Don't Back Up, Don't Back Down

The Only Way I Know

Jason Aldean Featuring Luke Bryan & Eric Church

     One of my all time favorite songs off of Jason Aldean's new album 'Night Train', is 'The Only Way I Know' by Jason Aldean with Luke Bryan and Eric Church. Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, and Eric Church are my top three favorite country music singers. I've seen Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan twice in concert, and I've seen Eric Church three times in concert. I love watching them all perform, and seeing that they have a song out together made me really excited to listen to it. The first time I listened to it, I loved it and it's the only song that I have been listening to for the past week now, I know I'll end up getting tired of it soon because of listening to it so much, but it's stuck in my head all the time because I'm always listening to it.

    This song is about growing up in a small farm town and working on a farm. This is the only way of life that they were taught and brought up to do, and they were raised on a farm and learned to work hard. There's a line that goes "Nobody really seemed to care that we were living in the middle of nowhere, we just figured that's how it was and everybody else was just like us, soaking in the rain, baking in the sun, don't quit 'til the job get's done". This just proves that they were brought up to learn this type of life and didn't know about anything else. Also, one of my favorite lines in this song is "Don't back up, don't back down". Which is simple, but says a lot as an overall quote. 

    At the CMA Awards hosted in Nashville, Aldean, Bryan, and Church opened the show by performing this song, which was surprisingly really good considering that they just learned their parts and how to play this song on the guitar the morning of the show. The thing I like about these artists is that they sound just as good live as they do on their CD's, and I really like that about them as artists, and the song sounded the same as it did on the CD, and you could tell they weren't faking it either. They added different harmonies to the chorus and changed up their parts of the song a little bit, which was kind of cool. I really liked seeing them perform this song, and overall I think this song has a really cool and unique message to it.

"The Only Way I Know" Lyrics

Well I grew up in one of them old farm towns

Where they hit it hard till the sun goes down

Nobody really seemed to care that we were living in the middle of nowhere

We just figured that’s how it was

And everyone else was just like us

Soaking in the rain baking in the sun

Don’t quit till the job gets done

That’s the only way I know

Don’t stop till everything’s gone

Straight ahead never turn round

Don’t back up, don’t back down

Full throttle wide open

You get tired, you don’t show it

Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more

That’s the only way I know

That old red dirt the first thing you learn

You don’t get nothing that you don’t earn

Humble pride that I grew up on

You find out just how bad you want it

Sun in our eyes backs to the fences

Didn’t know the odds were against us

Hit the wall smoking and spinning

Still wasn’t thinking ‘bout nothing but winning

That’s the only way I know

Don’t stop till everything’s gone

Straight ahead never turn round

Don’t back up, don’t back down

Full throttle wide open

You get tired, you don’t show it

Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more

That’s the only way I know

Maybe there’s another path that will get you there a little bit faster,

But I’m sticking with the one inside of me.

That’s the only way I know

Don’t stop till everything’s gone

Straight ahead never turn round

Don’t back up, don’t back down

Full throttle wide open

You get tired, you don’t show it

Dig a little deeper when you think you can’t dig no more

That’s the only way I know 

Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan & Eric Church Perform at the CMA Awards

Let Me Show You How Country Feels

How Country Feels

Randy Houser

            Just recently, I heard this song on the radio, and listened to the song fully and realized that I really liked this song a lot. I always heard it on the radio but I would always turn to a different station, and now I don’t know why I did that. I love this song and I have had it on repeat for a while now. I knew there was another country music blog on here titled “How Country Feels” but I never thought to listen to this song, I never really gave it a chance, but I’m glad that I finally did because I really like it now!

            Randy Houser also sings the song “Boots On” Which was really popular 2 summers ago. This newest song, in my opinion is a lot better, and it really reminds me of summer time, even though most country songs tend to do that, this one especially reminds me of summer. This song kind of has a relaxed feel to it in a way, its message is to let go and not worry about anything, and to really know how country feels. My favorite lyric in this song is in the chorus, “Let your hair down, hair down, get you some of this laid on back, kick your shoes off, kick ‘em off, get you some of this slow down fast, I’ll take you up and down these hollers and hills, let me show you how country feels”. This song is definitely going to be my favorite for a while, and I love listening to it in the car. I’m really glad I gave this song a chance, because I think it’s a really laid back, summer song.

