Now I Understand

Yeah, I know. Four posts in three days?! I had a lot of time in which I didn't post but I wrote, so I've been fine-tuning songs I've written. For example, the one I'm going to post I began to write in July.

But first things first.

Did anyone watch the CMA Music Festival? I watched it live for the first time, and it was incredible. In case you missed it, I wrote down all the performances, so I can give you a recapitulation: The opening act was Kid Rock, with his crossover country hit "All Summer Long," the one which won the Wide Open Country award at this year's CMT Awards. Then was Sugarland with "It Happens," the song which made me fall in love with Jennifer and Kristian. After this was a segment in which Julianne Hough showed us her day around the Festival, including sound check and FanFest (and made me want that all the more). Jason Aldean sang "She's Country," followed by Taylor Swift and "You Belong With Me." Then was Lady Antebellum with "I Run to You," the song that made me aware of the band's existence and was stuck in my head for days after I first heard it. Darius Rucker sang his new single, "Alright," and then Miranda Lambert sang her new single, "Save Me." After this, Kenny Chesney had two songs, "Summertime" and "Young." He is such an amazing entertainer. Taylor Swift retook the stage and sang "Fifteen" with her acoustic guitar (which has 'Taylor' written on the neck - sweet!). Then was another segment, Kellie Pickler's day at the CMA Music Festival. Then was Martina McBride and her latest single, "Shine," followed by Dierks Bentley and "Sideways," and Reba McEntire and "Strange." Brooks and Dunn were the next performers (pre break-up annoucement), with "Play Something Country." Sugarland was back with their compilation of "Nightswimming" and "Joey," which I saw last week on CMT, where Jennifer Nettles wears a red cap. Making his CMA Festival debut was Jamey Johnson with his song "In Color." Next was the spectacular Brad Paisley, with two singles from his new album, "Then" and "American Saturday Night" (I don't think I mentioned it, but his new album, American Saturday Night was released on June 30 this year). Then Kid Rock sang "Picture" with Martina McBride, followed by another of his songs, which I didn't know because I'm not that familiar with his songs. If anyone remembers my post on the CMA Music Festival last year, you'll recall that I wrote about Taylor Swift's "new single" that she sang acoustically on the streets of Nashville before it was even recorded; and you should remember that it was "Love Story." She came back for a third time and she sang "Love Story" - onstage this time. Zac Brown Band was next, with "Chicken Fried." Trace Adkins (who is so built that when he's holding a microphone it looks almost comical) sang "Marry for Money." Then John Rich performed his "Shuttin' Detroit Down." An emotional reunion of the Judds, Wynonna and Naomi, followed. The last two performances were Jake Owen's "Eight Second Ride" and Kenny Chesney's "Beer in Mexico" (the song I can play!). So that was this year's CMA Music Festival. It was quite enjoyable. I was singing along.

Next up is something I promised in the last one, to put the title of the song I put on the Country Music For Dummies CD for my sister. So here goes:
Alabama - "My Home's in Alabama"
Alan Jackson - "Chattahoochee"
Ashton Shepherd - "Sounds So Good"
Big & Rich - "8th of November"
Billy Currington - "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right"
Billy Ray Cyrus - "Achy Breaky Hearts"
Blake Shelton - "Austin"
Brad Paisley - "Waitin' on a Woman"
Brooks & Dunn - "Ain't Nothing 'Bout You"
Bucky Covington - "I'll Walk"
Carrie Underwood - "Before He Cheats"
Carter Twins - "Heart Like Memphis"
Chris Cagle - "My Life's Been A Country Song"
Chuck Wicks - "Stealing Cinderella"
Clint Black - "A Better Man"
Craig Morgan - "That's What I Love About Sunday"
Crystal Shawanda - "You Can Let Go"
Darius Rucker - "Don't Think I Don't Think About It"
Diamond Rio - "Meet in the Middle"
Dierks Bentley - "What Was I Thinkin'"
Dixie Chicks - "Travelin' Soldier"
Doc Walker - "Trying to Get Back to You"
Dolly Parton - "I Will Always Love You"
Dwight Yoakam - "I Sang Dixie"
Emerson Drive - "Moments"
Emmylou Harris - "Two More Bottles of Wine"
Faith Hill - "Mississippi Girl"
Gary Allan - "Her Man"
George Jones - "He Stopped Loving Her Today"
George Strait - "She Let Herself Go"
Gloriana - "Wild At Heart"
Gretchen Wilson - "Redneck Woman"
Hank Williams - "Your Cheatin' Heart"
Hank Williams, Jr. - "If the South Woulda Won"
Hank Williams III - "I Don't Know"
Heartland - "I Loved Her First"
Heidi Newfield - "Johnny and June"
Holly Williams - "Keep the Change"
Jack Ingram - "Wherever You Are"
Jake Owen - "Don't Think I Can't Love You"
James Owen - "Just Got Started Lovin' You"
Jamey Johnson - "In Color"
Jason Aldean - "Why"
Jason Michael Carroll - "Livin' Our Love Song"
Jessica Simpson - "Come On Over"
Jimmy Wayne - "Do You Believe Me Now"
Joe Nichols - "Brokenheartsville"
John Rich - "Shuttin' Detroit Down"
Johnny Cash - "Walk The Line"
Josh Turner - "Would You Go With Me"
Julianne Hough - "That Song In My Head"
Kate & Kacey - "Dreaming Love"
Keith Anderson - "Every Time I Hear Your Name"
Keith Urban - "You'll Think of Me"
Keith Whitley - "Don't Close Your Eyes"
Kellie Pickler - "I Wonder"
Kenny Chesney - "Don't Blink"
Kris Kristofferson - "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down"
Lady Antebellum - "Love Don't Live Here"
LeAnn Rimes - "How Do I Live"
Lee Ann Womack - "I Hope You Dance"
Little Big Town - "Bring it On Home"
Lonestar - "Amazed"
Love and Theft - "Runaway"
Luke Bryan - "All My Friends Say"
Mark Wills - "Nineteen Somethin'"
Martina McBride - "Wild Angels"
Merle Haggard - "Mama Tried"
Miranda Lambert - "Gunpowder & Lead"
Montgomery Gentry - "Something to Be Proud Of"
Patsy Cline - "Crazy"
Paul Brandt - "I Do"
Phil Vassar - "Just Another Day in Paradise"
Rascal Flatts - "Bless the Broken Road"
Reba McEntire - "Whoever's in New England"
Rodney Atkins - "Watching You"
Sara Evans - "Born to Fly"
Shania Twain - "From This Moment On"
Sugarland - "Baby Girl"
Taylor Swift - "Tim McGraw"
The Wreckers - "Leave the Pieces"
Tim McGraw - "Live Like You Were Dying"
Toby Keith - "God Love Her"
Trace Adkins - "You're Gonna Miss This"
Tracy Lawrence - "Sticks and Stones"
Trisha Yearwood - "She's in Love with the Boy"
Vince Gill - "I Still Believe in You"
Did I miss anyone? Whew. It took up five CDs. I tried to put songs that were the artist's signature (like "He Stopped Loving Her Today," George Jones; "My Home's in Alabama," Alabama...), or the artist's first Number 1 single ("She's in Love with the Boy," Trisha Yearwood; "Brokenheartsville," Joe Nichols...), or the artist's first single ("Baby Girl," Sugarland; "Tim McGraw," Taylor Swift...), or the artist's commercially most successful song ("Bless the Broken Road," Rascal Flatts; "Something To Be Proud Of," Montgomery Gentry...) or just my favourite song ("God Love Her," Toby Keith). If you disagree with any song I chose, please let me know. I'm planning a Country Music For Dummies, Vol. 2 as a Christmas present.

