#also i know it's Faith Hill not Shania Twain

[bloomingonionbitch]

(y'all really didn't give the full picture on Practical Magic...this movie is stressful as fuck!??)

[burntheedges-updates]

Over Again - Mix CD & Playlist

I'll start posting the fic soon! Maybe this weekend? In the meantime, this playlist goes with the fic. The first 19 songs are the ones Joel and Sarah burned on a mix CD for you/reader late in 2001. After that it's just more vibes (and relevant songs…).

I was a teenager in 2000 and I grew up in the south (not in Texas, though I lived there later), so I was aiming for songs I would have heard on the radio and songs the reader and Joel definitely would have heard on the radio and when they went out dancing (we're talking two-step and merengue, and more). You'll see more of this later, but Joel teaches you to dance in this fic. Thank you to @thatoneobsessedlinguist-writes for your help and song suggestions!

Read on for my annotated list with headcanons for the first 19 songs.

Mild spoiler warning for the fic - there are some notes and context for various bits of the story, so I'd hold off on reading until later if you're not into that.

Joel & Sarah's ~Awesome~ Mix

Link to playlist here

Some general categories -

Songs 1-6: those inescapable songs you would have heard every time Joel took you dancing. Some of them were the songs playing when he taught you the steps.

Songs 9-15: the same, but for country night/dance clubs, for two-stepping and line dancing.

Just take a moment and let the truth settle in your heart - the Miller brothers know how to two-step and how to line dance. And they'll break those out or a bit of merengue or bachata and more on a night out or at family gatherings.

La Bomba - azul azul (2000) This song played in every club in 2001, and you can't convince me otherwise. Also, there's a moment with this song in the fic that cracks me up (no spoilers).

Suavemente - Elvis Crespo (1998) Just imagine Joel leading you through a bit of merengue to this song in a club. I'll wait.

Lambada - Kaoma (1989) I'll be honest, I can't imagine this playlist without this song. Everyone would have known it, they'd have heard it out and at every family gathering, forever.

Fruta Fresca - Carlos Vives (1999) Once you start to catch on, Joel throws these faster songs at you, whirling you around and keeping his eyes locked on you the whole time. Ese beso con que sueño, cuando, las penas me acechan...

Rie y Llora - Celia Cruz (2000) Sarah's Abuela/Joel & Tommy's mom loves Celia Cruz. Her songs play at every family gathering, and the whole family knows the entire Celia Cruz catalog. They have to. (This is the song Joel and Sarah are dancing to in the backyard in the excerpt I posted the other day.)

Arrasando - Thalia (2000) Another one of those songs that Joel throws at you once you've got the steps down. Ellie thinks the fast songs are the best ones, later.

Que Me Quedes Tú - Shakira (2001) We have to have a couple of slow songs, at least, and this album was huge in 2001. I think Sarah, a bilingual kid in Texas, would have loved it.

¡Que Bonito! - Rosario (1996) This is the song that plays when you and Joel are slow dancing in the backyard, after he teaches you to dance, when he kisses you for the first time. Qué bonito poder sentirte así...

Austin - Blake Shelton (2001) Look, they lived in Austin. This song came out mid-summer, 2001. There is no chance it didn't play in every single country night club in Austin for years.

The Way You Love Me - Faith Hill (1999) This song was inescapable. I've line danced to it myself.

What About Now - Lonestar (1999) Joel Miller would have loved this song. Imagine him taking you for a spin around the dance floor to this one. Baby, for once let's don't think twice...

Cowboy Take Me Away - The Chicks (1999) I feel that this one speaks for itself. I also think Sarah would have laughed at both of you every time you got emotional about it. Ellie would do the same 20 years later.

Man! I Feel LIke A Woman! - Shania Twain (1997) Sarah helps Joel make this mix CD as a gift for you. You know she'd add this song – you and Sarah would have sung this song at the top of your lungs while dancing around Joel and Tommy in the kitchen, as they watched and laughed. Joel also loves watching you line dance to it when it comes on at a club and the men clear the floor (this is exactly what happened in the early 2000s every time this song played, in my experience).

Boot Scootin' Boogie - Brooks & Dunn (1991) I think it might be illegal not to play this song at a country night club. I'm serious. Especially in 2001.

All My Ex's Live in Texas - George Strait (1987) They live in Texas. I'm pretty sure they're still playing this song in Texas, even though I haven't lived there in 8 years.

No One Needs To Know - Shania Twain (1995) In my mind, this song captures the moment you set eyes on Joel the first time, in the first chapter of the fic. And maybe you would have told him that, later, when it came on the radio one day in his truck. I met a tall, dark and handsome man, and I've been busy makin' big plans...

Forever and Ever, Amen - Randy Travis (1987) Joel Miller is a cheesy romantic. And he would sing this song to you in the kitchen like the big sap he is.

Amazed - Lonestar (1999) This is Joel’s song for you, like No One Needs To Know was your song for him. That man feels every single lyric as he slow dances with you to this song in his backyard. He also thinks this is the last song on the CD, which is romantic, but Sarah sneaks one more past him. I wanna spend the rest of my life, with you by my side...

Pickup Man - Joe Diffie (1994) At some point, you and Sarah establish an inside joke about this song and Joel, and it makes you laugh your asses off every time it plays. (You tell Ellie the story later, in the fic.) Joel pretends to be grumpy about it, but secretly he loves seeing the two of you get along like that. Sarah sneaks it onto the CD without Joel noticing until he hears it later and sighs, long-suffering, hiding his smile from the two of you as you shout-sing the lyrics at him in his pickup truck. I met all my wives in traffic jams, there's just something women like about a Pickup Man...

I can hear you, fellow olds - 19 songs? On a burned CD? Look, it’s not impossible. I definitely had a few with 18 or 19 songs on them. Let’s just assume it worked.

[andtherestishistory13]

Oh I LOVE these things! Thank you for the tag @sacredthethread

1. Five Songs You’ve Got On Repeat Right Now

2. Last Album You Listened To All The Way Through

Tapestry by Carole King (Love love love love love this album!!!)