“How Country Feels” Lyrics

You were raised on an asphalt farm

Ain't never heard a rooster crow

Never walked barefoot by a river

Felt the mud up between your toes

You never rolled in the hay

You never thrown it in four wheel

Climb up on here girl

Let me show you how country feels

Let your hair down, hair down

Get you some of this laid on back

Kick your shoes off, kick 'em off

Get you some of this slow down fast

I'll take you up and down these hollers and hills

Let me show you how country feels

You ever watched the sun go down

From the bed of a pickup truck

Ever been so into somebody

You're still lying there when it comes back up

 Girl what do you say?

Cut a path through that cornfield

Park down by the water

Let me show you how country feels

Let your hair down, hair down

Get you some of this laid on back

Kick your shoes off, kick 'em off

Get you some of this slow down fast

I'll take you up and down these hollers and hills

Let me show you how country feels

Let your hair down

Get you some of this laid on back

Kick your shoes off (Kick your shoes off)

Let your hair down, hair down

Get you some of this laid on back

Kick your shoes off, kick 'em off

Get you some of this slow down fast

I'll take you up and down these hollers and hills

Let me show you how country feels

Country feels

“How Country Feels” Music Video

Come on Baby Let's go Listen to the Night Train

Night Train

Jason Aldean

       Jason Aldean's latest Album, "Night Train"which was released October 16th, is expected to be a hit according to a lot of websites I've been on. There are 15 brand new songs from Jason Aldean, some he co-wrote, and others were borrowed from his colleagues, Florida Georgia Line and Thomas Rhett, which in agreement said that Aldean could take these songs and make it his own, just as long as the original artists get more publicity for it. Anyways, I have listened to every one of the songs on this album so far and I have to say there isn't a song on there I don't like. All of the songs have Jason Aldean's rock and country twist and a lot of meaning behind each one. 

        The first song on this album that I listened to was "Night Train", which is the song that the album is named after. When the song first started I could tell I was going to like it because it had a unique sound to it, and I really liked the music in the background. This song talks about how when Aldean was younger they would park somewhere and go listen to the night train in his small hometown. This song definitely reminds me of summer, and just about all of his songs do. My favorite line from this song is "The thought of you is drivin' me insane, come on baby let's go listen to the night train". I feel like this song portrays a specific memory from when Jason Aldean was a teenager. Also, on this album, a lot of the songs have a more rock type of music to them, but still has a country feel to it. One of the songs on the album, "1994" has a little bit of a rap music twist on it, but not too much, it's still more of a country song in my opinion. Don't be surprised if there are more of these blogs to come dedicated to Jason Aldean's album, because there are a lot of songs on there that are worth blogging about, and also because Jason Aldean is one of my favorite country artists. :)

"Night Train" Lyrics

I've been thinking bout you all day baby
Waiting on that sun to go down
Won't you say I pick you up after work
Slide over and slip out to the outskirts of town
Got a blanket and a fifth of Comfort
A little something to knock off the edge
It's supposed to get a little cold tonight
Looks like I'm gonna have to hold you tight

Bout a mile off Old Mill Rd
That spot nobody knows
Park the truck and we take off running
Hurry up girl I hear it coming

Got a moon and a million stars
The sound of steel and old box cars
The thought of you driving me insane
Come on baby let's go listen to the night train

Yeah I hope it's gonna be a long one
If we're lucky it's moving slow
Wouldn't mind if it lasted all night
Right next to you on that hill side

Bout a mile off Old Mill Rd
That spot nobody knows
Park the truck and we take off running
Hurry up girl I hear it coming

Let's go listen to the night train
 

Bout a mile off Old Mill Rd
That spot nobody knows
Park the truck and we take off running
Hurry up girl I hear it coming

Let's go listen to the night train

Loving Him Was Red

Red

Taylor Swift

            Taylor Swift’s has been coming out with new songs recently, promoting her upcoming album titled “Red” after a song on the album, and it is also her favorite color. Recently, she just released 5 songs from the album, “I Knew You Were Trouble”, “State of Grace”, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together”, “Begin Again” and finally, “Red”, which is one of my favorite songs that she has released. This song is really meaningful and a lot easier to listen to than her latest single, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” which is definitely not one of my favorite songs by her. Granted, I like to listen to it sometimes when it’s on the radio, but after a while it gets really annoying, especially when the radio stations, country and pop, play it non-stop. Even though that song isn’t my favorite, I really like all of the other ones that were released so far, and I think these songs have a different sound and tone to them compared the rest of her songs. Granted, they are still all about love and her ex-boyfriends which she so proudly flaunts that she’s not afraid to use names in her songs or talk about her ex-boyfriends in songs that millions of people all around the world hear every day.

