You either love Jax music, or you don’t. There’s no in-between. We’re just saying. Jax music isn’t for everybody, and she knows that. If you don’t know who Jax is, she’s a pop singer and songwriter with a comedic flair. She started posting parodies and covers on TikTok, which helped her gain a following. We should probably add that nowadays, she likes to post videos where she lets her friends and family listen to the songs she’s written and recorded.
At the tail end of June 2024, Jax released her debut album, Dear Joe, and we must say we love it. It’s different in a good way, in a Jax way. If you’re willing to listen to her debut album, we ask that you listen with an open mind. There’s a mixture of comedic songs and hard-hitting songs. If you ask her, this album is what’s needed now.
‘jelly beans (the purge)’
Raise your hands if you like or love jelly beans. Yes, the candy. Most of us do! Now, raise your hand if you’ve ever experienced one where you wanted it to be one flavor so bad, but you got one that you didn’t want to get—maybe even a flavor that you think tastes awful. We’ve all been there, and if you haven’t, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Jax wastes no time telling about her experience with jelly beans singing, “Jelly beans stress me out, because one time I bit into one that looked like Cola, but it tasted more like sh*t.”.
While it seems like the song will be about jelly beans on the surface, it’s about her being over people. She questions how she’s supposed to make friends or find love when things such as candy or a bag of chips stress her out. Honestly, it’s a mood. The choir at the beginning and giving off musical vibes deserve a “chef’s kiss.” Now we want jelly beans. What’s your favorite flavor of jelly beans if you like them?
Do you have a playlist for songs that mention food? We think you should. And we think you should add this song to it.
‘hawk tua (interlude)’
The takeaway from the first of eight interludes on Jax’s debut album is that she wants whoever got through the first song to listen to her album. We see nothing wrong with telling people to do so, especially considering she used manners. Also, we think this is a nod to the popular hawk tuah TikTok meme. Search for it at your discretion. We’re listening, though. Jax, we’re listening.
‘HOW DARE YOU’
Have you ever been in a relationship with someone where they’ve said all the right things, but after the two of you break up, they waste no time moving on from you? If you haven’t, we hope you never have to deal with that in the future. And if you have, this is the song for you. Her vocals are strong and loud throughout the song, letting it be known to the guy the song is about that she means business. “How dare you act like nothing happened? How dare you move on? The audacity to show up to the party with my f*cking carbon copy on your arm,” she sings.
It’s one thing to move on quickly but to move on with someone that’s a carbon copy of your ex? That’s wild and very telling. We’re sorry, but someone had to say it. In a video Jax posted to TikTok, she allowed her dad to listen, and in the comment section, she stated she wrote it for her best friend. We hope that the song helped her.
If you’re looking for a song to add to your break up or get over them playlist, ‘HOW DARE YOU’ is the one.
‘the clap (interlude)’
In the melody of ‘If You’re Happy and You Know It,’ Jax brings us another interlude called ‘the clap (interlude).’ While the first interlude was short, this one lasted for 44 seconds, and we have to say there’s a lot to unpack with this one. We don’t think we can or should tell you everything there is to unpack with this one. All we can say is be happy that you’re no longer with your ex because there’s a chance you’ve dodged a huge bullet.
‘i choose violence’
🛑Trigger Warning: mental health, predatory behavior/relationship 🛑
If you listen to ‘I choose violence,’ you will know why she chooses it. You will also know one of the reasons why girls and women choose the bear over the man. The song sends a powerful message about what many girls go through, but some are scared to talk about it. In the beginning, Jax recounts her personal experience when she was younger, when the person she’s singing about took her innocence away, and how it impacted her mental health.
As the song progresses, she shifts from speaking about herself to talking about another victim of predatory behavior. The only thing she’s thinking about is how she wants to choose violence and create an army of girls who have to deal with predatory behavior. Instead of choosing silence, she wants to stand up and fight against those who have had to deal with what she can finally speak up for.
The lyrics are meaningful and powerful. You can feel the rage she’s feeling for herself and others as she sings, “We’ll all choose violence, we’ll all choose war, and every little girl will be warned. We won’t choose silence anymore. You took our innocence; now we’ll take yours.” Her voice is loud and filled with anger. She lets it be known she’s not afraid anymore. We love that she decided to open up and be vulnerable to us. We hope the message gets to those who could use it or know people who could.