3. Any shows coming up?

Not at the moment, but I’m trying to get tickets to Shania Twain!!

4. Favorite piece of band merch you own that isn’t GVF related

My Halestorm shirt!! Halestorm was the first concert I went to and I refused to leave my seat, so my Mama went and fought the line and got me a shirt! (I also got a bass players pick and I think him every day)

5. Three Artist on your Gig Bucket List:

Willie Nelson (yes, I know he’s 90, but I almost saw him at Merlefest one year, but they cancelled the festival and I’m still bitter about it!!), Taylor Swift, Hozier (fuck you Ticketmaster!!!)

This was so fun!!!! No pressure tags: @sunfl0wer-power @mountain-in-springtime @pennylanefics @ohhkaty and literally anyone who wants to do it!! It’s fun!!

[chorusfm]

Taylor Swift – 1989

Can it really be your “first documented, official pop album” if you’ve already released three of the biggest pop albums in recent memory? 10 years ago this weekend, Taylor Swift delivered the answer to that question, and the answer was a decisive, resounding “Yes.” From the vantage point of 2024, it’s almost difficult to remember any version of Taylor Swift that wasn’t a world-conquering, stadium-tour-dominating pop star. The past two years of Taylormania have so thoroughly dwarfed any other pop star achievement in my lifetime that it’s even a little difficult to think back to pre-COVID times, when it seemed like the Taylor Swift machine was maybe starting to run out of gas. As mid-decade lists pour out from every music publication out there, I expect plenty of debates about what was the quote-unquote “best song” or “best album” of the decade. When it comes to discussing the artist of the decade so far, though, there is simply no debate: it’s Taylor, then it’s 93 million miles, and then it’s everyone else. But it wasn’t always that way, and in the Taylor Swift story, it’s album number five, 2014’s 1989, that serves as arguably the most important inflection point between phase one Taylor and the force of nature we know today. Per the narrative, Taylor Swift before 2014 was a country star who had crossed over to pop music success but never fully left her Nashville roots behind. 1989, in being her “first documented, official pop album” – the weird phrasing she used to describe the LP when she officially announced it in August 2014 – was the album that made the crossover complete, and solidified Taylor’s status as the world’s biggest musical star in the process. The thing with narratives is that they’re often predicated on half-truths. Real life is messy, full of all sorts of jagged edges and unclean lines. The stories we tell about our lives often sand away those edges to simplify the act of retelling. Such is also the case with artists and the stories they tell about their art, and it’s certainly true about Taylor Swift, someone who had absolutely made pop albums long before 2014. Let’s review: Taylor arrives, at least as a recording artist, in 2006 with her self-titled LP. No arguments from me that this debut album is clearly a country record. The same is probably true about 2008’s Fearless, even though it achieved the kind of crossover that no country album in my lifetime up to that point had achieved. There had been massive, massive country acts in the ‘90s, of course: Garth Brooks and Billy Ray Cyrus and Shania Twain and Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks. All those artists sold tons of albums, and most of them scored massive hits. Faith Hill even had the top-charting song of 1999, besting Santana and Rob Thomas and “Smooth.” With Fearless, though, Taylor felt more embraced by the pop mainstream than any of country’s ‘90s titans, especially as songs like “You Belong with Me” and “Love Story” broke down every genre barrier out there. Fearless was also an awards show darling in extremely notable ways, whether Taylor was beating out Beyonce at the MTV Video Music Awards (much to the chagrin of a certain rapper) or winning her first of four (and counting) Album of the Year Grammys. So, that’s one true-blue country album, and one album that rode the pop-country divide so cleverly that it brokered a new kind of peace between pop listeners and country listeners. The widespread embrace of Fearless set the stage for two albums that arguably have more pop in their DNA than country. 2010’s Speak Now throws Nashville a couple bones, in the form of songs like “Mean,” “Back to December,” and the b-side “Ours.” But it’s also got pure pop moments like “The Story of Us” and “Sparks Fly,” and big rock songs like “Haunted” and “Better Than Revenge.” It was also the first Taylor album to sell a million copies in a week, a mark previously only achieved by one country album: Garth Brooks’ Double Live from 1998. 2012’s Red is even more blatantly “not country,” and that’s… https://chorus.fm/reviews/taylor-swift-1989-2/

[fantabulisticity]

When you say you’re listening to an discography are you like memorizing it, or just going through Everything? What’s the process like?

Well, when I had more time to fuck around I used to memorize, but now that I tend to listen to music while doing something else (driving, working, housecleaning), I can't pause and rewind and play songs over and over and then listen to the next one over and over bc i have to either stop what I'm doing to switch songs or make a specific memorization playlist (which I have done before but haven't done in years -- last time I did that, or, well, used the queue function for repeats, I fucked up @foxfinding's spotify algorithm bc I played "MANiCURE" by Lady Gaga like 20 times in a row bc I couldn't figure out how to switch accounts on their computer 😅 I love you, and thank you for putting up with my bullshit 😘). So my previous process was I'd listen to each album twice, albums in chronological order (generally), and the first listen I'd go in blind and just listen to the whole thing, and the second listen I'd read the lyrics line by line while listening, which like. Takes time and means I can't be doing anything else. And then after that I either listened to the album over and over or listened to each song over and over.

Now I have a job where I listen to music for like 2-8 hours per day, but I don't like to take my phone out and change stuff all the time, so I'll either make a chronological playlist of the artist's entire discography (excluding live performance recordings, usually) that's available on Spotify and listen to that (I've done this previously with Josh Ritter, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Kesha, and MCR) or listen to the albums separately over and over all day and then do another album the next day or next task (I've done this with Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Dolly Parton, Itchy Kitty, Kesha, and am currently doing it with Billy Joel). And some days I just listen to one song on repeat for hours (Shakira's "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53", a bunch of Kesha and Shania Twain songs, Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and "Coat of Many Colors," Blue Kid's "The Dismemberment Song," Kate Miller-Heidke's "Zero Gravity," Lizzo's & Cardi B.'s "Rumors"...).

