"Dirtroad Prayer"

Ever hear a song you've never heard before and suddenly your heart already knows the words.
You suddenly know the words because you've lived them, you cried those tears, you lost those dreams, or you've prayed those prayers.  The second I heard these first three lines, the chills started all over me.  Although I've been a fan of Nicolle for years, and I prefer her version (including the second half), this song has found the right voice to bring it to the hearts of millions.  Everyone send one up that this gets released to radio this year!  I can't write a blog long enough to encompass the meanings of this song, but I feel like I coud have one heck of a writing session with these two writers because we are definitely from the same mold.  Songwriting, emotions, prayers, and truth at its best.


FM Radio:
Singer: Lauren Alaina/Nicolle Galyon
Songwriters: Nicolle Galyon, April Geesbreght
Song: "Dirtroad Prayer"

Let the light shine on my mama
She's been worried 'bout me
And I can tell she's tired

Walk my brother in a straight line
I know he's only 16
But he's been playing with fire

Give my grandpa a little peace and quiet
I can feel the years of hard work in his hands

Make my days pass just a little bit slower
I've been runnin' so fast I've forgotten who I am

Chorus:
And so I go where the green grass grows
The weeds are high and the sun hangs low
Look to the sky and I say, hello
Like it's the very first time
It doesn't matter how long it's been
I can talk to God like he's my best friend
Take my heart lay it down again right there
In a dirt road prayer
He's a good guy
Looks dad in the eye
And I wonder if you made him just for me
But before I fall give me patience
Until you show me where to take this

Repeat Chorus

It's good to know I can

Always go where the green grass grows
The weeds are high and the sun hangs low
Look to the sky and I say hello
Ooo. Yeah
It doesn't matter how long it's been
I can talk to God like he's my best friend
Take my heart and lay it down again right there
In a dirt road prayer
Yeah, yeah

In a dirt road prayer
Yeah, yeah

"Tupelo"

Yes, I googled "Tupelo."  I fell so in love with this song that I thought Hillary Lindsey was brilliant enough to make it up.  Well, I was wrong...they also actually are known for their 'honey.'  Brilliance, pure brilliance.  Tupelo, Mississippi is also the birthplace of Elvis, bet you didn't know that!

Currently, it's the middle of winter, but with one listen, it's 98 degrees (no pun intended), top down, sun blaring...summertime in under 4 minutes.  I hope this is a single!  I heard this on Songs That Need A Home's reverbnation a while ago and fell head over heels.  Now I'm happy that I'm not the stalker that knows every word to an unreleased song.

FM Radio:
Singer: Lauren Alaina/Hillary Lindsey
Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson, Steve McEwan
Song: "Tupelo"

Picked a wildflower off the side of the road
You put it in my hair
Two bare feet up on the dashboard
Hands waving through the summer air
Looking at you, looking at me
With the wind strapped to our backs
Flying as high as a bird in the sky
Don't get much better than that

And we sang all the way down to Tupelo
Love struck right on the money
Heartbeats a beating to the radio
Kisses sweet as the honey
Down in Tupelo
All the way down to Tupelo

Counting the white lines a mile by mile
Worries slipping away
Took a back road for a little slow down
Off of the interstate
We followed the river as far as it goes
Smiling in the July sun
Hearing you say, you were falling in love
I said, you ain't the only one

And we sang all the way down to Tupelo
Love struck right on the money
Heartbeats a beating to the radio
Kisses sweet as the honey
Down in Tupelo
All the way down

La la la la la la
Wind strapped to our backs
La la la la la la
Don't get much better than that

And we sang all the way down to Tupelo
Love struck right on the money
Heartbeats a beating to the radio
Kisses sweet, kisses sweet

And we sang all the way down to Tupelo
Love struck right on the money
Heartbeats a beating to the radio
Kisses sweet as the honey
Down in Tupelo
All the way down to Tupelo

La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la
La la la la la la

All the way down to Tupelo, yeah
All the way down to Tupelo
All the way down to Tupelo

"She's A Wildflower"

I'll admit, I am human.  Sometimes it is hard not to judge people but deep down we all know that we make perceptions.  Well, I think roots are just as or more important than wings.  If you didn't have a foundation on which you can reflect back on when your soul feels questioned, you would undoubtedly turn to the wrong things.

I'll admit, I was the girl in this song.  But I am proud to say I feel like dandelion dust, the wind is slowly picking parts of me up and leading me to where I am supposed to go.  Some days it feels like you've waited so long to come so close but let me tell you...it will be worth it.

I heard this song, well watched the video of Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson sing this song since years ago.  A while ago Carrie Underwood had it on hold.  But although I LOVE this song, it is perfectly suited for Lauren Alaina, I cannot wait until she releases this!  This will inspire so many 'wildflowers' out there just waiting for that spark in the wind.


FM Radio:
Singer: Hillary Lindsey/Soon to be Lauren Alaina/Point of Grace
Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey/Gordie Sampson/Steve McEwan
Song: "She's A Wildflower"

She was the kind of girl that never quite fit in
Holes in her shoes and freckles on her skin
Every time she saw those school doors open wide
She’d wanna turn around and run back home and hide

She got used to being stuck at the back of the line
The kind that kept her head down
Most of the time
Secret dreams ‘bout the boy in the high school band
And wake up thinking
She never had a chance

Chorus:
She’s a wildflower
That’s waitin’ on a sunny day
Waitin’ on the winds of change to blow
Just a red hot spark that’s looking for a little flame, yeah
Trying to find the perfect place to grow
She’s a wildflower

She makes a wish on every single star she sees
Yeah somewhere deep down she still believes
She prays every night before she goes to bed
Pretty soon her life is gonna change
She just doesn’t know it yet

She’s a wildflower
That’s waitin’ on a sunny day
Waitin’ on the winds of change to blow
Just a red hot spark that’s looking for a little flame, yeah
Trying to find the perfect place to grow
Yeah she’s trying to find a place
She’s a wildflower that’s waiting on a sunny day
She’s the secret that nobody knows
She’s a wildflower, she’s a wildflower, she’s a wildflower 


Watch Hillary & Gordie's Version:

"Anyway," "Broken Wing," & "Independence Day"

As you can see, sometimes I go through these spurts where I feel the need to show the world how much I love music, hence, the reason I created this blog.  Anyways, I couldn't just stop at one Martina McBride video.  The first one is M & Lauren Alaina performing at the CMA Fest, if that doesn't give you chills wait until the last note and standing ovation for "Broken Wing."  I was sitting here clapping at the Mac, so not pointless.  The next video is the incredibly humbling speech, which made me love her that much more, that M made after the whole stadium gave her a standing ovation.  

Watching these has made me realize that I don't care how far I ever get on this crazy journey to become one of the women of country music.