Our Top 10 Faith Evans Songs list takes a look at Bad Boy’s first lady. She’s a singer, songwriter, producer and actress. She’s probably best known for being the ex-wife of rapper The Notorious B.I.G. She is also known for being an r&b singer. She has an urban-edge honey soprano voice. She can sing ballads as well as up-tempo tracks with the same type of ease. Some of her hits include “Love Like This,” “I Love You,” “Soon As I Get Home,” “Never Gonna Let You Go,” “Kissing You,” “You Gets No Love,” “Lately I” as well as others. She sold over 20 million records worldwide. In addition to singing, she’s acted in movies. She appeared in Turn It Up (2000), The Fighting Temptations (2003), Notorious (2009), Soul Kitten’s Cabaret (2011), Girls Trip (2017) and True to the Game 2: Gena’s Story.
Faith Renee Jordan was born on June 10, 1973. She started singing in the church choir at a young age. In 1993, she became a backup singer for Al B. Sure! Rapper and producer Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs noticed her and wanted to sign her to his Bad Boy Records label. She was the first female artist to be signed to the record label. Before her first solo album was released, she wrote songs on Mary J Blige’s My Life album and Usher’s eponymous album.
Faith was released in 1995. The album peaked at number two on the r&b charts and number 22 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “You Used to Love Me,” “Soon As I Get Home,” “Ain’t Nobody” “Come Over,” The album sold over a million copies. Keep the Faith was released in 1998. The album peaked at number three on the r&b charts and number 6 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Love Like This,” “All Night Long,” “Never Gonna Let You Go” and “Lately I.” The album sold over a million copies. Faithfully came out in 2001. The album peaked at number two on the r&b charts and number 14 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “You Gets No Love,” “I Love You,” “Burning Up” and “Alone in This World.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
The First Lady was released in 2003. The album sold 157,000 copies in its first week. It was her highest selling album at that time. It peaked at number one on the r&b charts and number two on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Again,” “Mesmerized,” “Tru Love” “I Don’t Need It.” The album sold over 500,000 copies. Something About Faith was released in 2010. The album peaked at number four on the r&b charts and number 15 on the Billboard 200 charts. It features the singles “Gone Already,” “Can’t Stay Away,” “Sunshine,” “Everyday Struggle,” “Way You Move” and “I Still.” Incomparable was released in 2014. It peaked at number 27 on the r&b charts and number 17 on the Independent charts. The album features the singles “I Deserve It,” “Make Love” and “Good Time.”
Faith Evans was able to carve her notch in r&b music. She had an uphill battle because she was married to a famous rapper. She had to prove that she could make it without relying on The Notorious B.I.G.’s name to help her get ahead. She had to compete with Mary J. Blige, Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, as well as other female r&b singers. She was able to be successful despite the competition. Evans has a lot of singles so it was a challenge to narrow it down to 10 songs. Our Top 10 Faith Evans Songs list will feature her best songs.
# 10 – Love Don’t Live Here Anymore ft. Mary J. Blige
Our first song on our Top 10 Faith Evans Songs list is “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore” from her Faith album. The song has an r&b sound to it. The anthemic song is about a woman dealing with a broken heart. She doesn’t believe that love lives in her heart anymore. The man abandoned her and now her heart has a vacancy in it. This is a cover song by the group Rose Royce. This track was the equivalent to r&b and hip-hop royalty. This is the only track Faith Evans and Blige recorded together. The song is special because there were rumors that they were feuding with each other. Madonna released this song in the 1980s.
Faith Evans’ style is similar to Blige’s style so it made sense that they recorded a song together. This version doesn’t stray too far from the original version. The music is slightly faster than Rose Royce’s version. They added a little hip-hop flare to it. If you close your eyes, it sounds similar to the original version. Evans’ voice is angelic on the track. She sounds similar to Minnie Riperton. She sings a little higher than Gwen Dickey from Rose Royce. Her soprano vocals will touch your heart. Mary J. Blige sounds similar to Gwen Dickey.
Her voice is just a little deeper than Dickey’s. Blige basically sticks with Dickey’s flow of the song. You can hear the pain in Blige’s voice as she sings her sections of the track. She sounds like she’s been through heartache and pain. She channels that energy in the song to create this masterpiece. They add runs in the song to keep it from sounding like a carbon copy of the original. Their version is just as good as the original one.
# 9 – I Don’t Need It
The next song on our Top 10 Faith Evans Songs list is “I Don’t Need It” from The First Lady album. It has an r&b sound. The heartfelt song is about wanting her man to spend time with her. He could offer her the world, but it doesn’t mean anything if he’s not with her. She’s always alone while he’s off doing his own thing. The lyrics are relatable to anyone who wants to spend more time with their lover. She likes the lifestyle she has, but she wants more time with her man.
