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?
01 September 2010
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.
11 July 2010
Imperfect Star
Greetings!
Well, first things first.
I would like to personally extend my congratulations to Miranda Lambert and Kellie Pickler, both of whom got engaged since I last wrote. Kellie Pickler to her songwriting boyfriend of two years, Kyle Jacobs. And Miranda Lambert, of course, is engaged to her boyfriend of five years, Blake Shelton. They're so adorable together, and I am happy that they're finally engaged. While we're on happy wedding news, let's take all of two seconds to acknowledge the fact that Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher got married last night. Why this is headline news on nhl.com, I have no idea. Congratulations to all.
The next order of business is the CMT Awards. I forgot that this is one event I do not recap here, on account of the fact that I had never before had access to a CMT/GAC channel that would allow me to watch it, until this year. However, I will not be changing tradition even despite the fact that I was able to basically watch it in its entirety this year, and will merely divert you to cmt.com if you're at all interested in watching the show.
I would like to talk about The Band Perry for a few moments here, if you'll indulge me. The first time I heard a song of theirs (we're talking about the catchy "Hip to my Heart," here), the first thought that crossed my mind was, "Uh, what the heck is this?", followed shortly by "I'm not a fan." Well, what do you know? I am now. You see, there exists something called the People Country Magazine (a spin-off of People magazine produced by the people at People (HA!) every couple of months, solely about the artists tangentially related to the genre of country music, it's heavenly), and whenever a new issue comes out, there are free downloads of music that the readers can take advantage of through iTunes. It's how I got such crackers of songs such as "The Call," by Matt Kennon (which is now proudly sitting at numer 11 in my Top 25 Most Played playlist with 83 listens since mid-April); "Sunshine," by Steve Azar (clocking in at number 21 with 75 listens); "Bring on the Love," by Coldwater Jane; "My Life Again," by the McClymonts (who are Australian...so cool!); "Rollin' Through the Sunshine," by the Trailer Choir; "Just Knowing You Love Me," by Jimmy Wayne; and "Pray For You," the hit single by new act Jaron & the Long Road To Love (who is actually one-half of the identical twin duo Evan & Jaron, of whom I've been a fan since their Half Dozen album, which I discovered in eighth grade - it was a gift, and it's not country, either, but I absolutely love it), among many many many others. The point of this story about The Band Perry is that in the latest offer in the latest issue, the July issue with Tim McGraw on the cover, their "If I Die Young" was among the songs. And it's absolutely beautiful, and chilling in its honesty and tenderness and simplicity. I may or may not be obsessed with it. And yes, I have become a fan of The Band Perry. What is so endearing about the band is that they're siblings (two brothers, who play the instruments and provide background vocals, and a sister, who does the lead vocals and plays the guitar), and they also write their own music. For example, Kimberly Perry wrote "If I Die Young" all by her lonesome, and she performs it as such, too. It's almost Alison Kraus-like. But stupendously beautiful. Remember their name, The Band Perry, because they will be huge one day, I guarantee it!
And now, onto the title song of this blog post. I've actually had the phrase "imperfect star like mine" bouncing around my head for quite some time now - actually it was originally "hitch your wagon to an imperfect star like mine," before I decided that a. it was way too wordy for my purposes, b. it sounded far too Oregon Trail-y, and c. it was just stupid - but I never really found what I could attach it to, until yesterday. You see, what really sparked the creation of this song (it's been a while since I've actually explained the meaning behind a song here, so let's see how it goes) was composed of two parts. One was during a conversation I had with a friend yesterday afternoon, in which we talked about Formula 1, and I mentioned how I am a fan of many sports, and how I try to be a little knowledgeable about all of them. He responded with, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't see how sports are a useful topic to know. I mean, they're not really important." I told him that I knew what he meant and that I was not in the least offended, but as I thought about it, I realised that he had basically insulted me, which I then felt foolish about. And upset. The second part of the creation of this song was my epiphany that you shouldn't change yourself completely for someone else, even if it seems like the best and most important thing to do at that moment. The only person who should be able to change you is...well, you. And it got me to thinking about how I overanalyse everything that people say, however casually, and use it to spawn more and more insecurities about absolutely everything I do, adding more imperfection and smudging to the star that I call mine. So yes, it's quite the personal song. It's meant to be from the perspective of a person who was in a verbally abusive relationship, in particular. But I think that everyone can point to at least one time in which s/he was in a verbally abusive relationship. And I find that I'm hurt more by offhand comments that people make, rather than the premeditated insults they throw my way, because it's the offhand comments that mean the most. Because they're the ones that are more honest than something that people have to think about for a while. Does that make sense? Anyway, enjoy?
Imperfect Star
you said, "your hair looks nice today,"
and I thought of all the days it doesn't
you said, "that looks expensive,"
and I ran to the store to return it
and I still hate myself for taking so long
to answer when you asked why I like that song
CHORUS:
they're just little words you say,
small things that you throw away,
words you mean but soon forget
but for me, they're everything I regret
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
you said, "you're really wearing that?"
and I changed my outfit at least three times
you said, "I don't like opinions,"
and I hurried to do away with mine
and since you told me my handwriting's tiny
I've worked on making it easier to read
CHORUS:
they're just little words you say,
small things that you throw away
words you mean but soon forget
but for me, they're everything I regret
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
BRIDGE:
twinkle, twinkle little star
please erase his words from my heart
or I'll never move on, and I'll never be free
why does it hurt so much to be me?
