Hi Keith, you cool Aussie cowboy! ;)  Haha!  I can't help but love Keith Urban.  I'm fascinated by him as a person, the demons he has battled and is honest about, and as a musician.  I have really enjoyed his music for a number of years.  He also tells a pretty good story, draws some interesting visuals in his music, and has a great voice to boot!  This song seems to get easily stuck in my head so I figured it has to be today's song!  :)  I love how country music speaks to the reality of relationships.  There's something real and raw in the stories.  Not all country music artists do this but the good ones do!  :) You'll Think Of Me

Okay so I LOVE Rascal Flatts.  LOVE THEM.  They make me super happy.  And today's song is one of my favorites of theirs.  You know how you get sick of a popular song playing over and over on the radio?  I never once got sick of hearing this song.  I love Rascal Flatts!  I can't even fathom getting sick of them! :)  Raise your hand if you have a "lost love" that flits through your mind every so often. MY HAND IS RAISED.  I think we all do and I think I like this song, in part, because it makes me think through the regrets and the relief of not being in that relationship! :)  At some point we all have to move on from regret or "what if's" or "if only's" and blaze a new trail.  And so often we will find that new trail is far better than the one we thought we would be traveling forever. (Huh, kinda makes me think of Garth's song " Unanswered Prayers ") These Days

I love Reba.  LOVE HER.  I love her so much that I even watched her sitcom and loved that because of her!  The song I picked of Reba's for today is one of my favorite from back in the day.  When I was a Junior and Senior in High School I worked at a lovely place called The Glen Eyrie and I worked really early mornings and really late nights and I'd blast the country music radio as I drove to and from work on really dark roads.  This song had hit the charts at that time and my memories of this song are always coupled with getting to and from work on dark roads, Reba's voice keeping me company.  I also love Reba because she tells a good story and this song is a good story!  I remember the first time I heard it and understood the "who done it" and was so awed by how she weaved a total story together in 3-4 minutes.  Reba is genius!  The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia

Kenny Chesney is a country artist I can't help but love. I can't help it!  He's got some great songs, lyrically, and of course that's what draws me.  I love a song that tells a story to relate to people and to make people think.  This song does that.  I remember the first time I heard it I was in awe of how it turned around using the same words and phrasing.  Really really good. We all make mistakes but I think how we respond to them is what determines their influence on our futures.  This is a song the showcases the choice of response.  To stretch things a bit - it's kind of like Mondays.  We have a choice in how to respond to them.  :)  Happy Monday! There Goes My Life

My Dad and I have a shared love/obsession of Casting Crowns and he was just telling me three days ago that their song "Glorious Day" was his recent favorite.  Imagine my surprise when I cracked open my hymnal just now and saw that "Glorious Day" is a remake of "One Day"!  I'm not sure if Dad even knows that! I love that groups/artists today are taking hymns and putting them back out there for the believers of today. This is a particularly amazing hymn of praise and recognition to God.  Living he loved us, dying he saved us and buried he carried our sins far away.  Rising from that death and burial he gives us freedom.  He is the hope of the hopeless and one day he's returning.  O glorious day indeed!  I was thinking about this earlier today - what's the harm, what's the threat in choosing Jesus?  Let's say that at the end of your life nothing happens. You don't go to heaven or hell but during your life because you chose Jesus you

Today we celebrated the impending birth of my nephew, Baby Ashley!  It was a great day of family and friends rubbing my sister-in-laws pregnant belly, which is the CUTEST preggo belly ever, and celebrating this baby's presence in our lives.  One of my favorite songs from the movie Beaches has always been "Baby Mine".  And I've been humming the song all week anticipating celebrating my nephew's life.  So it was the obvious choice for today's song.  :)  Enjoy.  And enjoy your babies - whether they are big or small!  Baby Mine  (Bette Midler) Baby Mine  (Allison Krauss)

So.  Anyone wanna guess where I'm at?  :)  I spent the night driving from Colorado to St Louis to attend the baby shower for my nephew to be born at the end of June.  So in light of the fact that I have had about 4 hours of sleep in the last day and a half and I need to get some sleep my song of the day is short, sweet, and to the point!  Judy Garland stars in a film titled, "Meet me in St Louis" and todays' song is a clip of her singing the title song.  Judy Garland, well known and maybe perhaps best known? for her role as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz, also did other films.  She has a beautiful voice and a cheerful spirit.  Enjoy!  Meet Me In St Louis

