Diamonds are often a topic to sing about. Although Rob Bates previously covered classic diamond-inspired tunes, the glitzy gem also shows up in today’s pop music hits.
(Warning: The melodies may make you dance at your desk, and the lyrics may stick in your head for the rest of the day.)
1. Rihanna, “Diamonds”
If you haven’t heard of Rihanna’s hit single, “Diamonds,” then you should probably listen to the radio more often. In the upbeat melody, Rihanna compares a love to rare and precious “diamonds in the sky.” The song is currently sparkling on the Billboard Hot 100 List, topping the charts for the second week in a row. Fellow diamond-lover Kanye West also recently rapped on the remix.
Lyrics: “Shine bright like a diamond/Find light in the beautiful sea/I choose to be happy/You and I, you and I/We’re like diamonds in the sky.”
2. Rob Thomas, “Her Diamonds”
In the poignant ballad, rocker Rob Thomas touches upon love, marriage, and illness by using a diamond metaphor. Thomas revealed that he wrote the song for his wife, Marisol, who suffers from an autoimmune disease similar to lupus. In the song Thomas compares his wife’s tears to diamonds, revealing his raw mixture of empathy and helplessness. Marisol also sang back up on the track and helped produce its arrangement (awww).
Lyrics: “And she says ooh, I can’t take no more/Her tears like diamonds on the floor /And her diamonds bring me down/ Cause I can’t help her now.”
3. Lil Wayne, “Diamonds and Girls”
While he may not be as tender as Rob Thomas, Lil Wayne sure knows what he wants: diamonds and girls. Although his rap doesn’t possess the same depth as the previous ballad, you have to give Weezy credit for his rhyming skills in this Prince sampling.
Lyrics: “Got diamonds in my chain/more colors than the northern lights/ life is a traffic jam but I’m on a motorbike.”
4. Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris, “We Found Love”
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and they might also be Rihanna’s favorite muse. This song isn’t technically about diamonds, but the opening line describing “yellow diamonds in the light” has probably been stuck in everyone’s head since its 2011 release. Dancing to this chart-topping song—and looking at some gorgeous yellow diamonds—can rescue anyone from a hopeless place.
Lyrics: “Yellow diamonds in the light/Now we’re standing side by side/As your shadow crosses mine/What it takes to come alive.”
5. Ben Harper, “Diamonds on the Inside”
Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Ben Harper writes about a girl who wears her diamonds on the inside in this pop folktale. Although the diamond metaphor in the ditty leaves room for interpretation, I assume that since diamonds are strong and robust, Harper’s muse must be one tough chick.
Lyrics: “When you have everything/You have everything to lose/She made herself a bed of nails/And she’s planning on putting it to use/Cause she had diamonds on the inside.”
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