Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

I think that I might have gone a little crazy trying to figure this one out. Apparently Lee Ann Womack recorded two versions of this song - the original country version and another more poppy version. They even have different groups contributing background vocals. I was really confused when I found the version I wasn’t used to hearing.

So…I’m not sure which version this is but I still enjoy it. It’s really just a lovely song with some of the best lyrics of our generation. So I hope you enjoy and get a dance or two in.

-CaliDre

Lee Ann Womack - I Hope You Dance

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder 
You get your fill to eat 
But always keep that hunger 
May you never take one single breath for granted 
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed 
I hope you still feel small 
When you stand by the ocean 
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens 
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 
I hope you dance 
I hope you dance 

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance 
Never settle for the path of least resistance 
Living might mean taking chances 
But they’re worth taking 
Lovin’ might be a mistake 
But it’s worth making 
Don’t let some hell bent heart 
Leave you bitter 
When you come close to selling out 
Reconsider 
Give the heavens above 
More than just a passing glance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 
I hope you dance 
(Time is a real and constant motion always) 
I hope you dance 
(Rolling us along) 
I hope you dance 
(Tell me who) 
I hope you dance 
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder) 
(Where those years have gone) 

I hope you still feel small 
When you stand by the ocean 
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens 
Promise me you’ll give faith a fighting chance 

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance 
Dance 
I hope you dance 
I hope you dance 
(Time is a real and constant motion always) 
I hope you dance 
(Rolling us along) 
I hope you dance 
(Tell me who) 
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder) 
I hope you dance 
(Where those years have gone) 

(Tell me who) 
I hope you dance 
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder) 
(Where those years have gone)

John Cougar Mellencamp - Jack and Diane

Does VH1’s behind the music still come on? They used to have some great stuff on that show. Watching that show in high school is how I got turned onto John Mellencamp and Journey. That show is the reason why I know John married a super model half his age in the 90s and why I refuse to go see a live Journey show (loooooooong story but essentially, I’m angry about how they dissed my man Steve Perry who is THE sound of Journey). If I’m not mistaken - John and the hottie are still together. Go Team John!

Anywhooooo…this is one of my standard oldie’s but goodies. I love this picture of him because it’s exactly how I picture him in my mind. If you’re reading this Mr. Mellencamp - I’d love to sit in a bar with you and shoot the breeze.

For the rest of ya’ll - enjoy the track!

-CaliDre

John Cougar Mellencamp - Jack and Diane

Little ditty about jack and diane
Two american kids growin up in the heartland
Jackies gonna be a football star
Diane debutante backseat of jackies car

Suckin on chilli dogs outside the tastee freeze
Diane sittin on jackies lap
Hes got his hands between her knees
Jackie say, hey diane lets run off
Behind a shady tree
Dribble off those bobby brooks
Let me do what I please
And jackie say a

Chorus:
Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin is gone
Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin is gone they walk on

Jackie sits back reflects his thoughts for a moment
Scratches his head and does his best james dean
Well you know diane we oughtta run of the city
Diane says, baby you aint miss no-thing
Jackie say a

Chorus:
Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin is gone
Oh yeah life goes on
Long after the thrill of livin is gone

Gonna let it rock
Let it roll
Let the Bible belt come down
And save my soul
Hold on to 16 as lang as you can
Changes comin round real soon
Make us women and men

Little ditty about jack and diane
Two american kids doin the best they can

Los Lonely Boys - Heaven

Happy New Year DailyCrack! As I was doing a little bit of cleaning for the new year this past weekend, I found my old school Ipod Photo - the very first ipod the featured a color screen. I decided to charge it and see if it still worked since at last view, it hadn’t.

Zing Zam Zoom..still kicking with the 2700 songs I’d last updated it with. So I then decided to check out what I was listening to back in 2005 and ooooooh the nostalgia. I’ve lost 2 harddrives worth of music since then and I hadn’t heard some of these songs in forever. So…expect the next few posts to be trips down memory lane for me. To start us off, the Garza brothers with their first single Heaven. This band is a wonderful mixture of American Rock and Tejano so I hope you get to check more of them out if you’re not already a fan.

