Let's play a little game. I want you to come up with as many possible answers to this question as you can: What is today?
Ready, go.
This is what I came up with: It is Thursday. It is two days after the release of Sugarland's new album, The Incredible Machine. Three days to Speak Now.
Yes, I am boring. But this is how my brain functions. I think of days in terms of country music. You don't?
That said, I'm going to progress right into business, because there's so much to cover. I really should blog more often than just once a month, but I really can't write more quickly than that. And I don't really post unless I have a song...except I will do just that next week, because it'll be after the release of Speak Now! (Can you tell that I've had very little sleep over the past week - or past few weeks - and that this is the most stream-of-consciousness I've ever posted? Applause.)
So, first things first, I would like to alert my fanbase (ha, ha, I'm a stand-up comedian) that the new Sugarland album, Incredible Machine, is...well INCREDIBLE. It oozes Sugarland-ness in the best possible way. I read a critique from the New York Times that was none-too-pleased about the album, but I beg to differ. It said things such as, Kristian Bush's background harmonies take away from the dynamic of the songs and from the luster of Jennifer Nettles' voice, or that the songs are more of an homage to bands such as No Doubt and similar rather than country or even previous Sugarland products. I was astounded by exactly how wrong - in my opinion, that is - this guy was! The inclusion of Kristian Bush's vocals add such an extreme depth to the songs that was not utilised in the previous albums, and really creates new levels of melodies, which only underscores the message of the album. As for the reflections of other genres' bands' songs in the album, what is wrong with that? And while I may not be the most knowledgeable about No Doubt and therefore cannot comment as to the verity of his statement, I can say that "All We Are," the opening song, is more indicative of a Queen influence. The rest of the album, however, is more similar to the band's sophomore effort, Enjoy the Ride, in theme and in melody, which I welcomed and found very comforting. Sugarland distancing itself from country music? Hardly. (However, he also said that the bandmates are not the best songwriters in terms of the lyrics, and this is something I must agree with...except in the case of "Little Miss," which pretty much struck home with me and gave me goosebumps and almost shook me to my very core.) So yes, run - don't walk! - to your nearest store and purchase this album. It's brilliant and it can light up your world in all sorts of psychadelic colours.
In other news, Taylor Swift, who is gearing up for her new album's release (am I excited? oh, yes.) has been weekly releasing a single from it onto iTunes every Monday. Aside from "Mine," (love it love it love it) the songs released have been: "Speak Now," "Back to December," and "Mean." From the small thirty-second snippets that I've worn out on iTunes, I'm predicting another shining collection of songs from the girl who periodically changes my life. And it seems to signal songs more grounded in the genre from which she grows, with a greater return to the tenets of country music, so the haters can shove that in their pipes and smoke it. Though, her spreading her wings really indicates that she is becoming even more of an all-around musician (rather than one limited by and contained within the borders of her specific genre), and a fantastic one at that. So it will come as no surprise to anyone that I will love next Monday no matter what happens, and I will always support the beautiful and talented and extraordinary Taylor Swift.
For those of you who aren't aware of this: Kenny Chesney is a superstar. He has become involved, also, with films and, in particular, documentaries. Case in point: his newest venture, called "The Boys of Fall," which is (from what I've heard) about football and what an impact the sport can have on the players who participated in it in high school, as did the singer himself (he has amassed interviews with many people, including those famous people Joe Namath, John Madden, Peyton Manning...yeah, the guys many many many people grew up revering [but whom I barely recognised...], as well as high school coaches and players in their element). To go along with this documentary, he recorded a "Boys of Fall" single and music video. And they're unbelievable. You can find them on Hemingway's Whiskey, Kenny Chesney's newest album, but I bought just the video, because I watch it and I'm instantly transported to fall at home. Apple cider; pumpkin products; the crisp air; lazy Sundays; Mommy's cooking in the kitchen; a football game on TV that no one's paying attention to, beyond a cursory and disinterested glance at the score from time to time; falling leaves to rake; etc. And I'm instantly blinded by a slew of tears, because growing up is painful and missing home is worse,...and things are never going to be as simple and beautiful as they were two years ago.
The double punctuation there, in that last sentence, was intentional.
Lately, I have discovered that I like to watch the CMT Top 20 Countdown - with host Evan Farmer - on CMT (down here, it's channel 170) during the weekends in the mornings. It's so comforting, and while I don't get any work done, it's a lot like being in the company of good friends. When I'm able to watch, my life gets exponentially better for a few hours - and that's saying a lot!
Well, I think we're all caught up with that. If I think of anything else, I'll plug it into a different post, but for now, we move onto the song I have for you today. It's called "I Thought You Were (White Picket Fence)," because of what the white picket fence connotes today and because recently, I had to grapple with a decision larger than myself and one that affected someone other than only myself. For the first time, I really had to make a choice between hurting someone and being caught in a situation that was harmful to myself. I generally pride myself on being the person who would rather do anything than put herself first, and would put aside whatever she thinks for the betterment of someone else's life and/or moment. But this time, I couldn't. It would have felt the lie, and it was more painful to me to be in the situation than it would be for someone else to no longer be involved. And out of the frustration and angst of the moments, out came this song. (Fun fact: I get a lot of my best ideas either in the shower or when I'm brushing my teeth. This came from the former.)
