11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 4

11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 4  features songs by Bruno Mars, Florence + The Machine, Johnny Mathis, Lenny Kravitz, and Yung Gravy.

Are you prepared for the power of A-R-E, ARE, for the fourth time? 11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 4 is exactly what the title suggests – a playlist of songs that feature the word are in their title.   There are no other criteria, except for featuring the often-used three-letter word. Notably, it is the sequel to 11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 1 (2024), 11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 2 (2024), and 11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 3 (2025). 11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 4 features songs by Bruno Mars, Florence + The Machine, Johnny Mathis, Lenny Kravitz, and Yung Gravy. So, without further ado, let’s dive into 11 Thrilling ARE Songs, Part 4!

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1. Hozier, “Who We Are”

“So, someone with your eyes / Might come in time / To hold me like water / Or Christ, hold me like a knife.”

Striking lyrics, Hozier.  They don’t stop there on “Who We Are,” the eighth track from the Irish singer/songwriter’s third studio album, Unreal Unearth. “Darling, we sacrificed / We gave our time to something undefined,” the Grammy-nominated standout sings in the second verse, and continues, “This phantom life sharpens like an image / But it sharpens like a knife.” Oh, snap! Hozier penned “Who” with producers Bēkon, Pete G (Peter Gonzales), Sergiu Gherman, and Chakra. The song begins as a piano ballad.  There are some delightful musical cues and colors added during the first verse, excerpted at the top. Drums enter the mix during the chorus, which is big and powerful: “We’re born at night / So much of our lives / Is just carving through the dark / To get so far / And the hardest part / Is who we are / It’s who we are.” Another selling point, beyond Hozier’s lyricism and powerful pipes, is the harmonic progression, specifically the V/vi, which resolves IV instead 🤓. Ultimately, “Who We Are” is another worthwhile moment from the complex and deep Unreal Unearth.

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2. Florence + The Machine, “Dog Days Are Over”

“Happiness hit her, like a train on a track / Coming towards her, stuck still, no turning back.”

Now that’s poetry! Sometimes, it only takes that one song to put you on the map.  For Grammy-nominated, British standout Florence + The Machine, that one song was “Dog Days Are Over.” Frontwoman Florence Welch and Isabella Summers penned this alternative standout while James Ford produced it. Florence + The Machine’s highest charting hit on the pop charts as the main artist peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 2023, “Dog Days” was certified sextuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The highlight appears on the collective’s double-platinum, 2009 debut album, Lungs. Welch shows off her ultra-expressive voice, belting triumphantly on the unforgettable chorus that “The dog days are over / The dog days are done / The horses are coming / So, you better run.” WOOF, “…there it is!”

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3. Lenny Kravitz, “Are You Gonna Go My Way”

“But what I really want to know is / Are you going to go my way? / And I got to, got to know.”

Woo! Four-time Grammy-winning musician Lenny Kravitz rocked out something fierce on his classic, “Are You Gonna Go My Way”. “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is the opening track from his 1993 album, also titled Are You Gonna Go My Way. Kravitz penned the gem alongside Craig Ross. He produced it himself.  Kind of a big deal, “Are You Gonna Go My Way” was nominated for two Grammys at the 36^th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Rock Song and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Solo. Meat Loaf  (“I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That)”) and Soul Asylum (“Runaway Train”) beat him in those categories.

“Are You Gonna Go My Way” rocks hard 🤘 from the beginning.  The guitar licks and riffs are utterly sick! Adding to the badassery is the hard-hitting drum groove. Lenny Kravitz delivers assertive vocals, digging in and giving his all. “I am the chosen, I’m the one / I have come to save the day,” he sings in the first verse, and adds, “Though I’m not paid, I play this game / And I won’t stop until I’m done.” Interesting.  Lenny isn’t talking about himself.  In the second verse, he grows more socially conscious, stating, “We must engage and rearrange / And turn this planet back to one / So tell me why we got to die / And kill each other one by one.” He, or the divine entity he portrays, has a legitimate point. Even with the grit he brings to the track, the melodies are tuneful to the nth degree.  Unsurprisingly, it is the chorus, excerpted earlier, that is the section to beat. Beyond the tunefulness and memorable lyrics, Kravitz delivers an impressive guitar solo during the instrumental section following the verse. Lenny, rock on 🤘! Ultimately, “Are You Gonna Go My Way” is one of the shiniest of gems from the Lenny Kravitz catalog.

