Cryin' over a County Song

I used to hate country songs. Why? I don't really know. Because my mom turned them off with a disgusted grunt every time they came on the radio? Because I was a child of the Grunge era? I listed to Nirvana, Bush, Green Day and Collective Soul when I was in middle school, and eventually graduated to Alanis Morrisette and Jewel.

Honestly, as I got older, my musical tastes became less selective. My college roommates used to call this "selling-out" or "posing." For some reason when I got to high school I ditched my Jewel and Sarah McLachlan CDs for ABBA and BeeGee Records. I went through a serious disco phase (much to my mother's utter horror). I wore bell bottoms, I was Roller Girl for Halloween, I smeared on the lip gloss-the more glitter, the better. I was also performing in random community musical theater at that point, so maybe it was my flare for the dramatic coming out. Maybe it was my desperate attempt to escape who I really was. Maybe it was my sad shot at rebelling against my mother's organic, minimalist, feminist upbringing (ok, I know you are all sick of hearing about my mother).

After the disco phase it was straight to Club Music and dancing of all kinds. In college I hardly stayed in a night. I went to Raves, I danced outside in fields. I even wrote a paper titled "The New Generation of Hippies: Ravers"

How did I eventually start liking country music? Well I guess when I finally started relating to it. When I came home, had a baby and had to start all over again from the bottom. You can't go out and drop E tablets anymore because rolling with a baby on your back is just kills your buzz (ha).

So you stay home and play patty-cake and pet the kitty. You make Easter-eggs and force your 16 month old into a bunny costume for Halloween. You watch Bear in the Big Blue House cause you can't go out to see the latest Brad Pitt. You have a glass of wine alone after the baby goes to bed, because your friends are out and you don't have daddy to babysit.

So I guess when my mommy- friend send me this song, and started bawling like my daughter at daycare in the morning, I really can't judge myself for understanding its message. I'm sorry mom, for likin' some country songs:


The Strong One – Clint Black

When God made woman I wonder sometimes
If it was a flower he had in mind
When he made her

A touch as gentle as a butterfly
A kiss so sweet it could stop time
Forever

God gave man the chance to be
The kind of strength a woman needs
He was supposed to be the one
To carry that load

But there she goes
Baby in her arms
World on her shoulders when her day starts
Workin’ a job that don’t pay much
But she thanks God it’s enough

And there she is
On her own two feet
He walked out, but she still got her dreams
Tries to laugh when she feels like cryin’
Nobody’d blame her if she stopped tryin’
But she’s got a heart that gives and gives
So you tell me who the strong one is

Tonight’s the first night in a while
She put on her makeup wearin’ a smile
She’s goin’ out
That everything was all planned out
But the fever that the baby’s got now
It’s all shot down
And she gives up what she wants to do
For what she has to
That’s what a mama does
And she’ll be there like she always is
When the sun comes up