BRIDGE CHORUS:
all of the little things you said
still bounce around inside my head
words you meant, but soon forgot
are those I think about a lot
if all that you saw was what you didn't like
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
CHORUS:
they're just little words you say
small things that you throw away
words you mean but soon forget
but for me, they're everything that I regret
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
an imperfect star...like mine
Well, that's that. I really like it. I basically churned it out in forty minutes, while taking the bus. Incidentally, I sat next to, albeit across the aisle, from the guy who made that irreverential comment about my vast sports knowledge (does saying "my vast sports knowledge" seem like I'm bragging? probably...my building block of sports knowledge). But it seemed that I could not stop myself. And the rest was history. Please let me know any corrections/comments/criticisms/curiosities you have. It means far too much to me for me to explain in words.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
NBK
p.s. ESPANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I happened to be in Barcelona at the time of the World Cup, and it was a wonderfully monumental (I borrowed that word from my friend Kate's blog...thanks) experience. I wish I could've shared every moment of it with you, particularly that of Iniesta's goal, when the entire Plaza Espanya exploded with sound, light, color, flags, fireworks, applause, and the splashing of water from the adjacent fountains. Unbelievable. Incredible. Campeones del Mundo, would you believe it?! I would like to add Fernando Torres to my list of People I Would Like To Spend a Day With, even though this tournament wasn't his best. It's just that I would like to spend a day with him.
p.p.s. Let's dive into one of the sports I'm a little knowledgeable about, which is cycling. To win the Tour de France, I have my money onhot sexy super talented Andy Schleck, as I have since Paris of last year. It seems that Lance is out and Contador is not as in-form as he was last year, for example, which can only be good, although Cadel Evans, the world champion, is on fire. But then he always is, until it comes time for his team to back him up, whereupon the weakness of his domestiques cracks the already crumbling foundations of hope he's standing on and sends him further down the GC. The only thing that can potentially destroy Andy Schleck is the sad fact that his brother broke his collarbone and had to drop out of the Tour, which is dreadfully unfortunate.
p.p.p.s. I should mention two things, before I close up this post (which I had intended to curtail and have it shorter than the last one...whoops!). The first is, that the guy who made that sports comment is one of my closest friends, and I adore him. The second is that the song isn't about him and that I adore him as a friend, and seriously nothing more. Despite the fact that he looks like George Hincapie, if George Hincapie were a pre-med Indian college student from Ohio.
Well, first things first.
I would like to personally extend my congratulations to Miranda Lambert and Kellie Pickler, both of whom got engaged since I last wrote. Kellie Pickler to her songwriting boyfriend of two years, Kyle Jacobs. And Miranda Lambert, of course, is engaged to her boyfriend of five years, Blake Shelton. They're so adorable together, and I am happy that they're finally engaged. While we're on happy wedding news, let's take all of two seconds to acknowledge the fact that Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher got married last night. Why this is headline news on nhl.com, I have no idea. Congratulations to all.
The next order of business is the CMT Awards. I forgot that this is one event I do not recap here, on account of the fact that I had never before had access to a CMT/GAC channel that would allow me to watch it, until this year. However, I will not be changing tradition even despite the fact that I was able to basically watch it in its entirety this year, and will merely divert you to cmt.com if you're at all interested in watching the show.
I would like to talk about The Band Perry for a few moments here, if you'll indulge me. The first time I heard a song of theirs (we're talking about the catchy "Hip to my Heart," here), the first thought that crossed my mind was, "Uh, what the heck is this?", followed shortly by "I'm not a fan." Well, what do you know? I am now. You see, there exists something called the People Country Magazine (a spin-off of People magazine produced by the people at People (HA!) every couple of months, solely about the artists tangentially related to the genre of country music, it's heavenly), and whenever a new issue comes out, there are free downloads of music that the readers can take advantage of through iTunes. It's how I got such crackers of songs such as "The Call," by Matt Kennon (which is now proudly sitting at numer 11 in my Top 25 Most Played playlist with 83 listens since mid-April); "Sunshine," by Steve Azar (clocking in at number 21 with 75 listens); "Bring on the Love," by Coldwater Jane; "My Life Again," by the McClymonts (who are Australian...so cool!); "Rollin' Through the Sunshine," by the Trailer Choir; "Just Knowing You Love Me," by Jimmy Wayne; and "Pray For You," the hit single by new act Jaron & the Long Road To Love (who is actually one-half of the identical twin duo Evan & Jaron, of whom I've been a fan since their Half Dozen album, which I discovered in eighth grade - it was a gift, and it's not country, either, but I absolutely love it), among many many many others. The point of this story about The Band Perry is that in the latest offer in the latest issue, the July issue with Tim McGraw on the cover, their "If I Die Young" was among the songs. And it's absolutely beautiful, and chilling in its honesty and tenderness and simplicity. I may or may not be obsessed with it. And yes, I have become a fan of The Band Perry. What is so endearing about the band is that they're siblings (two brothers, who play the instruments and provide background vocals, and a sister, who does the lead vocals and plays the guitar), and they also write their own music. For example, Kimberly Perry wrote "If I Die Young" all by her lonesome, and she performs it as such, too. It's almost Alison Kraus-like. But stupendously beautiful. Remember their name, The Band Perry, because they will be huge one day, I guarantee it!
And now, onto the title song of this blog post. I've actually had the phrase "imperfect star like mine" bouncing around my head for quite some time now - actually it was originally "hitch your wagon to an imperfect star like mine," before I decided that a. it was way too wordy for my purposes, b. it sounded far too Oregon Trail-y, and c. it was just stupid - but I never really found what I could attach it to, until yesterday. You see, what really sparked the creation of this song (it's been a while since I've actually explained the meaning behind a song here, so let's see how it goes) was composed of two parts. One was during a conversation I had with a friend yesterday afternoon, in which we talked about Formula 1, and I mentioned how I am a fan of many sports, and how I try to be a little knowledgeable about all of them. He responded with, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't see how sports are a useful topic to know. I mean, they're not really important." I told him that I knew what he meant and that I was not in the least offended, but as I thought about it, I realised that he had basically insulted me, which I then felt foolish about. And upset. The second part of the creation of this song was my epiphany that you shouldn't change yourself completely for someone else, even if it seems like the best and most important thing to do at that moment. The only person who should be able to change you is...well, you. And it got me to thinking about how I overanalyse everything that people say, however casually, and use it to spawn more and more insecurities about absolutely everything I do, adding more imperfection and smudging to the star that I call mine. So yes, it's quite the personal song. It's meant to be from the perspective of a person who was in a verbally abusive relationship, in particular. But I think that everyone can point to at least one time in which s/he was in a verbally abusive relationship. And I find that I'm hurt more by offhand comments that people make, rather than the premeditated insults they throw my way, because it's the offhand comments that mean the most. Because they're the ones that are more honest than something that people have to think about for a while. Does that make sense? Anyway, enjoy?
