There’s a reason Adam Levine was named People magazine’s 2013 “Sexiest Man Alive” and there are those who make the case that he retain that title in perpetuity, but enough about his looks, instead, consider the great music he makes as lead singer of Maroon 5, and their newest, “Don’t Wanna Know” is a good example.
This is a classic Top 40 song, about a guy who wonders about his ex. Maybe he’s a bit jealous, a bit wistful…
Do you think of me?
Of What we used to be?
It it better now that I’m not around?
My friends are actin’ strange
they don’t bring up your name
Are you happy now?
Are you happy now?
Or this:
Glad you got someone new
Yeah, I see but I don’t believe
Even in my head
You’re still in my bed
Maybe I’m just a fool
But that’s just the lyrics.
It’s the magic of the music and the words, Levine’s voice, the the melody, the hook, the arrangement and production, and the myriad of details that make a hit song work.
We’ll excuse the length of the video at 6+ minutes because this version includes a verse by rapper Kendrick Lamar, which makes it longer, and we’ll just ignore that the video can only be appreciated by people who are fluent in Pokémon Go, which can exclude a lot of Boomers,.
Note that (Boomer) Ric Ocasek, lead singer for The Cars, sang not only the same sentiment, but almost the same line, in 1984.
The world has changed a lot in 30-some years, though the dance between men and women has not; not in the last 30-some years, and probably not in the last thousand years.
While both songs are a man musing about a lost love, a universal and eternal theme, Maroon 5’s take is unique (as was The Cars). It’s fast paced and can put you in a good mood (even though the content is bitter-sweet).
If you are stuck in traffic this would be good to listen to in the car.