Filed under: Singles In Need Of Saving Series, Uncategorized | Tags: Billboard, Last Call, Lee Ann Womack, Singles In Need Of Saving Series, Solitary Thinkin
You see it every week, another song topped the Billboard charts. And while at times it seems just plain dumb to think a song is good because it made it to the number one position on a certain chart, WE DO. And if we are a fan of the song, then we of course are happy when the song hits number one or breaks a new record.
But what happens when a song on a chart isn’t thriving so much? Then we might get a little mad and try to figure out how to help the song chart higher. I for one, know I am guilty of feeling this way. So I decided it’d be nice to a have an occasional post here that lets people a chance to give some exposure to a single that hasn’t been doing so hot over at Billboard.
The only rules:
1.They can’t be in any of the Top 15 positions, and
2. A month has to have passed since it’s release to radio.
My recommendation: It’s no secret that Lee Ann Womack hasn’t been very appreciated at radio for the past couple of years. Her song “Last Call” was her first Top 20 single in 3 years. Her new single “Solitary Thinkin” has so far only peaked at the 39th position on the Billboard Country Charts, since being released back in April. While it doesn‘t have a typical up-tempo country-pop beat to it. “Solitary Thinkin” has tinges of pop and R&B with it’s nice slow-tempo country sound that I’m surprised few have latched on too.
Now it’s your turn, so post away! :D
Filed under: Alternative Music, Country Music, Country/Pop, Pop Music, Pop/Rock Music, Uncategorized | Tags: Avril Lavigne, Dixie Chicks, Doves, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Green Day, Michelle Branch, Reba McEntire, Stevie Nicks, Tim McGraw
While many music blogs and websites post happier songs on Father’s Day, I thought it’d be more truthful to myself if I posted songs that deal with kids who didn’t have fathers. Either because their dads passed away when they were young(which was my case) or because their dads were estranged from them for whatever reason.
So for anyone who is having a hard time getting through this day, here are a couple of songs that, while sad, may help you realize that you are not alone in your pain and that there are other people out there who can relate.
“Grown Men Don’t Cry” – Tim McGraw
While at first it seems like just another regular ballad by Tim, by the end of the song you realize how much the song is about the narrator’s relationship with his father and how he is trying to make his relationship with his child better than what he had with his dad.
“He Gets That From Me” – Reba McEntire
This one deals with a widowed mom and her fatherless son, as the mom goes back in forth between what the son gets from her and from his dad; And nothing is as sad as when she sings “Last night I heard him pray, Lord, help me and mama make it through, And tell daddy we’ll be okay, He said he sure misses you, … He gets that from me.”
“The Greatest Man I Never Knew” – Reba McEntire
In another one of Reba’s great ballads, she sings about how she never truly knew her dad because of how hard he had to work to keep the family a float, and how she still wishes she would’ve gotten a chance to know him better before he had passed.
“Top Of The World” – Dixie Chicks
One of the most haunting songs of the decade, this deals with a cycle of bad relationships in a family, and one of the adult children wanting to make her relationship with her child different than what she had with her parents While seemingly not a very original concept, the music and vocals of the Dixie Chicks on this one will show you why this has become a true fan-favorite. The music video is as equally good.
“When You Come Back To Me Again” – Garth Brooks
This Golden Globe nominated song was co-written by Brooks for the 2000 movie Frequency. Garth used his mother’s passing as inspiration for the song, and it‘s meaning can be used for a father‘s passing as well.
“I Miss You” – Stevie Nicks
This 2001 pop ballad deals with the narrator proclaiming how much she misses a loved onee and how she has so many questions about relationships, love, and pain. Again, this is up to interpretation, but when you hear Nicks wanting to get advice from the person that she has lost, it makes you think of a child needing advice from their parent.
“Here With Me” – Michelle Branch
This one fits well with both the deadbeat dad or the dad that’s passed.
“The Day You Slipped Away” – Avril Lavigne
Avril wrote this about her grandpa that passed, and put it on her 2004 Under My Skin album. She recalls the day her grandpa had died and how she didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. The song never mentions anything about a grandpa, which was probably a smart move as it opens up many more people to put their spin on it.
“Wake Me Up When September Ends” – Green Day
Many people have thought that his song was written about 9/11 since the music video for this song was centered around it and the September mention to it; but lead singer Billie Joel Armstrong had written this song about his father, who died of cancer on September 1st 1982. At the funeral Joel cried, ran home, and locked himself in his room. His mother came home and knocked on the door, in which Billy replied, “Wake me up when September ends.” The song recalls how the years have gone so fast since his father’s passing.
“You’re Still Here” – Faith Hill
This beautiful ballad is similar to “He Gets That From Me”, in which Faith proclaims that her passed lover is still with her and her child, and how she can see him in her baby’s eyes.
