You | 5ive Songs

On the 98^th edition of 5ive Songs (2021), we select five songs that are associated with YOU in some form or fashion.  

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elcome to 5ive Songs, where we keep things short and sweet – no extra calories or needless fluff! There’s a theme/topic, five songs, and a short blurb.  Yes, it’s a playlist, but it’s a miniature playlist that shouldn’t take much time to consume.  On the 98^th edition of 5ive Songs (2021), we select five songs that are associated with YOU in some form or fashion.  Okay, let’s get into it!

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1. benny blanco, Marshmello & Vance Joy, “You”

“You” • Interscope / Friends Keep Secrets / Joytime Collective • 2021

In early 2021, Benny blanco tapped Marshmello and Vance Joy – an unlikely cast of characters – for an enjoyable new pop single, “You”. As unexpected as it is, “You” ends up being successful. “You” runs just under three minutes – a sufficient length.  It commences with those ‘signature’ pop guitars. Soon enough, we get lovely, clear vocals by Joy. As always, his tone is buttery smooth and simply gorgeous.  Moving on to the backdrop (blanco, Marshmello, and Blake Slatkin), the contrast provided by the drop is a selling point.  For the most part, the verses are what we typically expect from a Vance Joy record.  Further adding to that aesthetic is the addition of a thudding beat on the second verse.

The memorable chorus features lovely, tuneful melody:

“Oh, you, only you
When the night is over out of all the places I could choose
I’ll go to you, only you
Feel you’re just below the surface, darling
All I wanna do is go to you.”

Post-chorus, there’s the combination of drop and a post-chorus highlighting select lyrics from the chorus.  Like everything else regarding “You,” it’s quite successful.  All in all, benny blanco comes through again with another bop.

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2. Regard, Troye Sivan & Tate McRae, “You”

“You” • Ministry of Sound Recordings Limited • 2021

What happens when you put DJ/producer Regard, and pop artists Troye Sivan, and Tate McRae on the same track? That would be a certified BOP, folks. These three standouts come together for the dance single, simply titled, “You”.  There’s plenty to “You” considering it runs nearly four minutes in duration.  It’s a solid four-minutes, thanks to sleek production work by Kosovo-Albanian DJ, and a team of songwriters beyond the main musicians including Frederik Castenschiold Eichen, Koda, SAKIMA, and Tom Mann.

Regard fuels the fire with his electronic backdrop that sounds simultaneously modern and forward thinking. This sets up both singers for success for sure. Troye Sivan takes first blood on the refrain (not to be mistaken with the chorus), singing expressively, and showcasing some falsetto. Tate McRae arrives for the first time on the sole verse, singing with smoky, breathy vocals.  She follows with the refrain (or pre-chorus) first performed by Sivan. The centerpiece, of course, is the incredibly catchy chorus:

“Ooh, yeah
When I try to fall back, I fall back to you (Yeah, ayy)
When I talk to my friends, I talk about you (Yeah, ayy)
When the Hennessy's strong all I see is you, is you, is you, oh you.”

On the second chorus, Troye and Tate sing together with tremendous chemistry!  The record features a nice bridge section performed mostly by McRae. During this section, Regard also gives us some more playful touches on the instrumental end. “You” = total vibe.

Also appears on :
Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: April 2021
13 Y Songs: No Rhyme or Reason

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3. Doja Cat, “You Right”

Ft. The Weeknd

Planet Her • Kemosabe / RCA • 2021

“I got a man, but I want you / And it’s just nerves, it’s just dick / Makin’ me think ‘bout somethin’ new.” Woo! Doja Cat keeps  Planet Her fiery with “You Right.” “You Right” is a steamy, honest duet featuring Grammy-winning Canadian R&B singer/songwriter, The Weeknd.

Clearly, Doja Cat is in a situation.  She has a man, but she wants this other man, damn it! Likewise, The Weeknd feels the same, with the sex playing a big role:

“But-but-but this sex will cloud your memory
A couple of strokes to put it in, then you’ll belong to me.”

Woo! Safe to say, that’s some potent D…

Also appears on :
Right: 5ive Songs No. 79 (2021)
13 Intriguing Right or Left Songs
13 Y Songs: No Rhyme or Reason

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4. Chris Stapleton, “You Should Probably Leave”

Starting Over • Mercury• 2020

Four words: you should probably leave.  Wow, Chris Stapleton! What did we do to deserve such a harsh statement?  “I recognize that look in your eyes.” Hmm, seems like matters of the heart – lust specifically – is the primary reason the Grammy-winning country musician is shooing us away! Well, not us, ‘her’ on “You Should Probably Leave,” a highlight from his fourth studio album, Starting Over.

“You Should Probably Leave” was written by Stapleton, Ashley Gorley and Chris DuBois. The writing is on-point as it should be with that team. “There’s still time for you to finish your wine / Then you should probably leave,” Stapleton sings on the second verse.  He continues, “And it’s hard to resist, alright, just one kiss / Then you should probably leave.” Ooh la-la! Also, worth noting, the production sounds particularly slick here –a refined effort from Stapleton and Dave Cobb.  We get those cutting lead vocals from Stapleton, lovely, harmonized vocals, bluesy guitar, and Hammond B3.  That’s that country music that I totally heart!

Also appears on :
13 Songs Where You’re Required to Leave

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5. Mariah Carey, “All I Want for Christmas is You”

Merry Christmas • Sony • 1994 

Mariah Carey and Christmas go together perfectly, PERIOD.  How so? Well, Carey has long reigned supreme when it comes to festive music, thanks especially to her no. 1 hit, “All I Want for Christmas is You”.  It takes a special breed of original Christmas song to stick the way that “All I Want for Christmas is You” has.  A testament to its staying power is the fact that in 2019, it ascended to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time – 25 years after being originally released on the album, Merry Christmas.  You know what “All I Want for Christmas is You” did in 2020? It returned to no. 1!

Question: Why does “All I Want for Christmas is You” kick so much @$$? It’s the overall exuberant spirit, constructed via top-rate vocals by Carey, fun lyrics, and the refined, sweet, old-school vibes of the production by Carey and Walter Afanasieff.  The chorus, of course, is the centerpiece!

“I just want you for my own (Ooh)
More than you could ever know (Ooh)
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You, baby.”

Also appears on :
Christmas: 5ive Songs No. 72
15 Absolutely Terrific, Merry Christmas Songs

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You: 5ive Songs No. 98 (2021) [: Atlantic, Brent Faulkner, Clovis Cheminot, Designecologist, Friends Keep Secrets, Interscope, Joytime Collective, Kemosabe, Mercury, Ministry of Sound Recordings Limited, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pexels, Pixabay, RCA, Sony, Tima Miroshnichenko]

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