Is it just me, or are the weekends going by faster than ever? I suspect it’s because it’s summertime, and with the kids out of school, sometimes the weekend can blur into the weekdays, so when you realize it’s Sunday night, you’re astounded that the weekend flew by super fast. In other words, hello Monday!

Since it’s Monday, all is not lost, because Monday means music! This week is a freebie week – grab your favorite tune(s) and dance along with us, won’t you?

On Sunday, October 1, 2018 a gunman opened fire on a crowd of concertgoers at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, while Jason Aldean was on stage. Fifty-eight people were killed, making it the deadliest mass shooting committed by an individual in the United States. This artist had performed at the festival earlier in the weekend; he said that the tragedy affected his creative process, blocking him up creatively while trying to write songs for his sixth album. He was quoted as saying:

“I was a little lost for a while. I think, like a lot of people, I was in a little bit of a funk after something like that. I was still a little burned out. A little bit going through the motions. I think that’s part of what happened when I first went into the studio, is I still wasn’t quite ready to get there.”

Here, heartbroken, he sings about trying to find his way since his lover left him. He is a desperate man and will try anything.

I’ve seen the Joshua Tree / Got down on my knees / Threw the Virgin Mother a prayer / I’ve walked glass barefooted / Strolled ‘cross the devil’s hot coal / I’ve tried everything, I swear

The cinematic and high-flying video finds this artist on a mission to obtain his music before the record label decides to distribute it. It’s definitely a cleverly done video. The artist said:

“Excitement for new music from my favorite artists is a feeling I can remember from my formative years. The unknown and the possibilities of the anticipation are one of the true joys of music. Well, even though how we discover songs from our favorite performers may have evolved, the feeling remains the same.”

Give a listen to (and be entertained by the video) Eric Church with “Desperate Man”:

Next up is an upbeat song about the desire for the security that home and family provides.

There’s nothin’ in the world that feels like / The place that I know where they all know me / I gotta get back now to the ones who love me / Wrap myself around you, never let you go / There’s nothin’ in the world that feels like / Coming home, home, home, mmm / Coming home

As a touring musician, this artist knows well that feeling of longing to return home to the people he loves. The artist was quoted as saying:

“[This song] started with an idea I had of using the intro of one of my favorite Haggard songs, ‘Mama Tried,’ to build an entirely new song around it. Then, I took the idea to JR Rotem and he put some chords around it. I called Theresa Haggard and Ben Haggard to play them what we’d been working on. It was important to me to have their blessing – and I’m so grateful that they love the song.”

Born in Whangarei, New Zealand, the artist moved with his parents to Caboolture, Queensland, Australia when he was teenager. In 1991, he released a self-titled debut album and charted four singles in Australia before moving to Nashville, Tennessee the following year.

“Hearing that rolling Haggard guitar lick sparked memories of my childhood – and my dream to come to America. I knew right then the story (of the song) was about the struggles of being in a city where your dreams have brought you, but far from your home.”

 

Give a listen to the talented Keith Urban featuring Julia Michaels with “Coming Home”:

Next up is an autobiographical song this artist penned with this father. The first verse is about his quick ascension from college student to country music headliner, the second about getting married to his wife Lauren at 22 and the third talks about adopting their 18-month-old daughter Willa Gray in May 2017 while waiting on the birth of their own baby girl, Ada James. He was quoted as saying:

“It’s kind of about my daughter and it’s kinda about a lot of things. Basically it goes from me being in college to me being here now and how drastically my life has changed in the last five or six years. And Willa being a huge part of that.”

“That song is definitely one of those songs that’s just in-the-moment, and I kind of just wrote it because it was what I was going through. I never in a million years thought it would be a single.”

Without further ado, here’s Thomas Rhett with “Life Changes”:

Last, but definitely not least, is this group’s brand new single. The frontman has battled adversity for much of his life, having struggled with depression, along with ADD, anxiety issues and a chronic inflammatory condition.

More recently he has had to deal with the emotional distress arising from a marital breakdown and the constant drip, drip criticism from social media trolls. This song finds him choosing to be cold hearted as a defense mechanism to stand up to all the hardship that comes his way.

