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 Joe Armstrong had written this song about his father, who died of cancer on September 1st 1982. At the funeral Joe 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: 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?
Filed under: Country Music, Country/Pop, Pop Music, Pop/Rock Music, Uncategorized | Tags: Pop/Rock, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Garth Brooks, Martina McBride, 1997, Tim McGraw, You're Still The One, Come On Over, Whitney Houston, Snow Patrol, I Will Always Love You, I Love You, Valentines Day, My Heart Will Go On, GAC, Maroon 5, She Will Be Loved, 2004, Celine Dion, '97, Dixie Chicks, Cowboy Take Me Away, If Tommorow Never Comes
I hope everyone is having a happy Valentines Day. Some readers might 
have noticed that I took down the two Top 10 Love Song entries for Alan Jackson and Trisha Yearwood. The reason for this is mostly because I was busy with school this week, and I figured it might be easier if I do the series next year, and that way I have more time to edit and make changes to future posts.
Now, since it’s Valentines, I figured I’d post some of my favorite love songs, considering GAC did a crappy Top 20 countdown. Seriously, who believes that viewers voted Shelton’s “Home” video as the Number One love song? And how can Shania’s “You’re Still The One” not even be on the list? I smell something fishy.
So to get my mind of that train wreck, here are some videos you will hopefully enjoy.
If you caught on to my words above, it’s no shocker that one of my favorite love songs is Shania’s “You’re Still The One” from her Come On Over album. P.S. Doesn’t the video make you wish you were living on that beach forever?
Next up is Maroon 5 with “She Will Be Loved”. I don’t know what it is about this song but it always brings me back to the summer of 2004.
What’s a Valentine’s day without “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine.
We can’t forget Tim & Faith’s hit “It’s Your Love” from ‘97.
We need the Chicks to come spice things up with “Cowboy Take Me Away”.
Add some of Garth Brooks with “If Tommorow Never Comes”
I’m a sucker for this one:
Figure I had some pop/rock to the mix:
And I think Whitney can end out the night with this homerun.
Filed under: Country Music, Flashback Series | Tags: 1990, Flashback Series, Garth Brooks, The Dance
In 1989 Garth Brooks came on the scene with his self-titled debut album. It spawned four hits but none of them matched the power of “The Dance”, which was released as a single in 1990. The song eventually went on to be a number one hit on the US Country Charts and an anthem to those who have loved and lost, and to people who have passed.
I have always related this song to my parents relationship. In 2005, my Dad passed unexpectedly at 52, which left my Mom to raise two teenagers by herself. So whenever I hear this song I always have to stop in my tracks as I can’t help but think of my parents and the father I lost. While this is song is almost painfully mournfu, it also sends the great message that no matter how much it hurts now to have lost that person, you are still better off for having loved them and to have ’danced’ which I think is the best comparison to life.
The video for the song is below, which IMHO is one of the most powerful music videos ever made.
If you have a story or just opinions about the song please feel free to post a comment below.
