Being from Western New York, I didn't have much exposure to country music growing up. My dad listened to some Willie Nelson, of course (...does anyone who has heard him truly not like Willie Nelson?), but otherwise, I knew a few Garth Brooks songs from the radio. When I went to college, I began to hear a variety of country music songs and artists--and, I have to admit, I didn't hate it. Actually, I loved that many of the country songs I was drawn to told a detailed story. The problem with country songs, as I saw it, was they generally made me cry. As I am not a huge crier, crying and liking it was a strange phenomenon.
Moving to the capital of the Confederacy, I have had even more exposure to country music in my adult life. Instead of the songs on the radio, Danny enjoys "classics," like Waylon Jennings, who I didn't really know existed. [Side note: I LOVE "The Highwaymen." Give it a listen.] This has been a great learning experience for me and it has shown me that I truly like most music made truly for music's sake.
Though I am not saying all of Kenny Chesney's songs are (necessarily) made for "music's sake," it is true that they generally fit the bill of making me cry. The two songs for today's Mindful Monday are good reminders to live your life fully and appreciate the beauty of the ordinary within your daily life.
For each, he link to YouTube is the song title and the link to the lyrics is on the title of that page.
First song: "The Good Stuff" (lyrics from AZlyrics)
Well, me an' my lady had our first big fight,
So I drove around 'til I saw the neon light.
A corner bar, an it just seemed right.
So I pulled up.
Not a soul around but the old bar keep,
Down at the end an' looking half asleep.
An he walked up, an' said: "What'll it be?"
I said: "The good stuff."
He didn't reach around for the whiskey;
He didn't pour me a beer.
His blue eyes kinda went misty,
He said: "You can't find that here.
'cause it's the first long kiss on a second date.
Momma's all worried when you get home late.
And droppin' the ring in the spaghetti plate,
'cause your hands are shakin' so much.
An' it's the way that she looks with the rice in her hair.
Eatin' burnt suppers the whole first year
An' askin' for seconds to keep her from tearin' up.
Yeah, man, that's the good stuff."
He grabbed a carton of milk an' he poured a glass.
An' I smiled an' said: "I'll have some of that."
We sat there an' talked as an hour passed,
Like old friends.
I saw a black an' white picture an' it caught my stare,
It was a pretty girl with bouffant hair.
He said: "That's my Bonnie,
Taken 'bout a year after we were wed."
He said "Spent five years in the bar,
When the cancer took her from me.
But I've been sober three years now,
'cause the one thing stronger than the whiskey
Was the sight of her holdin' my baby girl.
The way she adored that string of pearls,
I gave her the day that our youngest boy, Earl,
Married his high school love."
"An' it's a new tee-shirt saying: 'I'm a Grandpa'.
Bein' right there as our time got small,
An' holdin' her hand, when the Good Lord called her up,
Yeah, man, that's the good stuff."
He said: "When you get home, she'll start to cry.
When she says: 'I'm sorry,' say: 'So am I.'
An' look into those eyes, so deep in love,
An' drink it up.
'cause that's the good stuff.
That's the good stuff."
~~~
Second song: "Don't Blink" (lyrics from Songfacts Lyrics)
I turned on the evening news
Saw a old man being interviewed
Turning a hundred and two today
Asked him what's the secret to life
He looked up from his old pipe
Laughed and said "All I can say is"
[Chorus:]
Don't blink
Just like that you're six years old and you take a nap and you
Wake up and you're twenty-five and your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growing like mine did
Turning into moms and dads next thing you know your "better half"
Of fifty years is there in bed
And you're praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink
I was glued to my TV when it looked like he looked at me and said
"Best start putting first things first"
Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand
You can't flip it over and start again
Take every breath God gives you for what it's worth
[Chorus]
So I've been tryin' to slow it down
I've been tryin' to take it in
In this here today, gone tomorrow world we're livin' in
[Chorus]
Naw, don't blink
Life goes faster than you think
Labels: March Mindfulness, Mindful Mondays