Imperfect Star
you said, "your hair looks nice today,"
and I thought of all the days it doesn't
you said, "that looks expensive,"
and I ran to the store to return it
and I still hate myself for taking so long
to answer when you asked why I like that song
CHORUS:
they're just little words you say,
small things that you throw away,
words you mean but soon forget
but for me, they're everything I regret
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
you said, "you're really wearing that?"
and I changed my outfit at least three times
you said, "I don't like opinions,"
and I hurried to do away with mine
and since you told me my handwriting's tiny
I've worked on making it easier to read
CHORUS:
they're just little words you say,
small things that you throw away
words you mean but soon forget
but for me, they're everything I regret
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
BRIDGE:
twinkle, twinkle little star
please erase his words from my heart
or I'll never move on, and I'll never be free
why does it hurt so much to be me?
BRIDGE CHORUS:
all of the little things you said
still bounce around inside my head
words you meant, but soon forgot
are those I think about a lot
if all that you saw was what you didn't like
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
CHORUS:
they're just little words you say
small things that you throw away
words you mean but soon forget
but for me, they're everything that I regret
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
if all that you see is what you don't like,
why'd you wish on an imperfect star like mine?
an imperfect star...like mine
Well, that's that. I really like it. I basically churned it out in forty minutes, while taking the bus. Incidentally, I sat next to, albeit across the aisle, from the guy who made that irreverential comment about my vast sports knowledge (does saying "my vast sports knowledge" seem like I'm bragging? probably...my building block of sports knowledge). But it seemed that I could not stop myself. And the rest was history. Please let me know any corrections/comments/criticisms/curiosities you have. It means far too much to me for me to explain in words.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
NBK
p.s. ESPANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I happened to be in Barcelona at the time of the World Cup, and it was a wonderfully monumental (I borrowed that word from my friend Kate's blog...thanks) experience. I wish I could've shared every moment of it with you, particularly that of Iniesta's goal, when the entire Plaza Espanya exploded with sound, light, color, flags, fireworks, applause, and the splashing of water from the adjacent fountains. Unbelievable. Incredible. Campeones del Mundo, would you believe it?! I would like to add Fernando Torres to my list of People I Would Like To Spend a Day With, even though this tournament wasn't his best. It's just that I would like to spend a day with him.
p.p.s. Let's dive into one of the sports I'm a little knowledgeable about, which is cycling. To win the Tour de France, I have my money on
p.p.p.s. I should mention two things, before I close up this post (which I had intended to curtail and have it shorter than the last one...whoops!). The first is, that the guy who made that sports comment is one of my closest friends, and I adore him. The second is that the song isn't about him and that I adore him as a friend, and seriously nothing more. Despite the fact that he looks like George Hincapie, if George Hincapie were a pre-med Indian college student from Ohio.
29 June 2010
I Did
Well, hello there.
And so, we continue. Even through travel, and work, and all sorts of fun and exciting things cannot stop this creative mind. You know, with the word "creative" kind of loosely defined. And "mind," too. Anyway, there are a few things I want to get to before I let you in on the next song that I've written. And it's actually a really special and unique one, so here's hoping you like that.
First off, allow me to share with you some new albums that I've discovered. Every summer, I go on this crazy rampage to re-invigorate my seriously undernourished country music collection, and I think I've done a particularly wonderful job this year. If I may say so myself. I was going to do this chronilogically, but it's been a few weeks and I no longer remember the chronology, but I'll do my best. The first couple of CDs I got to supplement those I had already had included The Foundation, the successful debut album of the Zac Brown Band; Shine, the latest Martina McBride; and Unleashed, the redneck album of one Mr. Toby Keith. The last I got simply because the radio that I had been listening to lately kept playing a few songs from that album and they kept getting stuck in my head! And those aren't my favourite ones, anyway. I like "Huckleberry" and "Rodeo Moon." As for the Zac Brown album, my absolute favourite song is the most successful single, "Highway 20 Ride." That's one song that I cannot get enough of. And I've talked about it before, so I'll move on before you get bored and stop reading. "Chicken Fried," the first single, is also wonderful. The other songs on the album haven't particularly wowed me, I have to say. And finally, the Martina McBride is no departure from her earlier albums, too much, as it is full of the optimistic, girl-power songs that she is known for. But my absolute favourite song from this album is the second song, the first single released, "I Just Call You Mine." Simply beautiful. It's...just breathtaking. I just want to listen to it over and over and over again, but it's so powerful that I can only listen to it a few times before I need a break. I recommend it to all. The next batch included the albums Southern Voice, the newest one by Tim McGraw; and No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems, the laidback album from the early 2000s from Kenny Chesney. They're both such different artists that you can tell the difference immediately, and, particularly with these albums, it seemed to me that to listen to them was to know the artists at their very core. Of course, neither one of them writes their own stuff (well, Kenny Chesney does now, but he didn't then), so that may be impossible, but still. I don't think I have an absolute favourite song on either album, but I like them all, which is probably the best anyone can say about an album. I had already had "Young" and "The Good Stuff" from No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems, so I know those are wonderful, but I also like "Big Star." As for the Tim McGraw album, there are a lot of chilling songs, that almost shake you. "Good Girls," "If I Died Today," "You Had To Be There," "Forever Seventeen," and "Love You Goodbye," are among those. And therefore, I can't choose a favourite. The next couple of albums that I got were Fly and Wide Open Spaces (which is alphabetical; the other way around if you're into chronological production) from the