I Thought You Were (White Picket Fence)
I guess I should consider myself lucky, to find a guy like you who wants me
but if I'm honest with myself, it's not going the way I had imagined
because you're kissing me, and I'm not feeling anything
my heart's not racing and I'm wrapping myself tighter in the sweater you lent me
and I don't know why that is
you're enjoying yourself and I should be having fun, too, but I guess
CHORUS:
you're not the one I see myself with twenty years from now
there's no white picket fence, but in my defense
I thought there could've been
I'm looking for forever, you're not playing for keeps
and that's not enough for me
You're not the guy I want to say that I'm his girl
but if it's any consolation, I thought you were
Idealistic notions can be altered, dreams of romance can be skewed
I lowered my expectations, but they still don't add up to you
I liked staying up late and talking all night, but I'm not feeling the next leap
and when we're alone, I find myself counting down the minutes until I can leave
my sentimentality is not fair to you, but here's the truth
CHORUS:
you're not the one I see myself with twenty years from now
there's no white picket fence, but in my defense
I thought there could've been
I'm looking for forever, you're not playing for keeps
and that's not enough for me
you're not the guy I want to say that I'm his girl
but if it's any consolation, I thought you were
BRIDGE:
I'd just like to say I'm sorry, for leading you on the way I did
but all of a sudden, me with you makes no sense,
because
2nd CHORUS:
You're not the one I see myself with twenty years from now
there's no white picket fence, but in my defense
I thought there could've been
I want to feel forever, you're not thinking 'bout love
and for me, that's not nearly enough
and after all I realised, you're not the guy I want to tell the world that I'm his girl,
but if it's any consolation, I thought
you were the one I would still be with twenty years from now
I thought I saw a white picket fence, but in my own defense
I'm trying for forever, you're not playing for keeps
and that's not enough for me
CHORUS:
you're not the one I see myself with twenty years from now
there's no white picket fence, but in my defense
I thought there could've been
I'm trying for forever, you're not playing for keeps
and that's not enough for me
you're not enough for me
but if it's any consolation
I really thought you were
And there it is. As I was typing it up, I realised just how much of a justification for my actions it really is. It's more of an apology - and I know why that is. It's because I'm uncomfortable with the fact that I can't do what he wanted me to do, be what he wanted me to be, because that's what I strive for. I try to be the one who folds herself into the box someone has ready for me, even if at first glance it's impossible for me to fit there. And I didn't do that with him. And that's because I realised that, since he wasn't what he acted like and what he seemed to be, I didn't want to be someone other than me and me with him wasn't right. (I apologise if that sentence is utterly incoherent, but I had to get it out there and stream-of-consciousness was the best way to do that. And that was true stream-of-consciousness. My eighth-grade English teacher would've been so proud, as I was never able to do that during "free write.") But I don't believe that what I did was wrong, because at the beginning, "I really thought you were."
And there it is.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
3 days to Speak Now!
21 October 2010
28 September 2010
Right By Me
Hi there!
If y'all remember, the last time I wrote with a song ("Poor Man's Susannah"), I mentioned the brilliant CMA Music Fest that was coming up. Well, it's come up and passed us over. Fortunately, I was watching it, and documenting the performances quite diligently, and will now proceed to describe them for you, in as much detail as I will permit myself to fall into.
The 2010 CMA Music Fest, though it took place in June, aired on ABC on September 1, 2010 at 8 pm. I tuned in, and watched the first few performances with a friend. It began with a Keith Urban cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" by the Beatles, with a backdrop of the horrific flooding that Nashville survived earlier in the year. In fact, the entire festival was "dedicated to the people of Middle Tennessee," and much of the proceeds went to help alleviate the flooding consequences. That opening was followed up by newlywed Carrie Underwood (of course, when the actual show happened, she was still engaged, as her big bonanza wedding to Mike Fisher...yippee...happened on July 10) and "Cowboy Casanova." After a commercial break, the festival returned with a montage of Lady Antebellum documenting the band's daily schedule on tour and in Nashville during the week-long festival, accompanied with a soundtrack of the hit song "American Honey"; when the package was over, Lady A played its new single, "Our Kind of Love," a song I've always liked. Jason Aldean followed this up with "Crazy Town," a performance I wasn't exactly watching; I was otherwise occupied. The dapper Tim McGraw took the stage next, and sang two songs: the first was "Somethin' Like This," which I had never heard before (yes, I'm human - shocker, I know...) and then "Southern Voice," from his latest album of the same name. The next piece which aired was a montage of Taylor Swift, documenting her 13-hour signing during the festival; in a show of how dedicated she is to her fans, it ended up surpassing the 13 hours and became something more like a 15-and-a-half hour signing to ensure that she made time for everyone who stood online. The song in the background was her hit, "You Belong With Me." This was followed up by none other than Cap Nash's Darius Rucker, with his new single from his new album, "Come Back Song." (Shameless plug: that album is out October 2, 2010, and will be called Charleston, SC 1966.) Rascal Flatts came on after the next commercial break; unfortunately, I missed the first song the band performed, so I can't tell you what it was, but I can say it was followed by "Summer Nights," from the band's Unstoppable album. Thinking back on it, it was probably "Why Wait," to be released with the Flatts' new album on a new label, Big Machine. In a comedic twist, the next package which aired was Carrie Underwood being interviewed by Brad Paisley about things that she likes; the twist was, he took it from her wikipedia page (featured passage: -"What's your favourite colour?" -"Blue." -"Oh, really? Well, it says here that your favourite colour is red." -"I like red, too."). This was followed by her double performances of the rockin' "Undo It" and "Last Name." The extraordinarily popular Zac Brown Band took the stage next, singing "Pass the Jar," presumably from its new album, You Give What You Get. The only song I know from it is "As She Walking Away," featuring none other than Alan Jackson. It's a good song, listen to it. Or you can get the whole album, it's probably