            Taylor Swift started off as a country artist, but as her fame grew and she got more popular, she became more of a pop artist in my opinion. She claims that she is still a country artist, but even some country artists say she’s a pop artist now, for example Miranda Lambert, a country artist, stated that “Taylor Swift is a pop artist” when asked about her in an interview. It’s a little frustrating, being a fan of country music, to see her start off as a really good country artist, and then all of a sudden change her role to a pop artist and forget how country music was the thing that made her popular in the first place. I used to be a huge fan of hers, but that slowly faded away as I started getting more into country music. The exception to this however, is her new song “Red” which is what this blog is about.

            This song is basically about how getting over her ex wasn’t easy, but it had to be done. It shows how hard it was to forget about all their memories together and forgetting him wasn’t the easiest thing to do. “Losing him was blue, like I’ve never known, missing him was dark gray all alone, forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met, and loving him was red” is one of my favorite lyrics in this songs. Also, in the beginning of the song, she sings, “Loving him was like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street, faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ended so suddenly”. Also, “Loving him is like tryin’ to change your mind while you’re already flyin’ through the free fall, like the colors in autumn so bright, just before they lose it all”. She compares their relationship to a lot of things, but when it comes down to it, she’s basically saying that the relationship they had was really nice while it lasted, but it didn’t last very long, and it took a long time to forget him. This song has a lot of meaning behind it, and I think it has a different sound and rhythm to it than the rest of her songs, and I think it’s pretty unique between the lyrics and the music. She also states that “Loving him was red” which is what I’m guessing, means that it was really, really good, because her favorite color is red. Even though it sounds bad, she has stated more than once that she loves the color red, and this song has a positive look on that, while other songs and things may say that red is negative. I think Taylor Swift really did an awesome job on this song, and I really like it. I can’t wait to listen to her new album and the new songs she’ll be coming out with.

Taylor Swift “Red” Lyrics

Loving him is like driving a new

Maserati down a dead end street
Faster than the wind
Passionate as sin, ended so suddenly
Loving him is like trying to change your mind
Once you’re already flying through the free fall
Like the colors in autumn
So bright just before they lose it all

Losing him was blue like I’d never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to

Know somebody you've never met
But loving him was red
Loving him was red

Touching him is like realizing

All you ever wanted was

Right there in front of you
Memorizing him was as easy as

Knowing all the words to your old favorite song
Fighting with him was like trying
To solve a crossword and

Realizing there’s no right answer
Regretting him was like wishing

You never found out love could be that strong

Losing him was blue like I’d never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to

Know somebody you've never met
But loving him was red
Oh red burning red

Remembering him comes

In flashbacks and echoes
Tell myself it’s time now, gotta let go
But moving on from him is impossible
When I still see it all in my head

Burning red
Darling it was red

Oh, losing him was blue like I’d never known
Missing him was dark grey all alone
Forgetting him was like trying to

Know somebody you've never met
Cause loving him was red yeah yeah red
We're burning red

And that's why he's spinning round in my head
Comes back to me burning red
Yeah yeah

Cause love was like driving a new

Maserati down a dead end street

Til My Last Day, I'll Be Lovin' You

Til My Last Day

Justin Moore

     As soon as I heard this song on the radio, I knew I had to go home and download it. Justin Moore is one of my favorite country artists, and I love every one of his songs just because they are so catchy and in my opinion they are unique. They aren't all about just love stories, they're about life experiences and his beliefs. One of his first singles, "If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away" was a hit on the country radio, and it was a really unique and relatable song for a lot of people who lost a loved one. Another single that was a hit was "How I Got to Be This Way" which tells a story about how he grew up and what he learned throughout his life and how that made him who he is today. This newest song, "Til My Last Day" is by far one of my favorites, and not only because it has an extremely cute music video, it also has a cute message to it too.
      I just recently went to go see Justin Moore in concert as an opener for Eric Church, and he was probably one of the best performers I have seen, mostly because I know and love all of his songs and because his voice sounds exactly like it does on his CD, which is something that I really like in a performer. He sounds just like his CD when he sings, which in my opinion is no disappointment. This song pretty much means that no matter what, he will always love her until his last day. The chorus of this song probably my favorite part, when he sings, 'Til my last day, til my last breath of anyone that can I can love you the best, til my last day, I'll be lovin' you'. Another lyric that really sticks out to me is 'All the way up til they lay me down, six feet under the cold hard ground, til my last day, I'll be lovin you'. Overall, I think this song has a really cute message to it and it's something a little bit different for Justin Moore, because he doesn't sing about love too often in his songs, so this one is definitely a good change for him in my opinion.
        The music video to this song has a really adorable story line to it, and as I've mentioned before I love music videos with story lines. The story to this one starts out with a woman who looks stressed out, cleaning a run down house, when her boyfriend comes in and hugs her. All of a sudden his friends show up outside, waiting for him, and she thinks he is just going to drink and hang out with his friends. What he's really doing is working all day on this cute little house that he is building with all of his friends from the ground up. He fixes it up, and when he comes home every day he sleeps, and when he wakes up, he leaves again to go work on the house. His girlfriend is getting more furious with him each day he leaves. The night he finishes, he blindfolds her and takes her to the house and walks her into this fixed up house with roses in the middle of the floor, and all of their friends are there to celebrate. Overall I think this music video and song are really cute and have a really good meaning behind them. 

