Writing ✍ | 3BOPS

On the 48^th edition of 3BOPS, we select three awesome songs that are associated with WRITING in some form or fashion.  

On 3BOPS, we are totally dedicated to keeping things L-I-T-E! Similar to 5ive Songs, there’s a topic and a short blurb, only with THREE songs instead of FIVE.  Yes, it’s a playlist, but it’s a miniature playlist that shouldn’t take much time to consume.  On the 48^th edition of 3BOPS, we select three awesome songs that are associated with WRITING in some form or fashion.

1. Justin Bieber, “All She Wrote”

💿 Freedom. (EP) • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2021

🎵 “All She Wrote” features production courtesy of 🎛 Boi 1da, 🎛 Vinylz, 🎛 Lee Major, and 🎛 Sean Momberger.  This team builds 🎙 Justin Bieber an alluring backdrop on the second track from his Christian pop EP, 💿 Freedom. Further amplifying the lit-ness is the use of a Gerald Levert sample, the soulful 🎵 “It’s Your Turn” (R.I.P. Gerald). Furthermore, this record brings on 🎙 Brandon Love and 🎙 Chandler Moore for the assist.

Interestingly, “All She Wrote” sounds like a record that 🎙 Drake might record.  Furthermore, Bieber seems to emulate his sound, embracing pop rap.  Yes, there’s a Christian tilt but that doesn’t stop Bieber from dropping a little profanity, damn it. WWJD? Anyways, Bieber handles the first two verses while Love appears on the third.  As for Moore, he adds select lines on the second verse and performs the bridge.  There is no chorus.  Ultimately, “All She Wrote” is an interesting listen.

2. The Script, “Written in the Scars”

💿 Freedom Child • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2017

Dublin pop/rock band 🎙 The Script shines on 🎵 “Written in the Scars”, the thoughtful second single from their 2017 album, 💿 Freedom Child. “Written in the Scars” opens in ambient fashion, before a superb rhythmic groove kicks in.  This provides an aggressive backdrop for 🎙 Danny O’Donaghue to sing over.  His vocals are quick, rhythmic, and clear on the verses.  While he is singing, there’s a pop-rap sensibility, which certainly makes the front man ‘hip.’ On the catchy chorus, his vocals continue to shine, showcasing a dash of falsetto.

“If it’s hurting right now (right now, right now)
If it’s hurting right now (right now)
It’s gon’ make us who we are
It’s written in the scars...”

On the post-chorus, The Script ensures we know the song title by heart through repetition of the titular line.  In addition to solid vocals and musical accompaniment, the concept of the song is thoughtful.  Essentially, O’Donaghue and The Script make a case that our scars – the hardships, the imperfections, and the adversity – make us stronger and more resilient in the end.

3. Lorde, “Writer in the Dark”

💿 Melodrama • 🏷 Universal Music • 📅 2017

“Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark / Now she’s gonna play and sing and lock you in her heart…” Poetic, poetic, P-O-E-T-I-C! 🎵 “Writer in the Dark” is a gorgeous ballad from 💿 Melodrama, the sophomore album by New Zealand alt-pop artist, 🎙 Lorde.  Lorde won a 🏆 Grammy for her breakout, number one hit, 🎵 “Royals”, which appeared on her debut album, Pure Heroin (2013).  Four years later, she’d drop her masterpiece in Melodrama, which was nominated for the Grammy’s most coveted award, Album of the Year.

“Writer in the Dark,” which appears as the eighth track on Melodrama, is directed toward an ex.

“Break the news – you’re walking out
To be a good man for someone else
Sorry I was never good like you
Stood on my chest and kept me down
Hated hearing my name on the lips of a crowd
Did my best to exist just for you.”

Wow! Lorde is clearly upset the relationship is over, but also clearly intends to move on. The best evidence of this? The chorus, in all its glory:

“I am my mother’s child, I’ll love you ‘til my breathing stops
I’ll love you ‘til you call the cops on me
But in our darkest hours, I stumbled on a secret power
I’ll find a way to be without you, babe.” 

Also Appears On 🔽:
🔗 🎧 17 Thrilling Songs Infused with Darkness

Writing ✍: 3BOPS No. 48 (2021) [📷: Ashley West Edwards on Unsplash,  Brent Faulkner, Def Jam, The Musical Hype, Wilson Blanco from Pixabay, Universal Music]