"Till You Love Me"

What would like be like without iPhones, iPods, iPads & Macs?  Scary.  Well, if it wasn't for shuffle, I would've forgotten about this incredible, iconic Reba song.

1990s country is country. In my opinion, regardless of being a 90s child, some of the best music was in this decade. Come on everything from the breakout of Martina McBride, Shania Twain, Britney Spears, Spice Girls...yeah, I went there. Well, those are the 90s. And while most people were just beginning their careers, Reba was putting out some of the highlight songs of her career.

Everything from the structure of this song, the production, her vocals. Perfect. Can we go back to the 90s already?!




FM Radio:
Singer: Reba McEntire
Songwriters: Gary Burr, Bob DiPiero
Song: "Till You Love Me"

I sent you roses, I warned you I would
Do all that I could to show you the way that I feel
Please, don't say, I'm wasting my time
I've got nothin' but time 
So I'll do all that I can to catch that ghost of a chance

The sunlight, the moonlight are beyond my control
And there are stars in the heavens that I'll never hold
But if dreams give you power then I'm strong enough to offer my heart
And never give up till you love me, till you love me

I looked in your eyes, so bright and so blue
And that's when I knew, that you could be mine
If good things come to those who will wait
Well, I guess I can wait if that's what I have to do
Oh, it's worth it for you

The sunlight, the moonlight are beyond my control
And there are stars in the Heavens that I'll never hold
But if dreams give you power, oh then I'm strong enough to offer my heart
And never give up till you love me, till you love me

Oh the sunlight and the moonlight are beyond my control
And there are stars in the Heavens, oh that I'll never hold
But if dreams give you power, oh then I'm strong enough to offer my heart
Oh and never give up till you love me, till you love me, till you love me

"I Drive Your Truck"

Not too long ago, as I was randomly checking Facebook and Twitter, making my usual rounds, I repeatedly kept seeing posts about the 'new Lee Brice song that will change your life.'  After seeing the post for at least the 10th time in a row, I stopped everything I was doing and had to google this.  Well, I have never heard a song like this.  The imagery and emotion that is rooted in these simple words are indescribable.  I think it shows more craft from a songwriter in simplicity.  Even better than the craft in this song is the artistry from Lee Brice.  Watch this performance and fall madly in love with him...I am. (shh!)  There's nothing in this song that isn't someone's truth.  This first verse gives me chills all over.  Close your eyes, clear your head, and really let this one get to you.  

No doubt in my mind, when this song actually gets released as a single

 SONG OF THE YEAR.

Listen & leave your thoughts!

FM Radio:
Singer: Lee Brice
Songwriters: Jesse Alexander, Jimmy Yeary, Connie Harrington
Song: "I Drive Your Truck"

Eighty-Nine Cents in the ash tray
Half empty bottle of Gatorade rolling in the floorboard
That dirty Braves cap on the dash
Dog tags hangin’ from the rear view
Old Skoal can, and cowboy boots and a Go Army Shirt
folded in the back
This thing burns gas like crazy, but that’s alright
People got their ways of coping
Oh, and I’ve got mine

I drive your truck
I roll every window down
And I burn up
Every back road in this town
I find a field, I tear it up
Til all the pain’s a cloud of dust
Yeah, sometimes I drive your truck

I leave that radio playing
That same ole country station where ya left it
Yeah, man I crank it up
And you’d probably punch my arm right now
If you saw this tear rollin’ down my on face
Hey, man I’m tryin’ to be tough
And momma asked me this morning
I I’d been by your grave
But that flag and stone ain’t where I feel you anyway

I drive your truck
I roll every window down
And I burn up
Every back road in this town
I find a field, I tear it up
Til all the pain’s a cloud of dust
Yeah, sometimes I drive your truck

I’ve cussed, I’ve prayed, I’ve said goodbye
Shook my fist and asked God why
These days when I’m missing you this much

I drive your truck
I roll every window down
And I burn up
Every back road in this town
I find a field, I tear it up
Til all the pain’s a cloud of dust
Yeah, sometimes, brother sometimes

I drive your truck
I drive your truck
I hope you don’t mind, I hope you don’t mind
I drive your truck


Grab your tissues....

"Home To Me"

As a songwriter, I think for the past 4 years I've had the title "Home To Me" in my iPhone notes, and all songwriting notebooks and old documents that I haven't gotten to.  I've always been drawn to the idea that wherever life's journey takes you, you will always find a 'home.'  And to me, I loved the idea that regardless of where you go, the person who you share it with will become your 'home'.  Well, I now know why I could never formulate that into a song...because this song seriously got to me!  For me, this was one of those songs that you hear the tail end of when you're changing stations, Sirius XM's The Highway.  Anyways, then I heard it again (& at least once daily) on The Highway from the Nashville Let Freedom Sing 4th of July event that featured Sarah Darling, Music City Hitmakers, Craig Morgan, etc.  Anyways, I was blown away!  Love, Love, Love!  To make this even better, I randomly checked Soundcloud one day (best thing ever) and found one of my songwriting idols, Caitlyn Smith uploaded her demo to this song!  I seriously abused google, BMI, and ASCAP's search engines to find out who was brilliant enough to write this song.  Well, here it was right in front of me and suddenly, it all made sense.  Of couse Caitlyn Smith wrote this song, who else would?  Check out another song that I love of hers "Map Of The World": http://youtu.be/-vqvZsKMnfk  This girl is ahhmazing.  Love.

