I apologise for the long hiatus. I've been away for a while, but I'm back now with this song. And with the ACMs recap.
I'll start with the latter. As usual, the show took place in Las Vegas, so that was exciting, although unlike normally (or unlike my memory, because it may happen yearly...), the show was split between two arenas, so the performances switched from one to the other. It was hosted by Reba McEntire (as usual), and Blake Shelton, and their dynamic was hilarious. I particularly enjoyed their opening monologue, in which they swore they would not tease any "easy target" celebrities, such as Miley Cyrus and Charlie Sheen. [FINISH ACMs RECAP]
Now, onto this song.
I honestly thought that I had already posted it, way earlier. Especially since I finished it in November, around the same time as I wrote "This Song's For You." But I guess I never got around to it, until now.
Hurray.
A few things happened that same week that Pat Burns died, and none of it really turned out my way. Between losing, and the Devils' lack of luster, and too much work, and not enough sleep, I was feeling really beat and run-down. So, as I was sitting in my sociology class bored out of my mind and worried that the thing which I most dreaded would indeed come to pass (it did, that Friday), I set pen to paper and out flowed this song. It has a melody (similar, a bit, to Carrie Underwood's "Undo It," though with its own flair), and it illustrates my changing moods and my passing from anger to sorrow to bitterness to despair to self-pity and right on back to anger again.
Short End of The Stick
(failure)
(unwanted)
(outcast)
(loser)
It's just politics, nothing personal, or so they say
and I'm getting good at being chosen last
I was told it wouldn't be this way
but now that hope is fading fast
PRE-CHORUS:
this isn't fair, I'm screaming out loud
I wanna get there, don't stop me now
CHORUS:
I'm so sick of the short end of the stick
and this bitter taste in my mouth
for once I wanna know what it feels like to win
but I guess that'll never work out
I'm torn between hating myself and hating you
but there's no reason for me to have to choose
forgive me if I'm not happy, but I have dreams, too
and I'd like to think I'd get them based on merit
the system is flawed, babe, ain't that the truth
but I don't deserve treatment like this
PRE-CHORUS:
this isn't fair, I'm screaming out loud
I wanna get there, don't stop me now
CHORUS:
I'm so sick of the short end of the stick
and this bitter taste in my mouth
for once I wanna know what it feels like to win
but I guess that'll never work out
I'm torn between hating myself and hating you
but there's no reason for me to have to choose
BRIDGE:
now I'm thoroughly bruised, with not much to lose anymore
because I didn't have much to begin with
I've never felt good enough, always filled with doubts I can't get rid of
and they're getting louder by the minute, oh
CHORUS:
I'm so sick of the short end of the stick
and this bitter taste in my mouth
for once I wanna know what it feels like to win
but I guess that'll never work out
I'm torn between hating myself and hating you
but there's no reason for me to have to choose
no, I don't see why I have to choose...the short end of the stick
and this bitter taste in my mouth
for once I wanna know what it feels like to win
but I guess that'll never work out...
it's just politics, nothing personal, or so they say
and I'm getting good at being chosen last
I was told it wouldn't be this way,
but now that hope is fading fast...
I have two confessions to make. One is that, as I was typing this, I changed the chorus around; I deleted the two last lines that I had written in my notebook, and changed them with the sentence that you see there. It makes infinitely more sense, and is not out of place in the least. Will I tell you what the original was? No. The second confession is much less a confession as it is merely a statement. I have a personal Twitter account, and the week I wrote this song (also the same week that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 came out and I went to the midnight premiere), that Friday, I tweeted this: "Well, it hasn't exactly been the best week for me, but it could have been far worse. I'm still alive..." The thing I was referring to in the "could have been far worse" portion was that which came to pass that same day. Unfortunate.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
Just Another Ordinary Girl
So we've been outnumbered, raided, and now cornered / it's hard to fight when the fight ain't fair.
13 June 2011
15 May 2011
"This Is Country Music," from Brad Paisley
A while back, during the CMA recap post, I mentioned Brad Paisley's new single, "This is Country Music" (I hyperlinked it to a music video, so just roll over and click to watch it). For a week in November, it was available to his fans for free on his website, along with the following message, which I believe has a such purity of sentiment and honesty of voice that I wanted to post here. Enjoy.
As I stood on the stage at the CMAs last week clutching a glass trophy and fighting back tears, it occurred to me why I am so proud to do this for a living. See, country music is unique. It is brace. It is not afraid to deal head on with subjects like disease, death, religion, drinking family, or anything else that qualifies as life. It isn’t above its fans. It is about them. It is the soundtrack to my life, and probably yours. As its recording artists, we are given the dog-tags from family members of fans who die in battle for our country. We are there in song at the most impactful moments of our fans’ lives. We are loved unconditionally, and we are given loyalty beyond what we deserve. This is country music.
23 February 2011
Guy Taken Seriously
So, this isn't too much of a love song. In fact, it's not at all a love song. Ah, well, I know that you'll understand if I say that I wrote this one first, and I haven't yet gotten around to finishing and perfecting my "romatic songs."
This one is called, if you haven't already guessed, "Guy Taken Seriously." It sort of goes hand-in-hand with "You Had Me." Only, of course, it's ever-so-slightly, just a little bit different.
Enjoy.
