One of the most glamorous and accomplished singers of the past 30 years, it’s hard to believe that there are any music listeners out there who don’t like (swoon, fawn over) the songwriter, performer, piano player, and hitmaker Alicia Keys. Yet, the general rule is that if you’re a creative person who puts work out into the world then you know some people inevitably won’t like it.
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Here below, we wanted to dive into three songs from the 43-year-old, New York City-born Keys that have not only stood the test of time but would surely sway any critic who might say they’re not a fan of the artist. Indeed, here below are a trio of tunes for anyone who might say they don’t like Alicia Keys.
[RELATED: Alicia Keys Trademarks Beverage Brand Alicia Teas]
“Fallin’” from Songs in A Minor (2001)
Written and produced by Keys, this track from her debut LP helped create the legend of the songwriter and performer. It showcased her versatile voice, ability to traverse in pop and classical spaces, and piano-playing skills. The song, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, is an ode to a romantic interest. It’s about someone the singer just can’t quit. Life and issues may come in the way, but Keys keeps coming back. That keeps things exciting—not just amorous. On the song, Keys sings,
I keep on fallin’
In and out of love
With you
Sometimes I love ya
Sometimes you make me blue
Sometimes I feel good
At times I feel used
Lovin’ you darlin’
Makes me so confused
I keep on fallin’ in and out
Of love with you
I never loved someone
The way that I love you
“No One” from As I Am (2007)
Another track that hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, this song is saturated in even more devotion than the track above. Keys doesn’t seem to be falling in and out of love with the subject of the song. No, it’s all good. All love, all adoration. So much so that no one—no past lover, no stranger—can get in the way of the singer’s love for the subject. On the passionate tune, Keys sings,
You and me together
Through the days and nights
I don’t worry ’cause
Everything’s gonna be alright
People keep talking, they can say what they like
But all I know is everything’s gonna be alright
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I’m feeling
No one, no one, no one
Can get in the way of what I feel for you, you, you
Can get in the way of what I feel for you
“If I Ain’t Got You” from The Diary of Alicia Keys (2003)
Showcasing Keys’ piano-playing abilities, this song talks about all the different ways one can live their lives. But for the singer, none of these matter if she doesn’t have the love of the one she wants. This 2003 track offers Keys’ most famous chorus, on which she sings about nothing else mattering if she doesn’t have her love. On the soulful R&B number, she belts,
Some people want it all
But I don’t want nothing at all
If it ain’t you, baby
If I ain’t got you, baby
Some people want diamond rings
Some just want everything
But everything means nothing
If I ain’t got you
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