I guess I do still try to memorize stuff sometimes, like when I go for long drives or when I'm cleaning the kitchen (either mine or at work) bc I can sing, and singing along helps me memorize. But mostly now it's just going through over and over, and memorization happens naturally with the repetition.

(Also, I know you're responding to my tags on a post about MCR, but speaking of music and repetition and memorizing, I have GOT to recommend Kesha's new album Gag Order and the acoustic EP. Holy shit. Big content warning for trauma and shit.)

[briamichellewrites]

9 - Bria’s Version

Mike and the band were excited to hear about the Grammys. They watched her performance on tv. She did a great job. Thank you! She was so nervous! They laughed. Who did she end up meeting? She met so many people, it was hard to remember them all. Jon Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea; Tim McGraw and his wife, Faith Hill; Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan, the Backstreet Boys, Elton John, Whitney Houston, and Britney Spears. Oh, and Bruce Springsteen and his wife, Patti.

She actually got to sit right next to Jon! Like he was literally in the seat next to her. How did she handle that? She was freaking the fuck out inside but tried to be calm. They laughed. Everyone asked her about her hair. Shania Twain told her to remain humble and not let fame get to her.

They were so happy she had fun! She almost literally ran into Bruce because she wasn’t watching where she was going. He had a humor about it. Where was she? She was on her way out of the after-party. It was so fucking fun, though. She didn’t get home until around three in the morning because of traffic leaving the venue. Who’s Gloria Estefan? She was a Cuban American singer-songwriter, who sang in both English and Spanish.

Did she perform? She couldn’t remember. That was fine. Maybe next year, they would all be at the Grammys. That would be so fucking cool! They laughed. Her album, Echoes On The Boulevard was finally released in stores. It was getting good reviews from critics, who applauded her for being different than other artists in country music. After six months, she was finally living her dream.

They were all very proud of her. Brad was home for a while. That meant he could spend more time with Bria. She invited him over to her place. He was able to sneak in without anyone noticing him. She was in the kitchen making lunch when he arrived. He kissed her before asking what she was making. It was a salmon salad. She made it before. He looked at the ingredients she had out. Lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, salad dressing, salsa, peas, and corn.

Where did she get the salmon? It was at the grocery store in the frozen section. She had one of the employees help her. Since she looked like she knew what she was doing, he let her be. He missed her. That was the hardest part about being away. But, they both had jobs to do.

They talked about her hair and the Grammys. She had so much fun! He laughed as she told him all about it. She was so adorable when she was excited! Who was her favorite person she met? Jon Bon Jovi, though everyone else was a close second. He used to be friends with Jon. She dropped the spatula she was using to turn the salmon and gave him a look.

“Dude, you’re just telling me this now!”

He laughed. “I didn’t know you were a fan of him.”

Oh my god. He laughed again, as she went back to cooking. When the salmon was cooked, she turned off the oven and put them on a cutting board. She then took out a knife and cut it into cubes. After putting the salad together, all she needed to do was add the salmon. After setting out the salad dressing and salsa, she grabbed two bowls and forks.

She also grabbed two cans of Pepsi. He was eager to try her salad. It was very good! The salmon was perfectly cooked and seasoned. He joked about keeping her around. She laughed. It was one of her favorite things to make because it was so easy and fast. It also went well with almost anything. Her apartment was small but nice. It reminded him of the apartment he lived in when he first moved to LA from Missouri after dropping out of college.

Like other actors trying to make it, he took small jobs while he went to auditions. It took a long time before he made it to Hollywood. But, he never forgot where he came from. He would always be a Missouri and Oklahoma boy at heart. His parents didn’t know if he was making the right decision to leave school and his degree in journalism for Hollywood.

Though, they realized he was following his dreams. Bria was discovered after making a demo of her playing the piano and singing. After dropping out of high school, she promoted herself to different labels before being signed by Warner Music. Her demo was just a cd and a picture of herself with her contact information. She mailed the CDs to different labels and didn’t hear back from any of them for a few months. Until Jeff Blue called her about auditioning for him.

She went and he liked what he heard, so he offered her a contract. Brad never heard that story before. It showed her hard work and determination. So did his story. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. After cleaning up and putting the leftovers in the refrigerator, they went to her living room. He noticed her movie collection.

She had Titanic, Aladdin, The Lion King, The Virgin Suicides, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, The Sixth Sense, Edward Scissorhands, American History X, Good Will Hunting, Jurassic Park, and Home Alone. That was a good collection. She pointed out that The Lion King and Aladdin were her childhood favorites. When Titanic came out, she wasn’t allowed to watch it because of the sex scene. She later saw it at a sleepover. They wanted to watch it because of Leonardo DiCaprio. He laughed.

When she moved out, she bought it at Target. She also wasn’t allowed to watch American History X because of the violence and racism. Good Will Hunting she bought because of Robin Williams. Which movie would she personally recommend? Either the Sixth Sense or What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. She took the second one out and handed him the case.

“It’s about Johnny Depp being stuck in small-town America with a disabled little brother, a morbidly obese mother, and two sisters. He wants to leave home but can’t. Then, a girl comes in and changes everything for him.”

“I’ve heard of this movie.”

He flipped it over and looked at the back. 1994. Yeah, he remembered when the movie came out. Her cd collection was filled with the Backstreet Boys, Shania Twain, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Elton John, and others. He excused himself to use the bathroom. She told him where it was. Once the door was closed, she heard a phone vibrating in the kitchen, so she went to see if it was hers. It was his.

Hey, baby. When are you coming home? – Jen

She didn’t say anything and she pretended not to notice when he came out a few minutes later. After he left, she texted Mike to ask him what she should do. That meant telling him everything about her relationship with Brad. He wasn’t happy about her dating a guy twenty years older than her. Did they sleep together? No, they were waiting until she was eighteen.

I’m sorry this is happening to you. Talk to him about what you saw. If he lies to you, then cut him loose. He’s not worth it. – Mike

Bria texted Brad asking him about the text message she saw while he was in the bathroom. The only reason why she was looking at his phone was because she accidentally thought it was hers. Was he dating another woman? No, he was engaged to her. She started silently crying tears of hurt and pain.