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4. Eurhythmics, “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)”

“Sweet dreams are made of this / Who am I to disagree?”

One word: ICONIC. “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” is by far the biggest hit from Eurythmics.  If Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart hadn’t recorded anything besides this 1983 classic, their legacy would be secure, NO CAP.  This is the quintessential 80s record. It shines for several reasons.  The standout track from the album, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This), features awesome production by Stewart – the rhythm, the synths! Lennox shines vocally, infusing personality to match the lyrics.  Her robust pipes have always been formidable. Lyrically, this isn’t a complex song, but the few lyrics pack a mean punch: “Some of them want to use you / Some of them want to get used by you / Some of them want to abuse you / Some of them want to be abused.” Woo! Lennox completes the chorus, excerpted at the top: “I’ve traveled the world and the seven seas / Everybody’s lookin’ for something.” Indeed!  “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)” has become an oft-covered song, with the most notable interpretations from Marilyn Manson and Beyoncé.

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5. Johnny Mathis, “Chances Are”

“Chances are, ‘cause I wear a silly grin / The moment you come into view.”

Prolific, Grammy-nominated vocalist Johnny Mathis (1935 – ) released a once-in-a-lifetime song in 1957 with “Chances Are”.  The ultra-successful single preceded the Billboard Hot 100 but topped the Billboard Top 100. Notably, “Chances Are” appears on Mathis’ multiplatinum compilation, Johnny’s Greatest Hits, released in 1958. Robert Allen (1927 – 2000) wrote the music while Al Stillman (1901/1906 – 1979) penned the lyrics. This historically important recording was added to the National Recording Registry in 2024. It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. 

“Chances Are” sounds celestial from the beginning. The romance is romancin’, and who would have it any other way with Johnny Mathis?! Mathis gets a lift from lush, smooth music accompaniment (piano, string bass, drums, orchestra). Ray Conniff & His Orchestra set up the versatile singer soundly, with a marvelous orchestration.  Mathis chills with his honey-like, buttery smooth, sweet, and warm vocals.  His tone is everything; truly one of a kind.  “The moment that your lips meet mine / Chances are, you think my heart’s your valentine,” he sings in the first verse. Aww, the feels! “Guess you feel you’ll always be / The one and only one for me,” he sings in the second verse, and continues, “And if you think you could / Well, chances are, your chances are awfully good.” Word. No deep analysis is required for this classic. “Chances Are” is a prime example of timeless, sophisticated music.

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6. Fun., “We Are Young” (Ft. Janelle Monáe)

“Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart.”

Oh, snap! “We Are Young” is one of the most beloved anthems of the 2010s. Perhaps that is an understatement describing a RIAA diamond-certified single. Youth is clearly on the side of Grammy-winning alternative pop band, Fun. (Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, and formerly, Jack Antonoff). “Young” is the third track from their 2011 triple-platinum album, Some Nights. Beyond the lead vocals of Ruess, the alt-pop trio tapped Grammy-nominated R&B singer/songwriter and actress Janelle Monáe for the assist. The record was nominated for two Grammys at the 55^th Annual Grammy Awards: Record Of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In both categories, they lost to one-hit-wonder Gotye for “Somebody That I Used to Know”.

There is a lot to adore about “We Are Young.” The production and sound of the record are striking.  Sigh, there is nothing like the pounding drums that open the cut to get you going! Nate Ruess shines with his clear and, dare I say, youthful-sounding vocals! Songwriting is a selling point throughout, filled with carefree, irresponsible experiences associated with youth. Lyrics like, “My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State,” catch the ears, also affirming a youthful, carefree, and high-risk mindset. Later, Ruess asserts, “So if by the time the bar closes / And you feel like falling down / I’ll carry you home.” Noted, and quite drunk.  The section to beat is the chorus, where there is a timely tempo change. Spiritedly, Nate sings:

“Tonight

We are young

So let’s set the world on fire

We can burn brighter

Than the sun.”

Higher, huh? Brilliant! It’s giving young, invincible, and giving zero fucks. Is the youthfulness prevented arrogantly? It’s easy-going, but when we are young, we do tend to be too full of ourselves, overconfident. Janelle Monáe plays a more modest role in the song compared to songs where she’s the lead artist with a huge personality. But, she nails that bridge (“Carry me home tonight”), singing alongside Ruess in select moments (“The moon is on my side /… The angels never arrived, but I can hear the choir”). Fun. were only relevant for a short time, but the trio cemented its place in musical history with “We Are Young”, period.

