Big Love

Salve for the broken hearted, inspo for romantics: Country music

Music can serve as a window into another life, another world. When I recently happened on a country playlist my heart went “Hello there.” It also said, “Why yes, I do deserve a drink.”

I’ll admit to disliking country simply because it wasn’t cool to like it. Then later in my life I cringed at all the heartbreaking songs about the saddest of sad stories. But today, today I’m lovin’ it and that country twang.

The humor of some lyrics is pleasing, as is the recognition of one broken heart of another. Like, I see you, Morgan Wallen, country singer, whiskey drinker, country boy from Tennessee, and heartbroke fella’. Wallen is a country music singer who has a recent album One Thing At a Time. There are some crossover hits on it that include Last Night and Thinkin’ Bout Me.

I gave the album a listen and these are a few lines that stuck with me due to their humor and/or resonance:

“What’s keeping me up all night/is knowing what is keeping you up all night/Fire and brimstone ain’t got nothin’ on/Seeing you with someone else” – Devil Don’t Know, by Morgan Wallen

“I can either burn the bar down/Or I can take your number out my phone/I hate to tell you, girl/But I’m only quitting one thing at a time.” – One Thing at a Time, Morgan Wallen

As I continue to mourn a love lost and ponder my future, the simple enjoyment of country music is calling me. This is part of redefining myself and my interests.

There are any number of new artists and songs to discover in this “new” music genre. Yes, some of it really is cringey, like REDNECKER by Hardy, and many song titles do have the word “beer” in them, but I’m okay with that. The twangy accents, the small town, the love, the deep voices…ah.

Fast Car by Luke Combs, a remake of the Tracy Chapman hit, speaks to the longing of the heart, the dream of a life, and the unraveling of the dream. Comb’s voice gives it a modern makeover, but the pain and longing remain.

“You got a fast car

I got a job that pays all our bills

You stay out drinking late at the bar

See more of your friends than you do of your kids

I’d always hoped for better

Thought maybe together you and me would find it

I got no plans, I ain’t going nowhere

Take your fast car and keep on driving”

Fast Car, Luke Combs

Sad in the summer by Diplo and Lily Rose sums up the summer time blues and a fading relationship. With a fun beat, is this even country? Who cares. “Can you just hold me close a little longer?/Keep makin’ love while the sun shines/When September comes, we’ll say goodbye.”

And my latest favorite Dancing’ in the Country by Tyler Hubbard makes me want to two-step.

For this chapter of my life, I’m goin’ to keep on listening, and dancing.