“Caught By The River” – Doves
This one by alternative band Doves is a father’s message to his son not to lose control. While this isn’t about losing a dad, the song is almost an unanswered prayer of sorts from a father to a son, to not let his anger overcome him and his life.
Filed under: Country Music, Flashback Series | Tags: 1987, 1991, Flashback Series, God Will, Here's A Quarter(Call Someone Who Cares), Lyle Lovett, Patty Loveless, Up Against My Heart
Lyle Lovett first had a Top 20 hit with this song in 1987. As you’ll see on the video, Patty’s cover of this song became popular when she sang it live before she broke through in the 90’s; And so she put it on her 1991 Up Against My Heart album. A smart choice, considering how well done her rendition of it is.
This makes Travis Tritt’s “Here’s A Quarter(Call Someone Who Cares)” look like nothing after hearing the lyrics in this country kiss-off. Props to Lyle and Patty! (I could’ve just made a really dumb joke about both of their last names and the song, but I figure I’ll spare you the pain.)
Filed under: Country/Pop, Uncategorized | Tags: 2007, Let The Wind Chase You, Trisha Yearwood
Ok, I’m guessing that this station I’m listening to on the radio either really likes the song or it’s been released as a single, because I’ve been hearing Trisha’s “Let The Wind Chase You”, with Keith Urban, off her 2007 album Heaven, Heartache, and The Power Of Love on the radio a few times for the past couple of months.
While I’m guessing that Trisha didn’t release the song as a single, since she already stated she would be starting work on a new album soon; I’m crossing my fingers for this beautiful song make it on the country charts!
Filed under: Country/Pop, Flashback Series | Tags: 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, A Place In The Sun, Aaron Neville, Billboard Hot 100, Flashback Series, Linda Ronstadt, Please Remember Me, Rodney Crowell, Tim McGraw, Will Jennings
“Please Remember Me” became Tim McGraw’s 9th non-consecutive number one hit and became his highest peaking solo hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1999; where it peaked at #10 on the chart. The song was co-written by Rodney Crowell and Will Jennings. The track was originally recorded by Crowell on his 1995 album Jewel Of The South. Crowell released the song as single in 1995 where it peaked at #69 on the Billboard country charts. Aaron Neville and Linda Ronstadt recorded this song as duet on Aaron’s 1997 album To Make Me Who I Am.
You can find Tim’s cover of “Please Remember Me” on his 1999 album A Place In the Sun and on his first Greatest Hits (my first album I got as a kid!),released in 2000. Although with all those greatest hits albums that have been released in the past year or two I’m sure you can find it on there as well. :D
Filed under: Electropop, Pop Music, Single Reviews | Tags: I Do Not Hook Up, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, My Life Would Suck Without You, single review
Sidenote: I know I have been severly lacking updates on this website, but I promise that I’ll start getting more posts up when school is over.
So Kelly Clarkson made a huge comeback yet again with “My Life Would Suck Without You”. Now comes her follow-up single “I Do Not Hook Up”. Penned by new sensation Katy Perry, Kelly belts out the lyrics with feisty energy telling that certain-someone that she will not be another one-night stand that he won’t remember from the night before. While it looks as if the song comes off as another anti-guy anthem for teen girls everywhere, “I Do Not Hook Up” isn’t a man bash, but a woman standing her ground and knowing that giving into the man isn’t going to help either of them if they want to have a real relationship. If the plot hasn’t drawn you in, you’ll fall in love with Kelly’s vocals as they soar while singing catcy lyrics like “So if you want me, I don’t come cheap. Keep your head on my hand, and your heart on your sleeve.”
Why America makes “My Life Would Suck Without You” a bigger hit than this masterpiece is a complete disgrace to pop music. Even if it doesn’t become a Number One, Kelly, Katy, and the music arrangers should all give themselves props for creating such a brilliant piece of electropop.
A
Filed under: ACMs, Country Music | Tags: 1996, 90's, blockbuster, No One Needs To Know, Shania Twain, Twister
This past week, as I was browsing YouTube, I came across Shania Twain’s music video for “No One Needs To Know” which featured clips of the 1996 blockbuster Twister. After watching the music video, I decided to go rent the movie and watch it. While the movie isn’t the most riveting thing to watch, I did enjoy it. I’ve always been a fan of 90’s movies, as I love the 90’s decade. Probably not a surprise since I was born in the 90’s and had a great childhood throughout the decade.
While Twister and Shania’s “No One Needs To Know” have very little in common; I loved the music video and the movie scenes that were featured in it. And as I watched the movie, I couldn’t help but lose my train of thinking, when the song played during the cafe scene.
So this led me to thinking, in the majority of cases; which one(songs or movies) seem to benefit the most out of the whole ordeal?