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7. The Strokes, “Why Are Sundays So Depressing?”

“Like a swan, I don’t miss swimming / All my friends left, and they don’t miss me.”

That is depressing, Julian Casablancas.  A swan without water? Friends leaving? No Bueno! No good… or so it seems, and that’s just the first verse of “Why Are Sundays So Depressing.” This, my friends, is a song of introspection, reflection central. The guitars are prominent on the groovy, if ‘depressing’ seventh track from The New Abnormal (2020). In the context of The New Abnormal, the first album by The Strokes in seven years, “Why Are Sundays So Depressing” is more straightforward than other album tracks.  Even so, it still has its fair share of colorful synth touches.  Groove bodes well in The Strokes’ favor. Depressing or not, there’s no way to listen to this and not move some part of your body. Oh, and providing more insight into the lyrics, a sizable part of the depression Casablancas seems to be experiencing has to do with those pesky matters of the heart.  Lines like, “I love you and I’m honest, so you know it’s no lie” and “I transition in / I’m making your body wait” provide key hints.

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8. Yung Gravy, “The Boys Are Back In Town” (Ft. Pouya, Ramirez & TrippyThaKid)

“You ain’t with the shits, you ain’t with the shits, you ain’t with the shits!”

Oh, shit! Sometimes, rap bangers are bite-sized; short and sweet. Yung Gravy (Matthew Hauri) keeps it brief on “The Boys Are Back In Town”, the fourth track from his 2019 debut album, Sensational.  Not only is the Minnesotan rapper giant in stature, but he also exudes a giant personality, particularly on “The Boys Are Back In Town.” Hauri isn’t the only boy back in town on the two-and-a-half-minute track, though.  He enlists Pouya, Ramirez, and TrippyThaKid to assist him. The results are sick!

“The Boys Are Back In Town” features well-rounded production (Yung Gravy, swvde., and Y2K). The backdrop is colorful with the drum programming, seedy, sus-sounding synths, and minimalist ideas. Notably, the song samples a 1984 song by Dennis Edwards featuring Siedah Garrett, “Don’t Look Any Further”. The chorus (“You ain’t with the shits…”) is one of the most fun parts of the song.  Still, the verses, and there are plenty, slap. Gravy brings ample confidence and swagger. His compelling cadence and flow shine early: “Bitch, I’m dead fresh, I might pull up in a casket / You be lookin’ sweet like a fuckin’ fruit basket.” His partners in crime are no slouches either, kicking ass and taking names throughout.  TrippyThaKid asserts, “Don’t think nobody gonna fuck with me like I do.” Ramirez touts “Heat-seeking missiles, I load up and hit you / I carry the coffin and drop it in grave (Ho),” and later, he’s “Pimpin’ these bitches, I’m breakin ‘em off as they hangin’ up off my nutsack.” D-d-d-da-yum! Pouya isn’t to be left out with the striking lyrical gems, “Baby Bone got a bone to pick with you, yeah / Hold up, Ricky Bobby, I’m jacked up on Mountain Dew, yeah,” and the charming, “I just fucked your bitch in the back of my ‘96 DeVille.” No extensive analysis is necessary. “The Boys Are Back In Town” is what it is, a brief, fun, and unapologetic rap banger that slaps something fierce!

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9. Bruno Mars, “Just The Way You Are”

“Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they’re not shinin’ / Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her tryin’,”

 Bruno Mars sings lovingly in the first verse of his beloved pop bop, “Just The Way You Are”. “Just” is the second track from the Grammy-winning pop singer/songwriter’s 2010 debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Speaking of Grammys, Mars earned his first win for Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 53^rd Annual Grammy Awards. The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the charts for four weeks. Ultimately, the Recording Industry Association of America certified the single diamond, specifically 13-times platinum.  Mars continues singing in the first verse, sincerely, “She’s so beautiful, uh / And I tell her every day.” Aww 🥰! Get you a man that’ll build you up like that!

