill it this particular Tuesday, April 14, 2020?  Well, we need energy, power, and strength! So, we look to rapper 6 Dogs (Chase Amick) and his 2020 banger, “Energy” for a boost!

“Energy, energy, energy / I can’t stand that energy / They hate on me, they hate on me, they hate on me / Probably ‘cause we got that good energy.” The Atlanta rapper has no shortage of energy on “Energy,” as exhibited on the aforementioned lyrical excerpt. On the three-minute banger, Amick gets some sweet production work from Pretty Pacc, with some hard-hitting drums. The production is certainly among the ENERGETIC selling points.

6 Dogs delivers a melodic performance, using the backdrop as fuel for the fire, well, contextually… He remains true to self: incredibly melodic, never gets ‘too high,’ yet still manages gives listeners an interesting, if chilled-out listen.  Most of his energy is dripped out: “On my neck is frozen rocks, kinda look like Colorado…” The chorus is potent:

“Money guap, money guap, money guap
I be counting knots, yeah, I be counting big knots
Money talk, money talk, money talk
Guap got a big mouth, guap like to talk about
Energy, energy, energy
I can’t stand that energy
Money talk, money talk, money talk
My money got a big mouth, my money like to talk a lot.”

Let the energy of 6 Dogs’ “Energy” assuage and atone for the ills of Monday past.

6 Dogs, “Energy” | Terrific Tuesday  💎

6 Dogs • “Energy” • 2020

Tyga & Curtis Roach, “Bored in the House” | Wacky Wednesday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems 💎 No. 3 | Wacky Wednesday No. 3, 4/15/2020

On Wacky Wednesday, we examine the simple but relatable Tyga and Curtis Roach coronavirus fueled collaboration, “Bored in the House.”

Wacky Wednesday is reserved for an intriguing song or piece of music that’s out of the ordinary – definitely ear catching.  What better way to celebrate hump day, right?  Let’s get wacky on Wednesday, April 15, 2020 with “Bored in the House”, courtesy of Tyga and Curtis Roach.  No, “Bored in the House” isn’t nearly as complex as Bon Iver’s “21 M◊◊N WATER” from Weekly Gems No. 2, but it’s certainly wacky!

“Okay, I’m bored in the house and I’m in the house bored / Bored in the house and I’m the house bored.” Curtis Roach and Tyga are ‘relatable’ on this utterly dumb, minimalist banger. Both rappers were bored AF, so they decided to make us all less bored with the minimalist, COVID-19 banger, “Bored in the House.” Neither says anything noteworthy but “Bored in the House” has more relevance than it ordinarily might, given the times.

“Bored in the House” hearkens back to the skeletal bangers of old. After Roach ‘brings it on home’ with the chorus and the utterly repetitive post-chorus (“I’m bored, bored…”), Tyga goes into his usual, sexed-up spill. Even if he’s ‘healthy at home,’ he still thinks with his penis: “At home like Depot, ayy (Depot) / She gon’ suck it like mosquito, ayy.” Yeah, really rousing stuff there…Roach gets his own verse, setting the mood with the lyrics, “I’m in the crib like an infant / With some Badu playin’, burning incense.” He also delivers intriguing lines such as “I’ma socialize at a distance / I’m living my best life, minding my business” and more specific examples of epic boringness like “Ramen noodles every night for my din-din / Hulu, binge watchin’ episodes of Ben-10.”  Sure, “Bored in the House” goes hella dumb and lacks transcendence, but it certainly lifts the spirit. “Bored in the House” was also featured on the playlist, 15 Boring Songs That Are Totally Exciting.

Tyga & Curtis Roach, “Bored in the House” | Wacky Wednesday 💎

Tyga & Curtis Roach • “Bored in the House” • Last Kings / Columbia • 2020

Ms. Lauryn Hill, “Ex-Factor” | Throwback Thursday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems  💎 No. 3 | Throwback Thursday No. 3, 4/16/2020

Taking it back to 1998, we look to Ms. Lauryn Hill on Throwback Thursday (TBT) with the timeless classic, “Ex-Factor.”   

