Lyrics That Just Hit Home

Alright, so I am going to attempt to write about why I can relate to Kenny Chesney’s music as much as I do. I have stated previously here that I believe part of my “connection” with his songs is the fact that he is basically the same age as me (2 months and 4 days older than me to be exact). He therefore graduated from high school the same year I did and attended college at the same time as me.

I have at least 6 favorite Kenny songs right now. I believe the first one was “I Go Back.” Its lyrics are these:

Jack and Diane painted a picture of my life and my dreams
Suddenly this crazy world made more sense to me
Well, I heard it today and I couldn't help but sing along
'Cause every time I hear that song.
I go back to a two toned short bed Chevy
Driving my first love out to the levvy
Livin' life with no sense of time
I go back to the feel of a fifty yard line
A blanket, a girl, some raspberry wine
Wishin' time would stop right in it's tracks
Every time I hear that song, I go back
I go back.
Well, I used to rock all night long
To Keep On Rocking Me, Baby
At frat parties, college bars, just trying to impress the ladies
Well, I heard it today and I couldn't help but sing along
'Cause everytime I hear that song.
I go back to the smell of an old gym floor
The taste of salt on a Carolina shore
After graduation and drinkin' goodbye to friends
I go back to watchin' summer fade to fall
Growin' up too fast and I do recall
Wishing time would stop right in it's tracks
Everytime I hear that song, I go back
I go back.
We all have a song that's somehow stamped our lives
Takes us to another place and time.
So, I go back to a pew, preacher and a choir
Singin' 'bout God and brimstone and fire
And the smell of Sunday chicken after church
And I go back to the loss of a real good friend
And the sixteen summers I shared with him
Now, Only The Good Die Young stops me in my tracks
Everytime I hear that song, I go back
I go back.

For me, “Jack and Diane” was a HUGE song. I was a freshman in high school when it came out and I was just starting to listen to pop music. I remember lots of girls in my classes being crazy about that song and the first time I heard it and really listened to the words, it just sounded like Jack and Diane were soooo in love! Wow! Would I ever have a love like that??? I loved that song and apparently, so did Kenny. I too can remember being a high school student, attending football games and recognizing the smell of the gym floor. Schools still have a certain kind of smell to me today. There are many, many songs that can transport me to another place and time and yes, sometimes I do wish that I could stop time in its tracks.

The next Kenny song I discovered that I could relate to was “Young.” Here are the words to it:

Lookin back now, well it makes me laugh,
We were growin' our hair, we were cuttin' class,
Knew it all already there was nothing to learn,
We were strikin' matches just to watch 'em burn.
Listened to our music just a little too loud,
We were hangin' in there with the outcast crowd,
Headin' to the rapids with some discount beer,
It was a long train trussle but we had no fear.
Man I don't know, where the time goes
But it sure goes fast, just like that,
We were wanna be rebels who didn't have a clue
In our rock n roll t-shirts and our typically bad attitudes
Had no excuses for the things that we'd done
We were brave, we were crazy, we were mostly young.
Wooh ooo ooh.
Young.
Talked a good game, when we were out with the guys
But in the backseat we were awkward and shy,
Girls were a mystery that we couldn't explain,
And I guess there are some things that are never gonna change.

This song and “I Go Back” are very similar I think. This one reminds me a bit more of my college days though, talking about “cuttin’ class” and knowing everything. I didn’t cut many classes in college and I certainly didn’t think I knew everything, but I can still relate.

Then, while listening to some songs on an album that never got released to be singles, I discovered the song “Never Gonna Feel Like This Again.” This is my ALL-TIME favorite! Here are the lyrics:

Friday night, butterflies - Like clock work, they'd arrive
A little chill in an October sky - Nervous til' the kickoff came
Four quarters, win or lose - Spent Saturdays black and blue
But it was what I loved to do and it was more than just a game
It was my life and it was fun - Another season of my life, it's done
Another race I'm glad I got to run - Another chapter of my life, it's over
No, I'm never gonna feel like that again - Time's rushin' by me like the wind
Never be as young as I was then - No, I'm never gonna feel like that again
Practice dancin' in my garage - Two left feet and a white corsage
Daddy let me borrow the Dodge - Said "Don't bring her home on empty."
I swung by and picked up Cindy Lou - Took her to the prom for a dance or two
Then we drove down to the water, blue - And that's where she kissed me
It was my life and it was fun - Another season of my life, it's done
Another race I'm glad I got to run - Another chapter of my life, it's over
No, I'm never gonna feel like that again - Time's rushin' by me like the wind
Never be as young as I was then - No, I'm never gonna feel like that again
I got a call one July day - Cindy Lou was in that way
I had a big decision to make, and I couldn't take it lightly
At first I thought of leavin town - But I couldn't let our families down
Now I'm out here throwin this ball around with a boy that looks just like me
Well, it's my life and it's sure fun - Another season of my life's begun
Another race I'm glad I get to run - Another chapter of my life, I'm writing
No, I'm never gonna feel like this again - Time's rushin' by me like the wind
Gotta grab each moment that I can - Cuz' I'm never gonna feel like this again
No, I'm never gonna feel like this again
No, I'm never gonna feel like this again

