Roll with me; Weird World; You're Gonna miss this

Songs that speak to me

I'm not gonna be cliche here. Let's be honest, there are more famous songs than the 3 mentioned in the title of this blog. But they are three songs that speak to me. Each of them tells a small story, or in the case of "You're gonna miss this", the whole song is the story.

Roll With Me - Montgomery Gentry

The second verse in "Roll with me" is one of my favorites. Tells the story of watching a mother bury her son. I don't have kids, but I'm pretty sure no one wants to bury their young.

Saw a kid last winter only twenty years old
Being laid to rest while his mom stood by his side
Sure was hard to watch those tears roll down her face
Made me think how we all just have our time

Weird World - Backstreet Boys

The second verse in the song "Weird World", written by John Ondrasik (better know as Five For Fighting) is a short story about sending a letter to a solider over seas.

Sent a message to a GI in the desert
Said thank you man for bringing another dawn
Back here it's her and me and we're having our first baby
He's out there taking them on

Youre Gonna Miss This - Trace Adkins

This is one of the better written songs around right now. And I don't just mean in country. A nice catchy chorus and the story of a girl becoming a woman is told through 3 verses and a bridge. The chorus speaks words of wisdom that young people will never get no matter how many times you tell them. You're gonna miss this.

She was starin' out the window of that SUV
Complainin' sayin' I can't wait to turn 18
She said I'll make my own money and I'll make my own roots
Mama put the car in park out there in front of the school
And she kissed her head and said I was just like you

You're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times
So take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride
In her one bedroom apartment and her daddy stops by
He tells her it's a nice place, she says it'll do for now
Starts talkin' about babies and buyin' a house
Daddy shakes his face and says, "Baby just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times so take a good look around
You may not know it now but you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater
Dogs barkin', phones ringin', one kid's cryin', one kid's screamin',
And she keeps apologizing, he says, "They don't bother me. I got two babies of my own, one's 36 one's 23. It's hard to believe"

But you're gonna miss this
You're gonna want this back
You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast
These are some good times so take a good look around
You may not know it now
But you're gonna miss this
You're gonna miss this
Yeah, you're gonna miss this

Yes, there are more famous songs out there that tell stories. A lot of people might throw Dylan in there, but for me Dylan wasn't a melody man. Great lyrics however. I'm more of a fan of his son. And as a last minute addition, I want to throw in another song that is well written and tells a short story.

6th Avenue Heartache - The Wallflowers

This song is so beautiful it almost makes me want to cry when I hear it. It tells the story of a homeless man who would play music on the steps of the apartment where Jakob Dylan lived in NY. The last verse talks about how one day the man was gone. He had moved on, just like Dylan would eventually do.

(Verse 2)
Below me was a homeless man
I'm singin' songs I knew complete
On the steps alone, his guitar in hand
It's fifty years, stood where he stands

(Verse 4)
Look out the window, down upon that street
And gone like a midnight was that man
But I see his six strings laid against that wall
And all his things, they all look so small
I got my fingers crossed on a shooting star
Just like me-just moved on

A casual affair

A throwback; Tonic

I just got back in from seeing my friends open up for Tonic. Tonic is a band that hasn't truly been relevant since 2001 or 2002 or something like that. Tonic was formed in the last decade in which pop/rock bands were truly great performers, the 90's. Today image is what rules and we tend to forget that there was a time where bands had both. For some reason it seems that many bands have the image, but cannot produce anything you hear on the record live, e.g., Fall Out Boy(one of my fav bands). There are many other newer ones that I cannot call by name, but you get the point. Their first two releases, "Lemon Parade" and "Sugar" I can say were two of the most influential rock albums for me. The songs were well written, meaningful, and solidly arranged. And best of all, when you see them play them, they sound like they do on the recording.


Lemon Parade

Emerson Hart is one of my musical heroes. I wanted to sing like him. I wanted to write like him. It pains me to see him in a world that doesn't fully appreciate him. It seems bands that make this style of music are relics now. Destined to play throwback tours. No one is interested in new material, just old favorites. Songs that if released today probably wouldn't bode so well. As upset as that makes me, I am grateful that there was a time in which these songs were accepted.
The music industry doesn't really quite know what people now-a-days want. They tend to take what they think you'll like and shove it down your throat until starts to go down a little more smoothly. It works for now, but it's not making anything memorable. Nothing like this. I'm almost positive that 3Oh!3 will not be relevant in 10 years. Hopefully they're not relevant in 10 months.
And for the record, when I saw Emerson Hart, my heart did beat faster and I did turn into a pure fan standing 20 ft from an unwitting mentor.

