Know that we’ll still have each other/
You can stand under my umbrella…

Rihanna’s “Umbrella” is one of the most successful and enduring pop songs of the last two decades. The song became a massive commercial hit, reaching the top of the charts in multiple countries and earning accolades from fans and critics alike. The track’s unique blend of pop, R&B, hip-hop, and dance elements, along with its memorable chorus and Jay-Z’s guest verse, have made it one of Rihanna’s signature songs and perhaps one of her best.

The melody of “Umbrella” is fantastic. The chorus is an upbeat, catchy tune that has become one of Rihanna’s most recognizable hooks. The melody is memorable and easily recognizable, and its pop-friendly quality helped the song to appeal to a wide range of listeners.

The production of “Umbrella” features the use of several samples from other songs, including “Singin’ in the Rain” and “Longer” by Dan Fogelberg. These samples add a distinctive quality to the song and helped to make it stand out from other tracks in the pop genre. These are unique and unlikely samples from a breadth of musical genres–she has a good team around her.

The song combines the smooth R&B vocals of Rihanna with Jay-Z’s rap verse and a pop-friendly chorus, making it a unique and innovative hybrid of several different genres. This fusion of styles helped to make the song a standout track in the pop music landscape of the 2000s.

The line “Because when the sun shines, we’ll shine together” has become one of Rihanna’s most recognizable lyrics. The upbeat, optimistic quality of the chorus helps to convey the message of protection and security that is at the heart of the song’s message.

Co-writer Jay-Z’s guest verse on “Umbrella” adds an extra layer of depth and sophistication to the track. His rap complements the song’s theme of protection and support, and his contributions helped to make the song a standout collaboration between two of the biggest names in music.

The lyrics of “Umbrella” are clearly a metaphor for protection and security in a relationship. In the song, the narrator uses the image of an umbrella to represent the emotional support and protection she wants to offer to her significant other. She intends to make a promise to be there for her partner through thick and thin, just as an umbrella provides protection from the rain.

“Umbrella’s” unique blend of different musical styles, its memorable melody, and its meaningful lyrics combined with its fusion of pop, R&B, hip-hop, and dance elements, along with its catchy chorus and Jay-Z’s guest verse, helped to make it one of the biggest pop hits of the early 2000s.

Also check out Stay and Diamonds by Rihanna. Two other great Rihanna songs.

Umbrella Lyrics

Uh huh, uh huh
Yeah, Rihanna
Uh huh, uh huh
Good girl gone bad
Uh huh, uh huh
Take three, action
Uh huh, uh huh, Hov

No clouds in my stones
Let it rain, I hydroplane in the bank
Comin’ down at the Dow Jones
When the clouds come, we gone
We Rocafella
We fly higher than weather
In G5s or better
You know me
In anticipation for precipitation stack chips for the rainy day
Rain Man is back with little Ms. Sunshine
Rihanna, where you at?

You have my heart, and we’ll never be worlds apart
Maybe in magazines, but you’ll still be my star
Baby, ’cause in the dark
You can’t see shiny cars
And that’s when you need me there
With you I’ll always share
Because

When the sun shines, we’ll shine together
Told you I’ll be here forever
Said I’ll always be your friend
Took an oath, I’ma stick it out ’til the end
Now that it’s raining more than ever
Know that we’ll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh

These fancy things will never come in between
You’re part of my entity, here for infinity
When the world has took its part
When the world has dealt its cards
If the hand is hard, together we’ll mend your heart
Because…

When the sun shines, we shine together
Told you I’ll be here forever
Said I’ll always be your friend
Took an oath, I’ma stick it out ’til the end
Now that it’s raining more than ever
Know that we’ll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh

You can run into my arms
It’s okay, don’t be alarmed
Come into me
(There’s no distance in between our love)
So gon’ and let the rain pour
I’ll be all you need and more
Because…

When the sun shines, we shine together
Told you I’ll be here forever
Said I’ll always be your friend
Took an oath, I’ma stick it out ’til the end
Now that it’s raining more than ever
Know that we’ll still have each other
You can stand under my umbrella
You can stand under my umbrella, ella, ella, eh, eh, eh

It’s raining, raining
Ooh, baby, it’s raining, raining
Baby, come into me
Come into me
It’s raining, raining
Ooh, baby, it’s raining, raining
You can always come into me
Come into me
It’s pouring rain
It’s pouring rain
Come into me
Come into me
It’s pouring rain
It’s pouring rain

Source: thegreatestsongs.com
written by Christopher Stewart, Jay-Z, Terius Nash, Thaddis Harrel

Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die.

The lyrics of Don McClean’s “American Pie” are probably the most interpreted song this side of Stairway to Heaven. Maybe surpassing it. So, I don’t want to spend too much time on the meaning of it. There is plenty of places you can find line by line exegesis.

The gist is that there is an essence to being a young American. Perhaps more specifically a male in the Midwest. You like sports, music and girls and high school is a time when you have unlimited hope. (Though it has its challenges as well).

