how about a Secret Rendezvous when it’ll be Nice To Meet Ya so why don’t you (Meet Me In) The Middle before it’s Bubbles Up

July has (already!) arrived! Can someone please find that ‘pause’ button?! Since it is Monday, that, of course, means music! This week’s theme is “Rendezvous, songs about meeting at a place or time.” Oooh, intriguing! Let’s get this rendezvous started!  

Let’s start with this artist who anticipates a secret rendezvous with her lover in this uptempo track. The producers and writers were trying to emulate Prince’s sound on the pop hit. The artist said:

“Prince was hot back then and who wouldn’t have tried to produce a song reminiscent of his style. He was a big influence of mine and theirs. When we were recording ‘[this song],’ we would play some of the mixes, test it in the clubs, and go back to the studio. At that time, I was learning and soaking it all in. I really didn’t understand that I would be around geniuses. This was truly my training ground and of course, we would have our debates because I like to debate.”

Fun fact: This song hit #1 on the dance chart and #4 on the R&B chart back in the 80s.

Get ready to dance, here’s Karyn White with “Secret Rendezvous”:

Next up is a sultry slice of soulful pop that was inspired by a brief flirtation the artist had with a woman during a night out with some pals. The singer explained that he started chatting up a girl who was with a group of her friends. Every time he turned around, she seemed to disappear, but they continued to bump into each other in different bars throughout the course of the night. He said:

“It’s a song that is basically like a movie that is based on a true story, and then you start changing stuff that makes the song start to sound a little bit more interesting.”

The artist recalls during the song how after chatting to the girl for a while, she gave him her phone number.

I want your number tattooed on my arm in ink, I swear

The girl actually wrote her number down on a piece of paper. He explained:

“In a world where we’re like looking at your phone, everyone showing numbers, swapping contacts, all this, and I like the idea of the actual physical piece of paper with a number on it.”

He added that when he’s writing songs based on a true story he likes to elaborate on what actually happened to make it more interesting. In this instance he latched onto the visual of the girl writing the number down; then it was switched it up to be like a music video where someone is looking over the arm and it’s got like a phone number on it.

“I just thought it was a quite colorful lyric.”

Give a listen to Niall Horan with “Nice To Meet Ya”:

Next up for a different kind of ‘meet’, is a collaboration between the main artist along with an electronic duo, and a country singer. Sounds intriguing, right? The artist was quoted as saying:

“It was super fun working with [the country star] because she is clearly an amazing singer and very talented musician. And, I always love working with [the electronic duo] because we push ourselves to make the best music possible, and the end result is incredible.”

The country star sings from the point of view of one-half of a couple in a quarrel. Exasperated by their fighting, she demands that her partner meets her “in the middle.”

Give a listen to Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey with “The Middle”:

Last but certainly not least, this is a different take on ‘rendezvous’ – more of an “until we meet again” kind of thing. This is a song this amazing late artist recorded and left behind as a final gift to his fans before he passed away. The poignant lyrics include:

So, when the journey gets long / Just know that you are loved / There is light up above / And the joy is always enough / Bubbles up

His team explained the video features:

“Jimmy and what he loved doing. From performance footage in the 70s to more recent days, being on and in the water, playing for fans, flying, each frame holds wonderful memories of a well-lived life. The opening shot is Jimmy filming himself jumping into the water.

It’s hard to imagine a world without Jimmy Buffett. But here we are.”

This song is from his posthumous album, “Equal Strain On All Parts,” which was released last November.

“‘Just know you are loved, there’s light up above, and the joy is always enough on the road ahead.’ If you loved Jimmy, it’s impossible not to completely lose it. He is missed beyond measure.”

Without further ado, here’s the late great Jimmy Buffett with “Bubbles Up”:

That’s a wrap for this week – have a great Monday! See you on the dance floor!

Now, onto the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me:

I have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and our musical cohort, the awesome Cathy from Curious as a CAThy, and Alana of Ramblin’ with AM!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!