Suicide Eyes by A Thousand Horses
This song is dirty, sexy, and just plain groovetastic. I had the joy of seeing this band perform on the Simple Man Cruise I took at the end of October. They have made me a fan. My favorite lyrics are “Take your sticks and stones ’cause they don’t break me. Leave your guns at home this ain’t no Western baby.”
Fairlane by The Dirty Guv’nahs
Another Simple Man Cruise band. When I heard this song live, it somehow brought me back to my early childhood in the 80’s. It just reminded me of a song my dad and mom would sing along too.
I’m Southern by The Cadillac Black
As I discovered on the Simple Man Cruise, the remaining members of American Bang, go country. I love, love, love this song. It is exactly what being southern is about. I love the lyric “my daddy came from Louisana, like the hot sauce…this is how we roll, this is how we walk…”
Love & Do Not Hesitate by David McMillin
I love the raspiness of David’s voice and this song was a perfect reminder of how to live life. Everyone’s mantra should be the following lyrics: “Good don’t come to those who wait, good don’t come to those who hate. Good shows up in the mailboxes of those who love and do not hesitate.”
Island Song by Zac Brown Band
I spent my birthday in Montego Bay, Jamaica with one of my besties, Amy, and this song was the perfect song for the weekend. And these lyrics, summed up my entire trip: “And I’m a getting faded at the Tiki bar tonight…I’m gonna party like I’m a Jamaican. If you really wanna know where you can find me, I’ll be unwinding down in the islands…”
Drink in My Hand by Eric Church
The Monday-Thursday before my birthday, this was my theme song. Sometimes you just have to tackle the bad with some good drinks and great friends. I did exactly that…proudly supporting the “You Can Take My Job, but You Can’t Take My Freedom” and pre-birthday fun. And these lyrics rang true: “All I wanna do is put a drink in my hand. Ya fill it up; I’ll throw it down, I got a forty hour week worth of trouble to drown. No need to complicate it; I’m a simple man…I got a little hungover still hanging around. Yea that hair of a dog is howling hey there man, All you got to do is put a drink in my hand.
Chuggin’ Along by Luke Bryan
I have a soft spot in my heart for Luke Bryan’s music. I just like 95% of everything he’s ever recorded. And this song, was just a perfect reminder for me to let go and keep on moving. I actually love these lyrics more this month than I have ever. “Some days you got it all together. You swear you have it figured out, other days you’re stumbling and a wondering what the hell it’s all about. Life’s kind of funny like that…All you can do is just keep going and thank God for what you have. Keep chuggin’ along. Keep singing your song…When you look back over your shoulder at everything you’ve done, put the good in your pocket let the bad ones make you strong.”
Footloose by Kenny Loggins
While in Jamaica, I made my friend, Amy, dance with me to this song…okay, so she didn’t need much pushing, she was having a great time as well. Then I realized I was too full of Jamaican rum to dance around like a 5 year old and after the song ended, promptly returned my butt into a bar stool. I guess as many times as I have danced and sang along to this song, I never really paid attention to the lyrics until that night. “I’ve been working so hard I’m punching my card. Eight hours for what? Oh, tell me what I got? I’ve got this feeling That time’s just holding me down I’ll hit the ceiling or else I’ll tear up this town…Lose your blues everybody cut footloose…you’re burning for somebody to tell you that life ain’t passing you by. I’m trying to tell you it will if you don’t even try.”
Can’t Hold Us by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton
If you haven’t watched the awesome video for “Thrift Store” do it now. Then come back to this post.
I wanted to end the month on an anthem and positivity for myself and this song could not be more perfect for me. NO ONE CAN HOLD ME DOWN. You might land a couple of good swings and even knock me down, but mother fucker, I’m gonna get up swinging and you better be ready for a fight or running with your tail between your legs to safety.
“Tonight is the night, we’ll fight till it’s over. So we put our hands up like the ceiling can’t hold us. Y’all can’t stop me, go hard like I got an 808 in my heart beat and I’m eating at the beat like you gave a little speed to a great white shark on shark week.”