Wow. I just love this one! The only problem is that I have never heard him sing it live in concert, and I’ve probably been to 10 or so Kenny Chesney shows in my life. I would die if I ever heard him sing it live. Why do I love it so much? Well, I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I am a teacher. The opening words just grabbed me the first time I heard them…..”Friday Night Butterflies…..like clockwork they’d arrive.” I don’t miss a football game that my high school plays. I LOVE Fridays in the fall and I know the players get jitters every week. But then the song goes on to just talk about different stages in one’s life and how we need to embrace each one and how we’re never going to be able to re-live them again. That is just so true for everything and I try to remember it every day.

Next song? Well, I think I really started liking “Anything But Mine” next. Lyrics are as follows:

Walking along beneath the lights of that miracle mile
Me and Mary making our way into the night
You can hear the cries from the carnival rides,
The pinball bells, and the skee-ball slides
Watching the summer sun fall out of sight.
There's a warm wind coming in from off of the ocean
Making it's way past the hotel walls to fill the street
Mary is holding both of her shoes in her hand
Said she likes to feel the sand beneath her feet.
And in the morning I'm leaving, making my way back to Cleveland
So tonight I hope that I will do just fine
And I don't see how you could ever be
Anything but mine.
There's a local band playing at the seaside pavillion
And I've got just enough cash to get us in
And as we are dancing, Mary's wrapping her arms around me
And I can feel the sting of summer on my skin.
In the midst of the music I tell her I love her
And we both laugh, ;cause we know it isn't true
Ah, but Mary, there's a summer drawing to an end tonight
And there's so much that I long to do to you.
But in the morning I'm leaving, making my way back to Cleveland
So tonight I hope that I will do just fine
And I don't see how you could ever be
Anything but mine.
Mary, I don't see how you could ever be
Anything but mine.

The song is about summer love. The video, which usually plays at the concert when he is singing the song, shows 2 young people at an Atlantic City type of place, with carnival rides and water. I’ve never really had a “summer love” although the summer I turned 16, I dated a friend of my brother’s and we had fun time together going to movies, swimming, etc. I think seeing the video of this song also reminds me of the homecomings and festivals that I grew up with and still enjoy to this day.

Another favorite is “Keg in the Closet.” I didn’t really discover this song until I bought Kenny’s live CD. I had heard it before but never really listened to the words. Here they are:

We had a dog named Bocephus living in the front yard
He liked sleeping out on top of the car
He drank beer out of a mason jar
And he'd climb up on everyone in bed.
A white frame house in a college town
A bunch of people always hanging around
No real problems we needed to drown
But we tried our best anyway.
We went to class just to pass the time
Back in '89.
We had a keg in the closet, pizza on the floor
Left over from the night before
Where we were going we didn't really care
We had all we ever wanted
In that keg in the closet.
This old guitar taught me how to score
Right there on that Lambda Chi porch
Mary Ann taught me a little more
About wantin' what you can't have.
Sweatshirts and flag football
Spring breaks down in Panama
For a while we had it all
We never dreamed it wouldn't last.
We went to class just to pass the time
Back in '89.
We had a keg in the closet, pizza on the floor
Left over from the night before
Where we were going we didn't really care
We had all we ever wanted
In that keg in the closet.
We all kind of went our separate ways
But I swear it seems like yesterday.
Keg in the closet, pizza on the floor
Left over from the night before
Where we were going we didn't really care
We had all we ever wanted
In that keg in the closet.
Ohh.., Ohh.., Ohh..., Ohhh...

Oh wow! I can’t think of a song that is more “college” than this one is! I too sometimes went to class just to pass the time back in ’89 (the year that Kenny and I both turned 21). There was a Lambda Chi fraternity at my college too and yes, I often ate leftover pizza the next morning! I went to Florida on a spring break trip one year and at that time in my life, I never dreamed that the way I felt then wouldn’t last. We too all went our separate ways but it does seem like yesterday that I was at Eastern Illinois University while Kenny was at East Tennessee State University.