been released by now. The "modern-day Dolly Parton," also known as Kellie Pickler, performed next, her new single, "Makin' Me Fall In Love With You." The subsequent performance was one from Reba McEntire, "I Want a Cowboy," from her last album; why does she always look like she's 40 years old? That's not supposed to happen, she's not supposed to be that stunningly gorgeous at 63 (or around that)! A duet between Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker, "Good To Be Me," was featured next, followed by the spectacularly talented Miranda Lambert and "Only Prettier" (fun fact: the music video for it is BRILLIANT, check it out, I implore you, your life will be better for it). Her fiance, Blake Shelton, took the stage with Trace Adkins, and the two combined their extraordinary talents to produce their smash hit, "Hillbilly Bone." In his first of two performances in the broadcast, Brad Paisley brought summer to the arena with "Water." Another montage came with the next artist, the newbie Justin Moore, with whom there was an interview prior to his "How I Got To Be This Way" (featured quote: "What makes me blush? Kellie Pickler"; and fun fact, the music video for that song is beautiful, it's a bunch of picture of his life, but that's so perfectly simplistic in its wordlessness that it can't help but be beautiful). Kid Rock, whose surprise country hit from two years ago, "All Summer Long" apparently qualified him for country status, was again in the arena, and this time he stayed for two songs: "Rock 'n' Roll Jesus" and "Born Free," which is, so I've heard, the song for the baseball playoffs (anyone, correct me if I'm wrong). And then, in an exclusive yet stunning performance, Taylor Swift presented, for the first time on television, her first single from Speak Now, "Mine." Who loves this song? I DO. With yet another single from his best album to date (my opinion only), Defying Gravity, Keith Urban performed "I'm In," followed by the beautiful Martina McBride with "Wrong Baby Wrong" from Shine. I think it's a sign that I'm becoming way too engrossed in country music (not that that's a bad thing, I certainly don't see it that way) when I can not only name the album from which a particular song is, but also have that album and know all the words and melodies to all the songs. My library is getting pretty full. Next to perform was Josh Turner and "Why Don't We Just Dance," an unimpressive song just by itself, but when paired with its visuals from the music video is absolutely fantastic. Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, and Jamey Johnson combined forces in a private, intimate setting to bring Dierks Bentley's song, "Bad Angel" to life next. The third-to-last (yes, there is an end in sight) performance was the guy with the wonderful head of curls, Billy Currington, and "That's How Country Boys Roll." Alan Jackson was the penultimate performer, with his latest single and a song I've come to love lately, "Hard Hat and a Hammer," an homage to the working man (featured quote: "there's nothing wrong with a hard hat and a hammer / the kind of glue that sticks this world together / hands of steel and cradle of the Promised Land / god bless the working man"). And lastly, to bring the festival to the credits, if you were following along, you could figure out who it is, Brad Paisley lit up the night with his energetic "American Saturday Night," from the same-name album. I love the guy. Is anyone more wonderful? No.
I really breezed through that quickly, but hopefully, you got a sense of how much I love the CMA Music Festival. So much, in fact, that I can actually remember the performances of the very first one that I saw, and I can actually even remember what I had for dinner while I watched in on TV. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's right.
And now, onto this song. It was inspired by a quote by Mo'nique, when she won her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award earlier this year; when paying tribute to her amazing husband, she said something along the lines of what I'm about to horribly paraphrase (I'm sorry, Mo'nique): "Thank you, for allowing me to forgo what was popular for what I knew to be right." Yeah, okay, so that was wonderfully destroyed by yours truly. In fact, it's more what I would say if I were standing up there with the golden statuette, although I'm not entirely sure to whom I would be saying it. Perhaps to myself. Anyway. Moving on. I was inspired by the real quote of hers, whatever it actually was. And then, through a series of mental events, I knew what the song was about. There is an appositive to the song title, and by that I mean like what is with "Danielle's Song (Apple a Day)," with the parentheses, but that's for me to know and for you to never find out.
Right By Me
I have never been a quitter, so I'm sticking to this
It won't be easy, but that's one more reason to do it
And if the time comes for me to have to reach your closed mind
trust me, I'll do my best to build that bridge, but I'll never apologise
CHORUS:
this is my decision, so don't you dare judge me
I'm doing what I can so that I can feel free
I've made my choice between the moral and the mainstream
you may not agree, but I'm doing what is right by me
there have been times I've tried to go down this road before
but for some reason, I've always made myself close the door
this time is different, there's no room for excuses now
you might not recognise me on my way out, but
CHORUS (2x):
this is my decision, so don't you dare judge me
I'm doing what I can so that I can feel free
I've made my choice between the moral and the mainstream
you may not agree, but what I'm doing is right by me
It sure would help me if you were always on my side
as I move not according to what is popular but what is right
I've made my bed and I know that I'll sleep like a baby
but my life means nothing if I don't have you right by me...
I can hear you now, "WOW, that's a short song, you really outdid yourself with effort this time, didn't you?" And my response to that? If you don't like it, I'm sorry. But I like that it's not always corresponding to the pattern I've fallen into lately.
Well, there you have it. It kind of flickers between defiant and pleading, but it is what it is. For those of you wondering if the line "I've made my bed and I know that I'll sleep like a baby" was closely inspired by the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready To Make Nice," ("I've made my bed and I sleep like a baby"): (a) you know too much, and (b) yes. And I love "I've made my choice between the moral and the mainstream." It's amazing what flashes of brilliance come at 1 in the morning, as I'm holding my iPod open to the Notes function, trying desperately to come up with something good that rhymes with the word "me."
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
p.s. I was more excited about Ilya Kovalchuk's second contract with the Devils getting approved by both the NHL and the NHLPA than about getting my first kiss.
28 days until Speak Now!
