(Read Part 1)
Kelly and I drove to Santa Barbara and back within 36 hours this weekend. Since neither of us were smart enough to bring CDs for the road trip, the trip became an education in Central California radio.
Here are some songs that stood out:
Superchic[k], "We Live":
Superchic[k] is a highly energetic Christian group that sounds like a lighter, straighter, more devout version of Le Tigre. The brackets in the name suggest that the band may also be super chic, though the lead singer claims Superchic[k] means, "getting to that place where you're secure in who you are, and you're secure in God."
When we're driving, Kelly and I are most interested in singalongable songs. "We Live" fits that requirement, with its highly infectious chorus:
We live we love
We forgive and never give up
Cause the days we are given are gifts from above
And today we remember to live and to love
If you like No Doubt and Black Eyed Peas, but your mom only lets you listen to praise music, or you just like little-used punctuation, Superchic[k] might be the band for you.
Bubba Sparxx, "Ms. New Booty":
(Note: This song should not be confused with Mos Def's "Ms. Fat Booty" or new Buffalo Bills defensive back Ashton Youboty.)
I've been an aficionado of Mr. Sparxx's work in the past, and this track did not disappoint. The song is 75% chorus, with three different sections that repeat between verses. The Ying Yang Twins are along to sing "Booty booty booty rockin' everywhere!" over and over. Bubba Sparxx says, "Get it ripe, get it right, get it tight" quite a bit, too. One verse is entirely whispered. Kelly and I pretty much learned all the lyrics by our first listen, but it came on the radio twice more during the weekend.
I like this song because I recognize its godawful qualities, and yet I still sang along with the part about hitting the player's club every time it came around.
Jeremy Camp, "This Man":
All Christian rock sounds like Nickelback to me. I had a tendency to treat Christian rock stations the same way I did intermittent rain. That is, I'd keep the wipers/radio on at a level so low that I'd forget they were on at all. Then Kelly would get annoyed at the squeaking/Jesusness and punch me in the arm.
This song asks the listener whether they would take the place of "this man" (Jesus), and would they take the nails from his hands? My answers would be No, and Yes.
Aaron Shust, "My Savior My God":
My favorite Christian rock song of the drive. According to Wikipedia, "My Savior My God" was #1 on six inspirational music charts simultaneously back in April. The chorus is catchy and (more importantly) very easy to learn:
My savior lives, my savior loves,
My savior's always there for me
My God He was, my God He is
My God is always gonna be
I wish we had heard this song more than once. Kelly and I are still talking about it, and leaving each other voicemails about the loving/living nature of our savior.
LeAnn Rimes, "Something's Gotta Give":
This is a country song that was playing on three different stations at the same time when we were driving past Atascadero. An announcer claimed the single had a chance to displace Bon Jovi at the top of the country music charts. That sounded like an aural hallucination brought on by sleep deprivation or a blatant lie, but but it's true. Bon Jovi was #1 on the country charts.
FYI, Bon Jovi is down to #10, and Ms. Rimes is at the #3 spot. There are no other rock bands in the top 10, but Tim McGraw is #5 with a cover of a Ryan Adams song. On the Christian charts, Aaron Shust is #2, while the top spot is held by Casting Crowns with, "Praise You In This Storm".