AH! I just found a new song to put on the soundtrack of my life!  Wow.  This song is POWERFUL.  And it is exactly what God calls us to in his name!  I actually blogged about this topic, before hearing this song, the other day.  If you are interested in reading that click here .  Back to the song.  I'm just so blown away by it.  I think what blows me away is that is the message God has been teaching me for a few years now and compelling me to share with others.  We all have some way that we can light up our worlds.  And God doesn't ask us to tackle the world on the whole, just our worlds.  The world we come into direct contact with every day.  When we impact our personal world and others are impacting theirs it becomes like a domino effect and pretty soon the whole world is affected. I'm really inspired and motivated and moved by the truth contained in this song.  See?  This is why music is so powerful.  It takes a message that we are already processing and drives it home in

This is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head but you don't really mind.  :)  Or I don't mind at least!  I feel like this is a cover but I can't find who originally sang it so maybe it isn't a cover and I just know it?  It's a song to me that sounds like a cover.  That's not a slam on Lifehouse at all.  It just seems that this song has been sung before and Lifehouse was doing it justice by covering it.  Yet all other "You and Me" songs that I pulled up on YouTube weren't this song but others.  Regardless.  I'm currently planning/coordinating a wedding and putting together a playlist for the reception.  I'm pretty sure this song is going to end up on it.  :) I really, really like this song.  The sound, the words, the music.  I like Lifehouse.  They come out of LA and in the past few years finally hit mainstream radio.  But they've been around the block a time or two in their 10+ years of being a band.  In fact I like them so

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  Falco!  Oh my.  Kinda a "one hit wonder" and I'm pretty sure even this hit was equally loved and hated by all.  :)  I remember singing along with the song and bugged that I was.  It's so funny how in the original single version some dude gives all these facts about Mozart and then the last fact, as if it were as historical as Mozart himself, is that in 1985 Falco records this song.  Tee hee hee.  I'm not sure this song made history like Falco may have wished.  I think he was trying to modernize Mozart and his music but some things don't need to be modernized.  Well regardless, this song is good for some smiles and some good flashbacks.  :)  Rock Me Amadeus  (Film Version) Rock Me Amadeus  (Original Single Version)

If you type into YouTube's search engine "songs about Mondays" you will get this one, "Monday Monday" by The Mamas & The Papas, and some other random stuff.  I would think that as much as people hate Mondays there would be more songs about that!  :) I almost picked The Mamas & The Papas...until I decided to give this song a chance.  And I like it!  I've never heard of Aura Dione.  I have no idea where she hails from but she has a lot of qualitites that remind me of Lily Allen and Lady Gaga.  She has a great voice and she doesn't try to cover it up with too much weird stuff.  She's weird and unique (I checked out some of her other videos, she dresses strange but her voice is great!)  I'm pretty sure the song is referring to the "you" as a person and not the day Monday BUT since it never clearly specifies I decided to make it all about Monday today!  If you listen to the words it really could become about trying to love the day

Jesus.  There's just something about that name. It promotes healing and division.  Jesus came to divide, he came to show us ourselves and our need for God.  That divides.  He was not some mansy pansy carpenter who had aspirations to be a martyr.  He was, he is, the Son of God who came to show the world their need for a Savior and he was God's chosen Savior.  So he came to divide us from sin and then he provides the healing we need.  There's just something about that name.  I have a really clear visual of my Mom singing this song in church on Sunday mornings.  In my memory I'm looking up at her singing this song and really feeling this song.  I love that visual of her. I really love this simple song.  It's a favorite of mine.  There's Something About That Name  (Gaither's) There's Something About That Name  (Sonicflood - ignore the video, the remixed song is one of my fave's!)