Dixie Chicks; and Pull My Chain by their nemesis, Toby Keith. The ones I do like from the latter album are "I'm Just Talkin' 'Bout Tonight," "I Wanna Talk About Me," and "My List," but for the rest, you have to get past the fact that he loves himself so much. As for the Dixie Chicks, just so you know, I'm only ashamed that they aren't from a cooler state than is Texas. They're so talented and so beautiful and so expressive that you just want to sit there and listen to the songs and then go and find them and give them a hug. Of course, these albums are those before IT happened, and they're typical '90s, in that there is very little background music, and the instrumentalisation is generally weak, but what the songs are lacking in music they make up for with vocal talent. I already knew many of the songs from their Top of the World Tour Live album that I already had, but of the ones I didn't know, my absolute favourite from Wide Open Spaces, their debut album, was "You Were Mine." I don't think I can describe the chills that run through my veins still when I hear "he's two and she's four / and you know they adore you..." It's just spectacular. "Let 'Er Rip" is also a pretty cool song. Uptempo, and it's got verve. As for Fly, "Cowboy Take Me Away" has always been one of my favourites of theirs, as well as "Goodbye Earl." Here's a fun little sidenote: I love listening to a song by Toby Keith, and then interrupting it with a song by the Dixie Chicks. I feel like I helped them fight back a little bit. The next batch of albums (the last, I promise) included That Lonesome Song, the breakout - but not debut - album of Jamey Johnson's; Unstoppable, the latest Rascal Flatts album; Some People Change by Montgomery Gentry and sponsored by one of my favourite places, Cracker Barrel; American Ride, another and the newest Toby Keith (yes, yes, I know); When the Sun Goes Down, and old old old album of Kenny Chesney's; Justin Moore, the self-titled debut of one Justin Moore; and, lastly, Defying Gravity, Keith Urban's latest venture. I'll try to make this as brief as possible, dwelling the most on the last album. The only song that really means anything to me on the Jamey Johnson album is "In Color," which I had already had, although "The High Cost of Living" is terrifying in its message. It's probably because the level of hurt and mistakes and mess-up that he was living with when he wrote the songs is one I've never experienced (thank goodness!) and therefore can't connect to, but they make pretty darn good and near-Johnny Cash-level country songs. Unstoppable was very mainstream, compared to That Lonesome Song, but my favourite song is "She'd Be California"; I found it odd that, with all three of them happily married, the majority (and by majority I mean 8 out of 11 songs) of the album was about loss and pain and moving on after heartache, but then I saw that they don't write their songs either, so that explained it. "Why" was tear-inducing for me, literally, and "Summer Nights" was also very fun to listen to. The Montgomery Gentry album was wonderful, from start to finish, but my favourite songs are "Takes All Kinds" and "What Do You Think About That." Although, "Twenty Years Ago" does still make me cry, and there are too many songs to choose from to also name. There is a connection to the Kenny Chesney album in the title song, "Some People Change," in that both have it on their albums, but I don't know if Kenny Chesney has the original and Montgomery Gentry made a cover of it, or if the song is an older one and both Kenny Chesney and Montgomery Gentry made a cover of it. Things to ponder. But the Kenny Chesney album is equally wonderful, although in a different way, of course. "There Goes My Life" and "I Go Back" had been songs that I had already known, but get only more beautiful the more times I listen to them; "The Woman With You" is probably my favourite song on the album, though, followed also by "Keg In the Closet." As for Justin Moore, well...I do actually like "Backwoods," as I had heard it often before, but as a women and as someone who isn't from the South and therefore lacks that entitled mentality, I didn't much appreciate the rest of his songs, particularly "Hank It," "Back that Thing Up," "I Could Kick Your Ass," and "Good Ole American Way." New Toby Keith in the making? Oh, yes. Speaking of, on Toby's album, I particularly like "American Ride" and "Ballad of Balad," because of their melodies, not so much their lyrics. I think I've talked about the former on this blog before, so I won't much go into specifics. "Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song)," also one I have mentioned before, is also terrific, if you want a sad song. And lastly, here I come to the piece de resistance, Keith Urban's Defying Gravity. I am in love with this album, from start to finish, and back again. My absolutely absolute favourite is "If Ever I Could Love," the second song on the album, and I cannot get enough of it, I really can't. It's beautiful, and sensitive, and passionate, and gentle, and rhythmic, and poetic, and a triumph all at once. "Kiss A Girl," "My Heart is Open," and "Thank You," (to pick out just a few more) are also absolutely spectacular. But then they all are. The first time I heard "Thank You," which closes out the album, I was so overcome by the tremendous amount of love he pours into that song that I couldn't help but get teary-eyed. That's the dream, isn't it? And the last album that I just got around to importing into my iTunes was the final Doc Walker that I had bought in Montreal, Everyone Aboard. And it is phenomenal as well, from beginning to end. I had always liked "North Dakota Boy," but "The Show Is Free," "Just Drive," "Forgive Me (For Giving A Damn)," and "Heroes in the Sun" are just as good.
And that concludes that superlong-winded section of the blog post. Phew, I hope it wasn't that annoying to get through.
I would like to address my style of writing these blog posts. Yes, my paragraphs are insanely long and hard on the eyes; I will try to account for that and keep both my comments brief and my topics less interesting. I separate paragraphs based on content, and therefore that paragraph was incredibly long, and I'm sorry!
That having been said, on to the next order of business. And that's the "ACM Presents 'Brooks & Dunn: The Last Rodeo,'" which aired on CBS a few weeks prior to the actual ACM Awards. For those of you who don't know, the event was being held in order to celebrate the career of the record-breaking, powerful duo of Brooks & Dunn (composed of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn), which is breaking up in August after over 20 years together. It's all really sad. In order to fully appreciate the duo, the Academy of Country Music called together a few of Brooks & Dunn's closest friends, all of whom sang a different hit Brooks & Dunn song. Lucky for you, I took detailed notes. What follows is a recapitulation of the events.