Enjoy!

-CaliDre

Los Lonely Boys - Heaven

Save me from this prison
Lord help me get away
Cause only you can save me now
From this misery
Cause I’ve been lost in my own place
And I’m getting’ weary
How far is heaven
And I know I need to change
My ways of livin’
How far is heaven, Lord can you tell me

Cause I’ve been locked up way too long
In this crazy world, how far is heaven
I just keep on prayin’ Lord
Just keep on livin’, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just got to know how far, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me

Tu que estas en alto cielo,
Echame tu bendiciòn
[translated from Spanish]
[You that’s in a higher place
Send me down a blessing]

Cause I know there’s a better place
Than this place I’m livin’, how far is heaven
So I just got to show some faith
And just keep on giving, how far is heaven
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven
I just wanna know how far, how far is heaven,
Lord can you tell me, how far is heaven,
‘cause I just gotta know how far,
I just wanna know far

Trace Adkins- Every Light in the House is On

the country music i know tends to date from my years in middle school. my mother used to listen to the local news on the radio every morning. that station played country music and only country music. i was introduced to vince gill, dolly parton, johnny cash, randy travis, clint black, tim mcgraw, and others (i only named the people i liked). i heard this song during a special performance of some kind. i have no idea why i was watching it, but i’m glad i did. the song has stuck with me since then. it had to because i don’t particularly care for country music. therefore, i don’t own much of it, and i never listen to it. but something about this song stayed with me. i find myself singing it from time to time. it’s well-written, it’s touching…it’s a lot of things. most importantly, it’s good. well, i think so. i hope you do to0. enjoy.

-the skinny miracle

Tim McGraw - Don’t Take the Girl

This song is like…one of the awesomest short stories I’ve ever heard set to music. I’ve heard it a gazillion times and I kid you not, when I listened to it just now I started to tear up just like the first time I heard it. It is sweet and eloquent and heart-wrenching. In 4 minutes Tim McGraw paints a beautiful story that spans 15 years of a man’s life and…even though its only three verses, you feel like you know exactly whats going on.

Enough from the talking head - go on and listen to the song. And…for all of my country music skeptics, just give this one a chance and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.

-Calidre

Tim McGraw - Don’t Take the Girl

Johnny’s daddy was taking him fishin’
When he was eight years old
A little girl came through the front gate holdin’ a fishing pole
His dad looked down and smiled, said we can’t leave her behind
Son I know you don’t want her to go but someday you’ll change your mind
And Johnny said take Jimmy Johnson, take Tommy Thompson, take my best friend Bo
Take anybody that you want as long as she don’t go
Take any boy in the world
Daddy please don’t take the girl

Same old boy
Same sweet girl
Ten years down the road
He held her tight and kissed her lips
In front of the picture show
Stranger came and pulled a gun
Grabbed her by the arm said if you do what I tell you to, there won’t be any harm
And Johnny said take my money, take my wallet, take my credit cards
Here’s the watch that my grandpa gave me
Here’s the key to my car
Mister give it a whirl
But please don’t take the girl

Same old boy
Same sweet girl
Five years down the road
There’s going to be a little one and she says its time to go
Doctor says the babys fine but you’ll have to leave
Cause his mommas fading fast and Johnny hit his knees and there he prayed
Take the very breath you gave me
Take the heart from my chest
I’ll gladly take her place if you’ll let me
Make this my last request
Take me out of this world
God, please don’t take the girl

Johnny’s daddy
Was taking him fishin’
When he was eight years old

Lonestar - I’m Already There

I love the stories that permeate country music. They really suck you in and its almost like an oral history being passed down.

Back in college….in the days when I declared “country and heavy metel” to be the only genres of music that I didn’t listen to…this was one of my roommates favorite songs. It was also one of the songs that played a role in converting me to a country music listening gal. The first time I heard it was shortly after I’d decided I like Tim McGraw’s twang…and I just got swept up in the story. I could picture the mother at home with the kids…the quilt thrown over the couch…the old fashioned phone that plugs into the wall with a cord…the dad on the road in a Holiday Inn-esque hotel room.