Throwback Thursday (TBT) looks back at songs that have truly captivated or stuck with me for whatever reason.  In some cases, there’s a compelling story or memorable happening behind the fan-girling.  For the third TBT, dated April 16, 2020, we look to Grammy-winning hip-hop/R&B musician, Lauryn Hill and soulful “Ex-Factor” from 1998.

“Tell me, who I have to be / To get some reciprocity.” Those timeless lyrics hail from one of the truly great classics about exes, sigh. Even north of two decades since the release of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, both the album, and the particular single carry ample weight.  Focusing only on the song itself, “Ex-Factor” is a prime example of the plight of love, as well as how potent songs incorporating break ups can truly be.

At one point, Hill sings, “And when I try to walk away / You’d hurt yourself to make me stay / This is crazy.” Crazy indeed Lauryn, but, again, exes and broken-off relationship serve among the preeminent topics in music regardless of genre.  Yes, “Doo Wop (That Thing)” remains the crowning achievement (and number one hit) from her sole studio album, but you can totally feel Hill’s struggle with love – it’s so relatable on “Ex-Factor.” My favorite section of the song is the ‘breakdown’:

“(Care) Care for me, care for me
I know you care for me
(There) There for me, there for me
Said you’d be there for me
(Cry) Cry for me, cry for me
You said you’d die for me
(Give) Give to me, give to me
Why won’t you live for me?”

What better way to throwback than with “Ex-Factor?”

Ms. Lauryn Hill, “Ex-Factor” | Throwback Thursday 💎

Lauryn Hill • The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill • Ruffhouse • 1998 

Twenty One Pilots, “Level of Concern” | Fun Friday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems  💎 No. 3 | Fun Friday No. 3, 4/17/2020

Twenty One Pilots bring ample fun to Fun Friday with their hella catchy, groovy quarantine anthem, “Level of Concern”. 

Fun Friday features songs that are energetic and exciting; supercharged for the weekend.  There will be no BALLADS whatsoever on Fun Fridays! So, with that considered, for Fun Friday, April 17, 2020, we enlist Twenty One Pilots once more (they appeared on Weekly Gems No. 2 on Somber Sunday) for the hella catchy, groovy quarantine anthem, “Level of Concern”. 

“Wonderin’ would you be my little quarantine? / Or is this the way it ends?” Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun release an instant hit during one of the most uncertain times worldwide “Level of Concern” is one of the musical crown jewels born out of the “horrible, awful, no good” coronavirus pandemic.  Joseph delivers an honest vocal performance, as he shares his thoughts on the state of the world and of course, his anxiety. “Panic on the brain, world has gone insane / Things are starting to get heavy,” he sings on the first verse, adding, “I can’t help but think I haven’t felt this way / Since I asked you to go steady.” Indeed, COVID-19 is not only novel in its virility but it also has forced a ‘new normal’ that’s uncomfortable, particularly the social effects.  Of course, the centerpiece is the chorus, speaking directly to anxiety, discomfort, and uncertainty:

“Cause I told you my level of concern
But you walked by like you never heard
And you could bring down my level of concern
Just need you to tell me you’re alright
Tell me we’re okay.”

Joseph is accompanied by one of the most danceable, funky backdrops of his career, driven by the drum groove (Dun), rhythmic guitar, and keyboards. Joseph wrote this awesome record, producing it with Paul Meany. Twenty One Pilots are as concerned as anyone else about the novel coronavirus and its effects on everyday life, but “Level of Concern” is a truly outstanding means to convey it.  This is a well-written, well-produced, and an exceptionally performed record by all means, tailor maid for FUN FRIDAY even if Fridays aren’t so fun anymore.

Twenty One Pilots, “Level of Concern” | Fun Friday 💎

Twenty One Pilots • “Level of Concern” • Fueled by Ramen • 2020

Camila Cabello, “Living Proof” | Steamy Saturday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems  💎 No. 3 | Steamy Sat No. 3, 4/18/2020

Camila Cabello exemplifies Steamy Saturday, delivering the sexy “Living Proof” from her 2019 album, Romance.  

