Category Archives: Reflection

by | October 8, 2015 · 7:00 am

What A&M and Miranda Lambert Have in Common

In 2007, Miranda Lambert released her song “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”, a classic story about an insanely jealous, gun toting ex girlfriend stalking her boyfriend and throwing things at him in a bar. All of this is completely normal, apparently. And she’s honestly kind of proud of it.

While I can’t say I really identify with Miranda in this situation, it’s still a pretty entertaining song. It’s probably how ridiculous the whole idea is that makes it so good, not many people know what its like to go to 30 bars to try and find your ex boyfriend just to get drunk and throw things at him. But yet it’s so easy to picture it happening that listeners can still relate to it. It also helps to realize what not to do after a breakup, no matter how bad the other person messed up.

We all have some sort of crazy ex though; the one that just can’t seem to get over you. Most likely you haven’t been stalked and assaulted by your ex, but there’s always that one that’s just a little crazy. Usually it just means they can’t stop calling or texting you or even the ones that keep showing up in your life trying to get back with you.

The closest experience I have to this song would be being a UT student and interacting with Texas A&M students. In this situation, the A&M students are the crazy ex. It’s been almost 4 years since these two teams last played each other, and since A&M was beat by the amazing Texas Longhorns. And yet, they still can’t seem to get over us.

To this day, they refer to The University of Texas as “TU”, which is apparently a huge insult. They’re so into hating on us that they even sing about us in their fight song, saying “’They eyes of Texas are upon you’/That is the song they sing so well/So goodbye to Texas University/We’re going to beat you all to.” This song screams “craxy ex-girlfriend” over and over again, just like at the end of Miranda’s song.

I’d say the fact that they feel so strongly about us to incorporate us into their school song says a lot about their sanity levels. But its not just the song that makes them the crazy ex in this relationship, it’s the fact that after 4 years of not playing each other they still sing it. In the words of Mariah Carey, “why you so obsessed with me?”

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The cult that is Texas A&M literally breeds their students to hate UT, while UT students somehow manage to find other things to concern themselves with. Meanwhile, Miranda is following her ex around with a pistol and physically assaulting him while he’s just trying to mind his own business. Maybe these two aren’t exactly equivalent, but you get the picture. Hopefully A&M can learn to get over us one day, and Miranda can learn to leave the gun at home after a breakup.

11 Comments

Filed under Blog Post 3, Country Pop, Reflection

by | October 5, 2015 · 7:00 am

Haters Gon’ Hate (Country Music)

Why do people hate country music? I think that is the one thing I absolutely don’t understand in life, especially down here in the South. Country music fits all emotions, covers all issues, and relates to all types of people. But why do so many people drink the country music haterade?

country hateradeI guess my teen years really helped expand my love for the genre. Teen angst was real, but I always felt better when a country song would come on the radio that I could deeply relate to on an emotional level. It made me feel like I wasn’t alone, and that’s pretty much the recurring theme when you’re 13 and wanting to fit in.

Country music is stronger than ever these days with cross-over artists like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, and Florida Georgia Line. These songs are obviously more pop-sounding to reach the mainstream audiences. But as a true country music fan, I’d rather listen to the 80s and 90s era of country than almost anything I hear on the radio today.

When you’re at a party and the night is coming to a close, and some brave soul turns on “Friends in Low Places” by Garth Brooks, what person would refuse to shout obnoxiously to the beginning lines “Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots”? It is a complete game changer when you go from dirty rap to good ole’ classic country. The night may be dwindling down but my heart is happy when the two-stepping breaks out. Even if you had the worst night, you can’t hate on the person that is twirling you across the floor to some good lookin’ George Strait.

Country music is the best way to live. There are so many country songs about different issues and events that have happened throughout history. “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” by Alan Jackson relates to the horrific tragedy of 9/11. There are so many country songs about American pride like “Only in America” by Brooks & Dunn and “American Soldier” by Toby Keith. Country is sensitive and rarely offensive unlike many songs we hear on the radio today.

Any person can find some country song they can relate to. “Brokenheartsville” by Joe Nichols relates to the heartbroken. “Bye Bye” by Jo Dee Messina is a great moving-on anthem. “Wild One” by Faith Hill speaks to all the rebellious teen girls. “Red Ragtop” by Tim McGraw references a couple’s life after abortion. Almost any Jason Aldean song can give the guys a sense of nostalgia of younger years. Give me a situation; I’ll find a country song for it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FU2ntUdbhxc

In my opinion, everyone should love country music because I don’t see any reason to hate it. Country music truly brings me back down to Earth. It calms me down, it hypes me up, it makes me cry, and Brad Paisley can make me laugh on any given day. Maybe I’m just okay with feeling emotions, but everyone feels them at one point or another; who wouldn’t want a country song there for comfort? I may never understand the country music haters, but I’ll defend the genre until I die.