Really concentrate on these lyrics.  Every word falls exactly where it is supposed to in this song.  Not one line, or word for that matter, seems like a filler or something that these just incredible songwriters - Caitlyn Smith (one of my all time favs) & Bobby Hamrick didn't experience...and to me, that is what makes an incredible song.  This chorus, come on, does it get any better?  Every syllable is perfect.
This song has every part to it that makes a hit song, cannot wait for this song to go to the top!  And even better, TODAY this song just became available on iTunes.
I bought it today, you should too.  Click here to purchase on iTunes
Hear the demo here: Home To Me


FM Radio:
Singer: Sarah Darling
Songwriters: Caitlyn Smith, Bobby Hamrick
Song: "Home To Me"

You look like Georgia on a cool summer day. 
Your smile hits me like a breeze blowin’ off the lake. 
You talk like Kansas 
You can see to the horizon 
There’s no place for words to hide 
‘Cause you mean what you say 

CHORUS:
Got a heart like Indiana 
Laugh like Louisiana 
Take me down to Alabama 
Show me some of that laid back vibe 
Kissin’ while we’re fishin’ in the moonlight 
Shine like California 
High like an Arizona noontime 
Baby when you’re all mine 
Anywhere, any place I go 
You feel like home to me 
You feel like home to me 

Love’s taken me across the map
All the way to hell and back
Gave everything I had and I 
Lost my mind a couple times 
Met you and I was sure 
I found the center of the universe 
Hit the interstate fast and Now I’m never looking back, 
no Lookin’ back, lookin’ back oh no. 

CHORUS 

You feel like home 

CHORUS 

You feel like home 
You feel like home to me

"Where I Belong" & 1 Year MARK!

We did it!  Whoever you are out there, taking a few minutes out of your day to read my crazy blog...Thank YOU!  There aren't enough words I could write or a song that I could post that would tell you how much I appreciate anyone's eyes reading my words.  Today marks one year of doing this crazy thing!  And although I wanted to do 365 posts, life got in the way and I ended up with 100.  I mean come on this is one HUNDREDTH blog...amazing.  I couldn't have planned it this way, it wouldn't have been so sweet.

A year ago, I thought I was stuck.  Like really stuck between chasing this dream of becoming an esteemed Nashville songwriter/life changer, college and moving to Nashville.  My life was already in Plan B mode years before that but in the end it all brought me to this.
Day 1 of The SongBird Project: http://songbirdproject.blogspot.com/2011/08/this-is-me.html

So I sit here tonight, a year after I embarked on this 'SongBird' project and I can honestly tell you I really found more of myself.  There's still so much more that I have yet to learn but I've really changed in this past year.  I don't even know how to summarize where this blog has taken me.  From being halfway done with college and getting a degree, having some amazing, life changing experiences, all of my Nashville experiences, dragging my family to every music venue in Nashville, living in my dream and then having to walk away from it, being recognized by my idols for these little blogs I post at midnight over their gems of songs, basically...I really believe this is the year.  

I feel like 20 is going to be really, really, really good to me.  I hope.

After everything that has led me to this moment, I can only think of one song that would even scratch the surface of my mess of emotions!  This is one of the first demos I've ever heard of Hillary Lindsey's, back in the good 'ole MySpace days, when it used to be the coolest thing ever to jump from page to page and become fascinated with songwriting.  Truth is, I still do it just on a different platform.  

I really wish this demo still existed out there but this song was recorded by another incredible, forgotten, singer/songwriter - Rachel Proctor.  

FM Radio:

Singer: Hillary Lindsey/Rachel Proctor

Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Chris Lindsey, Troy Verges (The Dream Team)

Song: "Where I Belong"

I've wished a million wishes on a big empty sky
And I've spent too many endless nights alone
Wondering if I was broken and why everything felt so wrong
And where do I belong

I see beyond the end of time when I look into your eyes
It's so much bigger than this life and everything's right
I feel so safe, safe as a child in your arms
This is where I belong

I've seen my share of troubles
And tears I've shed in vain
Watched my dreams crumble
But all along the way
Someone heard me pray

The house is quiet now and my, my heart is full
And all the ones I love lay fast asleep and I am complete
I turn out the light and I whisper goodnight
And i know, this is where I belong

Follow this link: Rachel Proctor's MySpace

"Let It Hurt"

Every day, I feel like we are all walking around chasing down feelings.  As crazy as that sounds, think about it.  Whose happy, trying to find the next thing that'll bring them that same feeling.  Us dreamers, chasing down that one thing that makes all of our struggles worth it.  It's in every single one of us, just some show it more than others.  And then, some days, you wake up and you just want to feel something because you can't reach that peak that you're searching for.  

Sometimes, you need to let it hurt.

FM Radio:

Singer: Rascal Flatts

Songwriters: Caitlyn Smith, Jay DeMarcus, Gordie Sampson

Song: "Let It Hurt"

7:42 in the morning
8 seconds before it all sinks in
Put your best face on for the world
Fake another smile and just pretend
But you're just puttin' off the pain
Nothing's ever really gonna change

[Chorus:]
So let it hurt, let it bleed
Let it take you right down to your knees
Let it burn to the worst degree
May not be what you want, but it's what you need
Sometimes the only way around it
Is to let love do it's work
And let it hurt
Yeah, let it hurt
3:28 in the morning
Countin' up the spaces between the rain
You're gettin' used to the rocks at the bottom
Your heart goes numb, but the lonely stays the same
And that's the price you're bound to pay
And there's really nothing anyone can say
Oh, there's only just one way

[Chorus:]
So let it hurt, let it bleed
Let it take you right down to your knees
Let it burn to the worst degree
May not be what you want, but it's what you need
Sometimes the only way around it
Is to let love do it's work
So go on
Yeah, let it hurt

You might just find you're better for it
When you let go and you learn
To let it hurt, let it bleed
Let it take you right down to your knees
Oh...
Sometimes the only way around it
Is to let love do it's work
So go on
And let it hurt
Oh, let it hurt

7:42 in the morning
8 seconds before it all sinks in