To begin, Miss Taylor Swift opened the show, welcoming the artists and the fans to the event, and recounting her favourite Brooks & Dunn memory, which was when the two called her into their bus during a tour in order to show her Ronnie Dunn's "Taylor Swift impression," throwing his head around the way only she does (if you don't know what I'm talking about, I only hope that someone rescues you from the rock you've been living under). She had even caught it on tape, and played it for the crowd. When she introduced the duo and they both walked out, saluted the crowd, and took their places on the couch of honour, Kix Brooks told her, "That's the first time in twenty years that I've ever seen him mess up his hair," to which she responded, "Twenty years....to me, that's like a lifetime." Cue the laughter.
After this opening, Keith Urban came on stage and told his favourite Brooks & Dunn memory, which was in the early '90s, before Keith Urban was Keith Urban; he and his band were playing in an obscure hole in the wall, when in came Kix Brooks and his wife, listened to the set, and invited Keith and his band to tour with the duo for a few weeks. "I thought he was completely hammered," joked Keith, and Kix Brooks spoke up from his couch, saying, "I was." Keith Urban performed "Brand New Man," to much applause. He was followed by the one and only Miranda Lambert, whose story consisted of a makeshift dance party on the Brooks & Dunn tour bus when Kellie Pickler got a hold of the iPod, and put on "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry, to which Ronnie Dunn danced harder than either of the girls. I would've paid anything to have seen that! She then sang, "Hillbilly Deluxe." The reigning Artist of the Decade, George Strait, was up next, and his performance of "Boot-Scootin' Boogie" was accompanied by Kix Brooks playing the harmonica from the couch.
After George Strait cleared the stage, one of the co-producers of the event, Matthew McConaughey, took a microphone and, prior to introducing the next act, joked around for a bit, saying that if needed, he could do a cover of a Brooks & Dunn hit. I myself was thrilled when he and his ego left the stage, leaving room for Kenny Chesney and "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone." The one and only Brad Paisley was next, and he performed "Workin' on My Next Broken Heart" just wonderfully. The next hit Brooks & Dunn song was performed by a fellow duo, Sugarland, whose lead singer, Jennifer Nettles, came onstage sporting a (fake) tattoo of Ronnie Dunn's face on her arm. "Eat your heart out, Taylor Swift," she said amid general amusement, "I can make him do that impression of you whenever I want," flexing and relaxing her arm and making Ronnie Dunn dance. Kristian Bush then sat behind the piano and Jennifer Nettles took a microphone and they both presented "Red Dirt Road." Jason Aldean, who was next, merely took the stage and basically said, "I'm a huge fan," and sang "How Long Gone." Clearly, despite his number 1 songs and his chart success, he's not (yet?) on that top tier of country music which would have allowed him a first-hand memory of Brooks & Dunn. However, the next artist is. And she is Reba McEntire, duet partner and close friend of the duo's, who got visibly emotional performing their latest (last) single, "Indian Summer." It's hard to tell which version I like better, the one she performed or the duo's original.
The chipper star of that tween show, iCarly, Miranda Cosgrove, appeared on stage next (not that I watch that show, mind you, I'd rather stare at the wall) and told the audience that she is a Brooks & Dunn fan because one of their songs hit number 1 status the same day she was born. The duo looked absolutely thrilled that they're that old already. She then introduced Taylor Swift, who did a wonderful interpretation of my very favourite Brooks & Dunn song, "Ain't Nothin' 'Bout You," filled with much of that head maneuvre she does so well. Following in her wake was the enormously successful Lady Antebellum, whose Hillary Scott shared that when she was a child, her mother had been a backup singer for the duo and that she had spent many nights backstage during a show. She and Charles Kelley then launched into the hit duet Brooks & Dunn released with Reba McEntire, "If You See Him/If You See Her."
There then appeared a screen onstage, upon which was projected a video of Maya Angelou, thanking Brooks & Dunn for their work trying to bring peace, particularly with their song, "Believe," which Jennifer Hudson then took the stage to sing. Not that I understood a single word she sang (except for perhaps the word 'believe'), but she has such a tremendous voice that it almost didn't matter. The message was conveyed nonetheless. Carrie Underwood was up next, with the song "Neon Moon." Chilling stuff, that song. She was followed by none other than Darius Rucker, who performed "Hard Workin' Man." Rascal Flatts was the next act, with "Getting Better All The Time." None of these performers had any memories to share. Either that, of I was washing dishes at the time and couldn't get to a pencil to write them down. I mean, I was really washing dishes, I remember that. But I don't remember if there were stories. I apologise.
Faith Hill, however, had a cracker of a memory which she shared that night, prior to performing "The Long Goodbye." It was the story demonstrating how Brooks & Dunn are the masters of practical jokes, as all tours are accompanied by practical jokes of all sorts. During the one and only time she had ever toured with the duo, they were in Canada the last week; one night, she was falling down with exhaustion and excited to go to bed, only to find "a slimy eel defrosting in the sheets." In order to get back at the duo, she had them held up at the Canadian-American border and subjected to a strip search. "They never asked me to tour with them again," she laughed. After she had finished, she presented them with a box of eel from a Chinese restaurant, which they devoured right there on stage. Her husband followed as the last solo performer of the event, with "Ain't Nowhere to Go."
Following Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire came back on stage and invited Brooks & Dun to join her, recounting all of their records and listing all of their accomplishments and awards. She then presented them with an ACM Milestone Award, for all they've contributed to country music. There was a super long standing ovation, a well-deserved congratulations, afterwards. She next invited them to pick up their instruments of choice and implored them to "Play Something Country," which they did, inviting all of the performers of the night to join them onstage and sing along. It was a joyous ending to a beautiful night and a long and successful career.
I hope you noticed that I broke up the paragraphs for you. Is that better?