Guy Taken Seriously
There's no need to yell, I can hear you just as well when you speak quietly
and when you draw yourself up, you don't look nearly as tough as you would like to be
but you'll never listen to me when I plead
because it goes against all your beliefs
and you wonder what can that achieve
CHORUS:
but people get further on smiles than you ever will with frowns
you see, there's more to life than always knocking people down
I know that you're the kind of person who thinks more is more
but there's greater promise in diplomacy than there is with war
and now you've gotta choose who you're gonna be:
the laughingstock of the field or the guy taken seriously
if only you knew how disgusting I find you when you tell me how to act
I'd just as soon run away than be forced to stay by your brute strength and lack of tact
that's the only way you know how to behave
but it can't be the way that you were raised
and you're running out of time to change
CHORUS:
but people get further on smiles than you ever will with frowns
you see, there's more to life than always knocking people down
I know that you're the kind of person who thinks more is more
but there's greater promise in diplomacy than there is with war
and now you've gotta choose who you're gonna be:
the laughingstock of the field or the guy taken seriously
BRIDGE:
babe, you're a hypocrite
totally out of it
and yet people look up to you
that blows my mind
'cause I'm trying to find
a way to escape all you do
CHORUS:
'cause people get further on smiles than you ever will with frowns
you see, there's more to life than always knocking people down
I know that you're the kind of person who thinks more is more
but there's greater promise in diplomacy than there is with war
and now you've gotta choose who you're gonna be:
the laughingstock of the field or the guy taken seriously
'cause right now it seems to me
you're the laughingstock of the field
not the guy taken seriously
you're not the guy taken seriously
oh, and you never will be...
Okay, so it's a little wordy. But given the fact that it's never going to be an actual song, I really like it. There are intricate and involved rhyming patterns, and there's a whole lotta truth in the words.
Much love, and thank you for the musik,
Just Another Ordinary Girl
And if it wasn't for guys like you, there wouldn't be songs like this / if you hadn't gone and done me wrong, I wouldn't go off like this / yeah, even I'm surprised how easy sweet revenge rolls off my lips / if it wasn't for guys like you, there wouldn't be songs like this.
This one is called, if you haven't already guessed, "Guy Taken Seriously." It sort of goes hand-in-hand with "You Had Me." Only, of course, it's ever-so-slightly, just a little bit different.
Enjoy.
Guy Taken Seriously
There's no need to yell, I can hear you just as well when you speak quietly
and when you draw yourself up, you don't look nearly as tough as you would like to be
but you'll never listen to me when I plead
because it goes against all your beliefs
and you wonder what can that achieve
CHORUS:
but people get further on smiles than you ever will with frowns
you see, there's more to life than always knocking people down
I know that you're the kind of person who thinks more is more
but there's greater promise in diplomacy than there is with war
and now you've gotta choose who you're gonna be:
the laughingstock of the field or the guy taken seriously
if only you knew how disgusting I find you when you tell me how to act
I'd just as soon run away than be forced to stay by your brute strength and lack of tact
that's the only way you know how to behave
but it can't be the way that you were raised
and you're running out of time to change
CHORUS:
but people get further on smiles than you ever will with frowns
you see, there's more to life than always knocking people down
I know that you're the kind of person who thinks more is more
but there's greater promise in diplomacy than there is with war
and now you've gotta choose who you're gonna be:
the laughingstock of the field or the guy taken seriously
BRIDGE:
babe, you're a hypocrite
totally out of it
and yet people look up to you
that blows my mind
'cause I'm trying to find
a way to escape all you do
CHORUS:
'cause people get further on smiles than you ever will with frowns
you see, there's more to life than always knocking people down
I know that you're the kind of person who thinks more is more
but there's greater promise in diplomacy than there is with war
and now you've gotta choose who you're gonna be:
the laughingstock of the field or the guy taken seriously
'cause right now it seems to me
you're the laughingstock of the field
not the guy taken seriously
you're not the guy taken seriously
oh, and you never will be...
Okay, so it's a little wordy. But given the fact that it's never going to be an actual song, I really like it. There are intricate and involved rhyming patterns, and there's a whole lotta truth in the words.
Much love, and thank you for the musik,
Just Another Ordinary Girl
And if it wasn't for guys like you, there wouldn't be songs like this / if you hadn't gone and done me wrong, I wouldn't go off like this / yeah, even I'm surprised how easy sweet revenge rolls off my lips / if it wasn't for guys like you, there wouldn't be songs like this.
14 February 2011
in honour of the holiday...
...I'm planning a string of some very romantic songs. Love songs, if you will.
So be on the lookout for those.
Also in honour of the holiday I compiled my own personal list of the "Top 40 Greatest Country Love Songs." It wasn't a 'just because' kind of assignment so much as something I wanted to do, as well as something which the TV channel CMT (Country Music Television) did and I wanted to see how many of my choices would coincide. I've posted this as a note on facebook, so I'm just going to copy-paste that note here:
In light of this past Valentine's Day, and the compilation on CMT of the Top 40 Greatest Love Songs (here's the link to the official list: http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1657864/cmt-40-greatest-love-songs-revealed.jhtml), I have decided to make my own list. This is the Top 40 Greatest Love Songs as chosen by me, and therefore they're the Top 40 Greatest Love Songs that are within my window of country music. That said, please feel free to disagree. And to broaden your own musical horizons.
It's in countdown mode (backwards order), because that's the way the songs were presented on the Valentine's Day CMT special, so I'm following suit. I've also included a small explanation with each song to illuminate my choice.
40. I Need You, LeAnn Rimes - Regardless of your opinion of her (I don't like her), she has a phenomenal voice that adds a great depth to what are otherwise perhaps shallow...er lyrics. The melody is tremendous, too, as is the syncopation. Featured lyric: "But I've got all I want when it comes to loving you / you're my only reason, you're my only truth."