Steamy Saturday features songs where the temperature is hot, and we’re not talking about Celsius or Fahrenheit.  Songs appearing on this day are seductive; sensual; sexy.  For Saturday, April 18, 2020, a steamy record that came to mind was “Living Proof”, a gem from Romance, the 2019 album by Camila Cabello. I already know what you’re thinking – why “Living Proof” as opposed to “Señorita” featuring Shawn Mendes? Well, simply put, “Señorita” has had its day! Let’s spread the wealth on this Steamy Saturday, shall we?

The awesome, fancy-tickling “Living Proof” corresponded with the official announcement of Cabello’s sophomore. The second track on the LP, “Living Proof” is produced by Mattman & Robin, who deliver a sleek, urban pop backdrop featuring dynamic synths and pummeling, rhythmic drums. Shifting to the songwriting, the topic of choice is love, romance, and sex, hence the steaminess! The best moment is undoubtedly the chorus, where Cabello delivers some of the most impressive falsetto of her career:

“Where did you come from baby?
And were you sent to save me?
Ooh, there’s a God in every move
Ooh, and you’re the living proof
The way your hands can’t shake me
Soft to the touch like, baby
Ooh, there’s God in every move
Ooh, and you’re the living proof.”

Cabello excels at being sultry and sexy, also managing to throw in blasphemy, further accentuating the suggestive, sensual nature of the record.  On the first verse, she sings, “I wanna study every inch of you / ‘Til you trust me to make the angels come through.” On the second verse, she’s a bit more devilish, as she sings, “Show your demons, and I might show you mine.” Of course, on the pre-chorus, sex and religion co-exist seamlessly: “Like a choir singing, ‘Hallelujah,’ / When my body’s crashin’ right into you.”  Maybe “Señorita” is steamier, but “Living Proof” is steamy in its own right and fits perfectly on STEAMY SATURDAY.  Worth noting, “Living Proof” also previously appeared on the ‘no rhyme or reason’ playlist, 15 L Songs Selected with No Rhyme or Reason. 

Camila Cabello, “Living Proof” | Steamy Saturday 💎

Camila Cabello • Romance • Epic • 2019

Ricky Dillard, “Let There Be Peace on Earth” | Somber Sunday 💎

2020 | Weekly Gems  💎 No. 3 | Somber Sun No. 3, 4/19/2020 

Ricky Dillard, joined by a mass choir and an anointed countertenor, delivers “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” optimal for Somber Sunday. 

Somber Sunday perfectly captures the end of the weekend with its sadness, disappointment, and look towards yet another mad Monday. On the third edition of Somber Sunday, April 19, 2020, we opt for an uplifting number, courtesy of black gospel artist, Ricky Dillard.  Dillard, joined by a mass choir and an anointed countertenor (Thomas Allen), delivers a record for ‘times like these’ with “Let There Be Peace on Earth (Live)”, an advance from his 2020 album, Choirmaster.

2020 has proven to be quite the turbulent year – not the way anyone anticipated commencing a new decade.  The biggest shocker has been the heartbreaking and deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the entire world. What better time, hence, to petition for ‘peace on earth?’  Though the record is typically associated with Christmas and the holiday season, it’s pitch perfect for now. The results are amazing, and honestly, you don’t have to be a believer to arrive at that takeaway.  The mass choir rendition finds the spirit is lofty, led by the compelling, technically sound Thomas Allen. The arrangement also deserves recognition, opting against merely being tried and true version, expanding beyond.

If you’re in need of music to help assuage and sooth anxiety, doubts, and troubles, particularly during a turbulent 2020, “Let There Be Peace on Earth (Live)” is definitely worth adding to your listening rotation; the perfect SOMBER SUNDAY song.

Ricky Dillard, “Let There Be Peace on Earth” | Somber Sunday 💎

Ricky Dillard • Choirmaster • Motown Gospel / Capitol CMG • 2020

[Photo Credits: Brent Faulkner, Columbia, Epic, Fueled by Ramen, Last Kings, Motown Gospel, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Ruffhouse, Warner]