Love Alone
(Dan Colehour/David Grissom)
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I haven't met either one
of these songwriters, but I loved this song from the first
time Mark Wright played it for me. It's always a challenge
for me to find up-tempo songs that are smart.
And it's positive! Oh my
God. Who'd a thought? This is such a feel-good song to me.
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I Would've Loved You Anyway
(Mary Danna/Troy Verges)
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My autobiography set to
music! You don't love somebody and then one day decide you
don't love them anymore. I don't have regrets about the
way I have loved in my life, even though it hasn't always
worked out the way I wanted it to. I think that's what
this song says.
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For A While
(Matraca Berg/Ronnie Samoset)
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Well, aside from the
fact that Matraca Berg is my hero, I love this song
because it is about finding something to smile about even
when life isn't so great. I love the line about “poor ole
Coyote, someone had a worse day than me for a change.” And
I especially love the Julia Roberts line! I LOVE movies,
and every time I leave the theater, I am still in whatever
character I have become during the film. When I go see a
Julia Roberts movie, I am ALWAYS Julia in my mind, so this
song is truly me.
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Seven Year Ache
(Rosanne Cash)
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The song alone is
nostalgic for me, because I bought Rosanne's album that
had this on it when it came out in the early 80's. To have
her put her stamp of approval on this song by singing on
it is such an honor.
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I Don't Paint Myself Into Corners
(Trey Bruce/Rebecca Lynn Howard)
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At the moment, this is
my favorite cut on the album (It changes daily!). This
song doesn't place the blame for a failed relationship on
the other person. It acknowledges that a lot of the
responsibility is on “me.”
Musically, it is such a
beautifully written song with that sweeping melody. And
having the harmony voices of Vince Gill and Liana Manis
makes it spectacular for me.
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Harmless Heart
(Kim Patton Johnston/Liz Rose)
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Ah, I speak from
experience...enough said!
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Inside Out
(Bryan Adams/Gretchen Peters)
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video
An intelligent song
about getting to know someone before jumping in. Wanting
to know all the good and all the bad. I like that.
I thought of Don Henley
immediately for this, because it just sounded like him,
and we've been trying to find something to sing together
ever since “Walkaway Joe.” This seemed to fit. He's
perfect, isn't he?
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Love Let Go
(Hugh Prestwood)
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This is the same guy who
wrote “The Song Remembers When.” But I think some people
may be surprised at that, since this song is so different
from that.
I love the swampy “feel”
of this song. And the harmonies at the end inspired us to
call this our “country-and-eastern” cut! Buddy Miller and
Bob, Vicki, and Kim gave this record that swampy, eerie
quality it has.
In the lyric, you're
consumed by this love, but every now and then, just for a
second, you get some relief and let it go. Amen.
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Melancholy Blue
(Tom Douglas/Harlan Howard)
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I have recorded some
depressing songs before...but this one has got to take the
cake! I was as surprised as the next guy when I found out
at the end of this song that she's not just pining over a
failed romance -- she's actually pining over her dead
love. It doesn't get more gut-wrenching than that.
Gorgeous song,
beautifully written. I have always loved Harlan's writing,
and I now count myself a fan of Tom Douglas' as well.
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Second Chance
(Irene Kelley/Clay Mills/Tony Ramey)
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I was on the road last
summer, not even thinking about making a new record. And I
did ONE show with Irene Kelley. Thank God I did. She gave
me a CD with a couple of new songs she had written. After
I listened to it, I immediately put this on “hold.” Even
though I hadn't played it for anybody else and had no idea
when I was going back into the studio, I knew I wanted it.
What an inspiring song
about trying love again. I'm so glad it ended up on the
album. It's a testament to the power of a good song that
it could stay “in the running” after hearing thousands of
other songs.
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Love Me Or Leave Me Alone
(Karyn Rochelle/Shaye Smith)
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Mark Wright sent over a
song for me to hear that he liked, and this was the OTHER
song on the CD. I just couldn't get it out of my head.
It sounded too pop for
me, so when we decided to record it, I kept saying that
this would be a “special” cut, maybe for international
release only... Well, we ended up loving it, and here it
is. I say, after David Campbell worked his string magic on
this record, that it sounds like Trisha meets the Goo Goo
Dolls!
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When We Were Still In Love
(Jude Johnstone)
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Jude always seems to
mail me these little gems every couple of years. This song
is about the promise of love and the sadness that comes
when it goes.
We rehearsed this with
the string quintet and with Steve Nathan at piano. I was
standing next to the piano running through it with
everybody, and Mark suggested we record it that way. We
recorded it in one “take,” and everyone did their part
without using headphones. The reason it sounds like a live
chamber-music performance is because it basically is.
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