And finally, my last favorite song is “Summertime.” I think I added this one to my list about a year or so ago:

Summertime is finally here
That old ball park man is back in gear
Out on 49, man I can see the lights
School's out the nights roll in
Man, just like a long lost friend
You ain't seen in a while
And can't help but smile.
And it's two bare feet on the dashboard
Young love and an old Ford
Cheap shades, and a tattoo, and Yoohoo bottle on the floorboard
Perfect song on the radio
Sing along because it's one we know
It's a smile, it's a kiss
It's a sip of wine, it's summertime
Sweet summertime.
Temperature says 93
Down at the Deposit and Guarantee
But that swimmin' hole
It's nice and cold
Bikini bottoms underneath
But the boys heart still skip a beat
When them girls shimmy off
Them old cut-offs.
And it's two bare feet on the dashboard
Young love and an old Ford
Cheap shades, and a tattoo, and Yoohoo bottle on the floorboard
Perfect song on the radio
Sing along because it's one we know
It's a smile, it's a kiss
It's a sip of wine, it's summertime
Sweet summertime.
The more things change
The more they stay the same
Don't matter how old you are
When you know what I'm talkin' 'bout
Yeah baby, when you got.
Two bare feet on the dashboard
Young love and an old Ford
Cheap shades, and a tattoo, and Yoohoo bottle rolling on the floorboard
Perfect song on the radio
Sing along 'cause it's one we know
It's a smile, it's a kiss
It's a sip of wine, it's summertime
Sweet summertime...

They play this song at one of my favorite places almost every time I am there…..Busch Stadium, home of my St. Louis Cardinals. I love the words in this song! I have driven a Ford vehicle for many, many years now. I do put my two bare feet on the dashboard sometimes and I wear cheap shades. I consider me and Bruce to be “young love” and man do I smile when school’s out and the nights roll in just like a long lost friend! I also remember one summer when the local swimming pool was closed for renovation so we had to swim at a lake instead. The line “bikini bottoms underneath but the boys’ hearts still skip a beat when them girls shimmy off them old cut-offs” is soooo country and soooo appropriate for where I live! Love it!

OK, other than these 6 songs, there are many more one-liners in many of his songs that hit home with me.

* I picture me and Bruce crying our eyes out some day when our girls leave home and “There Goes My Life” really reminds me of that.

* In the song “Back Where I Come From,” Kenny sings about being proud of his home town. There is a line in there that says “I make it a point to say THAT’S where I come from.” Anyone who knows me knows that I am VERY proud to represent my home town, even though only about 15% of the students in the school where I teach are from there. I am also VERY proud to say that I am from SOUTHERN Illinois, and NOT the Chicago-land area.

* There’s a line in “Don’t Happen Twice” that goes “one bottle of wine and two dixie cups.” I vaguely remember one summer, having a date with a guy and driving out to some lake, laying out on the grass on a blanket, and drinking wine from plastic cups! (This same idea is also visited in “Never Wanted Nothing More.”)

* Or how about the song “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy”? Now there’s one for us country folks, huh? I am not a farm girl, but I live in a farming community and as I grow older, I realize what an important job farmers have. I also realize that with my students, those who grew up on farms are those who you would be best to call on if you ever needed help. They are the ones who are seasoned and know how to do things.

* His song “The Good Stuff” reminds me of forever love – the kind I think that Bruce and I have.

* History is my 2nd favorite subject and “Live Those Songs” touches on a couple of little snippets of history.

* Sometimes I feel like my life is spinning (not so much out of control, but just spinning!) and this is reflected in the song “Living in Fast Forward.”

* Then there’s the song “Out Last Night.” Although I rarely go out and drink too much anymore these days, on the rare occasion that I do, this song reminds me A LOT of things that happen to me!

* “Don’t Blink” reminds me about how life passes by so quickly and once again, we need to enjoy every single minute!

So there. There are some of the reasons I love Kenny Chesney and his music so much. Another part of it is the fact that his concerts are true entertainment. He is ALL OVER the stage constantly during his shows. He never rests. I am dancing in my seat and singing along with him the entire time!

Thanks to my cousin Dan, I was able to meet Kenny Chesney once, in June of 2005. I was not nearly as big of a fan of his then as I am now. Now, if I got a chance to meet him, there would be so many more things I would like to tell him than I did back then. Maybe someday.....

My friend Donna and I are going to see the Summer in 3D movie tomorrow (this will be my 2nd time). I can't wait!

I LOVE this time of the year!

Yes, yes I do! And for so many reasons.....

* Squirrels running around in the yard, moving in their stiff, almost animated way.

* The tropical snow stands are out again! I love seeing them being set up!

* Kids on bikes.....how awesome is it to see kids riding around the neighborhoods on their bikes, getting exercise?

