Mary J. Blige has recorded 13 studio albums in her two-decade career. With every song recorded, the Yonkers native displayed a transparent spirit and opened up about her love life and the trials and tribulations she faced and conquered.
While her true fans called her a strong woman, outsiders labeled her a bitter female singer who only sings about heartbreak. Many of those listeners have not listened to her extensive discography to hear other non-single recordings, especially the more empowering tracks that served as a source of inspiration.
Our Rated R&B team pulled out their headphones and listened to not only Blige’s previously released singles but all 13 of her albums. After our lengthy listening session, we discovered 20 songs from her music catalog with motivational titles and thought-provoking lyrics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IN3yMjnyXyU
“My Life”
Album: My Life
Standout lyrics: “Take your time, baby don’t you rush a thing / Don’t you know, I know, we all are struggling / I know it is hard but we will get by / And if you don’t believe in me / Just believe in He”
“Be Happy”
Album: My Life
Standout lyrics: “How can I love somebody else / If I can’t love myself enough to know / When it’s time, Time to let go”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1TSBoW2K0E
“Keep Your Head”
Album: Share My World
Standout lyrics: “I sometimes get worried, and I wonder why I worry / Cause I know that I will make it through the storm / I’m tryin not to lose my cool, because if in this world I do / The only person that’s gonna miss out on anything is me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zAFIUQbqEQ
“Searching”
Album: Share My World
Standout lyrics: “We are living in a world of “Who has what?” and “Who is who?” / But I’m telling you my friend, the answer’s right in front of you / We are searching for a peace, peace of mind is what we need / We are searching for the love, that comes with the unity”
“Family Affair”
Album: No More Drama
Standout lyrics: “We don’t need, no haters / We just try to love one another /We just want y’all have a good time, no more drama in your life / Work real hard to make a dime, if you got beef, your problem, not mine /
Leave all that BS outside, we’re gonna celebrate all night / Let’s have fun, tonight, no fights”
“Beautiful Day”
Album: No More Drama
Standout lyrics: “Everything is good because I’m living and I’m healthy / I’m not too concerned ’bout being poor or being wealthy /I feel really good about this blessing given to me / Nothing in this world could ever take all my joy from me”
“No More Drama”
Album: No More Drama
Standout lyrics: “I don’t know, only God knows where the story ends for me / But I know where the story begins / It’s up to us to choose, whether we win or lose / And I choose to win”
“Take Me As I Am”
Album: The Breakthrough
Standout Lyrics: “So take me as I am, or have nothing at all”
“Good Woman Down”
Album: The Breakthrough
Standout lyrics: “It doesn’t matter what they say or do / Don’t let ’em get to you / Don’t be afraid, you can breakthrough / Take what I’ve been through to see that you can’t hold a good woman down”
“Gonna Breakthrough”
Album: The Breakthrough
Standout lyrics: “All I wanna do is get in touch with you / To be real how you feel, everybody goes through things sometimes / So let your mind just be free / Anything you wanna be, be / But whatever you do let this music get to you”
“Reflections (I Remember)”
Album: Reflections (A Retrospective)
Standout lyrics: “Now I made some mistakes, I lost some friends along the way / But I don’t carry it ’cause it made me a better chick / It’s my life and I know that there’s more for me to see / I may not be what I’m supposed to/ But I can tell you right now, I ain’t what I use to be”
“Work That”
Album: Growing Pains
Standout lyrics: “Feelin great because the light’s on me / Celebrating the things that everyone told me / Would never happen but God has put his hands on me / And ain’t a man alive could ever take it from me”
“Just Fine”
Album: Growing Pains
Standout yrics: “Feels so good, when you’re doing all the things that you want to do / Get the best out of life, treat yourself to something new/ It’s a really good thing to say / That I won’t change my life, my life’s just fine”
“Work In Progress (Growing Pains)”
Album: Growing Pains
Standout lyrics: “Just understand we’re all just a work in progress”
“Each Tear”
Album: Stronger With EachTear
Standout Lyrics: “You’re much more than the struggle that you go through / You’re not defined by your pain, so let it go / You’ re not a victim, your more like a winner / And you’re not in defeat, you’re more like a queen”
“Gonna Make It” featuring Jazmine Sullivan
Album: Stronger With EachTear
Standout lyrics: “Livin’ here today in this stress-filled life / Gets so hard for me but I win the fight / So I act just like an eagle and take flight, high above the storm”
“The Living Proof”
Album: My Life II: The Journey Continues (Act 1)
Standout lyrics: “Anything you say to me, and everything you do / You can’t deny the truth, ’cause I’m the living proof / So many don’t survive, they just don’t make it through / But look at me, I’m the living proof”
“Better”
Album: Think Like A Man Too (Soundtrack)
Standout lyrics: “Love will tell you about a love that you don’t have / Love will tell us that’s it’s good when it’s all bad / Love will tell us that we’re cool, when we’re not cool / Love will call you a fool, but that’d be rude”
“Doubt”
Album: The London Sessions
Standout lyrics: “You think you know, but you don’t know the half / You think you beat me down, but I’ll have the last laugh / I’ll keep getting up ’cause that’s what I’m gonna do / I’m gonna be the best me/ Sorry if it kills you”
“Pick Me Up”
Album: The London Sessions
Standout lyrics: “It’s a battle out there and their guns are big / People colder than you could ever feel / And their hearts are twisted and their spirits are low / Misery loves company they won’t let us grow”