So enjoy this song. Its absolutely beautiful.

-Calidre

Lonestar - I’m Already There

He called her on the road
From a lonely cold hotel room
Just to hear her say I love you one more time
But when he heard the sound
Of the kids laughing in the background
He had to wipe away a tear from his eye
A little voice came on the phone
Said daddy when you coming home
He said the first thing that came to his mind

Im already there
Take a look around
Im the sunshine in your hair
Im the shadow on the ground
Im the whisper in the wind
Im your imaginary friend
And I know Im in your prayers
Oh Im already there

She got back on the phone
Said I really miss you darling
Dont worry about the kids theyll be alright
Wish I was in your arms
Lying right there beside you
But I know that Ill be in your dreams tonight
And Ill gently kiss your lips
Touch you with my fingertips
So turn out the light and close your eyes

Im already there
Dont make a sound
Im the beat in your heart
Im the moonlight shining down
Im the whisper in the wind
And Ill be there until the end
Can you feel the love that we share
Oh Im already there

We may be a thousand miles apart
But Ill be with you wherever you are

Im already there
Take a look around
Im the sunshine in your hair
Im the shadow on the ground
Im the whisper in the wind
And Ill be there until the end
Can you feel the love that we share
Oh Im already there
Oh Im already
There

Nelly & Tim McGraw - Over and Over

Nelly and Tim McGraw are coming out with a single? What in the hell is (insert preferred artist) thinking? This is going to be terrible.

If you had a similar initial reaction when you heard that Over and Over was in the process of being made, then you also were probably pleasantly surprised when you heard it. That joint was fire! It was definitely a risk on both of their parts that could have backfired, but both of these men know their genres and they knew what elements worked for this song.

When this single came out I was living with a girl that was big into country and I did not want to give it the time of day. But after this song came out, I just had to have more of the twang in McGraw’s voice that I’d never really heard before. He just sounded so heartbroken…and if you know anything about me, I can’t resist a singer that can convey emotion that well. And if you wanna know the power of a good collaboration, then look no further. People start listening to an artist they might not otherwise typically listen to! Let’s just say that of all of the country I have henceforth started to listen to, Ole’ Timmy is still a favorite on that genre list. 

Enjoy!

-Calidre

Nelly & Tim McGraw - Over and Over

cuz it’s all in my head
I think about it over and over again
and I can’t keep picturing u with him
and it hurts so bad
yeah cuz it’s all in my head
I think about it over and over again
I replay over and over again
and I can’t take it i can’t shake it no

I can’t wait to see you
wanna see if u still got that look in your eyes
that one you had for me before we said our goodbyes
and it’s a shame that we gotta spend our time
bein mad about the same things
over and over again
about the same thing
over and over again
oh but i think she’s leaving
oh man she’s leaving
I don’t know what else to do
I can’t go on not lovin you
(repeat chorus)

I remember the day you left 
I remember the last breath you took right in front of me
when you said that you would leave
I was to damn stubborn to stop you or say anything
but I see clearly now 
and the choice I made keeps playin in my head
over and over again
over and over again
oh but I think she’s leaving 
oh man she’s leaving
I don’t kno what else to do
I can’t go on not lovin you

(repeat chorus)
now that Iv’e realized that i’m goin down
from all this pain you put me through 
everytime i close my eyes i like it down
oh…. I can’t go on not loving you

(repeat chorus 2x)

over and over again
over and over again
cuz it’s all in my head 

Brooks & Dunn - It’s Getting Better All The Time

Alright Crack Heads (is it ok to call Daily Crack followers Crack Heads? Come onnnnnn) as I have said on numerous occasions, I don’t know what our demographics are. I don’t know how many rockers, hip hoppers, soulsters, indies, or whatever other genre specific people we have following us. But it doesn’t matter. I post songs based on what I want to hear, what I want to share, and what I think kicks ass. And today’s ass kicker is by country heavy weights Brooks and Dunn.

