Category Archives: Song Analysis

by | November 1, 2014 · 6:00 am

Meaningful Songs

Everyone has that one song or maybe a few songs that mean a lot to him or her because it reminds them of someone, a special event or it just makes them feel good. I have many of those song but some of the most meaningful songs for me are country songs. Although I have a lot of songs that I could talk about, I would like to share just three of those songs with you and why they mean a lot to me.

Just A Kiss-Lady Antebellum (2011)

Lady AThis is one of the songs that I have liked ever since I first heard it and it is one of my favorite songs by Lady Antebellum. I remember that I heard it on the radio one day while driving and when I got home I went online and looked up the video and I loved it even more. Since I play the piano, I really liked how the song started off with the piano and I liked the lyrics. That is why I initially liked it.

I kept listening to it often ever since I heard it but it wasn’t until a year later that it became more meaningful to me. I met my boyfriend that year and he doesn’t like country music but I decided to share this song with him. I was actually quite scared to hear what he had to say but I was surprised with what he told me. He actually liked the song and told me why he liked it. Now every time I hear that song, it brings back to memory about when I first started a relationship with my boyfriend and that is why this song is one of my favorites.

See You Again– Carrie Underwood (2012)

See You AgainA fun fact about this song is that it was written in hopes that it would make it to the soundtrack for the Chronicles of Narnia but unfortunately it didn’t make it. It is still an amazing song, in my opinion. Carrie Underwood released this song back in her most recent album Blown Away. I had heard it a couple times after it was released but it wasn’t until August 2013 that I actually paid attention to it.

My aunt had just passed away and I was affected by the loss. I missed the first week and a half of the fall semester to go to Mexico for the funeral and even when I came back I was having a hard time coping with it. While trying to catch up in school, I was listening to music and this song came on. The instant the song was over I was crying but after crying for a bit I felt more peaceful. The song is talking about losing a loved one and having hope and coping with such a terrible loss. Now every time I hear that song I think about my aunt but I don’t get sad like I used to at first. Now I think about the good times I had with her, which weren’t that many, but they were special for me and my family.

Luke Bryan pianoDo I– Luke Bryan (2009)

I think by now everyone knows that I like Luke Bryan, a lot, so there is obviously a song by him that I really like. In this case, “Do I” is one of my all-time favorite songs. This song is actually the first country song I heard, back when it came out in 2009. I was in high school and I remember that I did not listen to country music at all but for some reason this song changed that.

One of my friends actually made me listen to that song and from that moment on, I have liked country music. I looked up the song when I got home, just like every other song, and I watched the video and I liked it ten times more. I saw Luke playing the piano, one reason I liked it more, and I just liked the way that it sounded. After that, I kept listening to more songs by him and I started to listen to other artists as well and that is how I started to listen to country music. That song lead me to be more open to country music and the fact that the piano was one of the main instruments makes that song better for me. I can sing that song with many of my co-workers or friends nowadays and it is such a cool feeling to sing it with other people and it was even better to have sung it at his concert last month. I don’t think I will ever get tired of listening and singing this song.

Those are just three of my favorite songs but I could definitely talk about a lot more. If you have any songs that are meaningful to you or that you really like or maybe you like one of these three songs, I would love to hear about it.

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Filed under Reflection, Song Analysis

by | October 25, 2014 · 8:00 am

Murder On Music Row

Artists“Murder On Music Row,” is a popular song originally written by Larry Shell and Larry Cordle in 1999 and later covered by George Strait and Alan Jackson in what came to be a hit duet. When I first heard this song I didn’t fully understand the point it was trying to get across. However, when I heard this song for a second time on one of George Strait’s ‘greatest hits’ CD, I became aware of its lyrical meaning.

This song created much controversy in the music industry because of its criticism towards mainstream country music at that time. The lyrics criticize the on-going trend of pop music integrating it’s way into country music. Strait and Jackson agreed with the meaning behind this song by making their own cover together.

Country music tends to have this reputation of “twangy” songs, fiddle playing, drinking and love stories. The lyrics state, “For the steel guitars no longer cry and fiddles barely play.” It seems as if the country sounds were being taken out of country music around the time the song was written. “They said no one would buy them old drinking and cheating songs.” Traditional country music was slowly dying due to the new style of music and new upcoming artists. The song refers to Meryl Haggard by stating, “Why, the Hag, he wouldn’t have a chance on today’s radio.” Because of the way country music was changing so much, if people heard Meryl on the radio they wouldn’t know what to think.