Filed under: Country Music, Country/Pop, Flashback Series | Tags: 2000, Blue Clear Sky, Blue On Black, Dixie Chicks, Flashback Series, George Strait, I Hope You Dance, Kenny Wayne Shpepard, Lee Ann Womack, Lonestar, No News, There's Your Trouble
“I Hope You Dance” became a crossover hit back in 2000 when it went number one on both the country and adult contemporary charts. The songs success isn’t much of a shocker, given it’s message. This song has had multiple interpretations, whether it be about a mother advising her daughters not to make the same mistakes she did, and sit it out instead of dance or a lover hoping that her loved one will not became bitter after she is gone. Either way you interpret it, the song’s message can be heard loud and clear when she belts out “DANCE!”
Interesting Facts:
-
In an interview with Songwriter Universe magazine, Sillers explained that she was going through a painful divorce when she wrote this song. Said Sillers: “For ‘I Hope You Dance,’ I had written the opening line, ‘I hope you never lose your sense of wonder. I had just broken up with someone, going through a brutal divorce. I needed to get away, so I went to a beach on the Florida Gulf Coast. Sitting on the beach and reflecting about the break-up, I felt so small and inconsequential. But out of this difficult time came the inspiration to write ‘I Hope You Dance.’ As I was leaving the beach, I remember thinking that things weren’t really so bad, that I would get through it. That’s when I came up with the line, ‘I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean.’”
-
This was written by Tia Sillers and Mark Sanders. Sillers also wrote “There’s Your Trouble” for The Dixie Chicks and “Blue On Black” for Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Sanders has written several Country hits, including “Blue Clear Sky” for George Strait and “No News” for Lonestar.
-
This won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song and also the Country Music Award for Song Of The Year.
Filed under: Country Music, Country/Pop, Electropop, Pop Music | Tags: Country Music, Country/Pop, CSI, Electropop, Fearless, Remix, Sophomore, Taylor Swift, You're Not Sorry
While doing my homework this past Thursday night, my sister came 
downstairs and turned the tv on to watch CSI, mostly because Taylor Swift was guest-starring. While watching I won’t say I thought Taylor was a great actor, but you gotta give the girl props; she’s 19, has already had two hit albums and looks like, with time, she could hold her own in acting.
Moving on, while I thought the episode was interesting, I was more fascinated by the remixed version of “You’re Not Sorry” that was played during the show. The remix was much more electropop compared to Swift’s usual country/pop. After hearing it, I couldn’t help but wonder if Swift would be better off going completely pop.
Many of us know that Taylor is definitely in the confines of country/pop more than any other genre in country music (and some could still argue that.) Her recent sophomore album Fearless just further cemented that. There’s also no doubt that Taylor will be a great songwriter for the next decade and maybe more to come. But the real question is should Taylor ditch all of her country roots and go pop, or should she still stay in the confines of the country/pop genre for now?
Filed under: Pop Music, Pop/Rock Music | Tags: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007, Alasis Morissette, Avril Lavigne, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Don't Tell Me, Eragon, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Girlfriend, Kelly Clarkson, Kenny Chesney, Let Go, Madonna, My Happy Ending, Pop/Punk, Pop/Rock, Post-Grunge, Reba McEntire, Teen Pop, The Best Damn Thing, Under My Skin
Back in 2002, when I was about 10, I noticed my 23 year old sister had bought the album Let Go by (the then new) Avril Lavigne. Soon after I got a copy of it for myself (I know what a lame little brother, huh?) After giving it one listen I fell in love with pop/rock and the new mature teen pop that was replacing bubblegum pop artists like Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys.
2004 came around and Lavigne was back at it again with her 
sophomore album Under My Skin. While the album didn’t sell as much as her debut, it produced the two hits, the first ”Don’t Tell Me” and the second, the smash hit “My Happy Ending”. The album, in it’s musical right, was darker than the first, with songs showing a darker yet mature side Avril as she dealt with more grown-up subjects. With that said it was still firmly rooted in pop/rock which made it a successful, a little more evolved follow-up to Let Go. In the years that followed Lavigne had been one of my favorite pop/rock female artists, with Kelly Clarkson soon taking her lead.
Then around late 
2006, Lavigne released the hit single “Keep Holding On” for the movie Eragon. The song was a bit of departure from the music she had on her previous albums, with less rock influence on it and more power pop elements, which worked well for the song. Early 2007, Avril’s official first single off her third album The Best Damn Thing, ”Girlfriend” hits radio and becomes one of her biggest career hits. I thought the song was a great rush of pop-punk, but from there on I knew that her new album would be a departure from what we’d seen before. After it was released I didn’t know whether to love it or hate it.
So what’s the point of me blabbering on about this? Well I’ll tell ya! Soon after I began looking at many more artists and how they’re styles have changed from album to album. While some artists have barely changed their musical stylings(Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, and for the most part Reba McEntire), using the “if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” formula; Many artists have changed their styles multiple times(Madonna, Faith Hill, Alanis Morissette) to either stay-up with new trends or to keep things different and more fresh.
So my question to everyone; Who are some artists who have made changes in their music, for the worse or better?
