Thursday, October 09, 2008

Country Music in My Stage of Life

Country music is not a genre of music I'd mention when someone asks me about the music I like. It's so far down the list that I don't even think about it.

Apart from more commercialized country artists like Shania Twain who has some pop hits, I hardly know anything about country.

But now that I'm growing older, somehow my ears are more tuned towards the slower melodies and taking in more of the words rather than simply moving to the beat.

And because of the wedding, I've been searching for a lot of different songs for the wedding march, the wedding video and more. I've widen up my search because I'm an R&B girl and often R&B is about sultriness, sexiness, sex and lotsa bootilisciousness. Rap is hardly romantic. And neither is house and trance.

One of my favourite songs which I'll be using for part of the wedding is Shania Twain's "From This Moment"

Instead of saying "For better, for worst, in sickness and in health, till death do we part" which is the norm at weddings, she sings it as:

I'd give anything and everything and I will always care.
Through weakness and strength, happiness and sorrow,
for better for worse, I will love you with
every beat of my heart
From this moment life has begun
From this moment you are the one
Right beside you is where I belong
From this moment on

It's so beautiful. She says the same traditional words in a more heart warming and deeply meaningful way.

And the morning after Paul proposed, we sat by the pool at our villa and we listened to Keith Urban's "Making Memories of Us". Though I'm not that close to my parents, I found this part to be very meaningful and touching yet there's a touch of bad boyness in it.

I wanna honor your mother
And I wanna learn from your paw
I wanna steal your attention like a bad outlaw
And I wanna stand out in a crowd for you
A man among men
I wanna make your world better than it's ever been

I was just looking for a final song to pass to the photographer and was playing random songs from iTunes when Colin Raye's "If You Get There Before I Do" started playing and i just felt goose pimples (the good kind). I listened carefully to the lyrics

"If you get there before I do
Don't give up on me
I'll meet you when my chores are through
I don't know how long I'll be

But I'm not gonna let you down
Darling wait and see
And between now and then
Til I see you again

I'll be loving you
Love, Me."

I read those words just hours before my Grandma passed away
In the doorway of the church where me and Grandpa stopped to pray
I know I've never seen him cry in all my fifteen years
But as he said these words to her, his eyes fill up with tears

It's not like I've not heard these songs before. But it's as if I'm listening with new ears and appreciating the beauty of country music now.

I think it's partly due to the wedding and partly aging where I'm looking for more meaningful things in life.

Because almost half my life has passed, it's like most things I do now should be for a reason. Everything I do should benefit someone or myself. And not do something for the sake of doing it. Those days of mine have long done.

Life is funny. We change as we go though the different stages of life.

I think I'll move country up a few notches.

10 comments:

Suzanne said...

Country is not all that bad. I love country music because they always have great lyrics, and it relates a lot (although we don't all live in ranches... LOL)- because most songs are about life.

Don't worry, you are not aging that much - just opened to a new world of music. ^.^

Bubbles said...

Think it's the aging that makes me more open to new world of music! Hahaha!

Yes the lyrics are all really meaningful. After you've experience a bit of life, one appreciates that more.

Since country is new to me, any good artists to recommend to me?

Ally said...

Another genre to look for when you want meaningful lyrics is oldies! And another all time favourite at weddings... JAZZ. Because there's wine and good company, it can never go wrong :)

Bubbles said...

I do like oldies but I think I overdose on it during Mambo Jumbo nights in Zouk! Wait ... wait ... that's 80's. Hahaha!

Mirebella said...

Awww.. that is so sweet, I was thinking of songs and what to put on as well - am leaning towards Van Morrison's "Someone Like you" but perhaps its a bit too sappy? I dont know - still have time to do things - after all, I have 11 more months.


Songs are songs irrespective of what genre they are - they are suppose to evoke memories , good or bad . And country music these days do tend to sway towards a pop-ish tendency these days!

Bubbles said...

Mirabella,

I am using Van Morrison's "Someone Like you" for part of the wedding.

A bit sappy but at the right moment, it can create that romantic warm hearted feel.

Apart from the songs listed in my post, I'm also using Bruce Springsteen's 'Secret Garden', using the edit from Jerry Maguire for the photo montage.

And Pachelbel Canon in D (Minor? Major?) for the bridal march.

A girlfriend wanted to sing Luther Vandross' "Here and Now" but can't find the minute one so she's singing "So Amazing" instead. Can't recall the singer now.

I had a lot of fun researching for wedding songs which would create the mood at the wedding and also as expressions of me and my hubby to be.

I hope u enjoy every bit of the wedding planning process. :)

Suzanne said...

My fav is Dixie Chicks. But I must agree that Country can be a bit pop-country / country-pop instead of country-country.

Try Tim McGraw and Martina McBride as well. I bought Mary Chapin Carpenter recently - one of those 'adventurous' fancy. She has quite a few good tunes as well.

Bubbles said...

Ah yes, the Dixie Chicks. Knew about them when they started winning a lot of awards. Guess country needs to be a bit pop-country / country-pop to capture new target audiences like me cos country-country is a bit too much for a beginner to the genre. At least now I'm easing and and appreciating country more.

Anonymous said...

The last song's title is "Love, Me." by Colin Raye. It is indeed an excellent example of how touching Country Music can be!

Bubbles said...

Hi Anon! I love "Love, Me". I appreciate country music a lot more now. Anyone else to recommend?