Til My Last Day Lyrics

People say I'm just a rough boy
I ain't no good for you girl
It's a dead end street, tryin' to love me
Yeah, I'll wreck your world
I can see why they're all talkin'
Lookin' back at my past
I've got a bad name, but a man can change 
I'm livin' proof of that

Til my last day
Til my last breath
Of everyone that can, I can love you the best
Til my last day, I'll be lovin' you
All the way up, til they lay me down
Six feet under, the cold hard ground
Til my last day, I'll be lovin' you

Baby I might meet all my friends 
Shoot the bull, have a beer or two
But you know I'll be the first one to leave
In a hurry to get to you
Somewhere deep inside your angel eyes
I found a place to rest, don't ever doubt that 
I'll be around, and baby don't you ever forget

Til my last day
Til my last breath
Of everyone that can, I can love you the best
Til my last day, I'll be lovin' you
All the way up, til they lay me down
Six feet under, the cold hard ground
Til my last day, I'll be lovin' you
Darlin' yes I Will

Til my last day
Til my last breath
Of everyone that can, I can love you the best
Til my last day, I'll be lovin' you
All the way up, til they lay me down
Six feet under, the cold hard ground
Til my last day, I'll be lovin' you
Oh babe, til my last day

Til My Last Day Music Video

You Make Me Wanna Roll My Windows Down, and Cruise :)

Cruise

Florida Georgia Line

     The song 'Cruise' by Florida Georgia Line was sort of a summer anthem for me. I listened to it in my car and had it on repeat for a good part of the summer, because that's what the song feels like: summer. As soon as I heard this song, I thought it was a unique, catchy song, and then I listened to it over and over and couldn't get enough of it, it's the perfect song to jam out to in your car while driving. Florida Georgia Line is a new country duo, with lead singers Tyler Hubbard, from Georgia, and Bryan Kelley, from Florida. I think that the name of they're band fits them pretty well, seeing as though one is from Georgia and the other is from Florida. They have been opening up for popular country singers like Blake Shelton, Jake Owen, Brantley Gilbert, and Colt Ford. 'Cruise' is one of their first singles from their new EP coming out soon on iTunes.

      I just heard this song on country radio recently, and it hasn't been out on the radio for very long at all, but now since it's out there, there's no doubt that it will become popular, seeing as though it's a pretty catchy song. The chorus of this song is probably my favorite part, when they sing 'Baby you a song, you make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise, down a back road blowin' stop signs through the middle every little farm town with you, and this brand new Chevy with a lift kit, would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it'. This part of the song is the catchiest in my opinion and that's really the only reason I liked the song in the first place. This song is all about riding around in the summer and having fun, not worrying about anything and just having a good time. Listening to this song now makes me miss summer so I haven't been listening to it much anymore, but once next spring and summer come around, this song will definitely be one of the first to go on my summer playlist. :)

'Cruise' Lyrics

Baby you a song
You make me wanna roll my

Windows down and cruise

Hey Baby

When I first saw that bikini top on her,
She's poppin' right out of the south Georgia water.
Thought, "Oh good Lord!" she had them long tan legs
Couldn't help myself so I walked up and said:

Well baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll my

Windows down and cruise...
Down a back road blowin' stop signs 

Through the middle,

Every little farm town,
With you.

& this brand new chevy with a lift kit,
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it!
So Baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll 

My windows down and cruise!