If y'all remember, the last time I wrote with a song ("Poor Man's Susannah"), I mentioned the brilliant CMA Music Fest that was coming up. Well, it's come up and passed us over. Fortunately, I was watching it, and documenting the performances quite diligently, and will now proceed to describe them for you, in as much detail as I will permit myself to fall into.
The 2010 CMA Music Fest, though it took place in June, aired on ABC on September 1, 2010 at 8 pm. I tuned in, and watched the first few performances with a friend. It began with a Keith Urban cover of "With a Little Help From My Friends" by the Beatles, with a backdrop of the horrific flooding that Nashville survived earlier in the year. In fact, the entire festival was "dedicated to the people of Middle Tennessee," and much of the proceeds went to help alleviate the flooding consequences. That opening was followed up by newlywed Carrie Underwood (of course, when the actual show happened, she was still engaged, as her big bonanza wedding to Mike Fisher...yippee...happened on July 10) and "Cowboy Casanova." After a commercial break, the festival returned with a montage of Lady Antebellum documenting the band's daily schedule on tour and in Nashville during the week-long festival, accompanied with a soundtrack of the hit song "American Honey"; when the package was over, Lady A played its new single, "Our Kind of Love," a song I've always liked. Jason Aldean followed this up with "Crazy Town," a performance I wasn't exactly watching; I was otherwise occupied. The dapper Tim McGraw took the stage next, and sang two songs: the first was "Somethin' Like This," which I had never heard before (yes, I'm human - shocker, I know...) and then "Southern Voice," from his latest album of the same name. The next piece which aired was a montage of Taylor Swift, documenting her 13-hour signing during the festival; in a show of how dedicated she is to her fans, it ended up surpassing the 13 hours and became something more like a 15-and-a-half hour signing to ensure that she made time for everyone who stood online. The song in the background was her hit, "You Belong With Me." This was followed up by none other than Cap Nash's Darius Rucker, with his new single from his new album, "Come Back Song." (Shameless plug: that album is out October 2, 2010, and will be called Charleston, SC 1966.) Rascal Flatts came on after the next commercial break; unfortunately, I missed the first song the band performed, so I can't tell you what it was, but I can say it was followed by "Summer Nights," from the band's Unstoppable album. Thinking back on it, it was probably "Why Wait," to be released with the Flatts' new album on a new label, Big Machine. In a comedic twist, the next package which aired was Carrie Underwood being interviewed by Brad Paisley about things that she likes; the twist was, he took it from her wikipedia page (featured passage: -"What's your favourite colour?" -"Blue." -"Oh, really? Well, it says here that your favourite colour is red." -"I like red, too."). This was followed by her double performances of the rockin' "Undo It" and "Last Name." The extraordinarily popular Zac Brown Band took the stage next, singing "Pass the Jar," presumably from its new album, You Give What You Get. The only song I know from it is "As She Walking Away," featuring none other than Alan Jackson. It's a good song, listen to it. Or you can get the whole album, it's probably been released by now. The "modern-day Dolly Parton," also known as Kellie Pickler, performed next, her new single, "Makin' Me Fall In Love With You." The subsequent performance was one from Reba McEntire, "I Want a Cowboy," from her last album; why does she always look like she's 40 years old? That's not supposed to happen, she's not supposed to be that stunningly gorgeous at 63 (or around that)! A duet between Kid Rock and Uncle Kracker, "Good To Be Me," was featured next, followed by the spectacularly talented Miranda Lambert and "Only Prettier" (fun fact: the music video for it is BRILLIANT, check it out, I implore you, your life will be better for it). Her fiance, Blake Shelton, took the stage with Trace Adkins, and the two combined their extraordinary talents to produce their smash hit, "Hillbilly Bone." In his first of two performances in the broadcast, Brad Paisley brought summer to the arena with "Water." Another montage came with the next artist, the newbie Justin Moore, with whom there was an interview prior to his "How I Got To Be This Way" (featured quote: "What makes me blush? Kellie Pickler"; and fun fact, the music video for that song is beautiful, it's a bunch of picture of his life, but that's so perfectly simplistic in its wordlessness that it can't help but be beautiful). Kid Rock, whose surprise country hit from two years ago, "All Summer Long" apparently qualified him for country status, was again in the arena, and this time he stayed for two songs: "Rock 'n' Roll Jesus" and "Born Free," which is, so I've heard, the song for the baseball playoffs (anyone, correct me if I'm wrong). And then, in an exclusive yet stunning performance, Taylor Swift presented, for the first time on television, her first single from Speak Now, "Mine." Who loves this song? I DO. With yet another single from his best album to date (my opinion only), Defying Gravity, Keith Urban performed "I'm In," followed by the beautiful Martina McBride with "Wrong Baby Wrong" from Shine. I think it's a sign that I'm becoming way too engrossed in country music (not that that's a bad thing, I certainly don't see it that way) when I can not only name the album from which a particular song is, but also have that album and know all the words and melodies to all the songs. My library is getting pretty full. Next to perform was Josh Turner and "Why Don't We Just Dance," an unimpressive song just by itself, but when paired with its visuals from the music video is absolutely fantastic. Dierks Bentley, Miranda Lambert, and Jamey Johnson combined forces in a private, intimate setting to bring Dierks Bentley's song, "Bad Angel" to life next. The third-to-last (yes, there is an end in sight) performance was the guy with the wonderful head of curls, Billy Currington, and "That's How Country Boys Roll." Alan Jackson was the penultimate performer, with his latest single and a song I've come to love lately, "Hard Hat and a Hammer," an homage to the working man (featured quote: "there's nothing wrong with a hard hat and a hammer / the kind of glue that sticks this world together / hands of steel and cradle of the Promised Land / god bless the working man"). And lastly, to bring the festival to the credits, if you were following along, you could figure out who it is, Brad Paisley lit up the night with his energetic "American Saturday Night," from the same-name album. I love the guy. Is anyone more wonderful? No.