And now, onto the song. The history of this song is really interesting (to me, at least). I began composing it in my mind while riding on the subway in early July. July 10th, to be exact. I didn't want to lose the lines (which became the chorus) so I set them to music mentally. That night, while watching a stage of the Tour de France, I remembered the lines I had thought of, and had nowhere better to write them than on a napkin I was using at the time (keep your "ew"s to yourself). Then I put the napkin into my song notebook and forgot about it. I found it again later, and remembered the melody I had used to remember the lines, and wrote the verses to make sense. (These I didn't put on the napkin, but rather on the last page of the notebook.) When I got my iTouch, I put what I had into the Notes function, and I finished it last night. And I finished the rest of the choruses to fit into the melody that I had thought of in the subway. So from napkin to notebook to Notes on iTouch, this song did a bit of travelling.

What is the song about? Showing your true colours. Because it is only when we show our true colours that we are taken the most seriously; but it is also when we show our true colours that we make ourselves most vulnerable to judgment - and the harshest of judgments at that. This song is about how everyone is tolerant until that tolerance is tested. Almost like the Dixie Chicks uproar - everyone loved them until they opened their mouth to speak (not sing). It's funny how people pretend to be something they're not, and that guise is flawless until the time comes to act on it.

Now I Understand

I used to be that little girl, I was so naive but now I understand
I never had enough experience with anything but now I understand
I used to think that one's heart made the person but

now I understand
you don't really wanna find the one you love so you can hold her near
now I understand
it's all their eyes and all their minds that you're supposed to fear
now I understand
it's better to keep your mouth shut than to say the words you really mean
now I understand
everything around you really isn't all the things it seems

I used to want to be the one that everybody points to but now I understand
there were times I thought nothing would happen to me but now I understand
I used to want to be the one who would shine so bright but

now I understand
you don't really wanna find the one you love so you can hold her tight
now I understand
the only way to make your way to what you want is to put up a fight
now I understand
you only try to get close to the ones on top so you can bring them down
now I understand
all you look for is the worst thing about everything you see around

BRIDGE:
there's a fine line between what you want and lessons learned the hard way
you have to hide yourself behind the face you show the world every day

and...
now I understand
you don't really wanna find the one you love so you can make her yours
now I understand
everyone has open arms until you come and then they slam the doors
now I understand
someone has to be the one to stand out from the crowd
now I understand
that I don't wanna be the one to go and let them down

(instrumental)

(as the song fades:)
now I understand
(you don't really wanna find the one you love so you can hold her near)
now I understand
(the only way to make your way to what you want is to put up a fight)
now I understand
(everyone has open arms until you come and then they slam the doors)
now I understand
(it's better to keep your mouth shut than to say the words you really mean)
now I understand
(everyone around you really isn't all the things they seem)
now I understand
(all they look for is the worst thing about everything they see around)
now I understand
(that I don't wanna be the one to go and let them down)
now I understand...

The ( ) in the last part I imagine as echoes by background vocals.

Yes, so the 'you' changes meaning from line to line, but I think it's still understandable.

Let me know what you think.

Much love and thank you for the musik!

NBK