Murder_on_Music_RowIf you listen to “Murder On Music Row,” which I suggest you do, the sound ties back into the meaning of the song by keeping the true country sound. With the twang in their voices, the fiddle in the background, and the acoustic guitars, Strait and Jackson relay a message to the country music industry, striving to keep the traditional country music alive. As two true country artists, they saw what country music was turning into and what it was soon to become. Strait and Jackson may be seen as the saviors of traditional country music in the era of its changes.

As it seems, many agree that pop country has taken over and “murdered” true country music. It has changed drastically in the past decade, leaving fans questioning, “what is true country music?” If the new music is not classified as country, then what is it?

Lyrics found at: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/georgestrait/murderonmusicrow.html

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Filed under Movies and TV, Music Videos, New Country, New Traditionalism, Song Analysis

by | October 20, 2014 · 8:00 am

Dance Your Heart Out

Have you ever heard a country song and get lost in the lyrics? I feel that every country song puts me in a different mood. I even have different country playlists on my Spotify. One is labeled “Midnight” and contains songs that I have danced multiple times to at Midnight Rodeo. I think it is also interesting the way that country music also connects people. Even though my boyfriend and I met through a social dance class, we kind of started to fall for each other each time we would go country dancing. Even before we were a couple, strangers at Midnight Rodeo and even Dallas Nightclub would tell us we dance so well together. There are a few songs that every time we hear them played at any country venue, we cannot stay off the dance floor.

Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like a Woman!

This is one of the best one-step songs we love dancing to. They do not play it at a lot of country dance halls, but at Midnight Rodeo they usually play it every Thursday. I think it is even more interesting because before the song comes on she usually tells us it is ladies choice. I think it’s more fun when I get to ask him to dance.

Lee Brice – I Don’t Dance

This song is pretty ironic only because my boyfriend actually knows how to dance and he is pretty good at it too. But we both love the song anyway. Of course as soon as it comes on we try and find each other to dance the song with one another. When it comes on in the car we turn it up and just listen. We stop talking for a moment and just feel the music and imagine ourselves out on the dance floor two- steppin’ the night away.

Deana Carter – Strawberry Wine

This song is much different than the rest because even though it is a country song, there is a different way to dance to the song than just two-step. This can actually be considered a cross-step waltz song. The beat is much different and the steps are a lot smaller with a different frame structure. Sometimes I feel like when we dance it at Midnight Rodeo people look at us like we are crazy. But I’m truly glad he knows cross-step waltz and is really good at it.

Blake Shelton – Footloose

So I know this is not the original “Footloose” track, but it is the one that they play sometimes at Midnight Rodeo. This is not really one-step or two-step either. This is actually one of our favorite line dances that they play at many different country dance halls. There are also many different ways you can do the line dance. I remember we went to rebels and people were doing all kinds of crazy moves. I like the version that we learned at Midnight Rodeo and in our social dance class.

In case anyone was wondering where you could learn two-step, or one-step, or cross-step waltz, there is an AMAZING social dance class offered at UT taught by Campbell Miller. There are even different levels from Beginner to Advanced. That’s where the two of us met and I can honestly say that the class is one of the best parts of my day.

Feel free to leave your comments below!

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Filed under Dancing, Song Analysis, Texas

by | October 5, 2014 · 2:23 pm

Country Studyin’

When I’m studying or writing papers, I always have some sort of music playing. Depending on what type of day it is, the music can vary from 90’s hip-hop to blues/jazz, but I always prefer Country Music. Some songs certainly stick out above others, and some songs are not meant to listen to while studying. I try to shoot for the medium-paced soothing country songs to help me focus on my work. Any type of loud/fast up-tempo songs usually distract me from my work. I’m sure there are some that disagree, but as I care to tell it, this is how I prefer to groove while doing school work.IMG_0358

There are certain songs I listen to depending on what type of homework I have to do. This song is a prime example of a not too slowed-down melody that would be great to listen to while writing a paper. Eric Church tells a story that many people can relate to in this song. Personally, I enjoy hearing a story like this while writing papers, it puts you in a better mood and keeps your mind off how much you have left to write. When writing a paper, nobody should listen to a song like Whiskey Lullaby by Brad Paisley. This type of song could potentially put you in a sad mood and make you not want to write any further.

Wayfaring Stranger has been performed by different types of artists such as Jack White, Ed Sheeran and Johnny Cash. I prefer to listen to not only the Johnny Cash version, but any Johnny Cash tunes when i’m studying for an exam for various reasons. There is something about listening to older country music that really helps me concentrate while studying. When I listen to older country songs, I don’t know the words to a lot of them. I think this helps me focus on learning a topic because i’m not singing the words in my head, and these songs are rather used for background music.