Like a lot of people, I was not very fond of country growing up. When people asked me what type of music I listened to, my response was often “everything but country and heavy metel.” As I’m sure you can imagine, my response is now “anything but heavy metel.”

So how did I end up liking country? I had a roommate in college from the Southwest who played it INCESSENTLY. And I realized - they have some great stories. If someone is sad in a country song, not only did their girl leave them, but their truck ran outta gas, the dog is mad at them, they were reprimanded at work and they’re momma didn’t call on sunday!

This song is a great intro to Brooks and Dunn. This is the type of song I imagine I’d listen to if someone called off the engagement as well as the type of attitude I’d like to have about it. Take it a day at a time and it’ll get better slowly but surely. Great messege - love the pain in his voice and not a shabby intro to the group or the genre (in my humble opinion). Watch out for more country in the coming weeks! Enjoy.

-CaliDre

Brooks and Dunn - It’s Getting Better All The Time

I don’t stop breathing every time the phone rings
My heart don’t race when someones at my door
I’ve almost given up thinkin’ your ever gonna call
I don’t believe in magic anymore.

I just don’t lie awake at night
Asking God to get you off my mind
It’s getting better all the time
It’s getting better all the time.

Yeah, I got to work on time again this morning
This old job is all that I got left
And no one even noticed I’d been crying
At least I don’t have whisky on my breath.

Yeah, I think I’m gonna make it
‘Cause God won’t make a mountain I can’t climb
It’s getting better all the time
It’s getting better all the time.

God, I hope your happy
Girl, I wish you well
I just might get over you
You can’t ever tell.

I always thought that I’d do something crazy
If ever saw you out with someone else
But when the moment came last night
I couldn’t say a word, I stood there in the dark all by myself.

Yeah, I could of said a million things
All I did was keep it locked inside
It’s getting better all the time
It’s getting better all the time.

It’s getting better all the time…

Neko Case - Things that Scare Me


‘things that scare me’ appears on neko case’s third album ‘blacklisted’ which was released in 2002. i first heard the album on a jukebox in a restaurant where i frequently had lunch. had it not been for that jukebox, i may never have heard the album or of neko case because (1) i am biased against country music; and (2) i have zero interest in the new pornographers, the band for which she sometimes contributes vocals. the first of those two reasons is most important. as a child, my mother would listen to the local station for weather updates and news. unfortunately, that meant on most mornings i would sit through at least an hour of country music. the majority of the i heard were terrible and left me with bitter feelings toward the genre. there were exceptions. i will admit to liking several songs by artists such as vince gill, randy travis, and trace adkins. in fact, one of my favorite songs from that period of my life was ‘don’t take the girl’ by tim mcgraw. having said that, i generally disliked country music and had little interest in learning about or hearing more of it outside those hour-long periods each morning. 

imagine my surprise when i heard this album. actually, it didn’t immediately register that this was a country album. i discovered that later when i read that ms. case was considered an ‘alt-country’ artist. i liked it because it was dark and sad. she (neko) sounds as though she’s mourning throughout the album. after hearing it for the first time, i couldn’t wait to hear it again. i went out and bought it soon after. initially, i preferred to listen to ‘ghost wiring,’ ‘deep red bells,’ and ‘lady pilot.’ these days, i consider ‘things that scare me’ my favorite track on the album. i am particularly drawn to the music. the interplay between the guitar and the banjo, and the dark, rich tones beneath it create a sound that’s slightly different from most country songs i’ve heard. it’s country, but it doesn’t feel like it- well, not immediately. i can live with that.

Fluorescent lights engage
Blackbirds frying on a wire
Same birds that followed me to school When I was young
Were they trying to tell me something
Were they telling me to run

The hammer clicks in place
The world’s gonna pay
Right down in the face of God and his saints
Claim your soul’s not for sale
I’m a dying breed who still believes
Haunted by American dreams
Haunted by American dreams

-the skinny miracle