Diamond Rio

My topic of choice this week is Diamond Rio. I realized last week that it has been a long time since Diamond Rio released a CD of new Country Music. July 2002 was when “Completely” hit shelves. Since then there have been a few compilation and gospel releases but nothing new that got me to enjoy them in the beginning, neo-traditional country music and bluegrass.

10. "Walkin' Away"

What I like about this song is the line “We've still got it good no matter how bad it gets. Even after all this time the slipper still fits”. Even if they are fighting, no matter how bad it gets, she is still his Cinderella. And as long as they have chosen to stay together, that indicates how strong they are together. Walking away solves nothing.

9.  "You'll Find Me"

Unlike the song at #10, this song is about a woman walking away. The man realizes that without her he can’t survive. He needs to evaluate himself and his history with her to find her. The harmonies of the group on this song is what makes it for me.

8. "Meet in the Middle"

For years, I thought this song was performed by Billy Dean. The song is about compromise. But it also lays out it in story how they would literally meet halfway at a tree between the two’s houses. They have memories involving that tree.  

7. "Sweet Summer"

On the chorus for this song, the group’s voice all melds together so well. It lays out a perfect story.  Its just a fun song.

6. "Redneck Love Gone Bad"

The thing I love about this song is the “how about that” manner in which it is sung.  And what makes it even better is songwriter Shannon Lawson said that it was inspired by something that happened in hometown.

5. "Night Is Fallin' In My Heart"

I had not heard this song before getting the band’s first Greatest Hits in 2006. I would listen to the album while also playing Tony Hawk American Wasteland. Oddly enough it fit perfectly together. The laid back sound of the song with the skateboarding in Los Angeles.

4. "Make Sure You've Got It All"

The chorus is so heartbreaking. The narrator wants to make sure that since his woman is leaving him, she has everything that could possibly remind him of her.

3. "Beautiful Mess"

His life is falling apart. Shoes on the wrong feet, salt in the coffee. Can’t eat, can’t sleep. It is a wonderful feeling, at least from his end. It’s a sweet addiction. The sound is so smooth. And the story seems so familiar. Too familiar.

2. "It's All in Your Head"

The reason I like this song is it reminds me of Pro Wrestling. It sounds like a promo. The way Marty Roe tells the story is amazing. The story itself sounds like very little I have heard in Country Music.

1. "You're Gone"

Songwriter Paul Williams said of this song in 1998 “It just seemed like what we should write about are the people who are no longer in our lives who had a positive effect on us. And it just poured out of us. The people that pass through our lives-we remember what they say to us, and we remember how they touch us.” I understand this story perfectly. Several times over the past few years there have been people in my life that affected it so greatly that for one reason or another I cannot tell them how they meant to me. The same thing could be said about the Diamond Rio song “One More Day”, which I have not listed. The difference between the two is that song, while good does not stand close to the power of this song in my opinion. That song  is about getting another shot with someone. To get another shot with someone, you first must lose them. This song is that loss. The piano that starts the song is just the beginning of the strong instrumental work that affirms the power of it. This song is Diamond Rio on all cylinders and I believe it should be the song that defines them as a group.

Get Up With Shania!

 

Just as I did with Come On Over, I will rank the songs from worst to best in my opinion on the release. But unlike Come On Over, I will not review the complete selection. This album had 19 songs on it. Because when Shania goes, she goes hard. Instead I will go with my top 11.

#11: I'm Jealous

She is painting the picture of being jealous of any and everything that the object of her affection comes in contact with, the sun, the moon, the rain. She doesn’t want any other thing to have his time, his love, his affection. I like the way her voice sounds during the chorus.

#10: I Ain't Goin' Down 

The song has an upbeat message about how love can get you through the hard times. Very positive.

#9: She's Not Just a Pretty Face

This song reminds me of  Carrie Underwood’s “All-American Girl” (actually the other way around) more for the video of the Underwood song than anything else. Just a basic upbeat “Girls Can Do Anything” message. I like that

#8: Up!

A downright upbeat positive song. Everytime I have felt down about something I have used the “There is no way but up from here” mentality. It is an outstanding outlook. It is so low on the rank here because I am not a fan of the “I wish I could grow a beard” line.

#7: Nah!

I am not to familiar with this situation. This song is #7 because Shania sings about being naked. Also the successfulness of her moving on. That sounds less sleazy. Its catchy.

#6: C'est La Vie

“Must be Monday, what a dumb day, can’t drag my butt out of bed. Somebody stop me, I need another coffee like a hole in my head.” Positivity again. You just sometimes have to say “Don’t let it get to you”. Life is sometimes just gonna suck.

#5: It Only Hurts When I'm Breathing

I think I can relate to this song. There are times when you struggle for so long to get over something and someone but it still hurts all the time. “There’s no need to worry, I’m really alright” It’s a fight. For the similar experiences I have had and will have, this song is #5

# 4: Forever and For Always

Her voice on this song makes this song. The strength of keeping a love that you do not want to let go. The video is so beautiful too. She looks so natural. It is astounding. 

#3:When You Kiss Me

This sounds like the big final scene of a movie. It was the final song on the CD too. “I can see you with me when I’m older, all my lonely nights are finally over. You took the weight of the world off my shoulders". The verses are the strong part of this song I believe.

#2: I'm Gonna Getcha Good!

This video had to cost a few million dollars. It was her first song back in years. It seemed so big and epic. This is ranked so high SIMPLY for the amount of impact it had at the time.