Natural / A beating heart of stone / You gotta be so cold / To make it in this world / Yeah, you’re a natural / Living your life cutthroat / You gotta be so cold / Yeah, you’re a natural

The song stays true to this group’s formula of contemplative verses and soaring choruses laced with explosive drums. The frontman was quoted as saying:

“Living in a dog-eat-dog world can bring out the worst in you, and sometimes, the best. It would be a lie to tell you I haven’t become somewhat skeptical about some things in the last decade of my life. However, I believe that when you truly learn to love yourself, the judging eyes and hateful words become meaningless. [This song] is about finding yourself and being willing and able to stand up to whatever adversity comes your way.”

Give a listen to Imagine Dragons with “Natural”:

That’s a wrap for this week – have a great Monday – see you on the dance floor! 

Now on to the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me:   PhotobucketI have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and our musical cohort, the awesome Cathy from Curious as a CAThy, and while our beloved Callie of JAmerican Spice is taking a break, our friend Michelle from Musings and Merriments with Michelle is helping out with hostess duties! And, for the month of July, Michelle is also our Honorary Conductor and  Dancer!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!



9 Comments

  1. Your music on Mondays makes me smile when i finally get in from work, thank you!

  2. Indeed the weekend does fly so fast. And what else is that my kids begin school in less than two weeks. I do not like it. I love my time with them and I hate that they are taking away more and more time from them.

    Love the music. Thanks for the dance.

  3. What we had a weekend… when??? Are ya kiddin’ me? Girl, I know exactly what you’re talkin’ ’bout!!! Anyway, your first tune I just couldn’t relate to that one, but Keith Urban never heard the tune, but girl oooooooooweeeeeeeeee luvin’ that boy and his new tune (well it’s new to me)!!! Great lil’ video too! Thomas Rhett nope never heard of him… but the song is totally cool and totally understandable. Cutie pie baby… then you got you last tune.. totally new to me… but why do people have to scream in songs… but this guy and his group really screams at ya to get his point across for sure.. IT TOTALLY ROCKS!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEK GIRLFRIEND… I’M POOPED… ENOUGH BOOGIE FOR TODAY!!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEK MY FRIEND! HUGS

  4. Hi Stacy,
    I always enjoy how you do your posts. All of these songs are new-to-me and I like each one of them! I never heard of Eric Church. Great song, “Desperate Man”…And I love the very creative video! That was super interesting to watch. Very clever with the guys busting in wearing EMI vests! haha Very good!

    I also can relate to Keith Urban’s “Coming Home.” I miss my hometown so very much. I keep wanting to get back there for a visit and there just never seems to be a good time to get out of here. One of these days…
    I had no idea Keith Urban was from New Zealand & Australia!

    The other song I really like here is Imagine Dragon’s “Natural” — I know all about turning cold and the heart turning to stone just in order to protect it. Yep, I totally get that one…

    Thanks for bringing us some great (new-to-me) songs this week!
    Enjoy the rest of your week. Summer is almost over and it will be Christmas soon… Waaah…

    Michele at Angels Bark

  5. Stacy,

    I see John wondered the same thing about your (hopefully) the typo on the date. Days blurring together sometimes affects the mind causing you to insert the one year. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done that. 🙂

    You ought to be proud of yourself for introducing all new-to-tunes to all of us this week. I enjoyed all of your song selections. Thomas Rhett’s “Life Changes” speaks to everyone. How can it not? It’s sad when folks allow others to affect them mentally. People haven’t gotten ruder and those in social media think just because they are behind a monitor or cell phone they can spew ugliness. Well…that’s not cool and it’s cowardness. I guess the sad truth is some, maybe all, of these same people are the ones who’d get right in your face if they met you because they are so out of control. I mean, why hold it in. The easy thing to do let it fly, right? Nope, nope, nope! Doing the right thing, being IN control, and reserving oneself is the way to go. These are common things that were taught to me and it’s these basic truths that keep our world in balance but when it’s ignored the world wonders what’s going on. Well, everyone can’t be out of control all the time, you know? Where was I going with my rants, oh yeah, I understand how one feels the need to put up walls to protect the heart as in Imagine Dragon’s frontman. It’s still sad. Anywho, my friend, I love the mewsic and loved, even more, getting to dance with you. I’m sorry for the late visit. I thought I came by the other day. *smack forehead* Have a boogietastic week/weekend!

  6. These are all new songs to me. There are a couple of Imagine Dragons songs I love; I had no idea about their frontman’s struggles. The Eric Church video was so amusing, but the song I enjoyed the most, with my Sunday morning mood, was “Life Changes”. As, indeed, it does.

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