Ha!  Caught your attention didn't I?!?  :)  So Yngwie Malmsteen is a great (and that's an understatement) guitar player.  Too bad he knows it.  :)  Hailing from Sweden, Yngwie probably entered this world with a guitar in his hand.  To get as good as he is he would have had to start playing from birth.  Unless he's a prodigy...there's always that option!  Yngwie has been, in the past, labeled the world's fastest guitar picker.  He really IS amazing.  Looking at him playing guitar you almost think there's no way he's actually playing because his fingers become with the neck and the frets and he looks like he's gliding his hand up and down the notes.  But he is, in fact, moving his fingers and hitting every note perfectly.  Yngwie has never been the radio hit type but Lanny tells me he did have one radio hit back in the 90's.  But   I loved the title of this piece so I choose it!  Plus this piece is only about 2 and a half minutes whereas I'm sure

There are a couple of songs that I love and no matter who sings them, as long as they sing them well, I love them.  This is one of those songs.  If someone can sing Georgia On My Mind well then I love it.  And it kind of goes without saying that Ray Charles can sing it well!  I chose Ray today because he deserves a spot in my blog. The man is genius.  Pure musical genius.  Georgia On My Mind

Admittedly I'm in a bit of a mood today.  Yesterday was a weird day in the life of me.  And because of the day I had I thought this song would match up!  (Beth!  What kind of day could have possibly had that goes along with Luther's 95 theses?!?  Oh, it's a long long story...) So in doing some research about Martin Luther a few weeks back I ran across this song/video on YouTube.  It cracked me up! It's clever to put the 95 theses into rap form - I'm sure it does make them easier to learn/remember for kids who study them! What I appreciated most about Martin Luther was his willingness to call out the church at the time on their blatant hypocrisy, self-righteousness, and sin.  He really didn't pull any punches when it came to that.  Anyway, if you ever have to get through the 95 Theses of Martin Luther then this just may be the way to go for you! 95 Theses

Coming quite a distance from MMMBOP the boys of Hanson have grown up and become men!  I believe one of them is so grown up that he has at least a couple of kids!  :) One of my besties, Jodi, suggested this song.  She says she can't stop listening to it and confesses she was a fan of MMMBOP as well! :)  Here's the thing about Hanson.  Make fun of them all you want but the boys are talented.  Don't be surprised if, as adults, they make some waves.  That is, if they can break out of the box the industry has put them in.  They have a big job ahead of them trying to convince everyone, including music exec's, that they have grown up and so has their sound and lyrical content. The song for today, Give A Little, is much more grown up in lyrical content than even I was expecting so I'm assuming the "boys" are out to prove they have the goods to make it.  It's a catchy song and I can see why it's been stuck in Jodi's head recently!  :)  Give A Littl

In honor of the fact that we, here in Colorado, are reaching into the mid-70's this week and people are in the mood for Summertime I picked a song to reflect that!  :)  (Of course this IS Colorado so expect blizzards and freezing temps in April - probably right at Easter, haha!)  Miles Davis, a jazz musician, with his sweet, smooth notes tells stories through his music.  This particular song tells the story of Summer.  Close your eyes when you listen to it.  Let it take you to the place of Summer.  Summer is slower, smooth in its temps, sweet in its smells.  Now open your eyes and it is back to reality!  :)  But when you are in the mood for Summer you can always count on Miles Davis to take you there.  Summertime

Oh Bangles, how I loved thee back in the day!  I think I played my Bangles cassette tape until it wore out.  Who doesn't love a good girl band?  :)  I was reminded of this song last week during my middle school years soundtrack journey in the coffee house and knew it had to be for Monday...of course!  The Bangles were a rare band back in their day.  They made a pretty big splash for their time but unfortunately didn't have sustainability.  They were talented, no doubt about that but as I watched a few of their videos this morning I noticed something.  They hardly ever smiled! What's up with that?  Smile girls!  :)  Oh well.  Here's to Monday, hope it's not manic for you! Manic Monday Manic Monday Acoustic

In all my growing up, Baptist church going years I don't recall ever hearing or singing this particular hymn.  That doesn't mean much because how could anyone possibly remember all the hymns sung over the course of 20 years or so?!?  :)  Back in 6th Grade I took a class at church on Sunday nights.  I learned music theory and other things pertaining to music.  As my graduation gift my teachers gave me a hymnal with my name engraved on it and took the time to write encouraging notes inside of it.  All these years I have treasured that hymnal.  A couple of years back I thought I had lost it and I felt so sad at the thought of it being gone so imagine my relief and delight when I re-discovered it!  Not only do I read and sing the hymns contained in it with a new heart and perspective that I couldn't possibly have had in 6th grade but I read the notes my wonderful teachers wrote to me and I realize, once again, that how I see myself is not how others see me.  I think perhaps oth

