On my phone, I have a Spotify playlist labeled “Friday Late Night,” and it’s filled with songs that capture the essence of freedom and happiness when you least expect it. One song in particular, “No Woman” by the band Whitney, projects funky tunes and soft lyrics that make a late night drive around town so much more. 

The song revolves around change, and the confusing process it may entail. Yet instead of writing about the fear of the unknown, Whitney embraces transformation and speaks about the opportunities it can bring. The phrase “I’ve been going through a change” and “I might never be sure” highlight life’s constant ability to throw you for the loop– both good and bad. However, in “No Woman,” an emphasis is placed on the beauty within the new.

Violins and fiddles, guitar and electric guitar, trumpets, drums and other percussion instruments are introduced at various times throughout the song. Such aspects compliment each other simply so that the tone of the song originally begins acoustic, and then morphs into something more complex. Eventually, however, they all layer together for the listener to sift through or experience as one. The gradual buildup of tempo and dynamic, coupled with periods of instrumental music that last anywhere from 30 to 50 seconds, create a beat one can’t help but move to.

“To spend some time on the road” is exactly where one should listen to this song, and when life feels like it’s turning on its head, then that is the time to find the beauty in figuring it all out and fully absorb “No Woman.”