I have two confessions to make on this blog and they both may be shocking to you. I don't know how you'll react, but I will brave it out so that the truth can be known: I loved the Twilight series and I love country music. I know, I can almost hear the gasps, "Twilight! Isn't that about a Vampire?" or "Country music! I thought you had better taste!" Well, no, I don't.
I had hesitations about reading Twilight, but a couple friends I know had read it and loved it. "It's not really about vampires..." they would say and man, were they right. I started the series on Tuesday of last week and finished all four books by Monday. That's pretty close to 2,400 pages of deliciousness. Yes, the main character is a vampire. Yes, the other main character wants to become a vampire because they are in love. Yes, it sounds horribly cheesy and wrong in so many ways. Yes, there's also a group of werewolves. Yes, it is teen fiction. And yes, I loved it.
So now I have another way to relate to the girls in my classes. I also find myself having pointless debates with my roommate about whether we like vampires or werewolves better. I will never look at Volvo's the same way again. And I will be in line to watch the movie as soon as it comes out.
Now to country music. I was in my car listening to one of the two country music presets on my stereo and I was trying to analyze why I love country music. There is one particular genre of country music that I enjoy the most: the storytelling song.
The storytelling song usually has a chorus that has double meanings throughout the song. A classic example is "Don't Take the Girl" which starts with a boy who doesn't want his dad to invite the neighbor girl to fish, then leads to the second verse in which the same, now dating couple is being mugged and he begs for her life, and finally ends with her nearly dying in childbirth and him begging God for her life. Can you see the cleverness?
I was listening to one in which a teenage couple was driving home from prom and they got into a fight. He pulled over and she got out of the car. He grabbed her arm and she said, "I'll walk". Which led to the chorus of her telling him she'll just walk, but don't worry it will be all right. I jokingly said, "Watch she'll get hit by a car and lose the ability to use her legs!" No joke, that's what happened. I laughed so hard at the ultimate cheese of her going through physical therapy and singing the "walk" chorus. Then it led to her wedding day to the same guy and she gets up from her wheelchair and takes her dad's arm and says, "I'll walk".
Instantly I found myself holding back the tears that were pricking at my eyes. Now that is the power of a country song. It is every level of predicability and cheese, but sometimes that's exactly what you want.
I hope that your opinion of me is in no way altered by these confessions. Please don't think less of me, just realize that I can find joy in the stupid things of life.
4 comments:
I'm beginning to think that had we grown up together we would have been close..... I definitely relate to both of your confessions. Well, not so much about the vampires and werewolves, but about getting "into" books that "shouldn't" be not your type (I preview P's books, 'nuff said). And yes, I too listen to country music.
One more thing-- its too early for me to write well. See above comment. No, I didn't mean the double negative.
Country Music? Seriously? I'd really like to take time to think of, then write, some glib little comment about your secret affinity for country music and the Twilight series. I just can't relate to either. At all. I'd go into more detail, but the girls are asleep and I've got "Dancing With the Stars" waiting for me on my TiVo.
I love "don't take the girl"!!! I don't particularly love country (at least not the really twangy stuff) but I do love that song and a few others. I mean, songs that say "she thinks my tractor's sexy" and "barbeque stain on my white t-shirt" ... they're so random they're fun. :)
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