Thursday 13 – My Favorite Current Country Tunes

May 31, 2007

Thirteen Things about Lorelei James

Music. Love it. Hate it. We all have an opinion. We all think ours is right. So…I’m gonna show my lowball (or is it cornball?) taste and talk about the kind of music that is near and dear to my heart. Country. Note: It is no longer referred to as country western, or as my buddy from Wyoming calls it, “that goat yodeling crap.” And I don’t go for the obscure stuff either. Give me Top 40 Country Radio. There’s plenty on there to love (or to hate, yes, I’m looking at YOU Tim McGraw).

Anyway, while I’m working on my sexy cowboy romances or the mystery set on a ranch, I listen to country music almost exclusively. I’ve been a western music fan off and on my whole life (my dad was a little bit country/my mom was a little bit rock and roll – no wonder I can’t pick, but I can’t stand a blend, like Skynyrd, go figure). So, on my trip to Omaha last week, I had the CD player blasting my music without my teenage daughters demanding I shut it off. I belted out tunes from my all time favorites, Dwight Yoakam, Gretchen Wilson, George Strait, The Dixie Chicks, Lone Justice and others. However, I also listened to some new artists and their snappy tunes. Here’s a list of some of the ones that make me laugh, make me cry and make me wish I had the ability to create such clever, concise lyrics. Nothing harder than telling a story in 3 ½ minutes in 100 words or less, in my opinion.

Thursday 13 Favorite Current Country Songs

1. Good Directions – Billy Currington. Any song that starts “I was selling turnips on a flatbed truck, crunching on a pork rind when she pulled up” has my vote for most vivid imagery. Oh, and the most rural subject matter – yee haw!

2. Come To Bed –Gretchen Wilson. “Come to bed. Let’s just lay down. There’s only one way we’re gonna work this out.” After a big fight with your man, slide between the sheets and let nature take its course. She’s my kinda woman.

3. High Maintenance Woman –Toby Keith. “A high-maintenance woman don’t want no maintenance man.” Clever, huh?

4. Settlin’ –Sugarland. “I ain’t settlin for anything less than everything.” And she sings about good red wine and her brand new shoes.

5. Ladies Love Country Boys –Trace Adkins. “Never thought their angel would fall…for some camouflage britches and a southern boy drawl.” Sigh. Love the video too.

6. A Little More You –Little Big Town. “You’re battin’ those baby blues and honey I swear…the way you got me needin’ you, girl, it just ain’t fair.” Their 4-part harmonies give me goosebumps every damn time I hear them.

7. Hicktown –Jason Aldean. “See the neighbors butt crack, nailing on his shingles…his woman’s smoking Pall Mall’s watching Laura Ingalls.” A new classic. I tell ya.

8. Cigarettes –The Wreckers. “Maybe someday somebody will love me like I need.” A bittersweet coming of age story with killer harmonies. Best thing Michelle Branch ever did was ditch pop music and become part of this duo.

9. Before He Cheats –Carrie Underwood. “Right now she’s probably singing some white-trash version of Shania karaoke.” Love gone way wrong and the plucky woman who sets it right with a baseball bat.

10. Stupid Boy –Keith Urban. “You stole her dreams and you crushed her plans.” Heart-wrenching tale of young love gone wrong and mistakes realized too late.

11. Lost in This Moment –Big & Rich. I think this is the only song on the radio John Rich didn’t write. I think it’s the only one I can’t remember the lyrics to…

12. Hillbilly Deluxe –Brooks and Dunn. “Hillbilly Deluxe, slick pick’em up trucks, big timin’ in a small town.” Redneck pride, ya’ll.

13. Little Bit of Life –Craig Morgan. “A little bit of bacon, a little beans, a little bit of you lovin’ up on me, a little bit of life.” Simple country pleasures, huh?

So what are some of your favorite NEW tunes? They don’t have to be country (but I’d love it if they were!) And remember, I’m drawing for those three prizes tomorrow, so any and all answers – including multiples replies to multiple posts from the entire month – will get tossed in the cowboy hat 🙂

 

 

 

 

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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16 Comments:


  1. sasha said:

    I am meeting lotsa interesting bloggers with the memes I have joined! You’re one of those, Lorelei! 🙂

    Happy TT! Welcome to us newbies! 😀


  2. Kate Davies said:

    Great list, Lorelei! I have to admit that I don’t listen to much country music, mostly because I rarely have control of the radio dial. 🙂 Love these titles, though, and will have to go check them out.

    My current fave is “Everything” by Michael Buble, who I’ve heard about over the years but never actually listened to before this week. I heard it on the radio and really liked the Frank-Sinatra-Standards vibe to it.