I really breezed through that quickly, but hopefully, you got a sense of how much I love the CMA Music Festival. So much, in fact, that I can actually remember the performances of the very first one that I saw, and I can actually even remember what I had for dinner while I watched in on TV. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that's right.
And now, onto this song. It was inspired by a quote by Mo'nique, when she won her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award earlier this year; when paying tribute to her amazing husband, she said something along the lines of what I'm about to horribly paraphrase (I'm sorry, Mo'nique): "Thank you, for allowing me to forgo what was popular for what I knew to be right." Yeah, okay, so that was wonderfully destroyed by yours truly. In fact, it's more what I would say if I were standing up there with the golden statuette, although I'm not entirely sure to whom I would be saying it. Perhaps to myself. Anyway. Moving on. I was inspired by the real quote of hers, whatever it actually was. And then, through a series of mental events, I knew what the song was about. There is an appositive to the song title, and by that I mean like what is with "Danielle's Song (Apple a Day)," with the parentheses, but that's for me to know and for you to never find out.
Right By Me
I have never been a quitter, so I'm sticking to this
It won't be easy, but that's one more reason to do it
And if the time comes for me to have to reach your closed mind
trust me, I'll do my best to build that bridge, but I'll never apologise
CHORUS:
this is my decision, so don't you dare judge me
I'm doing what I can so that I can feel free
I've made my choice between the moral and the mainstream
you may not agree, but I'm doing what is right by me
there have been times I've tried to go down this road before
but for some reason, I've always made myself close the door
this time is different, there's no room for excuses now
you might not recognise me on my way out, but
CHORUS (2x):
this is my decision, so don't you dare judge me
I'm doing what I can so that I can feel free
I've made my choice between the moral and the mainstream
you may not agree, but what I'm doing is right by me
It sure would help me if you were always on my side
as I move not according to what is popular but what is right
I've made my bed and I know that I'll sleep like a baby
but my life means nothing if I don't have you right by me...
I can hear you now, "WOW, that's a short song, you really outdid yourself with effort this time, didn't you?" And my response to that? If you don't like it, I'm sorry. But I like that it's not always corresponding to the pattern I've fallen into lately.
Well, there you have it. It kind of flickers between defiant and pleading, but it is what it is. For those of you wondering if the line "I've made my bed and I know that I'll sleep like a baby" was closely inspired by the Dixie Chicks' "Not Ready To Make Nice," ("I've made my bed and I sleep like a baby"): (a) you know too much, and (b) yes. And I love "I've made my choice between the moral and the mainstream." It's amazing what flashes of brilliance come at 1 in the morning, as I'm holding my iPod open to the Notes function, trying desperately to come up with something good that rhymes with the word "me."
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
p.s. I was more excited about Ilya Kovalchuk's second contract with the Devils getting approved by both the NHL and the NHLPA than about getting my first kiss.
28 days until Speak Now!
01 September 2010
name change
This is just a short post to alert my fan base that I have to change my username. But don't worry, it will still be me.
Hm, you'll know it is me. I'm thinking to go with "ME." What do you think?
Much love and thank you for the musik,
ME
Hmm, does that work?
Hm, you'll know it is me. I'm thinking to go with "ME." What do you think?
Much love and thank you for the musik,
ME
Hmm, does that work?
29 August 2010
Poor Man's Susannah
So...who's excited about the CMA Music Festival, airing on Wednesday at 8/7c on ABC? I guess that's just me, then. Oh, well. At least someone is! And you know there'll be the annual run-down of the performances waiting for you here, only on this blog, the next time I post. So you have that to look forward to.
Anyway, that's about all of the information I have for you, other than a quick mention that the new Taylor Swift music video is out, for her new single, "Mine." It's AMAZING. Oh, yes. And if you watch it (it's not really on youtube yet, but you'll find it if you search for it on cmt.com or on iTunes), compare it to the "You Belong With Me" music video, and you'll see just how much she's changed and just how much her songs have matured. It's a beautiful story, and it makes for a beautiful video. Plus, it made me cry. Oh, yes. She's on a roll.
As for the song I'm about to treat you to, the song title is a bit...bizarre, no? "Poor Man's Susannah" is not exactly what you'd expect from me. But it's actually completely based on a true story. I know a guy who used to date a short, skinny, hard-working, beautiful, black-haired girl named Susannah (or some derivative of it), and when that relationship ended, a few years later he found another short, skinny, hard-working, beautiful, black-haired girl named Susannah (or some derivative of it). And I'm not saying anything with regards to which Susannah people I talked to liked better, but perhaps the song will give you some indication of it. I revered the first one (and still do), but I'm closer to the second one. But it's less what I think than what others project on her, and what I imagine she feels when they do. So here it is!
Poor Man's Susannah
you've got her vivid eyes, her dark black hair, everything's the same
as if to add to the misfortune, you even share her name
he's obviously got a specific type, that one thing's for sure
it's a shame everyone compares you to the lovely girl he had before
(and they say)
CHORUS:
you're just a poor man's Susannah
though in every way you could be her twin
you're wondering if they every really see ya
feeling like you'll never quite fit in
y'know, you're a star in your own right
so don't let them all discard ya
I hope her left-behind legacy won't fade you out of sight
so here's to you, little poor man's Susannah
do you ever wonder if you're only taking someone's place
when he looks at you, does he see someone else's face
since you share someone special's name
can you say that it's ever yours again?