And now, after this marathon blog post (I don't know how that happened), we finally reach the last portion, which is my own song. At the beginning, I mentioned that it's special and unique. And it is. In the wake of that spectacular event known as Eurovision, I decided to challenge myself (as I had done before, see "Zach is Looking Hot Tonight") to write a duet, because it's not something I had ever done before and I wanted to see if I could succeed. And what came out of the challenge was "I Did." See for yourself if I succeeded.
I Did
(male)
I remember thinking, "Look at that, man, that girl's smile couldn't get any finer,"
I remember thinking, "Maybe I should throw caution to the wind and wink at her,"
and I did
(female)
I remember thinking, "Was there just sunshine in his eyes, or did he really wink at me?"
I remember thinking, "Maybe I should go to him and introduce myself casually,"
and I did
CHORUS:
(both)
Maybe I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you
but I did
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do
but I did
No one believed in love at first sight
but I did
(male)
I remember thinking, "It's been two years, I should ask her to marry me,"
so I did
I remember thinking, "I'm going to say 'yes' when he gets down on one knee,"
and I did
CHORUS:
(both)
Maybe I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you
but I did
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do
but I did
No one believed in love at first sight
but I did
(female)
No one believed in love at first sight,
and
BRIDGE:
(female)
they said it was a flirty thing, a summer fling
and that we weren't meant to last
(male)
but we've proved them wrong, still going strong
soaking up the time flying by so fast
CHORUS:
(both)
Maybe I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you
but I did
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do
but I did
No one believed in love at first sight
but I did
yeah, I did
(female, spoken)
I still do
(male, spoken)
I do, too
Well, please let me know if you think I succeeded. Thank you for all of your input! I appreciate any time you take to write some feedback back to me.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
NBK
And so, we continue. Even through travel, and work, and all sorts of fun and exciting things cannot stop this creative mind. You know, with the word "creative" kind of loosely defined. And "mind," too. Anyway, there are a few things I want to get to before I let you in on the next song that I've written. And it's actually a really special and unique one, so here's hoping you like that.
First off, allow me to share with you some new albums that I've discovered. Every summer, I go on this crazy rampage to re-invigorate my seriously undernourished country music collection, and I think I've done a particularly wonderful job this year. If I may say so myself. I was going to do this chronilogically, but it's been a few weeks and I no longer remember the chronology, but I'll do my best. The first couple of CDs I got to supplement those I had already had included The Foundation, the successful debut album of the Zac Brown Band; Shine, the latest Martina McBride; and Unleashed, the redneck album of one Mr. Toby Keith. The last I got simply because the radio that I had been listening to lately kept playing a few songs from that album and they kept getting stuck in my head! And those aren't my favourite ones, anyway. I like "Huckleberry" and "Rodeo Moon." As for the Zac Brown album, my absolute favourite song is the most successful single, "Highway 20 Ride." That's one song that I cannot get enough of. And I've talked about it before, so I'll move on before you get bored and stop reading. "Chicken Fried," the first single, is also wonderful. The other songs on the album haven't particularly wowed me, I have to say. And finally, the Martina McBride is no departure from her earlier albums, too much, as it is full of the optimistic, girl-power songs that she is known for. But my absolute favourite song from this album is the second song, the first single released, "I Just Call You Mine." Simply beautiful. It's...just breathtaking. I just want to listen to it over and over and over again, but it's so powerful that I can only listen to it a few times before I need a break. I recommend it to all. The next batch included the albums Southern Voice, the newest one by Tim McGraw; and No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems, the laidback album from the early 2000s from Kenny Chesney. They're both such different artists that you can tell the difference immediately, and, particularly with these albums, it seemed to me that to listen to them was to know the artists at their very core. Of course, neither one of them writes their own stuff (well, Kenny Chesney does now, but he didn't then), so that may be impossible, but still. I don't think I have an absolute favourite song on either album, but I like them all, which is probably the best anyone can say about an album. I had already had "Young" and "The Good Stuff" from No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems, so I know those are wonderful, but I also like "Big Star." As for the Tim McGraw album, there are a lot of chilling songs, that almost shake you. "Good Girls," "If I Died Today," "You Had To Be There," "Forever Seventeen," and "Love You Goodbye," are among those. And therefore, I can't choose a favourite. The next couple of albums that I got were Fly and Wide Open Spaces (which is alphabetical; the other way around if you're into chronological production) from the Dixie Chicks; and Pull My Chain by their nemesis, Toby Keith. The ones I do like from the latter album are "I'm Just Talkin' 'Bout Tonight," "I Wanna Talk About Me," and "My List," but for the rest, you have to get past the fact that he loves himself so much. As for the Dixie Chicks, just so you know, I'm only ashamed that they aren't from a cooler state than is Texas. They're so talented and so beautiful and so expressive that you just want to sit there and listen to the songs and then go and find them and give them a hug. Of course, these albums are those before IT happened, and they're typical '90s, in that there is very little background music, and the instrumentalisation is generally weak, but what the songs are lacking in music they make up for with vocal talent. I already knew many of the songs from their Top of the World Tour Live album that I already had, but of the ones I didn't know, my absolute favourite from Wide Open Spaces, their debut album, was "You Were Mine." I don't think I can describe the chills that run through my veins still when I hear "he's two and she's four / and you know they adore you..." It's just spectacular. "Let 'Er Rip" is also a pretty cool song. Uptempo, and it's got verve. As for Fly, "Cowboy Take Me Away" has always been one of my favourites of theirs, as well as "Goodbye Earl." Here's a fun little sidenote: I love listening to a song by Toby Keith, and then interrupting it with a song by the Dixie Chicks. I feel like I helped them fight back a little bit. The next batch of albums (the last, I promise) included That Lonesome Song, the breakout - but not debut - album of Jamey