It's Saturday!  I feel like Saturday deserves a happy song!  :) Chris Tomlin sneaked into my play lists a few years back.  I didn't like him at first but darn it if he didn't persist and grow on me! :) He's a talented musician and songwriter. But what shines through his talents is his heart for God and God's people.  I appreciate Chris Tomlin as a person and as a musician.  I respect his heart of worship. And his happy song makes me happy!!  :)  His happy song makes me happy because of what it's about.  The love, presence, and yes even discipline of the Lord in my life makes me happy in a way the world can't measure.  O happy day! The Happy Song

It was hard to pick which Brian Setzer song to link to today!  He's so amazing.  I love Brian Setzer because he has kept big band/swing alive!  He's kept it in the "mainstream" and kept it relevant.  Brian Setzer knows how to do big band/swing.  And he does it WELL.  :)  He's been doing it for a lot of years and the only thing that has changed about him is a few more wrinkles.  :)  He's still rockin' and rollin' through the world with his style of music.  I thought this song was a good choice for a Friday.  Happy Friday!    Rock This Town

Last night I was sitting in one of my favorite coffee shops and the owner put a playlist on that was like a soundtrack of my middle school years.  I was transported back in time.  This song kicked it off.  Oh did I love Tears For Fears. I think one of the reasons I loved them was because they were the first non-Oldies band I ever listened to.  Until 6th grade all I had ever heard was groups like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, well you get the picture!  :)  My first Tears For Fears song was, of course, Shout.  But last night when this started playing through the coffee shop and I found myself humming and singing along I realized I knew this song perhaps even better than Shout.  :)  (Of course, admittedly most anyone could sing Shout.  I mean how hard is it to sing "Shout Shout let it all out, things are the things I can do without, c'mon I'm talking to you so c'mon...")  Tears For Fears, unbeknownst to me until I hit my adult years, was a highly pol

Oh how I love Patsy Cline.  Her voice just resonates!  I have loved this song for as long as I can remember.  I have this really vivid memory of being at my Grandma's house many, many years ago and a docu about Patsy Cline was on the TV.  Or maybe it was a movie about her life. Either way.  I watched it and fell even more in love with her.  It's just such a shame that a lot of the greats meet a tragic end and they get cut short in their prime.  Crazy isn't the only song of hers I love, I love them all!  Something about her voice makes me take a deep breath and relax.  There has never been someone like Patsy, she was truly one of a kind.  Now, I feel like going to get a cup of tea and continuing my day with Patsy's music in my background! Crazy

One of my most favorite songs...ever. And Kathryn Scott has a voice that draws me in to worship.  It doesn't highlight her but highlights HIM.   So much has happened and continues to happen at the foot of the cross.   Our first glimpse of salvation happened there and we can still glimpse salvation there today.  At the foot of the cross Jesus transferred his death to life so that you and I could live eternally with him.  I think about what happened at the foot of the cross in the moment that Jesus hung there.  He made sure his Mama was taken care of, he gave forgiveness, he exhibited grace and compassion in the midst of searing pain, he looked out on the people gathered and offered his very breath for them even though they mocked him.  That grace was noticed by a few.  I think about what happens at the foot of the cross TODAY.  Yes, today.  Jesus makes sure that we are taken care of, he gives forgiveness, he exhibits grace and compassion in the midst of our sin, he looks out on us

She first hit the music scene with "Bubbly" which I almost did but I figure the song has been overplayed and ya'll would just groan if you heard it!  It's a good song but like any good song the radio stations played that thing until it became a hated song!  I ended up picking this song not just for the song but I think the video is funny!  I love that she picked a guy that isn't who hardly anyone would pick!  :)  Colbie Caillat has a great voice, she's a great musician, and she stays under the radar which makes her even more appealing.  My hub and I saw a "Cribs" with her a couple of years back.  She had just made it big with "Bubbly" and was still living with her parents and strumming her guitar.  We loved her carefree, down to earth personality.  Since then Colbie has continued to make music waves on her own and with others.  She does a great duet with Jason Mraz called "Lucky", they sound divine together!  Happy Monday!  F

Another oldie but goodie from my Baptist church days.  It's amazing to me how a song that I haven't thought about or heard about in years immediately comes back to me, tune and all!  There is victory in Jesus. If that weren't true then there wouldn't be thousands of testimonies to testify to it.  There is no other explanation for the peace that descends upon a soul that has clung to Jesus in dark moments and emerges into his light.  Sometimes the victory to be experienced is continued life on this earth and other times the victory is to be taken into Heaven and the resting place of God.  Either way, when God ordains it there is victory!   Victory in Jesus Victory in Jesus (Bart Millard from Mercy Me)