CHORUS:
'cause you're just a poor man's Susannah
though in every way you could be her twin
you're wondering if they every really see ya
feeling like you'll never quite fit in
y'know you're a star in your own right
so don't let them all discard ya
I hope her left-behind legacy won't fade you out of sight
so here's to you, little poor man's Susannah
BRIDGE:
it's been three years, five months, and 27 days
since they broke up and her presence was erased
your relationship with him is now half a year long
but still her shadow's just as strong
CHORUS:
you're just a poor man's Susannah
though in every way you could be her twin
you're wondering if they ever really see ya
feeling like you'll never quite fit in
y'know, you're a star in your own right
so don't let them all discard ya
I hope her left-behind legacy won't fade you out of sight
so here's to you, little poor man's Susannah
you know, I'm pullin' for ya
sweet poor man's Susannah
So, there it is. Strangely enough, I think it's a funny situation. You have to be curious as to whether or not he knows other girls with other names exist. And I know that the two girls have met, which just adds to it.
Much love and thank you for the musik!
NBK
57 days until Speak Now!
Anyway, that's about all of the information I have for you, other than a quick mention that the new Taylor Swift music video is out, for her new single, "Mine." It's AMAZING. Oh, yes. And if you watch it (it's not really on youtube yet, but you'll find it if you search for it on cmt.com or on iTunes), compare it to the "You Belong With Me" music video, and you'll see just how much she's changed and just how much her songs have matured. It's a beautiful story, and it makes for a beautiful video. Plus, it made me cry. Oh, yes. She's on a roll.
As for the song I'm about to treat you to, the song title is a bit...bizarre, no? "Poor Man's Susannah" is not exactly what you'd expect from me. But it's actually completely based on a true story. I know a guy who used to date a short, skinny, hard-working, beautiful, black-haired girl named Susannah (or some derivative of it), and when that relationship ended, a few years later he found another short, skinny, hard-working, beautiful, black-haired girl named Susannah (or some derivative of it). And I'm not saying anything with regards to which Susannah people I talked to liked better, but perhaps the song will give you some indication of it. I revered the first one (and still do), but I'm closer to the second one. But it's less what I think than what others project on her, and what I imagine she feels when they do. So here it is!
Poor Man's Susannah
you've got her vivid eyes, her dark black hair, everything's the same
as if to add to the misfortune, you even share her name
he's obviously got a specific type, that one thing's for sure
it's a shame everyone compares you to the lovely girl he had before
(and they say)
CHORUS:
you're just a poor man's Susannah
though in every way you could be her twin
you're wondering if they every really see ya
feeling like you'll never quite fit in
y'know, you're a star in your own right
so don't let them all discard ya
I hope her left-behind legacy won't fade you out of sight
so here's to you, little poor man's Susannah
do you ever wonder if you're only taking someone's place
when he looks at you, does he see someone else's face
since you share someone special's name
can you say that it's ever yours again?
CHORUS:
'cause you're just a poor man's Susannah
though in every way you could be her twin
you're wondering if they every really see ya
feeling like you'll never quite fit in
y'know you're a star in your own right
so don't let them all discard ya
I hope her left-behind legacy won't fade you out of sight
so here's to you, little poor man's Susannah
BRIDGE:
it's been three years, five months, and 27 days
since they broke up and her presence was erased
your relationship with him is now half a year long
but still her shadow's just as strong
CHORUS:
you're just a poor man's Susannah
though in every way you could be her twin
you're wondering if they ever really see ya
feeling like you'll never quite fit in
y'know, you're a star in your own right
so don't let them all discard ya
I hope her left-behind legacy won't fade you out of sight
so here's to you, little poor man's Susannah
you know, I'm pullin' for ya
sweet poor man's Susannah
So, there it is. Strangely enough, I think it's a funny situation. You have to be curious as to whether or not he knows other girls with other names exist. And I know that the two girls have met, which just adds to it.
Much love and thank you for the musik!
NBK
57 days until Speak Now!
05 August 2010
My Heart
Hello, my dear friends!
I promise you, this one is going to be pretty short and sweet, in stark contrast to the last few posts. This is welcome news to you, I'm sure.
The first thing of which I would like to make mention is that Sugarland has announced its release date for the duo's new album. The album, called The Incredible Machine, is set to hit stores on October 19th of this year and has already spawned the unbeliveably catchy "Stuck Like Glue" as its first single. Of course, I've only listened to the 30-second snippet that iTunes provides (over and over and over and over again...), so I can't say if the song as a whole is good, but so far, so good. Like I said, catchy. 'Wah-oh wah-oh stuck like glue / you and me, baby, we're stuck like glue...'
And the second piece of news is [drum roll] the annoucement of Miss Taylor Swift's brand-new album! She announced it via a live chat on her website (yes, I watched. I'm overseas, and I still watched.), and it's going to be called Speak Now. The release date is six days after the Sugarland album, October 25th. I will be staying up until midnight, I assure you, and buying it early on the day! And my own personal hard copy, of course. A single has already been released from it. It was meant to be released a few weeks from now, but after a low-quality version had been leaked somehow, Big Machine decided to release it earlier, and "Mine" was sent to radio yesterday. Again, despite my eagerness to hear the song in its entirety, I have resorted to memorizing the 30-second bit that iTunes generously provides, and from what I have heard, the song shines. It's beautifully, unmistakeably Taylor. 'You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter / you are the best thing that's ever been mine...'
And that, my friends, concludes that section and brings me to the order of the business of the day.