People who are in meaningful relationships want to be together as much as possible. The song samples The Jones’ Girls “Nights Over Egypt.” The sample is a perfect marriage for this song. It makes the track stand out. This jam has a perfect dance vibe. The mid tempo song is a combination of old school music meets today’s music. The thumping beat will hook you instantly. It commands your attention until the song is done. Evans smooth and relaxed vocals are excellent.
Faith Evans sings the song with a cool vibe and it blends well with the music. She tones down her angelic voice for the mellow beat. She sings the pre-chorus and the chorus with stacked vocals to create the illusion that more people are in the background. She has excellent harmonies. This song should have been released as a single because it’s just as good as her other tracks. It’s worth a listen.
# 8 – I Love You
The loving song is from the Faithfully album. It has an r&b and soul sound. The romantic song is self-explanatory. She talks about the love she has for her man. Here is some trivia about the song. The song was written about Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ relationship with actress/singer Jennifer Lopez. The talented Jennifer Lopez was supposed to sing this song for her album, but it didn’t work out. Evans received the track and the rest is history. Jennifer Lopez’s misfortune was Faith Evans gain because the song is one of her biggest hits.
The track samples Isaac Hayes’ song “Make a Little Love to Me.” The sample was a good choice for the song. The urban sound is perfect for the jeeps. The production is slick and smooth. The thumping drumbeat is fire. The guitar riffs give the song a passionate sound. Faith Evans sings the verses softly. She’s a little lower than the music, but it doesn’t hurt the song. She did need to push herself to sing a little louder for the verses. The music almost overtakes her vocals. She’s right at home when she sings the catchy chorus. She sings the song from the heart. You can feel her emotions as she sings each lyric. It’s hard to picture Jennifer Lopez singing this track. She doesn’t really have the soul in her voice to carry this song. The right person was given the track.
# 7 – Love Like This Before
The lush song is from the Keep the Faith album. It has an r&b and disco beat to it. The bouncy song is about experiencing a great love. She’s never had a love like this one before. He’s the love of her life. This song was a change of pace for Faith Evans because she was used to recording ballads. This song gave her a chance to sing a track that will make you dance. This song is designed to get the party started. The track features a sample from Chic’s “Chic Cheer.” Faith Evans uses a lot of samples for her songs. She manages to pick the right samples for her lyrics.
She’s not tackling new territory lyrically, but she put a different spin on it. The music has a retro vibe to it. It’s a blend of disco and today’s r&b music. It has smooth guitar riffs and a thumping drumbeat. The song has been used a lot to get the party started. If you listen to r&b and hip-hop stations on the weekends, you will definitely hear this track being played. The jam is an irresistible song that’s designed to get you dancing. The music is a party anthem. The music is the main star of the song. Faith Evans voice is sensual. She sings in her lower register at different parts of the song. Her vibe is contagious. She sounds as if she’s having a good time singing the song. The song is an earworm that will stay in your head long after you hear it.
# 6 – Kissing You
The sexy song is from the Waiting to Exhale soundtrack. The song has an r&b beat. The sensual song is about making love to her man. The song was written for the characters in the movie. The soundtrack was a huge hit and this track was part of the reason why that was the case. This catchy track has the Babyface stamp written all over it. The music is romantic and tender. Babyface is a genius when it concerns songwriting and he proved that he has a lot of beautiful tracks in him. This song is perfect bedroom music. This is the track perfect to play when you are in a romantic mood. The keyboard and drums are the main instruments featured on the track.
This is one of the few songs on our list that doesn’t feature a sample. The lyrics are sweet and beautiful. Babyface is a master lyricist. He knows the right words to say to make you feel special. Evans vocals are better than ever on this song. She sings with ease. Her range isn’t strained or all over the place. She uses a sensual tone to match the music. She applies just enough runs and sings the peak notes beautifully. She’s not over-the-top with her runs. Babyface brought out the best of her vocals. She already has a nice voice, but he brought out something extra in her.
# 5 – Soon As I Get Home
The next song on our Top 10 Faith Evans Songs list is “Soon As I Get Home” from the Faith album. The song has an r&b and soul sound. The tender song is about wanting to make love to her man once she gets home. Here is some trivia about the song. Evans wrote this song for The Notorious B.I.G. because he was never home. She’s singing it from her point of view, but it’s about her husband not being home with her. The lyrics will make you think about your relationship.
The emotional track gives you an inside look on what was going on in her marriage to The Notorious B.I.G. They had a tumultuous relationship so this was a peak into it. The music features the keyboard, the drums and finger snapping. It will make you move in your seat. For some reason, the song features rain in the beginning. It doesn’t hurt the song, but it’s an odd choice because she never mentions the rain in the song. Faith Evans sings in time with the snaps in the track. She sings the song in her upper register. She almost sings in falsetto for some parts of it. She sings with vulnerability, which is a refreshing change. She lets down her guard and allows you into her heart.
