Halftime show

album artwork

At the stroke of midnight on Friday, February 2, 2018 Justin Timberlake released his fifth studio album. And you bet your girl had her own personal listening party in her room, (thanks Spotify) even though she was exhausted, sometimes you just need to do it. #TheFangirlLifeIsReal #ItWaitsForNoGirl

So as per usual I’m going to highlight my favorite lyrics and some of my random thoughts as I listened to the full album. You know your girl had her notebook ready! I can say that after my first listen… my favorites include- Midnight Summer Jam, Higher Higher, Morning Light, Montana, and Young Man. But as always, while I continue to hit replay on this album… for the entire weekend, I’m already finding new favorites, and I am really appreciating this album as a whole. Something I have to admit, I was a bit nervous about because Filthy wasn’t an instant favorite and the album is super different from what JT is best known for. Them Dance Anthems!

FILTHY

Fav Lyric(s):

Haters gon’ say it’s fake
So real

***

I said, put your filthy hands all over me
And no, this ain’t the clean version

*When I first heard these lines, I was like ohhh that’s fire. I can see that catching on. So it has been said that the voice we hear at the very end is in fact Jessica Biel. I remember hearing it and trying to decipher if it was her or not. “Look closer through the trees,” she whispers. And why I love it so much? I don’t know. Lol. In fact Jessica’s spoken word esque vocals are featured on quite a few tracks. And I am living for it!!!

*Read my Full Review of JT’s first single HERE

MIDNIGHT SUMMER JAM *AN INSTANT FAVORITE*

Fav Lyric(s):

It’s in the air, hospitality
Anything you want, what’s mine is yours
But don’t you worry about the way I talk, woo
It’s where I’m from, come and get you some, uh
Hey, all of the locals are happy to get out and meet a new face
We dance in circles, on and on, dosey-do and then we sway
Even the old folks’ll come out and rock
And we just hopin’ the music don’t stop ’til the next day

*This is definitely my favorite song on the album. The minute I heard it I was like…OH MY GOD, this is my new “Let the groove get in.” It is the longest track on the album @ 5:13 and every time you think it’s done, it keeps going…so damn good. I love the drums, the horns, the guitar, the harmonica break down. It’s just such a great dance song. And I can see myself dancing to this on a cozy night in by the fire during winter, or at a big outdoor summer BBQ. I love that last line…”Please… don’t stop the music…” P.S. did you catch Jessica’s “it’s sweaty out here baby” line.

SAUCE

Fav Lyric(s):

Ooh, I love your pink, you like my purple
You must be God herself, can I come worship?
Let’s make some new details, just for your journal
‘Cause you keep lookin’ at me with those eyes like you know somethin’ I don’t
So, go ahead, say I won’t

*I’ll admit at first listen I thought this song was good, but not an instant favorite. But the more I replay the album, it is seriously becoming one I really love. I absolutely love the chorus. This song has serious Prince vibes. “I like your pink, you like my purple…”

MAN OF THE WOODS

Fav Lyric(s):

How do I ever explain what I’ve got with you?
I try to find the words but they hide and that’s the truth
And nobody ever will understand what we do
There’s only one me and you
Come here, hold me
‘Cause there’s only one me and you

*This song is also the album’s title. Justin recently explained that the album is named after his son- Silas. Silas means “of the woods.” The song is super funky, almost like a spoken word country bob. I can’t explain it. It’s like an old comedy skit in the doo-wob era. You’ll see what I mean when you watch the adorable video feat Jessica Biel. But…but where’s baby Silas? A+ for 4 Justins. 😉

HIGHER HIGHER *Favorite

Fav Lyric(s):

Uh, stress is cruel, fame’s a lie
But you’re special, on every level
Success is cool, money is fine
But you’re special, another level

*This song gives off serious Earth, Wind, and Fire/ Barry Gib-The Bee Gees vibes.

WAVE

Fav Lyric(s):

I got rose-colored glasses
Batten your eyelashes
Come on, don’t be passive
So last time will be magic
This is fantastic, and we could get some practice
And miles on our passes for love

*This song has tropical vibes at first with a feel good, county fair vibe. I love the rose colored glasses reference.

SUPPLIES

Fav Lyric(s):

I’ll be the light when you can’t see
I’ll be the wood when you need heat
I’ll be the generator, turn me on when you need electricity
Some shit’s about to go down
I’ll be the one with the level head
The world can end now
Baby, we’ll be living in The Walking Dead

*Read my Full Review on this song HERE

MORNING LIGHT feat. Alicia Keys *Favorite….gotta love my girl Alicia!

Fav Lyric(s):

Look
Every time there’s a new sunrise
I open up my eyes
And I say to myself, “In the whole wide world of guys
I must be the luckiest alive”

‘Cause I’m in love with you
Laying here, in a morning light
And all I wanna do
Is hold you tight, just one more night

[Alicia Keys:]
Look, I can’t even get out of bed
With the thought you putting in my head
So I say to myself, “I don’t even wanna try”
Here, every part of me is paralyzed

*What an absolutely beautiful, soulful, romantic song. A sweet, pure love song with Jazzy, Motown/Temptations “My girl” vibes. I feel like this would be an incredible wedding song.

tease

SAY SOMETHING feat. Chris Stapleton

*Read my Full Review on this song HERE

Fav Lyric(s):

Sometimes the greatest way to say something is to say nothing at all

But I can’t help myself, no I can’t help myself, no, no
Caught up in the middle of it
No I can’t help myself, no I can’t help myself, no, no, no
Caught up in the rhythm of it

[Justin Timberlake (Chris Stapleton):]
Maybe I’m looking for something I can’t have

*Out of the 4 early releases this was my favorite. It got stuck in my head and in my soul. And I love that Justin can go country and it still works. He’s a freaking chameleon! LOL. And that video is EPIC!