How did I come up with this song? Well, I was writing a different song, and I came across (read: came up with) the line 'don't need pictures, I've got it in my heart,' and I began musing (as I so often happen to do when I'm tired) about the simple beauty of the phrase 'my heart,' and I thought that someone should write a song with that title. My next thought was, "well, why not I?" And then I did. And almost an hour later, it was done. I've found that the best songs I write are the ones that just come out by themselves. The ones I don't even have to really think about. And this one flowed out as naturally as....a heartbeat.
It's about as self-reflective a song as you can possibly get. My heart is a pretty stupendous thing, I've found, writing this song. And that, my friends, is the honest and simple truth.
My Heart
I know it's there, though I've never seen it
it beats sixty-five times in every minute
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
it's called a heart, and this one is mine
I've placed my hand over it every day
during the Pledge of Allegiance we all stood to say
and I learned its anatomy, the blood and the valves
when I was fifteen, in biology class
but I never learned more about what it can do
until the day I fell in love with you
CHORUS:
my heart breaks for the homeless I see on the street
my heart beats in time to a good song's melody
my heart tries to be good and put others first
my heart aches like the devil when it's been hurt
my heart burns with anger at what the unjust did
my heart melts when I see a sweet little kid
my heart beats when I'm excited, it beats when I cry
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
I've seen what a heart looks like on my TV
but I can't think how mine can hold all that it carries
like an image of you and your beautiful eyes
or the sting of all other guys' unfulfilled lies
it's fiercely loyal, this much is true
and if you believe that, it won't give up on you
CHORUS:
my heart breaks for the homeless I see on the street
my heart beats in time to a good song's melody
my heart tries to be good and put others first
my heart aches like the devil when it's been hurt
my heart burns with anger at what the unjust did
my heart melts when I see a sweet little kid
it beats when I'm excited, it beats when I cry
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
BRIDGE:
I'll say this, if you wanna know more
it used to be mine, but now it's yours
CHORUS:
my heart breaks for the homeless I see on the street
my heart beats in time to a good song's melody
my heart tries to be good and put others first
my heart aches like the devil when it's been hurt
my heart burns with anger at what the unjust did
my heart melts when I see a sweet little kid
it beats when I'm excited, it beats when I cry
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
I know it's there, though I've never seen it
it beats sixty-five times in every minute
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
it's called a heart, and this one is mine...
And that's that. I'm going to have the melody with which I wrote it stuck in my head all day, and I don't mind. I see it as a glorious triumph, but if you disagree, please let me know! This is, after all, what this blog is for and what the ability to write comments allows you to do.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
NBK
81 days until Speak Now!
I promise you, this one is going to be pretty short and sweet, in stark contrast to the last few posts. This is welcome news to you, I'm sure.
The first thing of which I would like to make mention is that Sugarland has announced its release date for the duo's new album. The album, called The Incredible Machine, is set to hit stores on October 19th of this year and has already spawned the unbeliveably catchy "Stuck Like Glue" as its first single. Of course, I've only listened to the 30-second snippet that iTunes provides (over and over and over and over again...), so I can't say if the song as a whole is good, but so far, so good. Like I said, catchy. 'Wah-oh wah-oh stuck like glue / you and me, baby, we're stuck like glue...'
And the second piece of news is [drum roll] the annoucement of Miss Taylor Swift's brand-new album! She announced it via a live chat on her website (yes, I watched. I'm overseas, and I still watched.), and it's going to be called Speak Now. The release date is six days after the Sugarland album, October 25th. I will be staying up until midnight, I assure you, and buying it early on the day! And my own personal hard copy, of course. A single has already been released from it. It was meant to be released a few weeks from now, but after a low-quality version had been leaked somehow, Big Machine decided to release it earlier, and "Mine" was sent to radio yesterday. Again, despite my eagerness to hear the song in its entirety, I have resorted to memorizing the 30-second bit that iTunes generously provides, and from what I have heard, the song shines. It's beautifully, unmistakeably Taylor. 'You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter / you are the best thing that's ever been mine...'
And that, my friends, concludes that section and brings me to the order of the business of the day.
How did I come up with this song? Well, I was writing a different song, and I came across (read: came up with) the line 'don't need pictures, I've got it in my heart,' and I began musing (as I so often happen to do when I'm tired) about the simple beauty of the phrase 'my heart,' and I thought that someone should write a song with that title. My next thought was, "well, why not I?" And then I did. And almost an hour later, it was done. I've found that the best songs I write are the ones that just come out by themselves. The ones I don't even have to really think about. And this one flowed out as naturally as....a heartbeat.
It's about as self-reflective a song as you can possibly get. My heart is a pretty stupendous thing, I've found, writing this song. And that, my friends, is the honest and simple truth.
My Heart
I know it's there, though I've never seen it
it beats sixty-five times in every minute
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
it's called a heart, and this one is mine
I've placed my hand over it every day
during the Pledge of Allegiance we all stood to say
and I learned its anatomy, the blood and the valves
when I was fifteen, in biology class
but I never learned more about what it can do
until the day I fell in love with you
CHORUS:
my heart breaks for the homeless I see on the street
my heart beats in time to a good song's melody
my heart tries to be good and put others first
my heart aches like the devil when it's been hurt
my heart burns with anger at what the unjust did
my heart melts when I see a sweet little kid
my heart beats when I'm excited, it beats when I cry
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
I've seen what a heart looks like on my TV
but I can't think how mine can hold all that it carries
like an image of you and your beautiful eyes
or the sting of all other guys' unfulfilled lies
it's fiercely loyal, this much is true
and if you believe that, it won't give up on you
CHORUS:
my heart breaks for the homeless I see on the street
my heart beats in time to a good song's melody
my heart tries to be good and put others first
my heart aches like the devil when it's been hurt
my heart burns with anger at what the unjust did
my heart melts when I see a sweet little kid
it beats when I'm excited, it beats when I cry
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
BRIDGE:
I'll say this, if you wanna know more
it used to be mine, but now it's yours
CHORUS:
my heart breaks for the homeless I see on the street
my heart beats in time to a good song's melody
my heart tries to be good and put others first
my heart aches like the devil when it's been hurt
my heart burns with anger at what the unjust did
my heart melts when I see a sweet little kid
it beats when I'm excited, it beats when I cry
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
I know it's there, though I've never seen it
it beats sixty-five times in every minute
as long as it's beating, I know I'm alive
it's called a heart, and this one is mine...
