Yearly Archives: 2015

by | September 11, 2015 · 7:00 am

ATX: My Favorite Beach

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My freshman year at UT felt like one long, endless, horrible day. It was my backup plan to say the least, and a place I ended up due more to my parent’s desires than my own. I actually paid for housing at A&M! (dark days for me)- Austin was not a place I wanted to be; it was a dirty hippie town with too much pop culture for me to handle. I spent my days dreaming of the east coast, of the beach, just wanting to get away. Between the “foreign car drivin’ [frat] dudes”, their “road rage attitudes”, and a pretty nasty oral infection: my freshman year went a LOT like Blake Shelton’s day in “Some Beach”.

[Editor’s note: Shelton’s YouTube account apparently does not allow this video to be embedded in posts published on sites like this one.]

Shockingly, once I left my dorm room and ventured out into the UT atmosphere- aside from just going to class and back- I realized maybe I was being a little close-minded. I joined a spirit organization on campus, the Texas Angels (also very much instigated by my mother, she’s very persuasive), and began to branch out a little more. I found my niche in an otherwise overwhelming city and I have gained several close friends over the past year, I definitely wouldn’t move to the east coast now, even if I had the opportunity.

Everyone told me how incredible Austin was and how much I was going to love UT before I left, but I was way too fixated on a some beach fantasy to even give it a shot. Every time I listen to this song I want to go back in time, grab myself by the shoulders and scream STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES! THE BEACH SUCKS IT’S JUST SAND IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES AND JELLYFISH AND THE OCCASIONAL WARDROBE MALFUNCTION! Blake Shelton was clearly having a rough day, but out of that came a really catchy song with a very happy vibe that makes me think even Shelton knows he’ll feel better tomorrow.

tumblr_mk9f79EoKN1riqywyo5_250I’m not sure why this song still makes me think of my freshman year of college, maybe because I’d still love to live a life in constant vacation-mode, or because you can’t get take a trip down 35 without getting honked at by some road-rager at least once, but regardless, I turn the radio up every time it comes on. As I’ve grown to love and engage with the beautiful city of Austin, I’ve also grown to realize that Austin is a city where I can truly be myself, I can interact with great and interesting people, I can even drink a margarita and I don’t have to worry about when the last time I applied sunscreen was. ATX is my beach.

 

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by | September 10, 2015 · 5:00 pm

Like Father Like Daughter

It surprises me sometimes just how much my family influences my opinions and attitudes. Growing up I had my fair share of “I will never do that to my kid” moments, but recently I have begrudgingly realized that I am the spitting image of my parents. Their influence, especially my father’s, has carried over into my tastes in music. As an eight-year-old kid I craved the moments we would go driving on rural country roads because it meant my dad would let me sit in the front seat. He would pop his favorite CD of easy-going music in the radio and sing along to Jimmy Buffett with the windows rolled down. This was the kind of music he referred to as “the best stuff on earth,” and I could not agree more. As a child, I had no idea what a “margaritaville” was, I just knew that I liked the sound of the steel drums and thought the singer was overreacting to the loss of a salt shaker. Soon I found myself knowing all of the words to the songs on the CD and loving it.

It wasn’t long before my dad exposed me to a slightly different type of music. This time the acoustic guitar was the star and the songs described the exact country roads we were driving on. Kenny Chesney was the first country artist I was introduced to, and he remains to this day one of my absolute favorites (he even pays homage to the great Jimmy Buffett in his hit “How Forever Feels“). His down-home lyrics and nostalgic sound make even the most unsentimental listener wistful for the past, a characteristic I find to be especially important in country music.

The song I think best reflects the role my family played in developing my taste in country music is “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere” by Alan Jackson featuring Jimmy Buffett. And no, not for its literal meaning, but rather for the way it makes you feel like you don’t have a care in the world. When I hear the hints of island sound, it reminds me of the breeze blowing through my hair as I listened to Jimmy Buffett in the car with my dad, and of course Buffett’s vocal cameo in the song only makes that memory stronger. I also appreciate how the lyrics create a sense of total relaxation. The line “The sun is hot and that old clock is moving slow, and so am I” makes the listener feel warm and stress-free as if they themselves were in margaritaville.

All around, Alan Jackson is an amazing artist and holds a special place in my love of country music. His classic sound has inspired me to listen to older country stars in a time when pop-country is pervasive throughout the genre, and he reminds me to always stay close to my roots. His was the first country concert I ever went to, and on top of it all it was one that I was able to attend with my dad. So I guess no matter how hard I might try to refute it, my parents do have some good taste.

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Classic Country

by | · 11:00 am

Young Country

Most people assume that being the youngest child of a family is synonymous with being a spoiled brat, but I think otherwise.  Has anyone ever thought that maybe a child is a spoiled brat because their parents allow that? I, for one, am the youngest of four children and work for everything in life. For me, this is easily relatable to classic country music. Many songs like Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” express hardworking woman, without discriminating against age or what number child you are.  dolly-parton-press-2014-650-430

Sure, there will be spoiled brats that just so happen to be the youngest child, but that goes for all stereotypes.

There’s more to being the youngest than just getting people to see you for you. Some of the biggest issues of being the youngest child are “How will I get people to stop stereotyping me?” or “Will I ever be able to break out of the shadows of my older siblings?”

Frankly, I can’t help if my parents look at me as their “baby” because I am. I’ll admit that, but it doesn’t mean I had any control over the matter. As soon as people hear I’m the youngest of four kids, they automatically begin to assume I’m either a trouble maker (which in fact is my sister-number 3) or I get what I want. While “The Baby” by Blake Shelton tunes into the youngest child stereotype, it also does a great job of describing how my mother sees me.