So you used me to cheat on her. Please leave me alone. I am so hurt and angry right now. I don’t want to talk to you. – Bria

Later, Mike called her to check-in. She told him that he admitted to being engaged and she was the other woman. He apologized to her. If he could, he would wrap her in his arms and hold her. He told her to forget him. She would find a guy who wasn’t going to lie to her. Bria nodded. She was so angry and hurt. He continued listening and talking to her until she calmed down. Go do something for yourself. She would. He told her he and Anna loved her. She loved them, too.

Bria, I’m sorry for not telling you. We weren’t together when I met you. I love you. I’ll break off the engagement to be with you. Please talk to me. – Brad

Bria, please call me and let me explain. – Brad

@zoeykaytesmom @feelingsofaithless @alina-dixon @fiickle-nia @boricuacherry-blog

[elizmanderson]

BRUH I know it's only wednesday but THROWBACK THURSDAY we've got shania twain we've got lonestar we've got faith hill--

highkey forgot how much I love lonestar's "amazed" but bruh I love lonestar's "amazed"

also when I was lil bby my school used to have like semi-regular rollerskating parties at Great Skate and if it was some girl's birthday they'd call all the girls in the building onto the rink and play shania twain's "man! I feel like a woman"

CORE MEMORIES ARE BEING UNLOCKED IN THIS COFFEESHOP TODAY

man one of my go-to coffee shops is playing like 90s pop-country and I am living

[bangcakes]

the other day i was talking to my mom in the car and we were listening to celine dion (i’m in a celine dion phase....... again leaf me alone) and she was like... you know i used to listen to this album in my room when i was your age and i was just......... so shook. like... i'm listening to the same music she did at her age like..... that's.... i can't... anyway then i went home and looked up the year the album came out and it was in ‘92.... and i was born in ‘94 and idk i was like.... damn.... one year you’re just sitting alone in your room listening to celine dion and in the next few you straight up have a kid like........... that’s so.... wild. idk..... 

[eddiediaz-buckley]

Any queer country or country adjacent music recs?

Okay hi, hello @wolvesofinnistrad! Sorry this took a hot minute, I took this very seriously lmao.

Anyway, here we go.

First, there is a playlist country songs that made you gayer on Spotify that is great. But it's short for my tastes and has not been updated in over a year, so below I have more recommendations for you.

Anything by the following artists you can consider queer country:

-Shania Twain

-Reba McEntire

-Kacey Musgraves

-Dolly Parton

-The Chicks

-Brothers Osborne (lead singer TJ is openly gay)

-Chris Housman (Tiktokker new on the country music scene, his song Blueneck is really good)

Also most songs by Jo Dee Messina and Carrie Underwood are queer anthems

And finally, here are some individual recommendations based on vibes and my personal experience with them 😂

2000's Country

Brooks & Dunn - Ain't Nothin 'Bout You

Joe Nichols - Brokenheartsville

Kenny Chesney - Anything But Mine

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw - Like We Never Loved at All

Gary Allen - Watching Airplanes

Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews - I'm Alive

Luke Bryan - Someone Else Calling You Baby

2010's Country

Eric Church - Homeboy

Little Big Town - Girl Crush

Lil' Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus - Old Town Road

Luke Bryan - Down to One

Lainey Wilson - Things a Man Oughta Know

Kenny Chesney - Knowing You

Anyway, thank you for the ask! I had fun with this :)

[quentineliot]

Country music. Everybody's favorite. Right? ;P

I grew up in the Southern US. "The South" people from the area would more affectionately call it. I've moved, and done a lot to separate myself from not only the so called culture there, but also it's music.

And I LOVE music. Sang in the car to every song that came on the radio from the age I could make sound, to 21. My mom always tells this story about how I would cry as a baby unless Vince Gill was playing on cassette.

It's been around 7 years since I've turned on a country radio station. But because I grew up on the music (and classic rock like zztop) occasionally a country ear worm will stop by. And being a fully realized transman, it makes sense looking back at the lyrics of many of these songs, why I didn't notice sooner. And why telling my parents was incredibly terrifying.

Not EVERY song uses the "sweet girl with an overprotective dad that just a good ol boy wants to marry and raise a family with" formula. But it's a Lot of them. And if it's not a song about a guy just wanted to settle down with a pretty girl who can cook a good meal, it's about jealousy. And how (typically) women act in these songs is sung at the top of your lungs, about how she'll fuck up his car, steal his dog, or murder him and his mistress.

Miranda Lambert has a song about burning everything down and lighting it on fire. Which, is honestly a mood. But having been In The South, people don't think it's hyperbolic. There are a LOT of people that, if they were willing to bring Dixie Chicks back into their hearts, would be doing some Goodbye Earl's of their own. (Though, this song is a better example of justice taken, and of all the references so far, I think I'm most comfortable with this one.)

Take a look at these lyrics from Shania Twain's "Any Man of Mine"

"Any man of mine better be proud of me

Even when I'm ugly, he still better love me

And I can be late for a date that's fine

But he better be on time"

Okay so I'm with you on the first two lines. Great start. But you're saying you don't want your man to be late but You* can be late. Double standard and not okay. This was music I absorbed as like, idk, a 6 years old? I'd need math and Google and I don't feel like it. Moving on.

"Any man of mine'll say it fits just right

When last year's dress is just a little too tight

And anything I do or say better be okay

When I have a bad hair day"

First two lines, personal preference I suppose. I'd rather be told if I don't look good and change my clothes. Not everyone is me, a lot of people would much rather get "yes baby you look amazing!" always. Top two lines, good.

But ANYTHING YOU DO OR SAY BETTER BE OKAY WHEN YOU HAVE A BAD HAIR DAY?!!! Excuse me???!!! Absolutely not.

-------

I mentioned Carrie Underwood's Before He Cheats earlier. All you really need is the chorus. I don't need Google for this one.