However, at that time of our lives, anything is possible. That is what we are taught. That’s what we believe. Today some of those ideas are starting to be questioned, but for the baby boomers, they were definitely taught this.

There comes a time when reality hits you and it hits you hard. I imagine for everyone it is a different event, but something will happen in your life that will change your worldview. For McLean it was the day that his music heroes died.

Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens all died on the same airplane. It rocked his foundation. Perhaps it was his first taste of mortality. He tried to express his experience through the lens of a young man who has just lost his hero. It is verbose and a bit cryptic, but we feel the sentiment.

“American Pie” works because the melody is strong—both in the verse and the chorus. It is also easy to sing along to, which is nice. The song doesn’t contain many bells and whistles. Just a guy and his guitar singing about something that is important to him. Those songs can be just as impactful—if not more than huge anthems.

American Pie Lyrics

A long long time ago
I can still remember how
That music used to make me smile
And I knew if I had my chance
That I could make those people dance
And maybe they’d be happy for a while

But February made me shiver
With every paper I’d deliver
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn’t take one more step

I can’t remember if I cried
When I read about his widowed bride
Something touched me deep inside
The day the music died
So

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die

Did you write the book of love
And do you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so?
Do you believe in rock and roll?
Can music save your mortal soul?
And can you teach me how to dance real slow?

Well, I know that you’re in love with him
‘Cause I saw you dancin’ in the gym
You both kicked off your shoes
Man, I dig those rhythm and blues

I was a lonely teenage broncin’ buck
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck
But I knew I was out of luck
The day the music died
I started singin’

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die

Now, for ten years we’ve been on our own
And moss grows fat on a rolling stone
But, that’s not how it used to be

When the jester sang for the king and queen
In a coat he borrowed from James Dean
And a voice that came from you and me

Oh and while the king was looking down
The jester stole his thorny crown
The courtroom was adjourned
No verdict was returned

And while Lennon read a book on Marx
The quartet practiced in the park
And we sang dirges in the dark
The day the music died
We were singin’

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
And singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die

Helter skelter in a summer swelter
The birds flew off with a fallout shelter
Eight miles high and falling fast

It landed foul on the grass
The players tried for a forward pass
With the jester on the sidelines in a cast

Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune
We all got up to dance
Oh, but we never got the chance

‘Cause the players tried to take the field
The marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed
The day the music died?
We started singin’

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
And singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die

Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again

So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
‘Cause fire is the devil’s only friend

Oh and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan’s spell

And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died
He was singin’

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die

I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away

I went down to the sacred store
Where I’d heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn’t play
And in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken

And the three men I admire most
The Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
And they were singing

Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
And them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die
This’ll be the day that I die

They were singing
Bye, bye Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry
Them good ole boys were drinking whiskey and rye
Singin’ this’ll be the day that I die

Songwriters: Don McLean

I’ll rise like the day/
I’ll rise up/
I’ll rise unafraid.

Andra Day’s “Rise Up” has a beautiful verse and recognizable chorus. This is an anthem of hope-and a bit of a modern day protest song- and in Day’s capable hands it doesn’t feel too contrived or forced like some anthem-y songs can; it feels inspired and sincere. She demonstrates incredible vocal range in this song and uses good taste on her runs.

The difference between good and bad vocal runs is that good ones feel necessary and inherent to the sound of the song. Without them, the vocal would feel too flat. Bad runs are things like what Mariah Carey does…just altering the vocal pitch to try to show off what a great range she has or adding unnecessary vibrato in an attempt to simulate feeling. Though I wouldn’t mind if Day’s vibrato was turned down 10%.

“Rise Up’s” lyrics are somewhat ambiguous. What exactly does “rising up” mean in this context? I think it is twofold. One is the traditional way–like an uprising. But more interestingly,  she describes it it is almost like the struggle to get up for work every morning. For a historically oppressed people, perhaps that is what everyday feels like. Perhaps the struggle to achieve equal rights is a long one that is fought by achieving a million small victories rather than one large one. That requires rising every day as your best self, ready to take on the world.

Rise Up Lyrics & Meaning

You’re broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry go round
And you can’t find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
And move mountains

We gonna walk it out
And move mountains
And I’ll rise up
I’ll rise like the day
I’ll rise up
I’ll rise unafraid
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
And I’ll rise up
High like the waves
I’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousands times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

When the silence isn’t quiet
And it feels like it’s getting hard to breathe
And I know you feel like dying
But I promise we’ll take the world to its feet
And move mountains
We’ll take it to its feet
And move mountains

And I’ll rise up
I’ll rise like the day
I’ll rise up
I’ll rise unafraid
I’ll rise up
And I’ll do it a thousand times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

All we need, all we need is hope
And for that we have each other
And for that we have each other
We will rise
We will rise
We’ll rise, oh oh
We’ll rise

I’ll rise up
Rise like the day
I’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
I will rise a thousands times again
And we’ll rise up
Rise like the waves
We’ll rise up
In spite of the ache
We’ll rise up
And we’ll do it a thousands times again
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you

Songwriters: Cassandra Monique Batie / Jennifer Decilveo