635511422966331949-XXX-GARTH-BROOKS-MUS-jy-0170-The same concept could go for people who are only children or the middle child. No matter where you are in the pecking order, it seems like you have a stereotype. Truth be told, I did tattle when I was younger, but as far as I’m concerned everyone has at some point or another. It even seems like youngest children get the most grief from their older siblings when they get older about their past. However, I’ve always found comfort in country music growing up. No matter how much my siblings and I fought, when we turned on Garth Brooks or the Dixie Chicks, we put all matters aside.

Despite what others may think, I know many youngest children who actually end up baring the most responsibility of any of their siblings. Getting a job and paying for my own things came naturally to me, but when I’d treat myself to things, I still would get stereotypical thoughts that my parents paid for it. If there is one thing that country music has taught me, and that I’ve been able to relate to my situation, is that hard work won’t always go unnoticed. If I keep fighting against these stereotypes, people may see me for me, not as the youngest child.

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Reflection, Song Analysis, Women

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by | · 7:00 am

A Classic American Love Story: How Country Music Stole My Heart

Prior to my college career, I had little interest in country music. Aside from my brief two-week phase in middle school, country music was never my music of choice, and at times, I even cringed when I heard it.

Britney-Spears-Cringe-FaceUpon entering college, I immersed myself in a culture so enthralled with country music that it was abnormal to NOT have it playing at events. Bar-B-Q’s, two-stepping date events, Midnight Rodeo, and football tailgates are just a few of the places that I have been exposed to the genre that captures the true meaning of southern pride.

Zac_Efron_Grilling_-_NeighborsBeing in a sorority—a sorority at The University of Texas in Austin, which happens to be the live music capital of the world—has fed my passion for country music, but what ultimately marked my change in spirit was working as employee at a small boutique. I spend hours on end working away in that little store, and most of the time, we have the radio set to country stations. It’s relaxing, enjoyable, and fits in with the desired dynamic of the store.

The first time I worked at the store, I remember hearing the whiney sound of some country song and thinking how much I wished I could control the station and change it to an indie or pop station. After a couple of weeks, it still did not sit right with my ears, because I felt as if it all sounded the same.

wonka-eyerollOften what can define our taste in music are the people we surround ourselves with, such as our friends and family. That is why it came as a surprise to me when I realized that I was beginning to enjoy some of the more popular tunes found on various country stations. One such song that remains my favorite is “Like a Wrecking Ball” by Eric Church. His music as a whole is well written and has an almost retro sound. It was then that I truly began to appreciate country music.

bale1Some may contend that contemporary country music can hardly be placed under the genre of country, because it has been so highly influenced by popular culture. I have found that modern country music has helped me slowly integrate older music into my life, and I have begun to fully appreciate its value.

giphyIn the end, I am thankful to my boss for introducing me to such an amazing genre of music, and I cannot wait to continue to learn more about it through this course.

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Class work, Country Pop

by | September 9, 2015 · 5:00 pm

It Must Be The Little Things

Everyone can agree that peer influences get to just about everybody. Who hasn’t heard from their parent’s “If your best friend (insert relevant name here) jumped off a bridge, would you too?” And while many people might not be prone to bridge jumping, there are definitely things one would do just because they took note of who else was doing it around them.

The home stretch of the teenage years is upon those in college. And though there are the occasionally murmurs of “I’m not ready to grow up”, or “I want to be young forever”, it’s not that hard to unite together in remembrance of some awkward, strange, and overall laughable teenage memories that have shaped each and every person into who they are today.

Being 19 years old does still categorize me with all other teenage girls, but I’m not ashamed.

Teenage years are pretty horrendous, especially for girls. From boy problems, to friends, school, sports and everything else in between, it’s pretty easy to get caught up in what everyone else around you is doing or saying. This makes focusing on bettering and truly becoming you much harder. Because of this “tunnel vision”, as sung by Justin Timberlake, it wasn’t hard to jump onto the country music bandwagon. Watching older girls go to country concerts and dress up with all of their friends and then post endlessly about it on all social media outlets, inevitably lead me to believe country music was “cool”.

Having limited access to downloading music because of pretty strict parents made my country music bingeing consist of mainly Taylor Swift (no complaints there), Eli Young Band, and Miranda Lambert.

Now I will not argue about whether or not Taylor Swift should still be considered a country artist, for that you can refer to CBS news. However, I will defend Taylor’s first singles from when she was up-and-coming.

Taylor Swift has accomplished and will continue to accomplish many musical feats, but what she is most well known for is writing songs that are relatable for teenage girls. One that brings me back almost all the way to pre-teen Alyssa is “I’d Lie”. It was the first song I listened to when I got a car at age 16, and easily is my absolute favorite throwback song to play on road trips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCuzMK3pXck

Because country music was introduced to me through Taylor Swift (try not to cringe) and a few other bands/artists during my teenage years, I view the genre as youthful and playful. Hearing those country songs on the radio that talk about boys, friends, school, sports, and everything in between, never fails to remind me of high school friends and finding myself.

Country music as a whole has the power to influence every listener differently, no matter the age or gender. One can say that it can’t be put into a specific box. As society grows and transforms, so does country music. Whatever way country music makes you feel- it is catchy, and therefor a prominent and influential  genre. All genres have this potential, but country music hits it right on the nose.

The little things in life can have a much bigger impact on one than might be led on, and I am living proof of that. And on top of that, peer influences during teen years are so weighty. They affected the type of music I listened to, and still listen to, to this day. Makes you wonder what other influences have done and/or will do?

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Filed under Blog Post 1, Country Pop, Women