39. Just Knowing You Love Me, Jimmy Wayne - It's catchy, it's melodic, it's uptempo. Not to mention a testament to the empowering nature of love. Sometimes just the knowledge that someone will always be there and will always love you gives you just enough belief in yourself, and that's conveyed here. Featured lyric: "But I get a sense of who I can truly be / just knowing you love me."
38. A Better Man, Clint Black - The fact that Clint is from New Jersey is not the only reason I like this song. He has a rougher kind of voice, one that connotes imperfection, which is perfect for the lyrics of this song. I like the idea that although the ideal is to be a better person for your significant other, sometimes it's the fact that the person was in your life at all that makes you better, even when you're no longer a single entity together. Featured lyric: "Just like some old nursery rhyme your mama told you / you still believe in some old 'meant to be.'"
37. Don't Close Your Eyes, Keith Whitley - This song is heartbreaking. It's about loving someone who is with you in body, but not in emotion, mind, spirit, heart, soul, not in any way. And the plea of asking her to forget about the other person and to be with him, if only for the moment, is so absoultely heartwrenching. Featured lyric: "Darling, just once let yesterday go / and you'll find more love than you've ever known."
36. Meet in the Middle, Diamond Rio - Love is supposed to be full of all of these compromises, right? And what better way to represent that than with literal meeting in the middle? It's also really creative the way they map out that meeting in the middle throughout the entire relationship, very indicative of reality. I also love the slider guitar sound, as it adds a touch of whimsy. Featured lyric: "We'd gain a lot of ground, 'cause we'd both give a little / ain't no road too long, if we meet in the middle."
35. Lay Me Down, Doc Walker - Chris Thorsteinson has a gruff yet tender voice, and this song is perfect for that. It's a very sensual song, but he handles it with such a gentle touch that its lingering notes reverberate throughout the body. Featured lyric: "Your love for me did not make sense / I've always been an ordinary guy, until tonight."
34. Tonight, Cowboy, You're Mine, Joey + Rory - This duo is a married couple, and their duets are fabulous. This happens to be the first song I heard of theirs, and it's still one of my favourites. I like the idea that people get caught up in the daily chores and all of the things that need to be done that sometimes they overlook the love and the attention they need to dedicate to each other. Featured lyric: "That old latch on the barn door and that broken fence line / will still be there tomorrow, tonight cowboy, you're mine."
33. Ours, Taylor Swift - This is the first Taylor Swift song on my countdown (of three), and before you scoff, I attribute it to the fact that (a) she's a beautiful songwriter, (b) her love songs are varied and therefore appeal to me in different ways, and (c) since we're close in age, the allure of her songs lies in the fact that they're relatable for me. This one is perfect because it speaks about the odds against love, and overcoming them together despite life's ups and downs. One of my favourite parts is listening to the opening notes, because they sound like dainty little raindrops. Featured lyric: "People throw rocks at things that shine / and life makes love work hard / the stakes are high, the water's rough / but this love is ours."
32. I Keep On Lovin' You, Reba McEntire - I'd be remiss if I didn't include a Reba McEntire song on this list (although I am lacking a Brooks & Dunn song...maybe next year), and this is a good one to include. It's a relatively newer one, but it's one that I've always liked. I chose it (instead of "Over You" or others) because it speaks to a higher love, one that can transcend the pettiness of everyday arguments and fights, because it can see the long-run outcome. Featured lyric: "Someday we'll look back and say 'look at us now.'"
31. Come A Little Closer, Dierks Bentley - He has such a seductive quality to his voice, and that makes any song he sings truly special. Regardless of whether it's a happy love song or a sad love song. This is a sexy love song (and happy, too, I guess), and it's very appealing. It also makes you want to be the woman he's singing this song to. Featured lyric: "Come a little closer, baby, I feel like laying you down."
30. Last Day of My Life, Phil Vassar - Nothing like juxtaposing the realisation of mortality with the reigniting of a love affair. The fact that the song starts with a funeral, and the singer coming home and realising that he hasn't spent nearly enough time with his wife, gives the song a much greater depth. But the slower nature of its melody makes it all the more seductive. Featured lyric: "I don't wanna waste another minute without you."
29. Love Story, Taylor Swift - This is a relatively new song, in the scheme of things. But it has made its indelible mark on the country music scene quickly. And rightfully so, because its simplicity makes it worth listening to over and over again. And although I've heard it more times than I can count (literally), every time I hear it again it presents another side of itself and I find another beautiful thing about it. And the way the bridge shines...it's beautiful. Featured lyric: "This love is difficult, but it's real."
28. Livin' Our Love Song, Jason Michael Carroll - In this one song, he manages to convey his love and admiration for his wife, his awe and surprise that they're still together, and his joy at their triumph against the odds. And it's got a very catchy drum beat-electric guitar combination that's addictive to listen to. Featured lyric: "Something like this just don't exists / between a backwoods boy and a fairy-tale princess."
27. I Lost It, Kenny Chesney - It was hard for me to choose a Kenny Chesney song. I eventually decided upon this one, because I love the shift from the verse to the chorus, musically, and the primary syncopation in the first lines of the chorus. And the song's presentation of real life and real love is appealing. Plus his voice is just so excellent, it's hard not to want to listen to it over and over and over again, no matter what he's singing. Featured lyric: "Better or worse, one thing's for sure: it's real love, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost it."
