Donny

I'm not ashamed to admit that a good song or line in a movie can completely change my emotional state. If I'm driving alone listening to the iPod or the Radio and a good song comes on, it's not unusual that tears will fill my eyes.

Don't laugh, you know it happens to you too.

Some songs get to me because I try to put myself in the author's place. I want to remain naive and believe song writers are artists and not in it only for the money. I want to believe they're relaying a personal experience or freeing some personal demons through their lyrics.

I like to imagine being in their place.

As for music, I listen to everything from Pop to Rap, Country to Opera. It's all good to me, as long as the lyrics are good.

Post a song that moves you. Then explain why the song moves you. Or post lines in a movie that move you (ie: You make me want to be a better man. - who knows what movie that is from and who said it).

Here's my first example. A song that's best known as being performed by country artist Kenny Chesney:

No I ain't had nothing to drink.
I knew thats probably what you'd think
If I dropped by this time of night.
Remember way back when
I promised you I'd drop in
At one of those meetings down at the Y?

Well, they started talkin' 'bout steps you take,
Mistakes you make,
The hearts you break,
And the price you pay.
I almost walked away.

But you could hear a pin drop
When this old man
Stood up and said, "I'm gonna' say it again
Like I do every week,
For those who don't know me."

"It's the simple things in life,
Like the kids at home and a loving wife,
That you miss the most, when you lose control.
And everything you love starts to disappear.
The devil takes your hand and says, 'No fear!
Have another shot... just one more beer.'
Yah, I've been there, and that's why I'm here."

This ole boy stood up in the aisle.
Said he'd been living a life of denial,
And he cried as he talked about wasted years.
I couldn't believe what I heard.
It was my life word for word!
And all of the sudden it was clear...

It's the simple things in life,
Like the kids at home and a loving wife,
That you miss the most when you lose control.
And everything you love starts to disappear.
The devil takes your hand and says, "No fear!
Have another shot... just one more beer."
Yah, I've been there, and that's why I'm here.

I know for us it may be too late,
But it would mean the world to me
If you were there when I stand to say:
"It's the simple things in life,
Like the kids at home and a loving wife,
That you miss the most when you lose control.
And everything you love starts to disappear.
The devil takes your hand and says, 'No fear!
Have another shot... just one more beer.'
Yah, I've been there, that's why I'm here
Oh, I've been there, that's why I'm here."


Why does this song get to me? Because I put myself in the place of the alcoholic in the song: a guy who's lost his family because of his addiction. He's sunk to the bottom. Everyone's given up on him after trying so long. He's finally taken the first step on the road to recovery and, even though he knows he's too late to reconcile with his wife and get his family back, he's there anyway asking if she'd at least go to a meeting with him and witness that he finally realizes what he's done and what he's lost.

Again, what moves you? And why? What do you feel when the song comes on?