And I dug my key in to the side of his pretty little suped up four wheel drive

Carved my name into his leather seats

I took a Louisville slugger to both headlights

Slashed a hole in all four tires

Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats

TLDR: he cheated on me so I destroyed his car. And while this song was a fucking Anthem when it came out, any woman who exhibited even slightly agressive behavior was Shut the fuck Down. Make it make sense. The song is about criminal activity so, clearly, anyone who does this should be charged. So why wouldn't people let women and girls show anger in a productive way?

Trisha Yearwoods "She's in Love with the Boy"

Is literally just romanticizing getting married at 16 or 18 or to your first love.

Faith Hill's "This Kiss" gets a pass but only because of "Cinderella said to Snow White, how does love get so off course?" And I thought they were in love with each other 😂

I can't even begin to unpack Fancy by Reba McEntire. And Reba is legendary, she's been making music since before I was born and I love her. It's just, that song.. Eugh. Yikes.

I've been trying to find other songs that absolutely put "go find a nice boy and have babies" into my brain at an early age, and I stumbled on George Strait and I know a few of his songs by heart. Oceanfront Property. All my exes live in Texas. Check yes or no. Amarillo by morning. I can't find anything wrong with any of his music. So it CAN be done.

I'm just salty about the amount of redneck inspiration porn I was made to sing as a child. (my mother made me sing at parties. I preferred singing alone) No other genre of music does this. Rock music isn't over here all "look pretty, shut up, and find a good husband" 🤨

I feel I should mention that there have been recent songs that defy this formula. ",This ain't my momma's broken heart" by Miranda Lambert. Taylor Swift has a unique writing style so I'm sure she's written SOMEthing that's not just trucks beer women muddin or whatever else today country is about? There's a couple about whiskey I think. It's always whiskey or beer..

Country music is like all about family, or something sad and mourning that loss. Heaven, angels, wings, gods watching over you, memaw is watching over you, you're not alone I'm there with you even tho I'm on a truck 100 miles away, think of me when you hear the wind blow kiddo🙃

Finally, to be clear, I don't hate any of the songs Ive referenced or pulled lyrics from. They were my entire childhood. Lonestar was my shit, I choreographed a dance to Shania Twain's "Man I feel like a woman" and did it in front of an auditorium of people, I still know every word of Suds in the bucket by Sara Evans and anything Martina McBride I've sung hundreds of times. It's beautiful music. But dang does country music and the south know how to brainwash people. It's scary.

[fantabulisticity]

Awwwww, thanks for the tag!

Rules: pick a song for each letter of your url and tag that many people.

F - "Firefly" by Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett

A - "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel

N - "Not Ready to Make Nice" by The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks)

T - "The Drama" or "Too Far Gone" by Kesha (pls listen to her new album Gag Order -- it is SO fucking good -- but do it when you have emotional space for it bc it's heavy shit. Also it's v different from her other albums so don't go in expecting Warrior, lmao)

A - "All I Need Is You" by Kesha, both the original and acoustic versions

B - "Bad Romance" by Lady Gaga or "Boy Division" by My Chemical Romance

U - "Undo It" by Carrie Underwood

L - "Little Sparrow" by Dolly Parton

I - "I Eat Boys Like You For Breakfast" by Ida Maria and also "I Eat Boys Like You for Breakfast" by Riot Grrrl Sessions (totally different songs)

S - "Silver Dagger" by Dolly Parton

T - "Take Me As I Am" by Faith Hill

I - "I Know You By Heart" by Eva Cassidy

C - "Coat of Many Colors" by Dolly Parton

I - "i hope ur miserable until ur dead" by Nessa Barrett

T - "The Lady Is A Tramp" by Ella Fitzgerald

Y - "You're Still The One" by Shania Twain

I know several of these are covers but like. Sometimes covers are good ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

It's 11:58 pm and this took me way too long, but consider yourself tagged if you want to do it!

Thanks for the tag game summons @fireandgrimstone the original post was getting suuuper long, so I thought I'd just post it myself! (Also do you know how hard my username was to do for this??? It took me like an hour just to find Q and X songs ;w;)

Rules: pick a song for each letter of your url and tag that many people.

Q - Quidditch, Third Year by John Williams, from the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban soundtrack (look, ok, it was REALLY hard to find a song that started with Q)

U - Umbrella Beach by Owl City

A - All I Ask Of You from The Phantom of the Opera

R - Rider's Lullaby by Jessie Mueller, from the Centaurworld soundtrack

K - KICK BACK by Kenshi Yonezu, Chainsaw Man OP

L - Lothlorien (feat. "Lament for Gandalf) by Howard Shore and Elizabeth Fraser, from The Fellowship of the Ring soundtrack

Y - Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy

N - New Divide by Linkin Park

X - Xanadu by Rush... I guess

So I now have to tag 9 people according to tradition:

@i-love-u-loser @apetitefae @sinfulsagev @venidlara @raspbrrytea @voltfruits @enigma-the-anomaly @the-gayest-sky-kid @fantabulisticity

No pressure to do it if you don't want to, but just know that when I thought of Tumblr folks I was fond of, I thought of you uwu

[paths-of-my-childhood-candid]

OH, TAYLOR! Taylor Swift On Side-Stepping Into Acting, Owning What You Make & Loving The “Weirdness” Of Cats

On a grey London afternoon in late September, Taylor Swift slips quietly through the doors of a north London recording studio. It is an auspicious moment: the queen of confessional pop has come to meet Andrew Lloyd Webber, the king of musical theatre. Together, Swift, who turns 30 this month, and Lloyd Webber, 71, have written “Beautiful Ghosts”, a new song for the soon-to-be-released film adaptation of Cats – Webber’s 1981 extravaganza, which ran in the West End and on Broadway for a combined total of almost 40 years. In it, Swift plays Bombalurina, and like her co-stars – Idris Elba, Judi Dench, Francesca Hayward, Ian McKellen, Jennifer Hudson, Rebel Wilson – appears in full, furry CGI glory. Track finished, these two titans of the music industry sit down to talk… 