‘i choose violence’ is the perfect song for a playlist with songs that have a powerful message.
‘Barbara, your husband is gay’
This comes as the third interlude of Dear Joe, It’s about a woman named Barbara, someone who instead of focusing on herself wants to judge other people via social media. Jax ends the interlude with the lyrics, “Don’t worry Barbara, I’m sure he isn’t gay,“ after pointing out what she hasn’t been noticing. It serves as a reminder that people should mind their business and focus on reality instead of serving as critics and spending too much time online, including on Facebook. Social media is fun, but remember to focus on what’s happening around you. Might we add, that this is the first interlude where we get to hear the use of an ukele on the album? It’s a nice touch to the track.
‘zombieland’ (ft. Hardy)
Can we say we love this song and its dark post-apocalyptic nature? We love it a lot! If you’re not into dark pop music or apocalyptic media, we’ll understand if you don’t like it. It’s dark with a hint of humor to it. The song blends pop and country into one. In addition to those things, the song is about romance, survival, and getting back at others. The song finds Jax and Hardy singing about living g in ‘zombieland’ and what they would do to people who’ve done them wrong.
The song includes a few pop culture references. Some references include Regina from the movie Mean Girls, Walmart, the movie I Am Legend, and the TV show The Walking Dead. One could also say the song title and song itself are a nod to the movie-turned-TV show Zombieland. One of the lyrics that references pop culture is, “doomsday sounds ridiculously fun when we’re the only ones alive, baby; it’s you and me versus all these brain-dead NPC’s.” This one makes us think: what would we do if an apocalypse happened or zombies started roaming around? What would you do?
Do you have a dark pop playlist? Maybe one about pop culture references in a song? ‘zombieland’ would be perfect for either playlist.
‘neurospicy (interlude)’
‘Neurospicy’ is an interlude that shines the light on neurodivergence. We think that it’s important to say that there are neurodivergent people who don’t like the term ‘neurospicy’ and there are a few who don’t mind t.
‘the new girl is a snake’
‘the new girl is a snake’ is a song that gives us musical vibes. The song is all about deception. In the song, Jax finds herself trying to convince everyone around here that the new girl is bad news and isn’t to be trusted. She begs and pleads for someone to listen to her in an energetic yet frenzied tone. Jax and the listeners are the only ones who see and understand that the new girl is displaying snake-like qualities and that everyone’s in danger.
“Everybody wake up, there’s been a mistake, you guys, I’m telling you, I’m telling you, the new girl is a snake,” is one of the instances where she begs and pleads for someone to listen to what she has to say. However, they’re doing anything but. They’re not noticing the weirdness that’s going on around them. It’s a reminder that not everyone is what they seem. It’s a tough pill to swallow but an unfortunate truth.
if you want to add a song to your playlist about fake friends or betrayal, ‘the new girl is a snake’ is a good addition.
‘Track 10 (interlude)’
We won’t be saying the song name or putting the video up due to the nature of who it’s about. However, we will say that the interlude talks about a controversial topic.
‘superbad’
‘superbad’ is a song about betrayal and loyalty. In the song, Jax is singing about a guy who is ‘superbad’ for her best friend. He’s no good to the best friend in any way. He has secrets, possibly cheating on her, and tries to make Jax look like she’s in the wrong. While she doesn’t want to see her get hurt, she doesn’t know if she should tell her because it might hurt their friendship. She keeps a mellow and low-beat sound while she explains how she feels, which is perfect for the lyrics.
“Can somebody tell me how to break your best friend’s heart if I don’t tell her? Who’s gonna tell her?” The last thing anyone wants to do is ruin a friendship by telling someone their significant other is horrible. The song is very relatable at that. However, while we might not want to ruin a friendship over that, we also don’t want to ruin any friendship by not saying something or waiting too long to say it.
This is the perfect song for a playlist about friends or relationship problems.
‘holiday’
Love and romance are the topics of the song ‘holiday.’ The lyrics find Jax going through the different holidays in a year while using wordplay to compare each to the occasions and emotions happening in her life. She goes through several emotions throughout the song, ranging from bliss to fear. She doesn’t shy away from speaking on commitment and traditions. In Jax fashion, she uses humor to get how she feels across. She does it authentically, and we love that!
‘Holiday’ is a beautiful song with beautiful lyrics. “It’s Easter Sunday when you’re saying you love me, ’cause your name ain’t Patrick, but you’re still insane, and February 14th, it doesn’t mean a thing ’cause each day’s a holiday,” she sings. It’s the way being in love and a relationship should be.