A brush with fame one Ms. Jessie James

Enter Jessie James

This week Jessie James released her debut album, “Jessie James” . Why does this matter to me? I had the opportunity to meet Jessie on her way to the top. One Friday night down in Newnan I was attending a show at what was Gallery Row at the time. It is now the Expresso Bar. My friend’s, Chris Reece and Matt Graff were playing an acoustic set, and there was a rather attractive girl in the audience(very hot) who asked if she could come up and sing a song. Being that she was so hot, we obliged. She asked me what female pop songs I knew how to play. I should state by this point, I had played a couple songs with Chris. I told her I knew “Pieces of me” by Ashlee Simpson because I think it was my favorite song at the time.

Pieces Of Me - Ashlee Simpson

I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect much considering how much the whole hot girlasking to sing thing happens. By the time she got done belting out the first chorus we knew we were in the presence of something special. After she finished the song came the usual praise that by then, I was sure she was used to getting. The four of us conversed and we found out that she was at the start of what she hoped would be a career in country music. She told us about all the different label interest; I won’t name names, but I will say she‘s not with the label she was talking to at the time. She said she was looking for someone to write with away from Nashville in Newnan, and asked Chris if he‘d be interested. Chris then passed the mic to me and suggested her and I write together. We talked a bit more and exchanged info. She then asked if we would like to join her and her friends to sing karaoke at a pub across the street. I was gung ho as was Chris. However, for reasons I won’t dive into, he wasn’t able to come. That night I heard her sing “Chain of fools” and “Lady Marmalade”. I say this folks; she is the real deal. No studio effects here. As I type this I am listening to “Burn it up”, one of the standout tracks from her debut album that shows her promise as an artist.

Burn It Up - Jessie James

Jessie James non album track

3200 Miles - Jessie James

Just a quick post for now. I was browsing through imeem and stumbled upon this song.

This is a really good song. I think at least. I checked her album, and it's not on there. I'm not sure if it just didn't make the cut or what.

Up and coming?

Good day people.

For the past few weeks I've really been into a young singer by the name of Demi Lovato. I admit I hopped on the train a bit late. Her first album, "Don't Forget", was released back in Sept. 2008. Her second album, "Here were go again" was recently released, and the lead single/title track is in the top 20. By now I'm sure you've looked into her and yes...she's a Disney Star. She's a bit different though. For one; she can sing. And let's face it, that is the x-factor in Disney stars. Miley Cyrus, I'm sorry, but you're not a good singer. You're decent, and getting better at actually replicating what you do in the studio. As for the Demi, she's got a headlining tour already, and a Gold album under her belt. Decent for Disney standards; good by any other. Check out this track. She kinda reminds me of a younger Katy Perry. She's young(16), so once she gets her lower range, she's gonna be deadly. Check out this track.

La La Land - Demi Lovato

Another bit of info, the Jonas Bros co wrote this track with her. I think they might have a future as well.

In other news

Songs I'm really feelin' right now. Let's see. "Breakdown" by Seether. I'd like to see how many modern rock style writers will make it into the songwriting hall of fame. I wonder if any have already. I feel like Shaun Morgan should be a lock. Hopefully his career continues and he keeps on kicking. (Chris Cornell should be a lock too)

Light On | cd quality - David Cook
Cornell might even have a good run post Audioslave as a writer for some of these pop-modern rock style singers. He co-wrote the above track.

Billboard News

Black Eyed Peas are still #1.
Not gonna really comment much on that. Not really digging this new material. As far as I'm concerned, this album is a solid 0 for 2 with me.
Taylor Swift is at #3 with, "You belong with me". An excellent track if I do say so myself.
Kings of Leon, with "Use Somebody" at #5. Some friends of mine did an acoustic version of this song using auto tune. I wish I had a link to it. It's an interesting use of auto tune. It was kinda weird to hear it used outside of hip hop and Kanye West.

Track of the Day

Pony (Its OK) - Erin McCarley



Of the Norah Jones clones with louder voices,(e.g. Sara Bareilles, Anna Nalick, I'd even go so far as to say maybe Colbie Caillat) Erin McCarley was one of the better ones that didn't get as big. This is a great track from her album.