* Flowers! Although I had a bit of a tough time planting mine this year (did anyone ever tell you that you can put TOO much fertilizer on them? No one told me!), they are finally out and I am excited about it! I love watching them grow and watching for some of the bulb plants to poke through the ground.

* Wearing shorts! Even though my legs are big and pasty white, you just have to love being able to wear shorts and capris every now and then.

* Kids playing outside.....love, love, love seeing kids in their yards, driveways, etc. just being kids and plain playing!

* Baseball on TV, or the radio! Oh yeah, I love those sounds of summer!

* The Ice Cream Man! Wow - I really like the music he plays!

* Seeing people drive their convertible cars around - with the tops down!

* Porch swings! I want one! Or at least a backyard adult swing. Bruce said maybe we could get rid of the swing set and get one. It does make me a little sad though that my kids are old enough to get rid of the swing set. B2 still plays on it though so maybe not just yet!

* Even spraying for weeds and grass in the cracks of the driveway makes me happy!

* Ball teams practicing. Our local park buzzes with activity almost every night of the week now....softball, baseball, t-ball, soccer, it's great!

* Walking in the park while these teams are practicing is great too!

I have often said that Friday is my favorite day of the week and it always has been. I think this is because the anticipation of the weekend for me is almost better than the real thing! I think the same goes for spring in anticipation of summer! May is my favorite month of all and we are almost there.

Happy Spring!

Look What I Made!

Home-made marshmallows! They taste like "Peeps"! I found this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine back in December. I had already decided on which Christmas treats I was going to be making, so I tucked the recipe away for a future holiday. Easter seemed perfect with its bright, pretty colors!

Here are some of the "naked" marshmallows, before they were decorated.


And some chocolate ones.....


These were kind of hard to do because when the chocolate was too hot, the marshmallows began to melt, and when the chocolate started to cool, it didn't go as smoothly onto the marshmallows as it did when it was hot.


These were EASY! Since the marshmallows were sticky on all sides, rolling them in sugar was a breeze.

I am excited for Sunday to come. I plan to put them all out on a big platter.


In other news.....Bruce has been on spring break for basically a week now. This is only day #2 for the girls and me. Five days off still seems pretty great though! Last night, Bruce and I went with my parents to Harrah's. We had dinner at the buffet and of course, gambled. Bruce and my parents play video poker almost the entire time. I don't like video poker. I play blackjack at the table. I wasn't doing too great there though so I switched to slots. They have "Deal or No Deal" machines now at Harrah's, which I love. I had to wait a little while before I could get on one, and then it took forever to finally hit the bonus and be able to play the case game, but it was fun. I discovered that game back in Vegas in 2008. It's a penny game too so that is a plus! I chose to move to another penny machine later and won $45! Overall, on the night, together, Bruce and I lost $2.50. Not bad for a few hours of entertainment!

We told B2 about the Easter Bunny, Santa, Tooth Fairy, etc. about a week ago. She did not seem phased by it much at all. I think she kind of had the idea already in her head. At Christmastime, B1 shared with me that at one point, B2 asked her "do you think Mom and Dad are Santa?" B1, bless her heart, vehemently denied it and still played the game for us. But when she told me that, I decided that after Christmas, we would let B2 in on the secret. Well, we just now got around to it! LOL! I have some items purchased for their Easter baskets and we will hide plastic eggs in the yard. We will continue to do this until they tell us that they are too old! Hopefully that will never happen. Keep dreaming, huh?

I am beginning to see a tiny bit of light at the end of the school year tunnel. Yes, there are still about 7 weeks left, but I now have a plan in my mind for those weeks. I know where I should end up in my classes, I have 2 weeks of ACT review ready to go for my Trigonometry students, and I know the end is near! We have put in our requests for next year's schedule (which classes we would like to teach), and if I get what I want and teach the same subjects as this year, I think next year ought to be a breeze. I am sooooo keeping my fingers crossed. I would LOVE to be able to maybe scrapbook a little in the evenings while at home instead of always doing math. I swear, this school year, in any extra moment, I have been doing math homework, lesson plans, making notes / worksheets / quizzes / tests, etc. I have done NO scrapbooking other than 2 weekends when I went away to do it. But, I have also realized that I am paying the price now for the future when I teach the same subject (hopefully!).

B1 and B2 have been playing outside a lot lately. The weather here has been great the past week or so. They have been playing ball in the yard, riding bicycles, and taking the dog for walks. I love it! I love coming home from school and seeing them in the driveway, being active! I am hoping to get my bike out soon too.

That's about all for now......have a Happy Easter everyone!