# 4 – You Gets No Love
The anthemic song is from the Faithfully album. The song has an r&b and soul beat to it. The bitter song is about a man playing with her emotions. She refuses to let him do it anymore. She wants him to know that he won’t get any love from her anymore. This song is a departure from her love songs. She was known for singing about the positive side of relationships. She wanted to write a song about the bitter part of a relationship. She went through a divorce from The Notorious B.I.G. so it makes you wonder if the song is about her relationship with him.
This track was the lead single from the album so her fans got a taste of the new Faith Evans sound. The sound worked for her because the song was a hit. It had crossover appeal because it made it to the pop charts too. Evans wanted to prove to the world that she wasn’t just a soft-spoken artist who sang love songs. She went through drama and wanted her listeners to know that she has a breaking point. She turned her pain into art. The infectious beat will hook you as soon as it starts. It’s perfect for dancing at home or in the clubs. The thumping beat is flawless. Faith Evans voice is deeper on this track. She sings with an edge to her voice.
Faith Evans takes a break from her signature jazzy style of singing for this bitter anthem. She sounds very angry and bitter on this song. She sings with the right emotion needed to convey her message. Evans tries her hand at rapping. She’s not a professional rapper, but she does a good job with her rhymes. Her harmonies are exquisite. The song is flawless.
# 3 – Lately I
The emotional song is from the Keep the Faith album. The track has an r&b and pop sound. The heartfelt song is about her wanting someone to come back in her life. The song can be about different things. It could be about a lover leaving her. It could be about a family member who walked away. The track could also be about a friendship that ended. It’s up to you how you want to interpret the song. The lyrics are sad and touching at the same time. Anyone who has lost a love of any kind can relate to the sympathetic lyrics.
You can empathize with her as she expresses the pain she feels about missing the person in her life. It has the Diane Warren classic sound. She starts her songs softly and then they build into a show stopping finish. She sticks to that formula with this song. The music is sweet and tender. It will touch your heart. Evans brings soul to the song. She shows versatility on the track. She goes up and down vocally throughout the song. She channels her inner Aretha Franklin towards the end of the song. She doesn’t really hold notes, but she does runs in the song. This underrated song should have been a bigger hit. It’s one of the best songs on the album. Diane Warren and David Foster brought out the best in her vocals.
# 2 – Never Gonna Let You Go
The touching song is from the Keep the Faith album. The song has an r&b sound to it. The warm song is about a woman who refuses to let her man go. She wants him to be in her life for good. This is the second Babyface penned song on our list. They worked together after they collaborated on the Waiting to Exhale album. They proved the first time wasn’t a fluke. This song is just as good as their other track together. This song has the Babyface stamp on it. He is a master at songwriting. He knows the right things to say to touch your soul. It’s as if he’s peaking into your home and knows exactly what to say to make the song hit your heart.
He proves why he’s one of the best songwriters in music. He’s also one of the best producers in music. He brought out the best in Evans just like he did with “Kissing You.” She pours her heart out in the song. She takes you to church with her passionate vocals. This song brought out the strength in her vocals. She knew when to vocally soar and when to pull back. Her vocals were soaring after the bridge until the jaw dropping finale. She did everything she was supposed to do to create this masterpiece. It’s not a surprise that this was a chart-topping hit for her because the song is flawless.
#1- I’ll Be Missing You duet with Diddy, Faith Evans and 112
The number one song on our Top 10 Faith Evans Songs list is “I’ll Be Missing You” from the No Way Out album. The song has an r&b, hip-hop and soul sound. The tribute song is in memory to The Notorious B.I.G. He was murdered in 1997 so Diddy, Evans and 112 recorded a song in his honor. They wanted to team up to say their final goodbyes to the rapper. Diddy was his producer, Evans was his wife and 112 were his label mates. The song samples The Police’s song “Every Breath You Take.” Unfortunately, Sting wasn’t credited for the song so he sued the artists.
Sting won the case because it was a clear sample of his song. With that said, the sample works with the emotional lyrics. The two songs couldn’t be more different because “Every Breath You Take” is a stalker song while “I’ll Be Missing You” is a tribute to someone’s life. The sample makes the song stand out. Diddy performs the rap portion of the song. He slows down his rhymes and that allows you to hear exactly what he’s saying about The Notorious B.I.G. His rhymes are sentimental. Faith Evans provides a verse and she sings the chorus. The chorus will stay in your head because it’s infectious. 112 sing the ad libs in the song.
They sing the parts that are in “Every Breath You Take.” The song spent 11 weeks at the top of the charts and it’s easy to see why that was the case. The song is a diamond. It has crossover appeal because fans of different genres can appreciate it. Anyone who has lost someone they love can appreciate the moving and touching lyrics. The song deserved to be number one on the charts and number one on our list.
Top 10 Faith Evans Songs article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021