This is the perfect song for a playlist about love and romance. It could be added to a playlist about holidays as well.
‘Adam Sandler (interlude)’
She nods to Adam Sandler and his notable roles in this interlude. As she sings about the actor, she discusses her mental health and life in Hollywood.
‘like my father’
The fourteenth track on Dear Joe is ‘like my father.’ The piano matches the tone she’s trying to convey through the song. While the song title hints at it being about her father, the song mentions the love her parents have that she aspires to have herself. She sings about things that her dad does for her mom and explains how she wants a man who treats her like her father does her mom. “I need a man who’s patient and kind, gets out of the car, and holds the door. I wanna slow dance in the living room like we’re eighteen at senior prom and grow.” It’s a beautiful and touching song.
This is another perfect song for a playlist about love and romance.
‘too young to be old’
This is another song that’s about her father. However, with this song, Jax is found singing about him aging in front of her eyes. Despite the difficulty of talking about things, she reflects on the moments she’s had with her bad so far. She sings, “You’re too young to be old; you’re too fast to be slow; you’re too wise to be confused; I can’t do this on my own.” Jax does an amazing job of showing the bond between her and her dad.
This is the perfect song for a playlist dedicated to parents.
‘pour one out for me (interlude)’
We’ve all heard the saying “pour one out” to honor a friend or loved one who’s passed away. That’s what Jax was going for with this interlude. However, instead of singing about someone she knows, she boldly sings about how she wants her funeral to be and what she wants to happen. She encourages people to have fun instead of mourning her in a traditional way. It’s valid and understandable.
‘stupid cupid’
Love is not all it’s cracked up to be, and sometimes Cupid’s arrow misses. However, that’s not one of those moments. Jax talks to him directly through the lyrics. She talks about the chaos that he’s brought to her life. “Stupid Cupid, look what you did to me; my heart is melting. I never knew I could love something so much that it hurts,” she sings. It’s a refreshing and nice twist on the views most have on love.
This is the perfect song for a playlist about love or emotions.
‘the babysitter song (interlude)’
The last interlude and eighteenth track on the album has Jax and the kid she babysits going back and forth in a sing-a-long, giving an insight into the world of babysitting. The interlude reminds us that kids and teens are curious and sometimes have no filter, saying whatever is on their minds.
‘a song for Chelsea’
‘a song for Chelsea’ comes in the form of a lullaby sing-a-long. It shows Jax being protective and warning a girl named Chelsea about things she’ll encounter now and while getting older. She doesn’t want her growing up fast and wants her to avoid the “monsters” that could be hiding, sometimes in plain sight. “So be careful of the lions and the tigers and the bears; the liars and the creeps will pretend to care; the monsters are the ones you’ll trust the most,” she sings to Chelsea. She doesn’t want her to trust anyone just because she thinks she should, because even the people you’re close to could be untrustworthy.
This is the perfect song for a playlist that you might have dedicated to your sister or niece or even yourself to remind you to look out for certain people.
‘Victoria’s Secret’
This is one of our favorite songs from Jax’s discography. The song’s theme is all about body positivity and societal beauty standards. She sings and aims at altering the appearance of someone’s body in pictures to make them look like a model and shines a brief light on eating disorders. She wants everyone listening, especially girls and women, to know that you don’t have to conform to trying to look like a model. The song is upbeat and gives off a fun vibe, which we feel is fitting, being that the song is about empowerment and body positivity.
“I know Victoria’s secret, and, girl, you wouldn’t believe, she’s an old man who lives in Ohio, making money off of girls like me, cashin’ in on body issues,” Jax sings during the chorus and bridge. The lyrics are Jax’s way of saying that while this song is all about body positivity, Victoria’s Secret has an underlying secret that most, but not everyone, might not know about. The way she calls out how they make a profit the way they do shows how manufactured things can be.
‘Victoria’s Secret’ is the perfect song for a playlist about self-confidence, body positivity, and beauty standards.
And we’re at the end. Our top three from Dear John,? We would have to say ‘HOW DARE YOU’, ‘i choose violence’, and ‘Victoria’s Secret’, not in that particular order. If you decided to give the album a chance, which we hope you did, what’s your favorite song(s) from Jax’s album? How do you feel about the interludes and songs?
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