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Filed under Blog Post 2, Classic Country, Country Pop, Reflection, USA

by | October 2, 2015 · 7:00 am

Taking You Back to Those Friday Night Lights

Its Friday afternoon, (in my case) around 3:30, and the final school bell rings. You run out to your car, roll down the windows, plug in the auxiliary cord and its time to jam on the ride home and get ready for some of the most unforgettable nights of high school. Country music is the first thing I think of when I remember the flashy bright lights of Friday night football. Here is a playlist that I hope will help you reminisce on some of the best times of our lives.

Of course “Boys of Fall,” by Kenny Chesney is first on the list. Every lyric gives me the chills, but the beginning really stands out, “When I feel that chill, smell that fresh cut grass/ I’m back in my helmet, cleats, and shoulder pads/ Standin’ in the huddle listenin’ to the call/ Fans goin’ crazy for the boys of fall.” I am sure everyone remembers either being on the field, or supporting your team to victory. The end truly encompasses the aspect of team when it says, “You mess with one man, you got us all/ The boys of fall.” Coming from a high school where our athletic teams were such a big deal, this song takes me back to the track where we stood in our cowboy boots and football jerseys watching our friends out on the field. This is the song that most likely was played in a graduation video that immediately brought tears.

“Fireworks” by Hudson Moore is a song that really hits home. This song is one that would be played at max volume the whole way home. Coming from Fort Worth as well, Hudson Moore does a great job in honoring Fort Worth high school football. “football/game on a Friday night/ the whole town came just to watch us fight/ i’ll never forget the last game we played/ they turned out the lights but everybody stayed.” This song gives an image of the whole school celebrating a win.

“Red Dirt Road” by Brooks & Dunn. This song highlights some of the memories of high school for example, “It’s where I drank my first beer/ It’s where I found Jesus/ Where I wrecked my first car/ I tore it all to pieces.” Although this song doesn’t directly mention high school football, it brings us all back to the memories of those crazy and unforgettable four years.

“If I Could Do it Again” by Corey Smith is another song that instantly makes us nostalgic. This song contains many lyrics that eventually become senior quotes and words to remember when you are in the middle of high school. It says, “If I could do it again/I’d do it the same/ Not one regret/ I wouldn’t change a thing.” This song is all about living with no regrets and making the best of the time we have.

“Friday Night” by Eric Pasley is a song about finding that high school first love and wanting to be that Friday night that everyone looks forward to. “I wanna be your Friday night sweet ride/Summertime sunshine barefoot in the moonlight/ I wanna be your jackpot hot spot/Wide open road in a candy apple rag top/I wanna set you free, I wanna take you high/I wanna be, wanna be your Friday night/ Oh your Friday night.” It makes me think of that high school boyfriend and looking forward to getting to be around them at the football games Friday night.

So if you are ever in the mood to roll down the windows and turn the volume on max, I hope these songs will make you think of the past and those Friday night lights.

5 Comments

Filed under Blog Post 2, Lists, Reflection, Texas

by | September 27, 2015 · 7:00 am

How Sara Evans Helped Me Get Over My First Breakup

So picture this: I’m 14 years old, I’ve been in high school for 6 months, and am awkward as can be. I still hadn’t quite figured out how the whole public school thing worked and I missed the 43 people I’d gone to school with for the past 10 years. Dressing myself was still a struggle because I’d only ever worn a uniform, and I was only so good at making new friends. I blame all of this on private school, but that’s beside the point.

Lets rewind to October 2010, my second month of high school. Enter the boy…we’ll call him Charlie. Charlie asked me to homecoming after I only knew him for two weeks and it was a HUGE deal. A boy? Liked me? It was crazy! The homecoming date progressed into a five-month relationship- this was monumentally long considering it was basically a middle school level relationship.

Unfortunately for my freshman year self and fortunately my future self, the relationship ended. At the time, it felt like the sky was falling. How could I possibly recover from being broken up with? I wallowed in self-pity for way to long, going over and over the heartbreak of the breakup.