And that's that. I'm going to have the melody with which I wrote it stuck in my head all day, and I don't mind. I see it as a glorious triumph, but if you disagree, please let me know! This is, after all, what this blog is for and what the ability to write comments allows you to do.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
NBK
81 days until Speak Now!
15 July 2010
Two-Year Anniversary
It was on this day two years ago when, as a naive and optimistic seventeen year old, I first sat down to detail my ambitions and my plans for this blog, in the hopes that I would find the answers to my life somewhere within the words either I was writing or I would find written in the comments section. Well, here I am two years later, at the ripe old age of my very lucky number nineteen, with no more answers to life than I had then, except maybe having formed a more clearly defined picture of what I want than the nebulous and shapeless cloud I had lingering over my mind when I began.
And one thing I've found is that, more than ever before, I really and truly enjoy putting a piece of my heart and my soul onto paper in perfect, rhyming lines for the world (or the two people who read this blog) to see. It just makes everything make much more sense than it would normally, and it fills me with a sense of purpose as well as a sense of accomplishment, and somewhere along the way on the road to finishing a song I find a piece of myself cemented in, as though each song is another piece of myself I found and will never let go again. It may sound strange, and I hate to be all philosophical here (but it is the second anniversary of this blog, and what are anniversaries if not occasions to look back at the time that has passed and dwell on it, if only a little), but it's true. I may say a song I've written doesn't mean anything to me or I may forget about it, but it is still a part of me, whether I choose to acknowledge it or not.
A second thing I've realised is that my dreams in life - and I mean my absolute, make-me-cry-at-night-because-I-want-them-to-happen-so-much dreams - have become re-prioritised. The number one dream is different. And it may not be enough for some people, it may not be ambitious enough for some people, it may not be noble enough for some people, and it certainly may not be expected/typical for someone my age or for even people older than I am, but it is what it is, and I'm not going to change it because it's not good enough for you. It's enough for me, and I know that I will never feel whole until it comes true. I mean it. So there.
Well, moving on from that defiant paragraph, allow me to say that it has been my utmost pleasure and delight to have spent two years in your loving, kind, and understanding company.
Two years. My, my, how time passes.
As I've mentioned before, occasions such as an anniversary call for something truly special here at Thank You For The Musik, so I will not be including a song here. Also, I don't have another one written yet, so there you go. I mean, I have one partially written, but that's not enough. But what I do have will, hopefully, mean a lot to you as well as it does to me. You do remember me mentioning (I think I devoted an entire "special occasion" post to it, actually) my attendance at a Taylor Swift concert on May 13th of this year? Well, I did manage to take a few pictures and make a few videos before my camera died (silly me, I didn't charge the battery before I went to the most momentous occasion of my young life!), and I thought I would attempt to embed them here and share them with you, my dears.
Well, here goes. I hope you like my amateur photography.
 |
| Gloriana, the opening act, performing "How Far Do You Wanna Go?" |
 |
| Kellie Pickler, the second opening act, singing "Best Days of Your Life" |
 |
| better picture of Kellie Pickler and "Best Days of Your Life," moments later |
 |
| And here she is, the beautiful and talented Taylor Swift, performing "Hey Stephen" in the centre of the arena |
Those are the pictures I myself took on my camera. What follows are the slightly worse-quality pictures I took on my sister's cell phone, having not brought mine along. They're worse quality, but they're still pictures, so please reserve judgment. She and I have the same type of phone, and I like it.
 |
| "Hey Stephen," in the section right below us |
 |
| halfway through "Hey Stephen," relocating herself to the center of the arena |
 |
| going through the crowd halfway through "Hey Stephen," hugging everyone within reach |
 |
| "Fifteen" in the center of the arena |
And, if I'm lucky and/or figure out how to do this in time, you're going to be treated to a few videos, too. Let's see. The first is Gloriana, with "How Far Do You Wanna Go?," or at least, a portion of it. A short clip.
Next, we have... another Gloriana. This time, my very favourite song of theirs, "The World is Ours Tonight." And that person you hear screaming/singing along in the background? Totally, absolutely not me. Duh.
And next, we have the very very very beginning of "Best Days of Your Life" and the entrance of one Kellie Pickler. That's all I got before my camera decided to die.
The next two videos, if they upload, are of the one and only Miss Taylor Swift. They're taken from my sister's wonderful phone, so please enjoy them. The first is the entirety of her smash single, "Fifteen."
The last one is the entirety of the over-seven-minute-long performance of "Should've Said No." Thank you, thank you, Kristina.
Well, there you have this super-special anniversary episode of Thank You For The Musik. Last year, you got a glimpse into my scatterbrained songwriting and my notes, and this year you get the beauty and brilliance of the Fearless tour. I sincerely hope that you enjoyed yourselves, and that I can think of something good for next year (if, in fact, this blog survives the hassles and craziness of another year).
Much much love, and, as always, thank you for the musik!
NBK
p.s. This will be my last opportunity to say that I still have all of my money on Andy Schleck to win the Tour and that I wish him all of the very best of luck on the deciding stage and during the time trial.
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