Andrew Lloyd Webber: Well, the first thing we have to clear up is that we both love cats. Taylor Swift: [Laughs] We do! One of the first things you said to me when we met was that you’re president of the Turkish Van Cat Club.  ALW: Professionally, there is nowhere I can go to top this, as you can completely understand. TS: I have three cats. How many do you have now?  ALW: I have three, too – they are all Turkish Vans. And you’ve got a Scottish Fold I believe. TS: I have two Scottish Folds, we think the third is a Ragdoll mix. ALW: You’re probably never going to talk to me again, but you know I’ve got a puppy? He’s called Mojito.  TS: I heard about this! How does he get along in the hierarchy?  ALW: Well, he believes he’s a little bear actually. He’s a Havanese dog, which I got because Glenn Close has one. TS: I’ve met that dog, he’s really good. ALW: You come from Pennsylvania. TS: I do. People seem to think I was raised in the south, but I’m from the north – grew up on a Christmas tree farm, then moved to Nashville when I was 14. ALW: And you wanted to move to Nashville for the songwriting or the singing? Or both? TS: Both – I was just obsessed with Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Dixie Chicks, and the thing they had in common was that they had gotten discovered in Nashville. So I had it in my head that this is a magical place where discoveries are made and people are able to do music as a living. ALW: Was it the storytelling side of country songs that you liked? Absolutely. It reminded me of the ’90s, when you had these amazing female singer-songwriters like Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan; incredible female writers like Melissa Etheridge, Shawn Colvin; and these types of Lilith Fair women. Then you started to hit the 2000s and the only place I could find real confessional storytelling was country music. ALW: Did you know anybody when you got to Nashville? TS: No, we didn’t really. I’d been going there on vacation with my family, and my mom, my little brother and I would stay in a hotel and try to meet people. Eventually, after several trips, I got a development deal – it’s a non-committal record deal, like, “We’ll watch you develop for a year and then we’ll decide if we sign you.” That was grounds enough to move the family. ALW: Presumably you were in school in Nashville as well? TS: Yes, I was going to high school during the day and doing my songwriting sessions at night. It was a double life. I’d be writing notes in class, and my teachers never knew if they were notes for my class or if I’d gotten an idea for a song. ALW: How many songs would you write in a day? TS: Usually, never more than one. I had these sessions every day, and if I didn’t come in with a good idea, I’d get stared at. You’re not inspired every day, as you know, but you have to show up and treat it like a job. That’s where I learned the craft of songwriting. ALW: I’ve never worked like that, because I’m so story driven. What interests me, though, is how Nashville works. How did you get your foot on the performing ladder? TS: It was really writing first. At the same time, I was singing the national anthem every time I could – at festivals and fairs and bars, anywhere I could get up on stage. I was trying to hone both sides of what I was doing, but I’m very well aware that I would not have a career if I hadn’t been a writer. I wouldn’t have just been a singer, it wouldn’t have worked. ALW: I guess that, today, very few people have a major career unless they write. TS: Yeah, I agree. I think it’s really important – also from the side of ownership over what you do and make. Even if you aren’t a natural writer, you should try to involve yourself in the messages you’re sending. ALW: How does a young country artist get their first break? TS: I worked as hard as I could, reached out to as many people as I could to make sure I got meetings with publishing companies and labels. They didn’t come about very easily, but once I got in the room I’d just get out my guitar and play for them. ALW: Do you have to sing in a certain club to get to the next stage? TS: Everyone does it a different way, but the Bluebird Cafe is a place where everyone was discovered – from Garth Brooks to Faith Hill to, arguably, me. I remember being at your house after we’d written a song, and you telling me you’d bought it when you were 24 or something, that’s when I realised just how young you were when you had a vision to be doing this at such a high level. ALW: I was writing for the theatre when I was eight-years-old. I had a little toy theatre and did dreadful musicals on terrible subjects. Then, when I was about 13, I met a boy who wanted to write lyrics, and we did a couple of musicals at school. TS: So from the beginning you would pair up with a lyricist? ALW: One of the things I worked out very early was Lloyd Webber and lyrics are not a good idea. TS: Wow. It is a good alliteration, though. ALW: You were 19, weren’t you, when you had your first big hit? TS: I was about 18 when “Love Story”, a song I’d written alone, was a worldwide hit. I was lucky enough to work my way up in country music, for new artists nowadays, it feels like the trajectory of their career is like being shot out of a canon into a stratosphere they could in no way be prepared for. I got to sort of acclimate to every step of the path I was on, and by the time I had a massive hit I’d been working since I was 14. Moving from country music to pop was a crazy adjustment for me. ALW: And now we’ve written “Beautiful Ghosts” together for Cats. TS: I remember the moment. I went over to your apartment to rehearse “Macavity” and you sat down at the piano and started to play this haunting, beautiful melody, and I think I just started singing to it right away. ALW: You wrote the lyrics more or less then and there – it was fantastic. TS: It’s a different perspective on the song “Memory”, too, and the character of Grizabella [played by Jennifer Hudson], who used to have majestic, glamorous times and doesn’t anymore. On the other side of it, you have this little white cat [Victoria, played by Francesca Hayward] who’s been abandoned – she’s afraid she’ll never have a chance to have beautiful memories. So that’s where she’s singing “Beautiful Ghosts” from, to counter Grizabella’s idea of tragedy. ALW: I’d like to come back to something I thought when I heard your album, Lover – which is really absolutely brilliant. Am I right in thinking you approached its recording just as though you were giving live performances? TS: I did. I was really singing a lot at that point – I’d just come from a stadium tour, and then did Cats, which was all based on live performances – so a lot of that album is nearly whole takes. When you perform live, you’re narrating and you’re getting into the story and you’re making faces that are ugly and you’re putting a different meaning on a song every time you perform it. ALW: That’s the point isn’t it. TS: Yeah. ALW: Does that ever make you feel you want to be an actress? TS: I have no idea. When I was younger, I used to get questions like, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” I’d try to answer. As I get older, I’m learning that wisdom is learning how dumb you are compared to how much you are going to know. I really had an amazing time with Cats. I think I loved the weirdness of it. I loved how I felt I’d never get another opportunity to be like this in my life. ALW: It’s weird, what I’ve seen of the movie. TS: It’s decidedly weird [they laugh]. ALW: I think Tom [Hooper, the film’s director] has really tried to make something original. And I agree, I think as you get older you do become less sure of yourself and start to question what you can do. Would you consider doing a musical? TS: A musical? Absolutely, absolutely. ALW: Or writing your own? TS: That is way up there on my list of dreams. ALW: You should. TS: Was it really wonderful for you when you got the news that Judi Dench had accepted the role of Old Deuteronomy? ALW: Judi was in the original version in 1981 but she snapped her Achilles tendon and had to withdraw. Then I had this idea, which I ran past Tom, that we could make Old Deuteronomy a woman. Seeing her perform this time was quite an emotional thing for me, because it was a very, very sad day when she had to leave the original show. TS: She’s lovely. I remember being on set, and there is one scene that Idris [Elba, who plays Macavity] and I do with Judi, and someone walked up to me with this kind of gummy candy and I was like, “Oh, I’ve never had this before, this must be British candy, this is amazing.” I was raving about this candy so much, and Judi must have overheard me, because the next day I got to my dressing room and there was a signed photo from Judi and, like, six bags of it [they laugh]. Andrew, we both started young. What do we have in common from our experiences? What do you think was hard about it? And what was great? ALW: I suppose what was hard for me was that I was a fish out of the mainstream water. In the 1960s, to love musicals was as uncool as you could possibly be, and kids in my class at school would laugh at me. TS: I was the same. I loved country music and, where I was in school, the kids were just completely perplexed by that. It’s gotten more mainstream, but when I was a 13-year-old in Pennsylvania, I got similar reactions. Do you feel like you’re glad you were really young when you started? ALW: Yeah, are you? TS: I’m really glad, even though there are challenges to it – like you’re not allowed to make the same mistakes as everyone else because your mistakes are a commodity. ALW: And your mistakes are made in public. But we share something in common, in which we are extremely lucky. We both knew at an early age what we wanted to do, and most people in life don’t have a clue. TS: That’s very true. I think, also, a lot of the time when people see a career that they want it can be results-based. Rather than wanting to write musicals, they want to be a person who has written musicals. But when I see you work, I see you consistently creating and being curious about the next idea. You relish in the process even more than the rewards, which is the advice I would give anyone who wanted to do anything remotely close to this job. It cannot be about the results. ALW: It’s the process isn’t it? TS: It has to be. It’s supposed to be fun!