Johnson's; Unstoppable, the latest Rascal Flatts album; Some People Change by Montgomery Gentry and sponsored by one of my favourite places, Cracker Barrel; American Ride, another and the newest Toby Keith (yes, yes, I know); When the Sun Goes Down, and old old old album of Kenny Chesney's; Justin Moore, the self-titled debut of one Justin Moore; and, lastly, Defying Gravity, Keith Urban's latest venture. I'll try to make this as brief as possible, dwelling the most on the last album. The only song that really means anything to me on the Jamey Johnson album is "In Color," which I had already had, although "The High Cost of Living" is terrifying in its message. It's probably because the level of hurt and mistakes and mess-up that he was living with when he wrote the songs is one I've never experienced (thank goodness!) and therefore can't connect to, but they make pretty darn good and near-Johnny Cash-level country songs. Unstoppable was very mainstream, compared to That Lonesome Song, but my favourite song is "She'd Be California"; I found it odd that, with all three of them happily married, the majority (and by majority I mean 8 out of 11 songs) of the album was about loss and pain and moving on after heartache, but then I saw that they don't write their songs either, so that explained it. "Why" was tear-inducing for me, literally, and "Summer Nights" was also very fun to listen to. The Montgomery Gentry album was wonderful, from start to finish, but my favourite songs are "Takes All Kinds" and "What Do You Think About That." Although, "Twenty Years Ago" does still make me cry, and there are too many songs to choose from to also name. There is a connection to the Kenny Chesney album in the title song, "Some People Change," in that both have it on their albums, but I don't know if Kenny Chesney has the original and Montgomery Gentry made a cover of it, or if the song is an older one and both Kenny Chesney and Montgomery Gentry made a cover of it. Things to ponder. But the Kenny Chesney album is equally wonderful, although in a different way, of course. "There Goes My Life" and "I Go Back" had been songs that I had already known, but get only more beautiful the more times I listen to them; "The Woman With You" is probably my favourite song on the album, though, followed also by "Keg In the Closet." As for Justin Moore, well...I do actually like "Backwoods," as I had heard it often before, but as a women and as someone who isn't from the South and therefore lacks that entitled mentality, I didn't much appreciate the rest of his songs, particularly "Hank It," "Back that Thing Up," "I Could Kick Your Ass," and "Good Ole American Way." New Toby Keith in the making? Oh, yes. Speaking of, on Toby's album, I particularly like "American Ride" and "Ballad of Balad," because of their melodies, not so much their lyrics. I think I've talked about the former on this blog before, so I won't much go into specifics. "Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song)," also one I have mentioned before, is also terrific, if you want a sad song. And lastly, here I come to the piece de resistance, Keith Urban's Defying Gravity. I am in love with this album, from start to finish, and back again. My absolutely absolute favourite is "If Ever I Could Love," the second song on the album, and I cannot get enough of it, I really can't. It's beautiful, and sensitive, and passionate, and gentle, and rhythmic, and poetic, and a triumph all at once. "Kiss A Girl," "My Heart is Open," and "Thank You," (to pick out just a few more) are also absolutely spectacular. But then they all are. The first time I heard "Thank You," which closes out the album, I was so overcome by the tremendous amount of love he pours into that song that I couldn't help but get teary-eyed. That's the dream, isn't it? And the last album that I just got around to importing into my iTunes was the final Doc Walker that I had bought in Montreal, Everyone Aboard. And it is phenomenal as well, from beginning to end. I had always liked "North Dakota Boy," but "The Show Is Free," "Just Drive," "Forgive Me (For Giving A Damn)," and "Heroes in the Sun" are just as good.
And that concludes that superlong-winded section of the blog post. Phew, I hope it wasn't that annoying to get through.
I would like to address my style of writing these blog posts. Yes, my paragraphs are insanely long and hard on the eyes; I will try to account for that and keep both my comments brief and my topics less interesting. I separate paragraphs based on content, and therefore that paragraph was incredibly long, and I'm sorry!
That having been said, on to the next order of business. And that's the "ACM Presents 'Brooks & Dunn: The Last Rodeo,'" which aired on CBS a few weeks prior to the actual ACM Awards. For those of you who don't know, the event was being held in order to celebrate the career of the record-breaking, powerful duo of Brooks & Dunn (composed of Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn), which is breaking up in August after over 20 years together. It's all really sad. In order to fully appreciate the duo, the Academy of Country Music called together a few of Brooks & Dunn's closest friends, all of whom sang a different hit Brooks & Dunn song. Lucky for you, I took detailed notes. What follows is a recapitulation of the events.
To begin, Miss Taylor Swift opened the show, welcoming the artists and the fans to the event, and recounting her favourite Brooks & Dunn memory, which was when the two called her into their bus during a tour in order to show her Ronnie Dunn's "Taylor Swift impression," throwing his head around the way only she does (if you don't know what I'm talking about, I only hope that someone rescues you from the rock you've been living under). She had even caught it on tape, and played it for the crowd. When she introduced the duo and they both walked out, saluted the crowd, and took their places on the couch of honour, Kix Brooks told her, "That's the first time in twenty years that I've ever seen him mess up his hair," to which she responded, "Twenty years....to me, that's like a lifetime." Cue the laughter.
After this opening, Keith Urban came on stage and told his favourite Brooks & Dunn memory, which was in the early '90s, before Keith Urban was Keith Urban; he and his band were playing in an obscure hole in the wall, when in came Kix Brooks and his wife, listened to the set, and invited Keith and his band to tour with the duo for a few weeks. "I thought he was completely hammered," joked Keith, and Kix Brooks spoke up from his couch, saying, "I was." Keith Urban performed "Brand New Man," to much applause. He was followed by the one and only Miranda Lambert, whose story consisted of a makeshift dance party on the Brooks & Dunn tour bus when Kellie Pickler got a hold of the iPod, and put on "I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry, to which Ronnie Dunn danced harder than either of the girls. I would've paid anything to have seen that! She then sang, "Hillbilly Deluxe." The reigning Artist of the Decade, George Strait, was up next, and his performance of "Boot-Scootin' Boogie" was accompanied by Kix Brooks playing the harmonica from the couch.