26. Good Morning, Beautiful, Steve Holy - I especially like this song because of the symbolism of waking up with the one you love and facing a new day together, no matter what had happened the day before. It's very evocative. The parallel between the morning and the woman in his bed is very nice. And I love the piano in the beginning. Featured lyric: "And when I open my eyes and see your sweet face / it's a good morning beautiful day."
25. Cowboy, Take Me Away, Dixie Chicks - Not enough can be said about the Dixie Chicks' harmonising. It creates layers upon layers within a song, and this is no exception. Written for Emily Robison's wedding, it's a beautiful tribute to the naturalness of love. And the quality of feeling like the only person in the world when you're with the right person. Featured lyric: "I wanna be the only one for miles and miles / except for maybe you and your simple smile."
24. Forever and Ever, Amen, Randy Travis - The "amen" adds a sanctity and an absolute finality to what he's saying and to the promises he's making. And while I'm not religious, that's something I can appreciate, because it adds a touch of longevity. Featured lyric: "I'm gonna love you forever, forever and ever, amen / as long as old men sit and talk about the weather, as long as old women sit and talk about old men."
23. Little Moments, Brad Paisley - Life is made of little moments. That's the way it is, and they pass quickly. But here, he finds something beautiful to focus on about each of the moments with her, and they don't have to be grandiose or momentous, but they're meaningful to him. Also, it's not an idealised love. It's very real, and she's very imperfect, which makes it all the more endearing. And the fact that it's Brad singing, with his sexy voice, just compounds the brilliance of the song. Featured lyric: "When she's laying on my shoulder on the sofa in the dark / and about the time she falls asleep, so does my right arm / and I want so bad to move it, 'cause it's tingling and it's numb / but she looks so much like an angel that I don't wanna wake her up."
22. Makin' Memories of Us, Keith Urban - This song was actually the very first Keith Urban song I had ever heard, and it remains to this day one of the most compelling. He's never been afraid to be vulnerable, and to pour his entire heart into the song, and I think this is one of the finest examples of that. It's also about putting the significant other first, and I think a lot of love is like that. Featured lyric: "And I wanna stand out in a crowd for you, a man among men / I wanna make your world better than it's ever been."
21. History in the Making, Darius Rucker - This was always my favourite Darius Rucker song, from the very first time I heard it. I love the insinuation that every relationship has the power to be the most earthshattering, history-making love affair. And in a way, it is: because it's your history that's in the making, so it'll be the most fantastic love affair of your life (that's the idea, anyway). Featured lyric: "Tonight, maybe tonight is the start of a beautiful ride that will never end."
20. I Swear, John Michael Montgomery - I'm not entirely sure that this is the original version of the song, but it is by far the most sincere one I've ever heard. And it's the one I want to be my wedding song. I can see myself dancing to this at my wedding, and that's what I love about it. Featured lyric: "As time turns the page / my love won't age at all."
19. Mary's Song (Oh My My My), Taylor Swift - Yes, the third Taylor Swift song on this list, but the most beautiful as well. The fact that it's in first person but not her own is all the more powerful. It follows the life of one couple who teased each other as children, were sweethearts in high school, and share marriage and parenthood together. What could be more great? Featured lyric: "I was sixteen when suddenly I wasn't that little girl you used to see / but your eyes still shined like pretty lights / and our daddies used to joke about the two of us / they never believed we'd really fall in love..."
18. That's Beautiful To Me, Jaron & The Long Road to Love - It doesn't seem like a song with much to recommend it, with simple lyrics and an even simpler melody. But the simplicity of a man head over heels listing all that he finds beautiful about his love is beautiful beyond words. I cannot get enough of this song. Featured lyric: "You could've gone with Romeo, but you let him go, and you stayed with me instead / and every day I find new ways that make you beautiful."
17. From this Moment On, Shania Twain - Another one of those wedding songs that makes promises and begins the life of two people together. Her wistful voice here makes the promises come to life and makes you believe in their truth and their reality. The drumbeats throughout the song, too, add a gravity to it. Featured lyric: "I give my hand to you with all my heart / can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start."
16. Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash - His wife was actually the one to write this song, about the all-consuming love affair she had with him. It's the kind of love that you don't mind falling into. And you don't mind falling in love with his voice and with this song: the catchy guitar line, the fun lyrics. Featured lyrics: "The taste of love is sweet / when hearts like ours meet."
15. Love Song, Miranda Lambert - I'm fairly certain you won't find this song on any other top 40 love songs list. But it's about the kind of love that's the most perfect, but the least recorded, primarily because it's the everyday kind of love. It's the day-to-day functional love that doesn't rely on the big days to define itself. And that's the most beautiful kind. The kind that's so wonderful to watch between my parents. Featured lyric: "Everybody always sings about it / how they're never gonna live without it / but we don't even have to talk about it / 'cause we're living it out."
14. Amazed, LoneStar - The intimacy of this song is what is so appealing. And its appeal is only enhanced by the tremendous four-part harmonies which add such depth. Featured lyric: "Baby, you surround me, touch every place in my heart / oh, it feels like the first time every time / I want to spend the whole night in your eyes."
13. Then, Brad Paisley - This man is a total, total genius. And his song about the growing power of love through the years (backed up by psychological research, actually) is beautifully crafted. By far, he has the sexiest voice in country music, if not in music in general, and it adds something even refined to the song. Featured lyric: "I can just see you with a baby on the way / and I can just see you when your hair's turning grey / What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more / but I've said that before."
