10 Songs
Recently, Grady Smith asked Dierks’ fans to name their top 10 Dierks’ songs. As a true Dierks’ fan, I don’t know if I can choose just 10….that’s like asking me to choose my favorite memory with my Grandma. I will admit, unlike other fan club members, I do not love every song Dierks puts out. In fact, I really don’t like “Somewhere on a Beach,” if I am being honest. It is too pop sounding for me, and it was overplayed. Way overplayed. The truth is that whole album, “Black” was not my favorite. One of the reasons I love Dierks’ music is that he experiments with traditional styles. You can hear his experimentation in his album “The Mountain.” “Black,” in my opinion, was Dierks’ attempt at mainstream Country-pop. I didn’t care for it, but I know a lot of his fans, and fans of Country music, really liked it.
I have been a Dierks fan since the beginning. I went to his first concert in Raleigh when I was a senior in college in 2005. For $5. That concert is still one of my favorite experiences. As many of you already know, Dierks’ first album came out shortly after my Grandma died. That album had a song entitled, “My Last Name.” I was named after my Grandma Teri, so that song had special meaning for me. Living with someone else’s name gives me something to live up to. “My Last Name” came out at a time I needed it. So have many other Dierks’ songs come out when I needed to hear them.
Instead of picking 10 favorite songs, I chose 10 songs that mean something special to me. I am sharing why these songs are important to me, and what they have meant in my life. While there are many others that have played significant meaning in my life at different times, I had to choose ten. I will be sharing what the song means to me. I will also be sharing a link to the song, so you can listen to it if you want. These songs are in no particular order.
# 1 Feel That Fire
My theme song. Every year I paint my nails black to commemorate my love for this song. This song reminds me I need passion and excitement in life. I need my own life. I am a woman who “wants what she wants,” and I deserve it. I will find ways to make what I want happen. I don’t want to settle for a mediocre life. I have dreams, and I will accomplish them. I know the song is actually about a man loving a woman, but I can love myself in the same way he is singing about. If I find a man someday, I want him to love me the same way. That’s not too much to ask. Like I said before, I won’t settle.
#2 Hurt Somebody
I love Dierks’ vocals in this song. Plus, Chris Stapleton lends his voice to the background of this song. I feel this song exemplifies who I am when I am in love. I am innocent and naïve, but I could really hurt somebody. I don’t intend to break someone’s heart, but I have a feeling I have without knowing it. For me, being vulnerable and opening up to someone is extremely difficult, and I have not done it very often in my life because I am afraid of getting hurt. In an effort not to hurt myself, I have hurt others by remaining inside myself. In the end, protecting myself has hurt me because I have not been open to love. Maybe I just need to the right person who will let me “hurt somebody” when I open my heart to them. This song also gives me hope because the lyrics say, “Well, you ain’t that old but you ain’t that young/You’ve lived a life but you ain’t quite done…” I am trying to open myself to others, especially those I care about. Because I don’t want to hurt somebody.
#3 I Hold On
This song is the epitome of Dierks, and what he/his music stand for. Sometimes the things that mean the most to us are the things and memories that cost the least. I love that he still drives the truck he and his dad drove to Tennessee; I love that he carries around the same guitar he started his career with—beat up with his holes in it. This song makes me cry every year at the concert. I am a sentimental being, even though I pretend not to be. The things that mean the most to me are the moments I have shared with other people. Those are the things I hold on to when I am having a rough time; the things that “keep me going strong.” A pine tree in a front yard in Crystal, Minnesota. A stuffed cow that is raggedy as Hell. I hold on…
#4 Riser
I am a Riser. There is so much to say about this song. I could write a whole blog post. I send this song to everyone I know who is facing harships in their lives. It’s easy to give up on yourself, and lose faith in what you believe, when you are going through hard times, but I believe how we handle those difficult times is how he show our character. I am not a quitter, though at times I have had to remind myself of that, or have had other people remind me of that. I have gumption; I can survive anything. I am a Riser. I have the lyrics to this song framed and hanging in my bedroom.
#5 Say You Do
I love a good break up song. When we break up with someone, there is always a part of us that misses that person and wants them back. Even though we know it’s wrong. We will take the hurt one more time to have that person back in our lives, even if it’s for a little bit. But, we don’t consider the consequences. Love makes you want to do foolish things. Make poor choices. This song came out when I had just closed the door on a breakup I held on to for too long. Way too long. Hoping the man would come back to me. He didn’t. This video really put things into perspective at the time. Plus, who doesn’t love a motorcycle riding man in a torn t-shirt, chopping wood…sexy Dierks…just saying.
#6 Soon As You Can
When Dierks goes acoustic in the song, I melt. I love acoustic music. It’s hauntingly beautiful in this song. This song speaks truth. When you fall in love, you put your whole self into it. You can’t wait to put yourself out there, and give your heart to the person you love. You can’t wait to be with them, and you love being in love. The song is also a good reminder than you can’t hesitate getting what you want, or you might miss out. Then you will be filled with regret and melancholy.
#7 You Can’t Bring Me Down
My 2019 theme song. Whenever I am having rough days, which there have been a lot lately, I listen to this song. I can’t help but smile when I listen to the song. I love the bluegrass feel the song has to it. I love Dierks just plays his heart at the end of the song. This song is about enjoying life and just being happy-no matter what happens. There is always a reason to find the positive in any situation.
#8 Settle For A Slowdown
The ultimate breakup song. For me, this song and video show the heartbreak of love lost. You want the person back, but you don’t really want the person back. You want what you had with them. You want them to look back and think about you in the same way you want them. In the video, when Dierks’ shows up at his exes house to win her back—my hopeless romantic self (I will not admit that to anyone) gets weak in the knees. I love a big, romantic gesture. I would love it if a man would show up at my house to sing a song for me. It’s sweet and endearing. And again, Dierks’ sings acoustically in the video. I love the sound of the guitar in this song as well. It’s beautifully different.
#9 I Wish It Would Break
Again, another breakup song. This song is about the things we hold on to—that we don’t want to have, but we don’t want to get rid of either. We want an excuse as to why to get rid of them, but we are not brave enough to let go of those things ourselves. This song has multiple layers. Truthfully, “I know what the silence makes me do,” so I don’t like to be silent. I overthink. I learned this week that overthinking is an addiction. So, I guess I should say, “My name is Morgan, and I am an overthinker.”
#10 You Hold Me Together
Mine and Illy’s song. This song perfectly describes our friendship, and what he means to me. We are opposites in almost every way, but he is the person that I know I can depend on for anything. He is my person. When I have a problem and need to vent, he is the person I talk to. I know I am the same for him. Circumstances suck right now, and we are what seems like a million miles apart on opposite schedules (he flies a lot, and if he’s not flying, he’s sleeping). Emails are shared every few weeks or so. I get really excited when I see his emails in my inbox. He holds me together when I am a mess. I hope I do the same for him. I love him, and I am so glad he is in my life. Ilya makes my life better.
So, there it is. My list of ten Dierks’ songs I love. I could write about so many more. But, you don’t really want to read about what his music means to me. An artist comes along in every person’s life, and they really connect with them—for whatever reason. My artist is Dierks. I love who he is as a person—he loves tradition and charity, and he forgets his wallet. He’s just a normal guy, who sings songs that mean something to him and to his fans. When I met him he was super chill, and even though I was a nervous wreck, I was so glad he wasn’t a douche. Personally, I don’t think he wants to be famous; he just wants to make music that matters. If he can’t do that for anyone else, he does it for me. So, thank you Dierks. I hope I can meet you again in 10 days!!!
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