#1: Thank You Baby! (for Makin' Someday Come So Soon)

This song has such a powerful strings section that kicks in just before her vocals start. It makes it epic. I one day pray for the day I can quote this song to someone. It would be nice if they actually got the reference. It kind of is also a perk of optimism. Love can always be around the corner.

Shania Twain: Come on Over

After an astonishing 4 month layoff, the Shania Twain blog returns. When I last left off, I had reviewed her singles chronologically from her “The Woman In Me” album. Now I move on to “Come On Over” (The eighth highest selling album of all time) but I will do it in a different format here. I will rank the songs from worst to best in my opinion on the release.

This album had 16 songs. 12 of which were released as singles.

#16. "Love Gets Me Every Time" 

This one happened to be the first single of the album. Infectious song but I just don’t like the lyrics at all. Too poppy for my liking.

#15 “Honey, I'm Home”

This for the same reason. The same exact reason as #16. (other than being the first single)

#14 “That Don't Impress Me Much”

16 and 15 here again. This is actually turning into a burnout of the concept.

 

#13 “I Won't Leave You Lonely”

This song features an accordion backing, something that I don’t know too many that do. The lyrics are great and all but I don’t like the melody very much, however, I find it very catchy.

#12 “Come On Over”

This at one point was one of my favorite songs on the album. I do like the positive upbeat message but now it just seems like something that Rascal Flatts would sing (that sounds like a slight, it is not intended as one). Noticed the accordion on this one too.

#11 “Don't Be Stupid (You Know I Love You)”

The fiddle that guides throughout the song, makes the song in my opinion. But lyrically, I am not a huge fan of it.

#10 “Man! I Feel Like A Woman”

This song is poppy just like 16-14 were BUT it is SO catchy that it can even override the lyrics. Oh and…

#9 “Rock This Country”

Much like Come On Over, through the years this one has dropped in my mind. Positive and upbeat and all that. I like the na-na-na’s that bumper the chorus. It sounds like it could be a Presidential campaign song (cause it was)

#8 “From This Moment On”

It is a big song. It seems like a wedding song. I am not getting married. This song has no bearing on my life, irritates the hell out of me. I did see this song performed live by Bryan White (who did duet on the original version ) and Leann Rimes though. The instrumental work is great. This ranks high for those two reasons. Lyrically this really hits me in places that I don’t want to be hit.

#7 “You've Got a Way”

This one has actually been moving up my list, I used to dislike this song severely but over the years I have begun to understand the message more. I would love to be capable of something the second verse describes

“You've got a way with words
You get me smiling even when it hurts
There's no way to measure what your love is worth
I can't believe the way you get through to me”

#6 “If You Wanna Touch Her, Ask! ”

I like this song, it kind of highlights my method for love, get to know someone first. But the title is kind of ridiculous, not for the advice it gives but the fact it has to be given. It is fun to pretend she is saying “If You Want To Touch Her Ass”

#5 “Black Eyes, Blue Tears”

The song which was not released as a single is an anti-domestic violence song. Kind of encouraging the victims to stand up and fight back. Its upbeat too. Taylor Swift has a song about a guy beating the crap out of her which is also upbeat “Tell Me Why”, this one is soooo much better than Swifty’s. Melody wise, it is great. Lyrically outstanding. Great all around.

“Definitely found my self esteem, finally I’m forever free to dream”

#4 ”When”

I love the first line of this song “If elephants could fly, I’d be a little more optimistic” . The song uses great metaphors. The guitar work is very interesting. It just sounds different in a good way

#3 “You're Still The One”

“You're still the one I run to
The one that I belong to
You're still the one I want for life”

From This Moment On really bothers me because it has no bearing on my life. This song technically doesn’t either. I can spin it in my mind. That one was about when you have already found someone and are ready to commit to them. This seems like just a step or two away from that. Like the big dramatic moment in a movie. Like when Ross and Rachel came together on Friends (early in the series).

#2 "Whatever You Do! Don't!"

This song is about the attraction. The way someone can crumble you with a single move. The wonderful torture. I have been there. I actually love the feeling of falling like the song describes. This song illustrates that. Totally reminiscent for me and that is why it is up so high on this list.

#1 “I'm Holdin' On To Love (To Save My Life)”

The clapping. God I love the clapping along. Its upbeat. And the clapping. The lyrics too. But the clapping. I really love that clapping.

The Music That Built Me

You know what I love about Country Music? Among other things, its the fact that I repeatedly find songs that mirror my own life. For example, the Brantley Gilbert song "You Don't Know Her Like I Do", which describes the struggle of overcoming a lost love. Or Whiskey Lullaby, which I have determined recently has perhaps the greatest 2nd verse ever. She sends him into incredible despair but feels just as bad as she makes him feel and eventually ends up suffering the same fate. Its an uplifting and human genre. It has the ability to break your heart but create optimism in the place of that emptiness.

 
I love any genre where they can just sit down on a stool with their instrument and guide the listeners through a story. Especially barefoot (I know Shania has done this)
I love it when I wake up with a song in my head, especially if I haven't heard it in a while. It has happened a lot recently with The Band Perry and Miranda Lambert (the Miranda ones make perfect sense, she is playing in my car enough over the past few years to stick).

I love songs that remind me of other songs. Eric Church's latest, Springsteen, reminds me of Clint Black's State of Mind. Especially ones by the same artist. Intentional or not. Kenny Chesney's "Somewhere With You" seems like a direct parallel to "I Can't Go There". He is reminded of every place he has ever been with her but can't go to those places because of his memories of her. Its like a perfect contradiction that makes sense.