So a few weeks back my hub was channel surfing and we came across a new movie on the SyFy channel and what did we see but both Tiffany AND Debbie (Deborah now that she has matured) Gibson on screen battling mega alligators or some other creature that was mega.  Really.  They have been reduced to SyFy B films.  Oh my.  So sad.  All week I have been focusing on current teen pop stars but today is MY day.  My back in the day that is.  Every generation will have their own teen pop stars and these two were a couple from my day.  Tiffany was a one hit wonder with "I Think We're Alone Now" as she toured America's Malls.  I noticed in the video that she seems to be performing at a mall in Utah and I can't help but wonder what the Mormon community there thought of that?  After all that song does indicate some rather questionable behavior.  Tiffany tried to not be a one hit wonder but alas that's all she has turned out to be.  Oh that and a mega creature fighting mach

The Jo Bros have been quiet lately.  A little too quiet as I had almost forgotten them.  When they first came on the scene they elicited Beatles-like mania.  Now those fans are older, wiser and probably still just as gaga.  With Kevin getting married and Nick Jonas putting together his own solo career you can't help but wonder if these guys were the thing for a few years and now their thing has passed.  Out of the three Nick has the greatest potential of making it long term.  He's been on Broadway, writes most of the band's music, and has the most talent out of the three.  Kevin and Joe can't act so if they have aspirations there they should let those dreams go and focus on music which they are good at.  They've done more than the Hanson Brothers did a few years back and have made a much bigger splash so only time will tell if they have sustainability.  But I'll tell you what, look for Nick Jonas to make a name for himself - kind of like how MJ broke from Jacks

Confession:  I have this song on my iPod rotation.  I can't help it!  It's catchy and I live in a house with two girls who watch Disney Channel and this plays! Gimme a break!  :) Selena Gomez is another hand picked Disney star who doesn't just sing or act, she does both.  She also is dating a younger man these days.  Her and Bieber are reportedly dating.  Why does an 18 year old girl date a 16 year old boy?  Beyond me but whatever.   So Selena sings decent.  It is my theory that Disney picks their stars based more on their vocal abilities than their acting abilities.  For me personally I think that is why they originally picked Demi Lovato. In the acting department I think she is very weak but her singing is decent, better than decent actually.  Selena, however, is very decent in both departments thereby making her Disney gold.  Perhaps you could say it comes to her naturally.  (Oh I had to do it!  Hahaha!) About the song.  On an adult level the chorus makes me think abo

I would be remiss on "Teen Pop Stars" week to not include Justin Bieber.  The oldest redhead in our home has the fever, the Bieber fever that is.  :)  Last summer she bough all the CD's he had done to that point and played them.  CONSTANTLY.  Dear Lord I thought I was going to pull my eyelashes out and my ears would start to bleed.  Apparently this kid is extremely talented.  Started playing the drums and guitar in his toddler years - literally - and has progressed ever since.  Good for him.  Glad for him.  As I am with all teen stars I don't hold my breath until they get to be around Miley's age and begin to show the world who they really are going to be as they mature.  We can all see where Miley is headed and with Bieber hanging out with people like Snoop Dog and Usher...well let's just say my daughter may be taking down her poster of him sooner rather than later if he begins to act like them! Since I have listened repeatedly to all of his songs I find

Taylor Swift is an amazing artist.  Really!  A year or so ago we watched a docu on her as she prepared for her first ever solo tour and she is amazing on all levels.  For her age she has a great head for not just the creative side of the industry but the business side as well.  She ensures her longevity with her maturity and her music.  Taylor almost exclusively writes all of her own music and lyrics.  She's been heard saying that most of her songs come from her journals.  That is why the past album that she just released got such press about the songs being about Joe Jonas, etc who she has dated in the past couple of years.  It seems that you can listen to the album and quickly understand which song is about who.  Ha!  Serves Joe Jonas right especially for dumping her via text.  REALLY Joe?  Sheesh.  Anyway.   (I sound like I'm part of Team Taylor don't I?!?  Haha) Here in the Peninger home we all like Taylor Swift, even the lone man!  He almost has to with three girls l