The 10 Best Vance Joy Songs of All-Time
Vance Joy went from being an Australian rules footballer to being a singer-songwriter. Generally speaking, he is known because of his second single, “Riptide,” in 2012. However, interested individuals should know he has never stopped making new music.
Indeed, Joy released a third studio album called In Our Own Sweet Time in 2022, which did well enough to make it to the number three position in Australia. Something that suggests his music remains worth listening to.
Here is our opinion on the ten best Vance Joy songs released so far:
10. “Clarity”
“Clarity” is one of the singles from In Our Own Sweet Time. Chances are good interested individuals can guess that it is a love song in which the narrator realizes that his significant other matters the most to him.
Still, “Clarity” is executed with so much skill that it was nominated for Best Song and Best Pop Release at the ARIA Music Awards in 2022. That is more than enough to earn a spot on this list.
9. “From Afar”
“From Afar” is a much older song than “Clarity.” Specifically, it was Joy’s debut single from the release that made him known far and wide. This song has never received as much popular interest as its follow-up, “Riptide.”
That is a real shame because it possesses a particular charm that merits recognition. Indeed, Joy has commented on it being one of his old favorites. Granted, one imagines he might be a bit biased on this topic.
8. “Like Gold”
Meanwhile, “Like Gold” was one of the songs on Joy’s second studio album, Nation of Two. Its lyrics make it clear that it is about a pair of lovers who had something special but have since gone their separate ways.
Gold is used to excellent effect in this song. First, it is one of the most prized substances on the planet, thus making it suitable for representing that lost relationship. Second, it is much softer than interested individuals might expect for a metal, thus making it suitable for representing how easily such things can be lost.
7. “Mess Is Mine”
“Riptide” came out on an EP rather than a studio album. As such, Joy’s debut studio album was Dream Your Life Away rather than God Loves You When You’re Dancing. “Mess Is Mine” is the latter’s lead single, meaning it had some high expectations to live up to.
Unfortunately, it never matched its immediate predecessor’s success. That said, it is decent in its own right, as shown by how it went platinum in Australia, Canada, and the United States.
6. “Georgia”
“Mess Is Mine” was followed by “Georgia.” The latter didn’t just hold its own. Instead, it did even better than its predecessor, thus maintaining momentum for the studio album. Some people might wonder why an Australian would sing about an American state.
If so, they should know Joy isn’t referring to that. Instead, “Georgia” is a love song with a clear nod to Ray Charles’s “Georgia On My Mind.” Of course, the latter does have a strong connection to the American state, not least because it is its official song.
5. “Missing Piece”
“Missing Piece” might be the best evidence that Joy hasn’t lost his touch. It is the lead single for In Our Own Sweet Time. When it came out, it went double platinum in Australia and platinum in Canada, which showed that Joy’s fanbase was alive and well.
As for the song, it is about being separated from one’s significant other, thus explaining much about its name. Thanks to that, “Missing Piece” made a musical debut on Grey’s Anatomy, which was having its 17th season at the time.
4. “Lay It On Me”
“Lay It On Me” was the song that served as the public’s introduction to Nation of Two. Appropriately, it sees the narrator wondering what a potential love interest is thinking, though it seems that he hasn’t had the chance to introduce himself.
Nation of Two is very focused on a particular relationship. As such, it seems safe to say that the subject matter of “Lay It On Me” was no coincidence but rather meant to lean into its intended role.
3. “We’re Going Home”
“We’re Going Home” is another single from Nation of Two. To be exact, it was the third single, meaning it followed “Like Gold.” Despite this, the song did better than any of its counterparts by reaching as high as the number 16 position in Australia.
Topic-wise, “We’re Going Home” is also romance-themed, which should be unsurprising for a song from Nation of Two by this point. It plays with the notion that home doesn’t necessarily have to be a place. A widespread sentiment that is nonetheless refreshingly interpreted here.
2. “Fire and the Flood”
“Fire and the Flood” was included in the Deluxe Edition of Dream Your Life Away. Even so, it went quintuple platinum in Australia and double platinum in Canada. The song uses titular elements as metaphors for the narrator’s loved one. It works surprisingly well by conveying how fundamental said individual is in the narrator’s life.
1. “Riptide”
Unsurprisingly, “Riptide” claims the top spot on this list. It is the song that enabled Joy to break into the mainstream, meaning it paved the way for everything that came after. That is particularly true because “Riptide” came out on an EP rather than a full-fledged studio album.
In any case, this song remains Joy’s best-known work by a considerable margin. For proof, look no further than how it sold 840,000 copies in Australia, 3 million copies in the United Kingdom, and 6 million copies in the United States.
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