This song incorporates my two favorite types of music to listen to while doing homework: Country & Blues. It’s unique to me in many ways, and can be listened to in either writing a paper or studying. First written by Ray Charles, Willie Nelson combines the bluesy rhythms into his own country twang to create a musical masterpiece. It might be a little slower than Sinners Like Me, but it’s an uplifting song that one could listen to while writing a paper. It’s also an older song that could be listened to while studying or reading. The Blues part slows the song down and helps me focus on the object at hand.

willie-ray

Willie Nelson (left) and Ray Charles (right)

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Filed under Classic Country, Lists, New Country, Song Analysis

by | September 30, 2014 · 9:21 am

Country Nights on Spotify

I recently caved in to the pressures from society, and all of my friends, and made myself an account on Spotify. I had never really understood what the big deal was, because I had music on my ITunes and listened to the radio whenever I was in my car. I got my fix of music, both country and other, or so I thought. I went online and decided to take the plunge and create an account just to see what all of the hype was about.

Needless to say, my life has been changed forever. I went for the Premium option since it’s half off for students, and why not spend more money as a broke college student. I didn’t really know what I was doing, as I was new to the Spotify experience, so I just started clicking random things and searching for random music.

Of course, being the fanatic I am, my first search was for anything country. I stumbled upon a playlist titled Country Nights, which contained a mix of country-dance music and many songs that you might hear on your typical country radio station. To say that I listened to this playlist non-stop in all of my free time would be an understatement because I listened to this music even when I should have been studying or paying attention to other things. Imagine my excitement when I realized the true glory of Spotify playlists; they are continuously adding new music.

In the past week, there have been five new songs added to the list: “Burnin’ It Down” and “Tonight Looks Good On You” by Jason Aldean, “Drink It Up” by Kenny Chesney, “Lonely Tonight” by Blake Shelton ft. Ashley Monroe, and “Day Drinking” by Little Big Town.

  1. “Burnin’ It Down” by Jason Aldean Like a lot of Jason Aldean’s music, this song has a very pop feel, with the addition of some techno/alternative hints at the beginning of the song and a little bit throughout. It is trying to be a slow, more intimate song, but the background bass and electric sounds are leaning more toward a dance song. The words themselves are kind of country, but, honestly, I don’t think the song really fits Jason Aldean’s personality. Even though Jason has, as of 5 days ago, a fiancé 10 years younger than him, he is typically seen as more of a family man with his 2 young daughters. This song, however, is a very sexual song, which, aside from his photographed affair in 2012, is not typically Jason’s style. Overall, I’d say this is more R&B than country in its makeup.85fcc9e1717888a8ccbb031dab8eb44398e12a85
  1. “Tonight Looks Good On You” by Jason Aldean Just like “Burnin’ It Down,” this song has a very techno background feel throughout the song. My feelings about this song are pretty similar to my feelings of “Burnin’ It Down.” I don’t think that this is really a country song, and honestly I think that Jason is pulling a Taylor Swift move and drifting toward pop music. I don’t know if it’s intentional, but I think these songs are definitely showing this dramatic change in his production standard. Only time will tell whether this is a good move or bad move for Jason.
  1. “Drink It Up” by Kenny Chesney This song is totally country in my opinion. It has a strong rock influence, but I think that in this case it really adds to the country feel. The drinking theme throughout the song is one that is very frequently used in country music, and the asymmetrical rhythm gives the song more of a rough, redneck feel. Kenny Chesney has come on to many people’s radars recently with the popularity of “American Kids,” but I definitely think that this is one of my favorite songs of his I have heard.
  1. “Lonely Tonight” by Blake Shelton ft. Ashley Monroe Before I saw this song appear on the playlist, I had never heard of Ashley Monroe, so I was very skeptical at first. However, as normal, Blake Shelton did not disappoint with his song or his duet partner. This song encompasses everything that I think of when I think of a country love song. The lyrics flow without being overwhelmingly cheesy, and the song tells a story. That, plus the fact that Blake and Ashley’s voices perfectly complement each other, makes this song perfect in my eyes.
  1. “Day Drinking” by Little Big Town This song has been playing for a while now on country radio stations, so, having heard it before, I was very excited when I saw it had been added to the playlist. The whistling at the start of the song sets that initial country feel that is portrayed so heavily throughout the song. Like “Drink It Up” by Kenny Chesney, this song plays off of the theme of drinking and having a good time that is so prevalent in so many country songs. This is just a really happy, feel good song, which I think will stay in the country scene for a long time, especially with the catchy beat that will make people want to sing along.

Although not all of the recently posted songs are one hundred percent country in my eyes, I love how great this playlist is. I’m really looking forward to seeing what songs are posted in the coming weeks, because I have already discovered some great new music, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

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Filed under Lists, New Country, Song Analysis

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