MEET & GREET: Introducing the faces behind this month’s issue

When it came to interviewing Taylor Swift about her musical-movie debut in Cats, there was only one man for the job: Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer of the original West End and Broadway mega hit. The two colossi of songwriting had plenty to discuss at a recording studio in north London – art, ambition and authenticity, plus what we can expect from the soon-to-be-released film.

Vogue: What was it like to work with Taylor? Andrew Lloyd Webber: She’s supremely professional and very charming with it. In my view, she could go far. Vogue: What was your first impression of her? ALW: She’s a lot taller than me, and a lot more attractive. Vogue: What’s your favourite Swift hit? ALW: “Blank Space” from the album 1989. It’s a great pop song with great lyrics.

[bybdolan]

I’m so happy to see someone else not like golden hour…. I listened to it when it first got some hype around it and I was like??? It’s fine? It’s not doing much and you saying the lyrics sound like an inspirational postcard just hits the nail on the head. I saw everyone freaking out about it and it’s so boring to me, both instrumentally and lyrically. The only song I kinda liked was the violents remix of high horse because the production was beefed up and more interesting. Also I remember when it won aoty at the Grammys and I was like… you know what, this makes sense…

One thing that I read in the Kacey tag is that she took Country music back to pre 9/11 (so no more beer pickup truck gun I Love America tracks) and maaaybe being more knowledgeable about the history of Country as a genre would make me appreciate the record more. That being said, I found the entire album insanely boring and there was not a single moment that made me feel genuine emotion (except for Mother maybe). I am by no means a country connaisseur and am just getting into the genre, but nothing of what I love about it – the storytelling, the loneliness, the unique instrumentation (banjos, harmonica, strings, etc) – was present on this record. I MUCH prefer Orville Peck's take on it, but that simply is because I prefer the classic cowboy country with blues and "lounge rock" elements over the likes of Shania Twain and Faith Hill, who I think Kacey is more in line with. Like I said before: The album doesn't transport me anywhere; it doesn't make me feel something.

[thirsty-thoughts-clubhouse]

Day of Love Challenge!

Hello lovelies! I know I’m not the only one that gets thirsty around this holiday so how about WEEK LONG writing challenge?

THIS CHALLENGE IS OPEN TO EVERYONE AND WILL BE RAN FROM FEBRUARY 8 UNTIL MIDNIGHT OF FEBRUARY 14! 

With Valentine’s Day being a celebration of love, below the cut you will find a list of fun Valentine’s Day themes to use as prompts. It varies from songs to items you can use to revolve your fic around. 

In order to be included in the Day of Love Challenge Masterlist, please tag this blog (@thirsty-thoughts-clubhouse) and in the tags below also use the tag #ttc challenge so we can easily find your fic to help share it by reblogging and adding it to the challenge masterlist at the end of the week!

Please keep to our GUIDLINES when writing... it’s just the basics.

You may use ANY Marvel characters, comics or cinematic, along with the actors that play such characters! You can also use as many prompts you would like and tag us in any fics you post using the prompt list below! 

We can’t wait to read what everyone comes up with throughout the week!