12. It's Your Love, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - I think this song is touted as a big major love song because she is pregnant in the music video. However, I like it because of the electrical power of their voices together. The song oozes love, and so does their body language whenever they're together. Featured lyric: "Better than I was, more than I am / and all of this happened by taking your hand / and who I am now is who I wanted to be."
11. Lost in this Moment, Big & Rich - There is nothing, nothing, more beautiful and endearing than a man revealing his heart and his love for a woman. So this portrait of a wedding day from the perspective of the groom is both disarming and breathtakingly stunning. Featured lyric: "Waited my whole life for this / watching all my dreams come true / lost in this moment with you."
10. Golden Ring, George Jones and Tammy Wynette - Two people who used to be married singing about the symbolism of a wedding ring. The song follows the "story" of a golden wedding ring, and its significance in the life of a married couple, beginning with its being bought, climaxing at the wedding ceremony, and then ending with its being put away after they've fallen out of love. I like how she sings the perspective of the man, and he voices the woman's perspective. What's most striking about this song is that it details the fact that the ring doesn't make the love meaningful, but the love makes the ring meaningful. As it should be. Featured lyric: "By itself, it's just a cold, metallic thing / only love can make a golden wedding ring."
9. Thank You, Keith Urban - At first listen, it may seem that this song is about Keith overcoming his crack addiction and about his reentry into the human race (which it is). But it has so many more layers, mostly about his wife's part in making him feel again, making him come alive again, and giving him a reason to live. I cried the first time I listened to this song, because the power of his love emanates through the music and is so very strong and astonishingly moving. Featured lyric: "And I thank you for my heart, I thank you for my life / I thank god for grace and mercy, and that you became my wife / I'm seeing for the first time the stars, the sun, and moon / but they've got nothing on the power of this love I have for you."
8. Sunshine (Everybody Needs a Little), Steve Azar - There is a great feeling of letting oneself go in favour of a life with another present in both the lyrics and Azar's voice, and the listener buys into his emotions. The idea that letting someone in can work the same wonders as can opening the blinds and letting in the sunshine may seem like an obvious simile, but it is presented in a truly moving way here. Featured lyric: "And I feel beautiful, but most of all, vulnerable."
7. Breathe, Faith Hill - This song is sexy and appealing, from the sultriness of Faith's voice to the sensual power of the lyrics. It connotes intimacy and makes the listener almost feel as though s/he is intruding on a very private moment. The feeling of giving oneself over to another, to something greater, is very strong, and that makes this beautiful. Featured lyric: "There's nothing left to prove / baby, all we need is just to be..."
6. I Do, Paul Brandt - The two simplest words in the English language, but they have the power to change lives. And they do. This song is so much more than its music and lyrics: it's a promise, it's a reassurance, it's a testament to the fact that the relationship will work. Featured lyric: "And we're right where we should be, when we're together."
5. Love Like Crazy, Lee Brice - It was just released last year, but this song became an instant classic (no joke, as its commercial success was astounding, spending 50something weeks on the charts!). The first time I heard it, I knew I loved it. Everyone likes the story of surviving when the odds are against you, and this is a beautiful presentation of a hackneyed topic. Featured lyric: "Be a best friend, tell the truth / and overuse 'I love you.'"
4. You Were Mine, Dixie Chicks - Country music is rife with cheating songs from every perspective, but this one takes the cake. The yearning power of Natalie's voice is haunting here, and I get chills every time I listen to this song. Without exaggeration, this song constantly brings me to my knees. There's something so heartbreaking about every word of the song. Featured lyric: "I can give you two good reasons to show you love's not blind: / he's two and she's four, and you know they adore you / so how can I tell them that you've changed your mind?"
3. Remember When, Alan Jackson - This is essentially a love letter to his wife, and it details not only the beautiful and the romantic of life and love, but also the hard time and the perseverence of a married couple that has been through the worst of it but that has also pulled through. Alan's voice lends itself to this sort of song, and the gravity of the lyrics does not escape it. Featured lyric: "Remember when old ones died and new were born / life was changed, disassembled, rearranged / we came together, fell apart, and broke each other's hearts / remember when."
2. I Will Always Love You, Dolly Parton - Although this is most famous as the Whitney Houston sensation from "The Bodyguard," it was originally written by Dolly, and her vulnerability as well as the transcendent joy emanating from her voice make this timeless. Featured lyric: "Bittersweet memories / that's all I have and all I'm taking with me."
1. He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones - Classic, classic song. What hasn't been said about it yet, really? Showcases the most enviable of love stories: that of undying and unselfish love. And its longevity is a true testament to the beautiful appeal of the song. Featured lyric: "He said 'I'll love her 'til I die' / She told him 'you'll forget in time.'"
I wish everyone a very lovely, beautiful holiday. Happy Valentine's Day!
Much love, and thank you for the musik,
Just Another Ordinary Girl
And I feel beautiful, but, most of all, vulnerable.
So be on the lookout for those.
Also in honour of the holiday I compiled my own personal list of the "Top 40 Greatest Country Love Songs." It wasn't a 'just because' kind of assignment so much as something I wanted to do, as well as something which the TV channel CMT (Country Music Television) did and I wanted to see how many of my choices would coincide. I've posted this as a note on facebook, so I'm just going to copy-paste that note here:
In light of this past Valentine's Day, and the compilation on CMT of the Top 40 Greatest Love Songs (here's the link to the official list: http://www.cmt.com/news/country-music/1657864/cmt-40-greatest-love-songs-revealed.jhtml), I have decided to make my own list. This is the Top 40 Greatest Love Songs as chosen by me, and therefore they're the Top 40 Greatest Love Songs that are within my window of country music. That said, please feel free to disagree. And to broaden your own musical horizons.
