Rascal Flatts - Me and My Gang

It's almost a given: If you like country music, and you're a female between the ages of 5 and 50, you are also a Rascal Flatts fan. Half.com claims that they "Bring out the woman in you". The statement caught me off guard, but caused me to listen to the cd in a different frame of mind. As I sang along with the songs on "Me and my Gang", the lyrics brought out hope, love, fear, anger and joy. Everything that a woman is all about!

They grip us from the first song "Stand". The lyrics to the chorus read "When push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of, you might bend til you break, cause it's all you can take, on your knees you look up, decide you've had enough, you get mad, you get strong, wipe your hands, shake it off...then you stand". Did they write this song for my mother? It's all about perseverance, which is at the heart of every woman. Life may throw you curves, the storms may come, but from the beginning of time, we've been able to handle it. We do just what it says, "wipe our hands, shake it off" and keep going.

2007 brought a CMT Video award for the boys of Rascal Flatts for "What hurts the Most". Have you ever loved someone without him knowing that you loved him? I think we all have at one time. Here's your song. You had him right there, didn't tell him and now he's gone. You're moving on with your life, but it doesn't stop the gut wrenching, heart stopping hurt. What might have been? Wait...isn't that a Little Texas song?

Remember all the hoopla in the 80's about backward masking on records? What if we could play a country song backwards? You get everything back that you lost! The song is one of my favorites because it's just fun. Which of us wouldn't want to be able to go back and recapture some of what you had in the past? Your youth, your freedom, your first love. Of course, other things are best left in the past.

Did you ever wish you could convey to your child all that you felt in your heart, but the words just wouldn't come out? With the release of "My Wish", all you have to do is print out the words and hand them over. This song is so fitting, especially at this time of year, with graduations so near. As they jump out into the unknown of the rest of their life, you hope that they know you love them and that you want all of their dreams to come true. Moms...this one is for you.

"To make her Love me". This song makes me want to weep. I found myself listening to it over and over again, as the prayer goes up to heaven. God has waved his hand, and the world was done, miracles have been performed and hopeless dreams have come true, so how hard could it be to make him love me? Yes, I know that Gary, Joe Don and Jay sing "her", but when I sing it...I change it to him to fit my heart.

My grandmother has dementia. She can't remember what day it is, but can remember what my grandfather was wearing in 1940 when she first met him. "Ellsworth" is about that very thing. It could be about any one of thousands of elderly women, who just need a little extra tender, loving care when they can no longer drive, or live by themselves. This song is warm, tender and family centered. Definitely a keeper.

I saved my favorite song for last.

I have 3 friends that have been around for 20 years. My husband says that the title cut from this album was truly written for me...and my gang. They were all at the house the other night, when this song came on the radio. It got turned up really loud, and the four of us, plus our daughters were singing at the top of our lungs, dancing in the kitchen and just having a rocking good time. And that's what the songs about...just hanging with your friends, "all for one and one for ya'll"? Man, that's truly country isn't it?