That is, until one morning while I was getting ready for school and listening to Today’s Country Radio on Pandora, Sara Evans’ “A Little Bit Stronger” came on. This is the song that changed it all. Her country twang and singing style was different from most other female country singers so it caught my attention. This song in particular was exactly what I needed to hear. I guess you could say it “spoke” to me. The line “Even on my weakest days, I get a little bit stronger” ,in particular, got me out of bed and pepped up that day.

For about a month after that, I listened to that song every morning, day, and night. I would belt out the song along with her, I’m pretty sure the entire neighborhood could hear me singing “I’m better off without baby” at the top of my lungs. I credit this song as the inspiration for my high school comeback. From here on it got better. I figured out how to dress myself and made amazing friends, but I couldn’t have done it without Sara.

As my one-sided relationship with Sara Evans progressed, I discovered I identify with her a lot. She’s got opinions about country music that I can’t say I disagree with, mainly that there needs to be more equality in the genre, which is seemingly dominated by male artists. I loved a quote I found from her saying that she’s “excited to hear any song that’s not about drinking, or beer, or trucks, or partying, or jeans…” which can be found in this Rolling Stone Article here. I find her music refreshing, it’s different from most other songs on country radio stations right now. Not saying that every song about beer and trucks are horrible, but her music offers a nice reprieve from the common themes.

Lucky for me, these opinions of hers have led her to write songs that speak to people. Songs that tell a story and lift people up. And that help a teenage girl get over her first breakup and conquer the world of public high school.

9 Comments

Filed under Blog Post 2, Country Pop, Reflection, Song Analysis, Women

by | September 22, 2015 · 7:00 am

Outlaws: A Concept of Country Music’s Past or a Thriving Genre?

When I think of outlaws I think of the gunslingin’, trash-talkin’, do-no-gooders who ruled the old west in the 1800s. Little did I know until this past week that outlaw refers to a certain genre of country. An outlaw, according to dictionary.com, is some one who is a rebel or a non-conformist. Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson characterize the true meaning of an outlaw in country music. Their collaborative song “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” pokes fun at the definition of a classic cowboy saying, “They’ll never stay home and they’re always alone. Even with someone they love.” The song continues to define the classic cowboy when ironically Jennings and Nelson epitomize the opposite of such. The country music outlaw does not allow record producers and popular culture to define the meaning of a cowboy and country music. They are the free spirits and trailblazers of country music that set the pace for the rest of the pack.

willie

Willie Nelson (pictured on the left) was tired of the clean cut style the Nashville culture encouraged him to pursue, so he moved to Austin, grew his hair out, and wore a bandana—a tangible sign that he was fed up with the mainstream definition of country. Waylon Jennings also grew weary of the controlling Nashville labels that told him he could not play his guitar in recording sessions and that he must dress a certain way. Both of these men had enough…and they did something about it.

The outlaw movement reigned in the 70s, but what about outlaws today? Can we still find them roaming the charts of country music like those that went before them? Has the definition of outlaw evolved so much today that there is no such thing as a true outlaw like Nelson or Jennings? Luke Bryan makes it clear to everyone that he, indeed, is NOT an outlaw due to the fact that he does not “do cocaine and run around“. Thanks for the clarification, Luke! Bryan’s laughably skewed definition of outlaw proves the idea that outlaw is a term loosely thrown about in the country music world today, giving us reason to doubt anyone could truly hold that title anymore.

Although it is highly contested, many would argue that Eric Church is a modern day outlaw. He began his career as an outlaw by getting kicked off the Rascal Flatts tour for refusing to follow directions and outplaying the rest of the band. Church also stays true to his own music and writes many of his own songs–unlike many mainstreamers who work very closely with the record labels, resulting in generic, crowd-pleasing hits.

M_KaceyMusgravesGun630_120513What about Kacey Musgraves? She is quickly gaining a presence in country music with many awards, nominations and top of the chart hits. She clearly earns the title of outlaw with the unique and controversial topics she explores in her songs. In her chart topping hit “Follow Your Arrow”, Kacey unveils the truth that no matter what you do in life people will criticize you so “you might as well just do whatever you want.” It is this kind of mentality that influences Kacey’s music career, earning her the outlaw title.

So there it is.  Being an outlaw does not mean you have to fly under the radar or even be a pioneer of country music’s past.  It means embracing your true identity regardless of what others may think. Although true outlaws are difficult to come by today, they exist and they are thriving.

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Filed under Blog Post 2, Outlaw, Reflection