After George Strait cleared the stage, one of the co-producers of the event, Matthew McConaughey, took a microphone and, prior to introducing the next act, joked around for a bit, saying that if needed, he could do a cover of a Brooks & Dunn hit. I myself was thrilled when he and his ego left the stage, leaving room for Kenny Chesney and "You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone." The one and only Brad Paisley was next, and he performed "Workin' on My Next Broken Heart" just wonderfully. The next hit Brooks & Dunn song was performed by a fellow duo, Sugarland, whose lead singer, Jennifer Nettles, came onstage sporting a (fake) tattoo of Ronnie Dunn's face on her arm. "Eat your heart out, Taylor Swift," she said amid general amusement, "I can make him do that impression of you whenever I want," flexing and relaxing her arm and making Ronnie Dunn dance. Kristian Bush then sat behind the piano and Jennifer Nettles took a microphone and they both presented "Red Dirt Road." Jason Aldean, who was next, merely took the stage and basically said, "I'm a huge fan," and sang "How Long Gone." Clearly, despite his number 1 songs and his chart success, he's not (yet?) on that top tier of country music which would have allowed him a first-hand memory of Brooks & Dunn. However, the next artist is. And she is Reba McEntire, duet partner and close friend of the duo's, who got visibly emotional performing their latest (last) single, "Indian Summer." It's hard to tell which version I like better, the one she performed or the duo's original.
The chipper star of that tween show, iCarly, Miranda Cosgrove, appeared on stage next (not that I watch that show, mind you, I'd rather stare at the wall) and told the audience that she is a Brooks & Dunn fan because one of their songs hit number 1 status the same day she was born. The duo looked absolutely thrilled that they're that old already. She then introduced Taylor Swift, who did a wonderful interpretation of my very favourite Brooks & Dunn song, "Ain't Nothin' 'Bout You," filled with much of that head maneuvre she does so well. Following in her wake was the enormously successful Lady Antebellum, whose Hillary Scott shared that when she was a child, her mother had been a backup singer for the duo and that she had spent many nights backstage during a show. She and Charles Kelley then launched into the hit duet Brooks & Dunn released with Reba McEntire, "If You See Him/If You See Her."
There then appeared a screen onstage, upon which was projected a video of Maya Angelou, thanking Brooks & Dunn for their work trying to bring peace, particularly with their song, "Believe," which Jennifer Hudson then took the stage to sing. Not that I understood a single word she sang (except for perhaps the word 'believe'), but she has such a tremendous voice that it almost didn't matter. The message was conveyed nonetheless. Carrie Underwood was up next, with the song "Neon Moon." Chilling stuff, that song. She was followed by none other than Darius Rucker, who performed "Hard Workin' Man." Rascal Flatts was the next act, with "Getting Better All The Time." None of these performers had any memories to share. Either that, of I was washing dishes at the time and couldn't get to a pencil to write them down. I mean, I was really washing dishes, I remember that. But I don't remember if there were stories. I apologise.
Faith Hill, however, had a cracker of a memory which she shared that night, prior to performing "The Long Goodbye." It was the story demonstrating how Brooks & Dunn are the masters of practical jokes, as all tours are accompanied by practical jokes of all sorts. During the one and only time she had ever toured with the duo, they were in Canada the last week; one night, she was falling down with exhaustion and excited to go to bed, only to find "a slimy eel defrosting in the sheets." In order to get back at the duo, she had them held up at the Canadian-American border and subjected to a strip search. "They never asked me to tour with them again," she laughed. After she had finished, she presented them with a box of eel from a Chinese restaurant, which they devoured right there on stage. Her husband followed as the last solo performer of the event, with "Ain't Nowhere to Go."
Following Tim McGraw, Reba McEntire came back on stage and invited Brooks & Dun to join her, recounting all of their records and listing all of their accomplishments and awards. She then presented them with an ACM Milestone Award, for all they've contributed to country music. There was a super long standing ovation, a well-deserved congratulations, afterwards. She next invited them to pick up their instruments of choice and implored them to "Play Something Country," which they did, inviting all of the performers of the night to join them onstage and sing along. It was a joyous ending to a beautiful night and a long and successful career.
I hope you noticed that I broke up the paragraphs for you. Is that better?
And now, after this marathon blog post (I don't know how that happened), we finally reach the last portion, which is my own song. At the beginning, I mentioned that it's special and unique. And it is. In the wake of that spectacular event known as Eurovision, I decided to challenge myself (as I had done before, see "Zach is Looking Hot Tonight") to write a duet, because it's not something I had ever done before and I wanted to see if I could succeed. And what came out of the challenge was "I Did." See for yourself if I succeeded.
I Did
(male)
I remember thinking, "Look at that, man, that girl's smile couldn't get any finer,"
I remember thinking, "Maybe I should throw caution to the wind and wink at her,"
and I did
(female)
I remember thinking, "Was there just sunshine in his eyes, or did he really wink at me?"
I remember thinking, "Maybe I should go to him and introduce myself casually,"
and I did
CHORUS:
(both)
Maybe I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you
but I did
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do
but I did
No one believed in love at first sight
but I did
(male)
I remember thinking, "It's been two years, I should ask her to marry me,"
so I did
I remember thinking, "I'm going to say 'yes' when he gets down on one knee,"
and I did
CHORUS:
(both)
Maybe I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you
but I did
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do
but I did
No one believed in love at first sight
but I did
(female)
No one believed in love at first sight,
and
BRIDGE:
(female)
they said it was a flirty thing, a summer fling
and that we weren't meant to last
(male)
but we've proved them wrong, still going strong
soaking up the time flying by so fast
CHORUS:
(both)
Maybe I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you
but I did
Maybe it wasn't the right thing to do
but I did
No one believed in love at first sight
but I did
yeah, I did
(female, spoken)
I still do
(male, spoken)
I do, too
Well, please let me know if you think I succeeded. Thank you for all of your input! I appreciate any time you take to write some feedback back to me.
Much love, and thank you for the musik!
NBK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)