There is always an artist or two whose songs hit home to you more than others. For me, it’s Eric Church. I had gotten away from religiously listening to Church, but as I searched for music the other day I stumbled upon him and eventually… “song to song, I passed my time with these speakers on ten.”
As I listened, I found myself relating songs to different times in my life and how I felt. I realized, Eric Church has been there every step of the way.
“Drink In My Hand” was there when my friends and I were stumbling around Nashville, drinking and dancing in every bar. I immediately wanted to pop the top to a cold beer… and also book my next flight to Nashville.
Some songs brought back some memories I hadn’t thought about for years. Everyone has that one relationship that messed you up so badly that it stings thinking about to this day. I know I went through it. It consumed me, brought out the worst version of myself. We broke up right around the time “Give Me Back My Hometown” came out, and it couldn’t have been better timing. Everything I was feeling, thinking, wanted to say, Chief said in that song.
After break ups like that, a person needs to focus on his or herself for a while. It wasn’t until I finally cut all ties to my ex that I began to see just how toxic the relationship really was. I started working on becoming the best version of myself, re-assessing my personal, career, and health goals. It was a pivotal moment, so naturally the soundtrack to my life was “Record Year.” Eric was my right hand man, yet again.
Then, there were those relationships I don’t even know why I got into in the first place. One in particular sticks out. We had nothing in common, it was like talking to a wall, and we were on totally different pages in life. But for whatever reason, I kept this charade up for one reason and one reason only… they were hot. Might as well right? Anyway, they called it quits via text one day and that was that. One text and done. Sure it sucked, but was it earth shattering? Eh. These are the types of relationships you shrug off and say, “That Was A Cold One.”
Unlike Eric, I didn’t lose a beer so I’d like to think I won that round…
The toxic and stupid relationships, and everything you learned from them, finally lead you to someone you deserve. Church was there when you learned to “Love Your Love The Most” and to remind you just how lucky you are with “Those I’ve Loved.”
It’s not all heartbreak and relationships, though. Some of his songs are just make you feel like a badass. Specifically, “Smoke A Little Smoke.”
Others are just straight reminiscent. When I turn on “Springsteen,” all the high school memories come flooding back. “Talladega,” same thing. Total nostalgia. I’m not from Carolina or anything that even compares. Nothing in that song should even remotely remind me of my hometown, yet “Carolina” sends me right back to the Chicago suburbs thinking to myself, “He just gets me.”
Sometimes I need a little reminder to put things into perspective and really reflect on where I’m at in life. As a twenty-something, my life is always changing. There is always something happening whether it’s a career change, moving to a different state, friends or even exes getting married. “What I Almost Was” reminds me to look back at how far I’ve come and how different my life could be.
Last, but certainly not least, whenever I feel like a sinner, I throw on “Sinners Like Me.”