    Happy TT!


  3. Cat Marsters said:

    I’m not large with the country music, but I did once see Keith Urban supporting Bryan Adams (thus proving my own lack of coolness in the music stakes!) and he was pretty awesome.


  4. Nancy Lindquist-Liedel said:

    I am not a fan of country, except for, “He Cheats.” It’s my dead favorite song and one I wish I’d heard when I found my ex with a friend of mine. May he get herpes. LOL!


  5. Lorelei James said:

    Kate- I’ve heard Michael Buble’s name (usually followed by a sigh) but not his music…what kind does he sing?

    Cat- I’m a huge Bryan Adams fan! Keith Urban not only looks good, he’s an awesome guitarist.

    Sasha – no comment on the music? Come on, you’re probably listening to some dead Russian dude with a name like Sasha 🙂


  6. Lauren Dane said:

    Oh I could look at Tim McGraw every day, holy cow he’s delicious. I do like his music too, LOL.

    I’m not a huge country fan but I like Sugarland and Keith Urban and the Chicks.


  7. Mechele Armstrong said:

    We were on the same wavelength!

    I know all of these songs LOL. Yes, I bounce from alternative to Aerosmith to country to kid’s song a lot.

    I love Sugarland and Little Big Town, just about everything they do. Two of my favorite new tunes are “I wonder” by Kellie Pickler and “The one in the middle” by Sarah Johns(? not sure on her name).


  8. Tilly Greene said:

    Hmmm, new song, okay, it would have to be HelloGoodbye’s Here in Your Arms…good british band who I don’t think has made it to the US yet.


  9. Amy S. said:

    Great list! I love Before He Cheats by Carrie Underwood. My 5 year old nephew even sings it. lol. Any songs by Gretchen Wilson, Rascal Flat, Toby Keith, and Sugarland. Those are my faves.


  10. AlisonG said:

    There are no lyrics quite like country lyrics. Great list, Lorelei! 🙂


  11. N.J. Walters said:

    I grew up on older country–Johnny Cash, Charlie Pride, Hank Williams, etc…but I can’t say I’m real fond of it at the moment. There are always a few good artists around, but it’s not something I’m listening to too much at the moment.


  12. Kate Scott said:

    Hi! I came to visit. 🙂 And I LURRRRRVE me some country music! I’m currently loving Carrie Underwood and The Wreckers. Well, I did vote for Carrie on American Idol (I’m SURE it was my vote that helped her win! ;-)) and I loved Michelle Branch by herself, so it’s no wonder I like her in a duo.

    Nice TT. 🙂


  13. Nicole Austin said:

    Not a new song, but I love I’m Moving On by Rascal Flatts.
    “At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
    And I know there’s no guarantees, but I’m not alone
    There comes a time in everyone’s life
    When all you can see are the years passing by
    And I have made up my mind that those days are gone”


  14. Renee B said:

    I love Sugarland–I am a big country music fan also–But I really do like all kinds of music. In my car now is Chris Daughtry–I am headed to Atlanta Saturday to see him–yummy…I also love Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney. I am really digging Bon Jovi’s new song-Make a Memory…of course, I LOVE anything by BON JOVI!! I also love I Been Watching You by Rodney Atkins. Great List!! Thanks. My T13 are also up. Have a great weekend…


  15. sheila said:

    Great list I like all of them. I’m still a Garth Brooks fan and wish he would come back.:) I listen to all kinds of music it just depends on my mood. Right now I love Hinders CD especially the song Lips of an Angel. Now don’t boo me I like Hinder doing it better than Jack(cant remember his last name) doing it country style.


  16. Lorelei said:

    Sheila – I love Garth too. My daughters cringe when ever Jack Ingram’s version of Lips of An Angel comes on the radio

    Renee – and Lauren – I think I’m the only woman on the planet who does not find Tim McGraw sexy. I like one song – Live Like You Were Dyin’ but besides that? I turn the station when he come on.

    Nic, my cowboy writin’ Samhain cohort – with you on Rascal Flatts 🙂

    Kate S, I adore the Wreckers. The harmony is haunting at times

    NJ, my dad had the old stuff on the radio, Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell…Now he listens to talk radio all the time and it makes me crazy

    Tilly – you’ve totally stumped – but intrigued me with the British import music

    Mechele (cool last name! Are we related?) Have you heard Dirty Girl by Teri Clark? It is awesome.

    Alison, I know you don’t like country, but can’t some of Lou Reed be considered rural? Jokin, darlin 🙂

    Thanks everyone for sharing your faves with me 🙂

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