It's in countdown mode (backwards order), because that's the way the songs were presented on the Valentine's Day CMT special, so I'm following suit. I've also included a small explanation with each song to illuminate my choice.
40. I Need You, LeAnn Rimes - Regardless of your opinion of her (I don't like her), she has a phenomenal voice that adds a great depth to what are otherwise perhaps shallow...er lyrics. The melody is tremendous, too, as is the syncopation. Featured lyric: "But I've got all I want when it comes to loving you / you're my only reason, you're my only truth."
39. Just Knowing You Love Me, Jimmy Wayne - It's catchy, it's melodic, it's uptempo. Not to mention a testament to the empowering nature of love. Sometimes just the knowledge that someone will always be there and will always love you gives you just enough belief in yourself, and that's conveyed here. Featured lyric: "But I get a sense of who I can truly be / just knowing you love me."
38. A Better Man, Clint Black - The fact that Clint is from New Jersey is not the only reason I like this song. He has a rougher kind of voice, one that connotes imperfection, which is perfect for the lyrics of this song. I like the idea that although the ideal is to be a better person for your significant other, sometimes it's the fact that the person was in your life at all that makes you better, even when you're no longer a single entity together. Featured lyric: "Just like some old nursery rhyme your mama told you / you still believe in some old 'meant to be.'"
37. Don't Close Your Eyes, Keith Whitley - This song is heartbreaking. It's about loving someone who is with you in body, but not in emotion, mind, spirit, heart, soul, not in any way. And the plea of asking her to forget about the other person and to be with him, if only for the moment, is so absoultely heartwrenching. Featured lyric: "Darling, just once let yesterday go / and you'll find more love than you've ever known."
36. Meet in the Middle, Diamond Rio - Love is supposed to be full of all of these compromises, right? And what better way to represent that than with literal meeting in the middle? It's also really creative the way they map out that meeting in the middle throughout the entire relationship, very indicative of reality. I also love the slider guitar sound, as it adds a touch of whimsy. Featured lyric: "We'd gain a lot of ground, 'cause we'd both give a little / ain't no road too long, if we meet in the middle."
35. Lay Me Down, Doc Walker - Chris Thorsteinson has a gruff yet tender voice, and this song is perfect for that. It's a very sensual song, but he handles it with such a gentle touch that its lingering notes reverberate throughout the body. Featured lyric: "Your love for me did not make sense / I've always been an ordinary guy, until tonight."
34. Tonight, Cowboy, You're Mine, Joey + Rory - This duo is a married couple, and their duets are fabulous. This happens to be the first song I heard of theirs, and it's still one of my favourites. I like the idea that people get caught up in the daily chores and all of the things that need to be done that sometimes they overlook the love and the attention they need to dedicate to each other. Featured lyric: "That old latch on the barn door and that broken fence line / will still be there tomorrow, tonight cowboy, you're mine."
33. Ours, Taylor Swift - This is the first Taylor Swift song on my countdown (of three), and before you scoff, I attribute it to the fact that (a) she's a beautiful songwriter, (b) her love songs are varied and therefore appeal to me in different ways, and (c) since we're close in age, the allure of her songs lies in the fact that they're relatable for me. This one is perfect because it speaks about the odds against love, and overcoming them together despite life's ups and downs. One of my favourite parts is listening to the opening notes, because they sound like dainty little raindrops. Featured lyric: "People throw rocks at things that shine / and life makes love work hard / the stakes are high, the water's rough / but this love is ours."
32. I Keep On Lovin' You, Reba McEntire - I'd be remiss if I didn't include a Reba McEntire song on this list (although I am lacking a Brooks & Dunn song...maybe next year), and this is a good one to include. It's a relatively newer one, but it's one that I've always liked. I chose it (instead of "Over You" or others) because it speaks to a higher love, one that can transcend the pettiness of everyday arguments and fights, because it can see the long-run outcome. Featured lyric: "Someday we'll look back and say 'look at us now.'"
31. Come A Little Closer, Dierks Bentley - He has such a seductive quality to his voice, and that makes any song he sings truly special. Regardless of whether it's a happy love song or a sad love song. This is a sexy love song (and happy, too, I guess), and it's very appealing. It also makes you want to be the woman he's singing this song to. Featured lyric: "Come a little closer, baby, I feel like laying you down."
30. Last Day of My Life, Phil Vassar - Nothing like juxtaposing the realisation of mortality with the reigniting of a love affair. The fact that the song starts with a funeral, and the singer coming home and realising that he hasn't spent nearly enough time with his wife, gives the song a much greater depth. But the slower nature of its melody makes it all the more seductive. Featured lyric: "I don't wanna waste another minute without you."
29. Love Story, Taylor Swift - This is a relatively new song, in the scheme of things. But it has made its indelible mark on the country music scene quickly. And rightfully so, because its simplicity makes it worth listening to over and over again. And although I've heard it more times than I can count (literally), every time I hear it again it presents another side of itself and I find another beautiful thing about it. And the way the bridge shines...it's beautiful. Featured lyric: "This love is difficult, but it's real."
28. Livin' Our Love Song, Jason Michael Carroll - In this one song, he manages to convey his love and admiration for his wife, his awe and surprise that they're still together, and his joy at their triumph against the odds. And it's got a very catchy drum beat-electric guitar combination that's addictive to listen to. Featured lyric: "Something like this just don't exists / between a backwoods boy and a fairy-tale princess."
