Over Memorial Day weekend, a good friend of mine flew out to see Kenny Chesney in concert. She’d just been here in February, but Kenny has long been her favorite and her birthday was that weekend. She told me, “Kenny wants me here.” Who am I to argue with her?
The show was amazing – he’s truly an entertainer. He sounded fantastic and engaged with the audience regularly. Which is something some artists don’t bother with, and others try and fail at. However, this post isn’t so much about Kenny, but something that happened to me during the show.
My friend’s favorite song is “Old Blue Chair”, something that he doesn’t perform live much these days. Mine has been “Anything But Mine” since the first time I heard it all those years ago. Neither of us had expected him to play these songs because hers was never a single, and mine was just really old. (Heavens, I just looked and it released in 2004.)
Anyway, about halfway through the show, he stops to tell the audience that the next song hadn’t originally been on the playlist, but he’d gotten a request, so he was going to do it – and it turned out to be “Old Blue Chair”. Sometime after the first chorus, I burst into tears. I don’t know why, but there I was, sobbing.
During his encore, Kenny so kindly played “Anything But Mine”, during which, I burst into tears a second time. This song, however, always gets me emotional. So, it wasn’t such a surprise that it had stirred so much feeling within me. Thankfully, he ended the set with “American Kids” which is fun and upbeat so I didn’t leave looking like I’d just been in a fight.
This did get me thinking of all the times I’ve been brought to tears by a song.
“Who You’d Be Today”, also by Kenny Chesney, gets me every time. First time I’d ever heard it was days after learning a good friend had fallen asleep at the wheel and crashed his truck, dying in the accident.
“Andy (I Can’t Live Without You)” by Ashley McBryde gets me as well. It’s her calling out her partner for all his faults but also admitting that she loves him despite it all. This is the kind of song that probably resonates with anyone who has ever been in a long-term relationship. Because even when you have a fantastic partner, they still drive you crazy at times.
I’ll probably get teased about this, but “If Everyone Cared” by Nickelback hits me like a brick if I haven’t heard it in a while. Especially now, with all the craziness in the world. I think we could all use a little bit more empathy for others.
How about you? Are you a sap like I am who cries at random songs (and occasional commercials)? What song has moved you to feel things strongly, even if it didn’t bring you to tears?
Okay… I’m all about the tears. My kids tease me because I cry at commercials, and they still laugh at me for crying during Toy Story (I swear, the scene where Buzz learns he’s a toy and the music I Will Go Sailing No More gets me every time).
However, the very first song that I remember making me cry is a very old one. I still can’t hear it without tearing up…Old Shep.
And another one …. the list goes on and on, but I’ll keep it to these three. Teen Angel.
Let’s not forget “Don’t Take the Girl,” “Honey,” … oh so many more… lol.
Thanks for a walk down memory lane….and new tears today as I looked these up.
I’m a Cancer so yeah, I cry at every little thing!
I’d never heard Old Shep, but it immediately reminded me of Feed Jake by Pirates of the Mississippi.
Ah, “Don’t Take the Girl” will rip your heart out.
Great choices though! Aw, hopefully a good sort of tears. 🙂
I cry at random songs. I’ve been a classical singer most of my life, but Willlie Nelson’s Angel Flyin’ Too Close to the Ground makes me cry every time. That and many others by many bands. I think some of it is memories and some of it hits a nerve or a feeling that you might not realize is so close to the surface.
I completely agree with you on songs hitting a nerve you didn’t even know was raw. Love that Willie Nelson song, too.
Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” has made my eyes well up before.
Oh god yes, especially if you know he wrote it for his son. Great song.
Saturn by Sleeping at Last always makes me tear up.
Okay, I’d never heard this song before but now I’m crying at my desk at work. Hahaha. Beautiful.