Country Universe

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 17

May 25, 2011 Leeann Ward 28

Today’s category is…

A Song That Describes You.

Here are the staff picks:

Leeann Ward: “Lord, I Hope This Day is Good” – Don Williams

There might be a song that technically describes me better than this one, but this is the song that perfectly describes how I feel each morning before I start my day. I don’t know why, but I relate to it on a guttural level.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 16

May 24, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 22

Today’s category is…

Your Guiltiest Guilty Pleasure.

Here are the staff picks:

Kevin Coyne: “Sashimi” – Keyboard Cathy

Look, here’s the thing. It started out as a joke. I was laughing at it. I swear. Then I started singing it to myself more often than I care to admit…until now.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 15

May 23, 2011 Dan Milliken 24

We’re halfway done! Today’s category is…

A Song Used Well in a Film or TV Show

Here are the staff picks:

Dan Milliken: “Hold On” – Wilson Phillips

It’s in Bridesmaids. Go see Bridesmaids.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 14

May 22, 2011 Tara Seetharam 30

Today’s category is…

The First Song You Remember Liking.

Here are the staff picks:

Tara Seetharam: “She’s Not Cryin’ Anymore” – Billy Ray Cyrus

Cyrus released “Achy Breaky Heart” when I was seven years old, and I fell for it. The upside? My mom bought me his Some Gave All cassette tape, and I fell in love with “She’s Not Cryin’ Anymore.” It was the first song in my life to grip me with emotion, which would later come to define my bond with music.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 13

May 21, 2011 Leeann Ward 26

Today’s category is…

A Leaving Song.

Here are the staff picks:

Leeann Ward: “She’s Crazy For Leavin'” – Rodney Crowell

For me, this song plays out like a movie scene in one of those wacky romantic comedies. The guy is over-the-top trying to convince his girl not to go, saying that “she’s crazy for leaving”, while everyone else at the bus stop pretty much knows he’s the crazy one and tells him to just let her go. I especially love the hook, “You can’t stop a woman when she’s out of control.” Few can write tongue in cheek like Crowell and Guy Clark, I tell ya.

Single Review: Big & Rich feat. Gretchen Wilson, “Fake ID”

May 21, 2011 Dan Milliken 8

For the first thirty-five seconds, this sounds like the raddest thing in the radio pile. Snaky beat, those much-missed harmonies, and a cool ominousness, even though you can guess from the title who the protagonist has been driving all over town looking for.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 12

May 20, 2011 Tara Seetharam 28

Today’s category is…

A Drinking Song

Here are the staff picks:

Tara Seetharam: “Smoke a Little Smoke” – Eric Church

I’m still digging this one – part trippy, part creepy vibe and all.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 11

May 19, 2011 Kevin John Coyne 43

Today’s category is…

A Cheating Song.

Here are the staff picks:

Kevin Coyne: “(Margie’s at) The Lincoln Park Inn” – Bobby Bare

Proof that while the other woman can sometimes sound sympathetic, there’s no getting around the fact that the guy is a heel, allowing his selfishness to wreck the lives at home and at the Lincoln Park Inn.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 10

May 18, 2011 Dan Milliken 22

Today’s category is…

A Relaxing Song.

Here are the staff picks:

Dan Milliken: “Can’t Go Back Now” – The Weepies

This husband-wife duo’s sound is mega-soothing, the perfect match for a song which gently nudges the listener to persevere through reality’s burdens and chores. When I need relaxation, it’s usually because I’ve stopped feeling like I can. This one helps me realign.

The 30 Day Song Challenge: Day 9

May 17, 2011 Leeann Ward 24

Today’s category is…

A Song That Makes You Want to Dance.

Here are the staff picks:

Leeann Ward: “Cotton Eye Joe” – Rednex

Just as I don’t sing, I also don’t do much dancing. A song that makes me want to dance, however, should also double as my guilty pleasure choice. Chalk it up to association with childhood memories.