27. I Lost It, Kenny Chesney - It was hard for me to choose a Kenny Chesney song. I eventually decided upon this one, because I love the shift from the verse to the chorus, musically, and the primary syncopation in the first lines of the chorus. And the song's presentation of real life and real love is appealing. Plus his voice is just so excellent, it's hard not to want to listen to it over and over and over again, no matter what he's singing. Featured lyric: "Better or worse, one thing's for sure: it's real love, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost it."
26. Good Morning, Beautiful, Steve Holy - I especially like this song because of the symbolism of waking up with the one you love and facing a new day together, no matter what had happened the day before. It's very evocative. The parallel between the morning and the woman in his bed is very nice. And I love the piano in the beginning. Featured lyric: "And when I open my eyes and see your sweet face / it's a good morning beautiful day."
25. Cowboy, Take Me Away, Dixie Chicks - Not enough can be said about the Dixie Chicks' harmonising. It creates layers upon layers within a song, and this is no exception. Written for Emily Robison's wedding, it's a beautiful tribute to the naturalness of love. And the quality of feeling like the only person in the world when you're with the right person. Featured lyric: "I wanna be the only one for miles and miles / except for maybe you and your simple smile."
24. Forever and Ever, Amen, Randy Travis - The "amen" adds a sanctity and an absolute finality to what he's saying and to the promises he's making. And while I'm not religious, that's something I can appreciate, because it adds a touch of longevity. Featured lyric: "I'm gonna love you forever, forever and ever, amen / as long as old men sit and talk about the weather, as long as old women sit and talk about old men."
23. Little Moments, Brad Paisley - Life is made of little moments. That's the way it is, and they pass quickly. But here, he finds something beautiful to focus on about each of the moments with her, and they don't have to be grandiose or momentous, but they're meaningful to him. Also, it's not an idealised love. It's very real, and she's very imperfect, which makes it all the more endearing. And the fact that it's Brad singing, with his sexy voice, just compounds the brilliance of the song. Featured lyric: "When she's laying on my shoulder on the sofa in the dark / and about the time she falls asleep, so does my right arm / and I want so bad to move it, 'cause it's tingling and it's numb / but she looks so much like an angel that I don't wanna wake her up."
22. Makin' Memories of Us, Keith Urban - This song was actually the very first Keith Urban song I had ever heard, and it remains to this day one of the most compelling. He's never been afraid to be vulnerable, and to pour his entire heart into the song, and I think this is one of the finest examples of that. It's also about putting the significant other first, and I think a lot of love is like that. Featured lyric: "And I wanna stand out in a crowd for you, a man among men / I wanna make your world better than it's ever been."
21. History in the Making, Darius Rucker - This was always my favourite Darius Rucker song, from the very first time I heard it. I love the insinuation that every relationship has the power to be the most earthshattering, history-making love affair. And in a way, it is: because it's your history that's in the making, so it'll be the most fantastic love affair of your life (that's the idea, anyway). Featured lyric: "Tonight, maybe tonight is the start of a beautiful ride that will never end."
20. I Swear, John Michael Montgomery - I'm not entirely sure that this is the original version of the song, but it is by far the most sincere one I've ever heard. And it's the one I want to be my wedding song. I can see myself dancing to this at my wedding, and that's what I love about it. Featured lyric: "As time turns the page / my love won't age at all."
19. Mary's Song (Oh My My My), Taylor Swift - Yes, the third Taylor Swift song on this list, but the most beautiful as well. The fact that it's in first person but not her own is all the more powerful. It follows the life of one couple who teased each other as children, were sweethearts in high school, and share marriage and parenthood together. What could be more great? Featured lyric: "I was sixteen when suddenly I wasn't that little girl you used to see / but your eyes still shined like pretty lights / and our daddies used to joke about the two of us / they never believed we'd really fall in love..."
18. That's Beautiful To Me, Jaron & The Long Road to Love - It doesn't seem like a song with much to recommend it, with simple lyrics and an even simpler melody. But the simplicity of a man head over heels listing all that he finds beautiful about his love is beautiful beyond words. I cannot get enough of this song. Featured lyric: "You could've gone with Romeo, but you let him go, and you stayed with me instead / and every day I find new ways that make you beautiful."
17. From this Moment On, Shania Twain - Another one of those wedding songs that makes promises and begins the life of two people together. Her wistful voice here makes the promises come to life and makes you believe in their truth and their reality. The drumbeats throughout the song, too, add a gravity to it. Featured lyric: "I give my hand to you with all my heart / can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start."
16. Ring of Fire, Johnny Cash - His wife was actually the one to write this song, about the all-consuming love affair she had with him. It's the kind of love that you don't mind falling into. And you don't mind falling in love with his voice and with this song: the catchy guitar line, the fun lyrics. Featured lyrics: "The taste of love is sweet / when hearts like ours meet."
15. Love Song, Miranda Lambert - I'm fairly certain you won't find this song on any other top 40 love songs list. But it's about the kind of love that's the most perfect, but the least recorded, primarily because it's the everyday kind of love. It's the day-to-day functional love that doesn't rely on the big days to define itself. And that's the most beautiful kind. The kind that's so wonderful to watch between my parents. Featured lyric: "Everybody always sings about it / how they're never gonna live without it / but we don't even have to talk about it / 'cause we're living it out."