Bruno Mars, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Needlz, and Saint Cassius penned “Just The Way You Are.” Needlz and The Smeezingtons (Mars, Lawrence, and at the time, Levine). The sound of the record is sweet.  The piano and drum programming earn high marks within the music backdrop. Revisiting the lyrics, thematically, the story is much the same in the second verse.  “Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she’d let me,” Mars asserts, and continues, “Her laugh, her laugh, she hates, but I think it’s so sexy.” Beyond those sweet, thoughtful lyrics, Mars’s vocals sound beautiful, poignant, and, enjoyable. He sings authentically, shining with his nuances.  While the verses, and later, the bridge, are fantastic, the section to beat is the tuneful, unforgettable chorus, dripping with L-O-V-E! 

“When I see your face

There’s not a thing that I would change

‘Cause you’re amazing

Just the way you are

And when you smile

The whole world stops and stares for a while

‘Cause, girl, you’re amazing

Just the way you are.”

Years after its arrival, the excellence of “Just The Way You Are” endures.  This pop song is the gift that keeps on giving.  It is one of Bruno Mars’ most accomplished songs in an illustrious career.

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10. The Chi-Lites, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)”

“‘Cause I’m so, so tired, oh, you set my soul on fire / I’m so tired, well, you set my soul on fire.”

Woo! Chicago R&B quartet The Chi-Lites dropped fire with their 1970 single, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)”. “Are You My Woman?” is the opening track from their 1970 album, I Like Your Lovin’ (Do You Like Mine?). “Woman” was modestly successful on the pop charts, peaking at number 72 on the Billboard Hot 100. It performed much better on the R&B charts, reaching number eight. Lead vocalist Eugene Record (1940 – 2005) wrote and produced “Woman.”

The musical backdrop is one of the biggest selling points of “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So).” Famously, the Beyoncé contemporary R&B/hip-hop classic, “Crazy In Love”, samples it.  It features an epic percussion and drum groove from the beginning that is funky to the nth degree! The horns sound utterly electrifying. As always, Eugene Record brings the heat on lead vocals. Beyond his lead, there is great use of the various voices of the group that bring a lot of personality to the track. The chemistry in this group is a sight to behold; rather, it is ear-catching.  Those bass vocals in particular are lit.  The chorus is the centerpiece – the crème de la crème:

“Are you my woman? Tell me so

Are you my woman? Tell me so

Well, are you my woman? Tell me so

Well, if you’re not my woman, let me go.”

Word. An early gem by The Chi-Lites, “Are You My Woman? (Tell Me So)” is fun, funky, and well-rounded.

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11. The Ebonys, “You’re The Reason Why”

“Just because of you / I’m a happy guy / You’re the reason why.”

New Jersey-based soul quartet, The Ebonys, sadly fall into the underrated category of talented R&B/soul groups.  A key song that they are renowned for is “You’re The Reason Why”, the ninth track from their 1971 self-titled album.  The Philly soul sound is prominent. Notably, Hall of Famers Kenneth Gamble (1943 – ) and Leon Huff (1942 – ) wrote and produced it. Another prominent Philly soul proponent, Thom Bell (1943 – 2022), arranged it.  A top 10 R&B hit, “Reason” impacted the pop charts, peaking at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100.

“You’re The Reason Why” begins with a dramatic, ear-catching hit and chord. The dramatic intro builds up anticipation for this soul gem. “Reason” features fierce orchestration and production work – Philly to the core! The Ebonys have a fabulous musical backdrop to sing over with the rhythm section and orchestral cues. The singing is marvelous from the lead and background vocals. I love the depth of the robust, gritty baritone lead by the late James Tuten (d. 1994), who asserts in the first verse, “I feel like a king / Sitting high on top of the world / If my heart could sing / I’d sing a love song to you, girl / I’d sing a love song to you girl.” He goes on to shine in the second verse, where he “feels like a tot / That found a brand-new toy.” Oh, the feels! The love! The ripe, soaring falsetto from high tenor David Beasley in the pre-chorus/bridge section is incredibly impressive, too: “You are my reason / To feel this way / And every time I see you / I just wanna say.” The tuneful, unforgettable chorus (excerpted earlier) is another big-time selling point. Of course, you can’t mention “You’re The Reason Why” without those timeless, “ba, ba, ba, ba…yeah” or the assertive, “Baby, baby, baby, baby.” Less heralded than some soul classics, this song deserves the same amount of love, too! It’s sensational!  Other musicians, unsurprisingly, have sampled it.

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