Yea she was sippin' on Southern' and singin' Marshall Tucker,
We were falling in love in the sweet heart of summer.
She hopped right up,
Into the cab of my truck
And said, "Fire it up! Let's go get this thing stuck!"

Baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll my

Windows down and cruise...
Down a back road blowin' stop signs

Through the middle,
Every little farm town,
With you.

& this brand new chevy with a lift kit,
Would look a hell of a lot better with you up in it!
So Baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll my 

Windows down and cruise!

When that summer sun fell to it's knees,
I looked at her and she looked at me,
And I turned on those KC lights and drove all night,
Cuz it felt so right,
Her and I man we felt so right.

I put it in park,
and grabbed my guitar,
and strummed a couple chords,
and sang from the heart.

Girl you sure got the beat in my chest bumpin'
Hell I can't get you out of my head

Baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll my windows down and cruise...
Down a back road blowin' stop signs through the middle,
Every little farm town with you!

Baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll my

Windows down and cruise...
Down a back road blowin' stop signs 

Through the middle,
Every little farm town with you

And in this brand new chevy with a lift kit,
Would Look a hell of a lot better with you up in it!
Come on

Baby you a song,
You make me wanna roll my

Windows down and cruise!

Come on girl

Get those windows down and cruise

I'm Hard to Love, Hard to Love, No I Don't Make it Easy

Hard to Love

Lee Brice

     'Hard to Love' by Lee Brice is a song that I used to hate. Every time it would come on the radio I would change it immediately, because I don't really like a lot of his music. I loved his first single, 'Love Like Crazy' which I will most likely do a blog post on that song in the near future. The single he released after that, 'A Woman Like You' was not one of my favorites. I hate that song, I think it's pretty annoying in my opinion. His latest song though has kind of grown on me. Now when this song comes on the radio I actually listen to it instead of turning it to another channel. The reason I listened to this song in the first place was because it was on a radio station in the car one day, and I instantly changed it to another country station, and this song was on that station too, so I was pretty much forced to listen to it. After I listened to it all the way through, I couldn't get it out of my head, I kept singing it, and then I realized that the song was pretty catchy and I actually liked it once I gave it a chance, or rather once I was forced to give it a chance.

      I'm not a huge fan of Lee Brice, but apparently a lot of other people out there are. Lee Brice emerged into the country scene not too long ago, releasing his first hit single, 'Love Like Crazy' which was a pretty inspirational song about a man rising up from nothing to selling computers and becoming rich and it is kind of a success story, which is a really meaningful song. His next single he released was 'A Woman Like You' which was a little more corny, in my opinion. This song describes how he is, obviously, 'hard to love'. The first line of this song is 'I am insensitive, I have a tendency to pay more attention to the things that I need. Sometimes I drink too much, sometimes I test your trust, sometimes I don't know why you're staying with me'. One of my favorite lines throughout the song is, 'girl you've given me a million second chances and I don't ever wanna take you for granted'. These lyrics really probe that he does care but he is hard to stay with and he doesn't want that to come between them, and I think that like is really sweet. The chorus of this song is really catchy, 'I'm hard to love, hard to love, no I don't make it easy, I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood', really proves that he appreciates what his love interest is putting up with through the relationship and I think that is a really good line in the song also. Overall, I really like this song from Lee Brice, and it really grew on me, but as far as I'm concerned, Lee Brice is a hit or miss with me music wise.

"Hard to Love" Lyrics

I am insensitive I have a tendency

To pay more attention to the things that
I need. Sometimes I drink to much, 

sometimes I test your trust, sometimes I dunno
Why you're staying with me

I'm hard to love, hard to love,

I don't make it easy, I couldn't do it if I
Stood where you stood
I'm hard to love, hard to love,

You say that you need me, I don't deserve
It but I love that you love me. goood

I am a short fuse,

I am a wrecking ball crashing into

your heart like I do
You're like a Sunday morning

Full of grace and full of Jesus

I wish that I could be more like you.

I'm hard to love, hard to love, 

I don't make it easy, I couldn't do it if I
Stood where you stood,
I'm hard to love, hard to love,

You say that you need me, I don't deserve
It but I love that you love me. Goood
Love me good

Girl you've given me a million

second chances and I don't ever wanna take
You for granted, I'm just a man, I'm just a man

Hard to love, hard to love, 

Oh I don't make it easy and

I couldn't do it if I stood where you stood.
I'm hard to love, hard to love 

and you say that you need me, I don't
Deserve it but I love that you love me

Good. (x2)

You love me good.

Hard to Love Music Video