HERS (interlude)

Fav Lyric(s):

It’s an armor, like a barrier from the world
Like, our secret nobody else knows and I like that, you know?
It makes me feel like a woman, it makes me feel sexy, it makes me feel… it makes me feel like I’m his…

*I loveee interludes and preludes. He did this with Futures Sex/Love Sounds and The 20/20 Experience and some of my favorite parts of his songs are found in them. And to make it even better, this is a spoken poem by Jessica Biel all about wearing her husbands’ shirt. It’s quite beautiful, I love how her voice sounds breathy, and majestic. I really love how this is titled HERS, by the lyrics, you’d think it’d be HIS since she’s speaking, but he changed it to speak on his own behalf almost as if to say, she may be mine, but I’m hers too. I also love how it leads right into…Flannel.

FLANNEL

Fav Lyric(s):

Right behind my left pocket
That is where you’ll feel my soul
It’s been with me many winters
It will keep you warm
Ooh, here’s my flannel
The character’s in the way you wear it (the way you wear it)
It takes your shape while you keep it on (all you gotta do is keep it on)
May we live for many winters
Keepin’ each other warm
And may we live for many winters
Keepin’ each other warm

*I really like Justin’s vocals in this. He hits a capella *N’SYNC notes, super nostalgic, and beautiful. And what a beautiful ode to his wife/his family, yet again. This also leads to another Jessica Biel breathy ending- “…Do you see me..?”. It’s super woodsy, yet magical and futuristic. I can’t explain it, but I just think it’s so cool that he had her be apart of his record in such an artistic way.

MONTANA *Favorite

Fav Lyric(s):

Now I know it’s 8 o’clock
And we’ve been kissin’ for hours
When the moon wakes up the sun
And our shadows kissed up on the mountains

*This was one I was super excited to here, after JT put a sneak peek of it on his social media, and it did not disappoint. It’s very disco inspired. I get some serious Staying Alive vibes.

BREEZE OFF THE POND

Fav Lyric(s):

You and I against the world, against the world, against the world
You and I against the world, and everything that comes with
No denying what you’re worth, what you’re worth, what you’re worth
I’d be foolish beyond words to lose you

*Nice guitar vibes.

LIVIN’ OFF THE LAND

Fav Lyric(s):

Singing I’m just one man doing the best that I can
Saint or a sinner, the loser can be a winner with a plan
When you’re living off the land

*I really am digging this track…it gives off some “Off the Wall” Michael Jackson vibes .

THE HARD STUFF

Fav Lyric(s):

Anybody can be in love on a sunny day
Anybody can turn and run when it starts to rain
And everybody wishes all the skies were blue
But that ain’t the kind of love I’m lookin’ to have with you

***

So give me the hard stuff
The kind that makes you real
***
I’m never gonna give you up
‘Cause I want the hard stuff (hard stuff)
Yeah, I want the hard stuff (hard stuff, yeah)

***
So just know my fire for you will always burn
And please forgive the things in this life that I have to learn

*LYRICS!!!!! This song is kind of the “Not a bad thing” of this album. So beautiful. Basically a love song about wanting all of the ins and outs, ups and downs of a relationship.

YOUNG MAN *Favorite

Fav Lyric(s):

Someday somebody’s gonna break your heart in two
And I’ll be there
Someday you’re gonna break somebody’s heart
That’s what we do
One day I’ll be gone, son, but right now I’m home
No, you’ll never be alone
Maybe someday you’ll be talking to your own

Young man, yeah
You know your daddy’s so proud of you
My little young man
Mama just can’t get enough of you

*Oh My God! this song had me in tears. Justin shares some beautiful family moments with us, as we hear him with his family. Jessica and Justin trying to get baby Silas to say Dada, and his little voice comes through, “Dada.” As his parents say “Good Job, buddy.” At the very end you hear Jessica talking to her son, “Is that daddy? Say I love you daddy.” Silas obliges and then we hear a little kiss sound. SO INCREDIBLE. And the lyrics make for a beautiful song for his son.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

This album is definitely different. I was nervous it would be too different. But I think I’m growing up with him. And my taste in music has also been evolving. And I really love this album. I feel like it really showcases his songwriter skills and proves that he is a true storyteller. It’s a mix of several decade influences, disco, jazz, rap, country, Motown. He gets in touch with his home, his southern roots, and he expresses the drive for his music- his wife and his son- his family. To put it simply, MAN OF THE WOODS is a cool, chill, jam, full of seriously good vibes. I seriously want to go to this tour. He basically said for this show, he wants to “bring the outside in.” And that sounds really cool. I’m with it. Fingers crossed that I get tickets, it’s super difficult and prices are out of this word!

*You can read all of JT’s new lyrics HERE

*And you can stream his album for free on Spotify…but buy it on iTunes, or ya know in a store (Like I did)…Just buy it…it’s so good! Oh and by the way… waiting on that Jessica Biel album…

DISCLAIMER: You know when your an adult when you no longer hate your celebrity crushes spouse. HAHA. I used to always bad mouth their relationship, because I didn’t see why they were a good match and because your fangirl was #Jealous. But honestly now that they’ve gotten a little more open about sharing some of their life with the world, I can see how in love they are and how beautiful their marriage and family is. And I fully support that. She seems like an incredibly strong and sweet woman. You know fangirls, you’ve been there right? Like you feel like you can’t like your crush’s wife/girlfriend/ fiancé, it’s against the rules. He’s yours. Haha. Oh how we young girls used to think. Jessica girl, please forgive my childish ways. If it makes up for it any…I loved you in Summer Catch and 7th Heaven when I was a kid. 😉

Did ya catch our boy’s Superbowl halftime show?

And his appearance on The Tonight how with Jimmy Fallon.