Country music from a fan's point of view since 2008
Yesterday, I was watching a new TV show called Glee that premiered on Fox this week. During the show, the cast sang the hit “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey- a great song. While I had heard this song before, something about hearing it then got me, inspired me. The song doesn’t even really apply to me, but the chorus just grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I bet it’s because I’ve finished high school, I’m moving on to chase my own dreams so I won’t stop believing! It really inspired me- a great feeling to have.
Country music has many songs like that, songs that inspire and uplift, even though most of the current ones are pretty bland and lame. Others are exceptional, like Jo Dee Messina’s “Bring On The Rain”, by far one of my favorite Jo Dee Messina songs. This past week I got Dolly Parton’s latest album, Backwoods Barbie, which has the great inspiring track “Better Get To Livin’ “. Just like “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Better Get To Livin’ ” just makes me want to go and be the best person I can be.
Lee Ann Womack has plenty of these songs, like the smash hit “I Hope You Dance”, but I prefer her quieter inspirational numbers. On her album There’s More Where That Came From, the final track is “Stubborn (Psalm 151)” (Listen to it here). This song is just an absolute masterpiece, examining faith and how hard it can be to find it:
There’s a molecule of faith in this room
And even though it’s much too small to see,
If I have the courage to believe
I’ll find the one who left it here for me
This is probably the biggest song that really inspires me- it’s just so real and not overblown faith, and it has that quiet resolve to do better, a true inspirational song.
What songs inspire you?
Listen to Lee Ann Womack – ‘Stubborn (Psalm 151)’.
Watch the pilot of Glee here.
My Kind of Country 
I’ve seen the promos for that show and it didn’t look like it would be half bad.
It takes a lot for a song to ‘inspire’ me so to speak, but songs like Rodney Crowell’s ‘Still Learning How To Fly’ and ‘This Too Will Pass’ make me realize we’re all still learning and all still striving.
P.S. I like the twist on the Lee Ann Womack lyric for your title.
“The River” by Garth Brooks has always been a favorite of mine in this category, particularly the bridge:
“There’s bound to be rough waters
And I know I’ll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all”
I didn’t catch Glee but I do love “Don’t Stop Believing”. I’ve belted it out more than once at cheesy karaoke bars with friends. It’s also been used to great effect on “The Sopranos”, “Scrubs” and “Family Guy.”
As far other songs that inspire and make me smile, I would add Wynonna’s “What the World Needs Now”, George Strait’s “You’ll Be There”, Reba’s “I’m Gonna Take That Mountain” and, I’m embarrassed to even include it in the same sentence but, Rascal Flatts’ “Stand.”
The song that inspires me the most is ‘Bob That Head’ by Rascal Flatts, just kidding
There Will Come A Day – by Faith Hill, Hello God, by Dolly and My List by Toby Keith come to mind.
Whoo, you scared me for a second there!
Anyway by Martina McBride is one of the songs that makes me try to be the best I can be. It doesn’t matter if people remember what you did for them, you should just do it anyway.
Also, Say by John Mayer. The song is simple as can be, but he makes a good point. “Say what you need to say.” It doesn’t get much clearer than that.