14. Amazed, LoneStar - The intimacy of this song is what is so appealing. And its appeal is only enhanced by the tremendous four-part harmonies which add such depth. Featured lyric: "Baby, you surround me, touch every place in my heart / oh, it feels like the first time every time / I want to spend the whole night in your eyes."
13. Then, Brad Paisley - This man is a total, total genius. And his song about the growing power of love through the years (backed up by psychological research, actually) is beautifully crafted. By far, he has the sexiest voice in country music, if not in music in general, and it adds something even refined to the song. Featured lyric: "I can just see you with a baby on the way / and I can just see you when your hair's turning grey / What I can't see is how I'm ever gonna love you more / but I've said that before."
12. It's Your Love, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - I think this song is touted as a big major love song because she is pregnant in the music video. However, I like it because of the electrical power of their voices together. The song oozes love, and so does their body language whenever they're together. Featured lyric: "Better than I was, more than I am / and all of this happened by taking your hand / and who I am now is who I wanted to be."
11. Lost in this Moment, Big & Rich - There is nothing, nothing, more beautiful and endearing than a man revealing his heart and his love for a woman. So this portrait of a wedding day from the perspective of the groom is both disarming and breathtakingly stunning. Featured lyric: "Waited my whole life for this / watching all my dreams come true / lost in this moment with you."
10. Golden Ring, George Jones and Tammy Wynette - Two people who used to be married singing about the symbolism of a wedding ring. The song follows the "story" of a golden wedding ring, and its significance in the life of a married couple, beginning with its being bought, climaxing at the wedding ceremony, and then ending with its being put away after they've fallen out of love. I like how she sings the perspective of the man, and he voices the woman's perspective. What's most striking about this song is that it details the fact that the ring doesn't make the love meaningful, but the love makes the ring meaningful. As it should be. Featured lyric: "By itself, it's just a cold, metallic thing / only love can make a golden wedding ring."
9. Thank You, Keith Urban - At first listen, it may seem that this song is about Keith overcoming his crack addiction and about his reentry into the human race (which it is). But it has so many more layers, mostly about his wife's part in making him feel again, making him come alive again, and giving him a reason to live. I cried the first time I listened to this song, because the power of his love emanates through the music and is so very strong and astonishingly moving. Featured lyric: "And I thank you for my heart, I thank you for my life / I thank god for grace and mercy, and that you became my wife / I'm seeing for the first time the stars, the sun, and moon / but they've got nothing on the power of this love I have for you."
8. Sunshine (Everybody Needs a Little), Steve Azar - There is a great feeling of letting oneself go in favour of a life with another present in both the lyrics and Azar's voice, and the listener buys into his emotions. The idea that letting someone in can work the same wonders as can opening the blinds and letting in the sunshine may seem like an obvious simile, but it is presented in a truly moving way here. Featured lyric: "And I feel beautiful, but most of all, vulnerable."
7. Breathe, Faith Hill - This song is sexy and appealing, from the sultriness of Faith's voice to the sensual power of the lyrics. It connotes intimacy and makes the listener almost feel as though s/he is intruding on a very private moment. The feeling of giving oneself over to another, to something greater, is very strong, and that makes this beautiful. Featured lyric: "There's nothing left to prove / baby, all we need is just to be..."
6. I Do, Paul Brandt - The two simplest words in the English language, but they have the power to change lives. And they do. This song is so much more than its music and lyrics: it's a promise, it's a reassurance, it's a testament to the fact that the relationship will work. Featured lyric: "And we're right where we should be, when we're together."
5. Love Like Crazy, Lee Brice - It was just released last year, but this song became an instant classic (no joke, as its commercial success was astounding, spending 50something weeks on the charts!). The first time I heard it, I knew I loved it. Everyone likes the story of surviving when the odds are against you, and this is a beautiful presentation of a hackneyed topic. Featured lyric: "Be a best friend, tell the truth / and overuse 'I love you.'"
4. You Were Mine, Dixie Chicks - Country music is rife with cheating songs from every perspective, but this one takes the cake. The yearning power of Natalie's voice is haunting here, and I get chills every time I listen to this song. Without exaggeration, this song constantly brings me to my knees. There's something so heartbreaking about every word of the song. Featured lyric: "I can give you two good reasons to show you love's not blind: / he's two and she's four, and you know they adore you / so how can I tell them that you've changed your mind?"
3. Remember When, Alan Jackson - This is essentially a love letter to his wife, and it details not only the beautiful and the romantic of life and love, but also the hard time and the perseverence of a married couple that has been through the worst of it but that has also pulled through. Alan's voice lends itself to this sort of song, and the gravity of the lyrics does not escape it. Featured lyric: "Remember when old ones died and new were born / life was changed, disassembled, rearranged / we came together, fell apart, and broke each other's hearts / remember when."
2. I Will Always Love You, Dolly Parton - Although this is most famous as the Whitney Houston sensation from "The Bodyguard," it was originally written by Dolly, and her vulnerability as well as the transcendent joy emanating from her voice make this timeless. Featured lyric: "Bittersweet memories / that's all I have and all I'm taking with me."
1. He Stopped Loving Her Today, George Jones - Classic, classic song. What hasn't been said about it yet, really? Showcases the most enviable of love stories: that of undying and unselfish love. And its longevity is a true testament to the beautiful appeal of the song. Featured lyric: "He said 'I'll love her 'til I die' / She told him 'you'll forget in time.'"
I wish everyone a very lovely, beautiful holiday. Happy Valentine's Day!
Much love, and thank you for the musik,
Just Another Ordinary Girl
And I feel beautiful, but, most of all, vulnerable.
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