As always... stay thirsty! 💋 

Songs: 

My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion

I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

Maybe I’m Amazed - Paul McCartney

Every Time We Touch - Cascada

Kiss From A Rose - Seal

Adore You- Harry Styles

The Power Of Love - Celine Dion

I’m Yours - Jason Mraz

At Last - Etta James

I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing - Aerosmith

Love On The Brain - Rihanna

Heaven - Bryan Adams

There You’ll Be - Faith Hill

Beautiful - Christina Aguilera

Follow Me - Uncle Cracker

Believe - Cher

Only Hope - Mandy Moore

Pony - Genuwine

Stone Cold - Demi Lovato

Mamma Mia - Abba

We Belong - Pat Benetar

L.O.V.E - Frank Sinatra

If I Ain’t Got You - Alicia Keys

Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis

I’ll Stand By You - The Pretenders

Rocket Man - Elton John

Your Song - Elton John

Perfect - Ed Sheeran

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye

Time After Time - Cyndi Lauper

My Girl - The Temptations

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John

I’ll Make Love To You - Boyz 2 Men

Something - The Beatles

Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars

You’re Still The One - Shania Twain

Endless Love - Lionel Richie

Make You Feel My Love - Adele

I Want To Know What Love Is - Foreigner

It’s All Coming Back To Me Now - Celine Dion

Because You Loved Me - Celine Dion

Don’t Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John

Items: 

New shoes

New dress/Clothing

Jewelry 

Box Of Chocolates

Flowers

Wine/Alcohol of your choice

Blankets

Lingerie

Sex Toy 

Food

Perfume/Cologne

Photo

Weapon

Scenario:

Picnic

Movie night

Homemade dinner

Cooking together

Shopping

Sunset walk

Stargazing

Late night drive

Camping

Group date

Blind date

Wedding

Proposal

Walk on the beach

Wearing their favorite color

Dancing

Karaoke

The love between friends 

Breakfast in bed

Naughty nights

Please Make sure you tag all fics appropriately with any warnings your fic may have! And HAVE FUN!

[wayward-river]

Cherry sugar golden y not lol I was gonna ask you the concert one but I already know you and concerts you wouldn’t have enough likes to write 😂😂😂

lol I could attempt. 

cherry; have you ever been to a psychic? Nope. 

sugar; favorite pet names? (baby, sweetheart, etc.) probably Darling, Babe, baby. 

golden;  do you appreciate high fashion? sure? I mean I don’t know. 

Concerts: (just wanna see if I can fit them lol) Jonas Brothers, All American Rejects, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Dustin Lynch, Alan Jackson, Thomas Rhett, Chase Rice, Eli Young Band, Dierks Bently, Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Old Dominion, A thousand Horses, Chris Young, Danielle Bradbury, Tyler Far, Billy Currington, Sammy Adams, Kane Brown, Morgan Evans, Group Love, Jason Aldean, Little Big Town, Kip Moore, Lee Brice, Kesha, Trisha Yearwood, Walker Hayes, Chris Jansen, Sawyer Brown, Paramore, Foster the People, Toby Keith, Panic! At the Disco, - (I also have Carrie Underwood, Kenny Chesney, Pistol Annies, Maren Morris, Maddie and Tae, Runaway June, David Lee Murphy coming up. ) They fit lol. I jump at any chance for a concert. 

[francissinatra]

omglitters replied to your post: “i’ve been wanting to go on a long rant about the country music...”:

do it

Lmao okay I grew up listening to country music, right? And I loved it for a really long time, but I think it’s so sad that a woman like Kacey Musgraves, who is out here writing her own shit and doing her own thing and doing it well, can’t get any playtime on the radio because Nashville execs are so hellbent on shilling out the same garbage sound by the same garbage conventionally attractive dude to get bros hype and girls to swoon. The formula is working, too. People just eat up these songs about ??? I don’t even know what they’re about, because it’s not about telling a story anymore. Whatever rap/talk vocal sounds good over a basic snap/clap beat I guess. And they claim “oh we can’t play her because she’s too progressive and not traditional” when there’s nothing traditionally country about the music they’re selling out for. You shun her for innocently telling people to live their own lives in a song 6 years ago? Heaven forbid she hint that it’s okay to be gay in the chorus of her song, of all places! Or because she’s open about drinking and recreational drug use? Big freakin’ whoop. Drinking/bars is a large part of the country culture and you can’t idolize Willie Nelson or The Beatles and then lambast Kacey for writing a song on LSD. And you can’t say “oh, it’s too pop” when country is DYING to be pop. It wants to be pop so bad. It doesn’t want to be seen as kitschy or lowbrow, it wants to be COOL. But it’s doing a terrible job at promoting what actually makes country cool. Instead it’s bastardizing itself to try and fit in when it clearly just needs to be itself. What makes country so cool and so special to listen to is the honesty and the simplicity and, ya know what else, THE KITSCHINESS. Embrace it, you idiots! It’s a genre where you can be honest about everyday happenings that most people can relate to, but also silly, which is cool! TOBY KEITH SHOULD’VE BEEN A COWBOY, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE! If I’m in the mood to listen to country I’m obviously not in the mood to listen to more pop. Also, women in country have been doing pop/country way better than all of you bros since the early 2000s. Your fav could NEVER crossover like Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill, etc. And as far as Kacey goes, Golden Hour is honestly one of my favorite albums in a long time. Does it have a pop sound? Sure. But it’s intrinsically country and tells beautiful stories which is, ya know, the thing that makes the genre cool. Also, High Horse is a great example of kitsch done WELL. It’s so FUN. and SILLY. and COOL! She does that so well. And stop shunning women for speaking their minds. Country music has offered a great platform for women to unashamedly record wonderful songs about difficult issues, but the moment they say something even slightly left-of-center you claim NOT MY VALUES and banish them from the radio. I legitimately cried when I saw The Dixie Chicks in concert a couple of years ago because I thought I was never going to get the opportunity to see them live because of this sentiment, and seeing this still happening within the industry is just stupid. Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, etc. didn’t pave the way for nothing. And I like male country artists too, obviously, and I’d listen to the genre far more often than I do presently if they actually sang country music. It’s okay for it to evolve. We wouldn’t have drums in country music if it didn’t evolve, but forgoing the roots of what makes country music a separate genre with its own name and its own history to sell me on more pop music is just getting kind of tiresome.