Melissa Ethridge; Top Ten Favorite Songs from One of the Best Female Rockers of the Last Few Decades

Easily one of the best female rockers of the past few decades, Melissa Ethridge has a way of writing and singing about love and heart ache unlike any other. Her music has always reflected whatever events have taken place within her life. With her rocking Janis Joplin-like voice, and lyrics that touch emotions in her listeners, Ethridge has had a very successful career. She has had 3 multi-platinum albums as well as winning an Academy Award and two Grammy Awards. Below are 10 of my favorite Melissa Ethridge songs, even though there could easily have been twice as many.

Melissa Ethridge's first album was released in 1988 and was self-titled, Melissa Ethridge. The album went multi-platinum and she took the rock world by storm. She had arrived and wasn't leaving any time soon. My favorite song on that initial album is "Bring Me Some Water." The fast paced bluesy song has a sexual undertone that expresses raw emotions. Another amazing rendition of this song is the duet with Joan Osborne on VH1's short lived duets. Two deeply sensual singers rocking together and doing what they do best.

In her 1989 album, Brave and Crazy, Ethridge delivers a very peaceful and soulful song titled "You Can Sleep While I Drive." It is about just living in the moment; Loving in the moment. It is about taking off one day, leaving everything behind, just to be with the one you love. The song makes you realize what is important in life.

Yes I Am, released in 1993, was the album that catapulted Melissa Ethridge into stardom, and she hit mainstream radio like a flash. This album, with its sensuality and rocking blues, is what Ethridge is all about. She writes the most beautiful and moving lyrics and sets them to rhythms and beats that make you want to move and sway. Every song tells a story and every word is moving.

This album has at least 4 of my favorite Ethridge songs, yet every single on it could have easily made this list. "I'm The Only One," describes the hurt and passion felt during a relationship when your lover has another. "If I Wanted To" touches on the co-dependence in relationships. She sings about how she could do all of these things, that wouldn't involve her lover, if only she wanted to.

The first song to be released off of the Yes I Am album was "Come To My Window." This song was an announcement of the album and of Ethridge. It represents yet another song about longing and desire for someone that cannot be hers. "Come To My Window" easily leads into another song on the album "I Will Never Be The Same." Hauntingly slow and full of emotion, this song tells of the impact love and desire leave on a heart.

In 1995, Melissa released her fifth album, Your Little Secret. The album overall is not one of my favorites. It doesn't have the depth of emotions as her previous releases. There is one song, though, titled "I Want To Come Over," that I have always loved. The lyrics are simple and up front, the rhythm isn't too over the top, but I still just love this song. It sticks in my head for hours.

Ethridge's 1999 album, Breakdown, represents a transformation is the rocker. She begins to touch on subjects of spirituality and begins making statements about the world around her, not just releasing the pain and emotion within her self any longer. My favorite song on this album is "Angels Will Fall." This song is not the most powerful or the most moving on the album. There are better songs on the record including songs that make statements and make you think. But "Angels Will Fall" just touches me and makes me think about loved ones in my life.

The last 3 songs on my list are all from Melissa Ethridge's Greatest Hits CD The Road Less Traveled. All three songs are, in my opinion, not only 3 of her most moving and spiritual songs, but some of the best inspirational songs of 2007-2008. Each song is speaking out about a specific topic, and making a loud statement. In "I Need To Wake Up" she is addressing problems in the world. The song won an award for it being included in the movie "An Inconvenient Truth." Global Warming is just one issue this song could be used to address. It is far reaching and honest and true.

The second song from this album is "This Is Not Goodbye." I cry almost every time I hear this song. If you have ever lost a loved one, whether to cancer or any other means, this song will touch you in a way other songs can't. The lyrics are pure and heartfelt. She has experienced loss and she knows how to express it in a way that everyone can feel it also. It is such an amazing song.

Lastly, "I Run For Life" is simply what it says. This song is a call to arms for breast cancer awareness. Anyone who has a loved one who is battling this disease, or has lost someone to this disease, has most likely heard this song and has taken strength away from it. It inspires people to want to help. The song also shows how Melissa Ethridge, as an artist, has come full circle. She has reached a new plateau of music.

Her songs are inspirational and heart wrenching added to her raspy rocker voice, she is always a pleasure to listen to. All of her albums are well worth the time to listen to them, from beginning to end, but my favorite by far is Yes I Am. She has also done an amazing rendition of Janis Joplin's hit Piece Of My Heart. I would highly recommend at least giving this amazing singer/song write a chance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Etheridge

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