Music Monday: “Gratitude” by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors; “Mayberry” by Chris Richardson
by: Debbie Waltz
I know these songs don’t fit my usual profile of music I feature on Mondays; I struggled to find something that adequately portrayed how I felt going into this Thanksgiving season. Unfortunately, things have been moving so fast that sometimes I forget to slow down and smell the roses. Not only do these songs transform me to a slower time and pace through their laid-back country rhythms, but their lyrics as well.
Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors’ song, “Gratitude,” highlights some simple pleasures people take for granted today. In this slow folksy song, he lists several daily activities we rush through to get to our day. Some of these include:
- Light in the morning
- “Coffee in my cup.”
- Talking to an old friend
- Stories turned into songs
- Laughing so hard you make yourself cry
Throughout the song, he reiterates the theme that time is a gift- something we should not take for granted. Drew likens it to the first leaves of the autumn season; once it happens, you can’t get that experience back. With its drawn-out syllables and slow tempo, it’s as if he is asking you to take a closer look at your life and see what you’re missing out on. This song illustrates how much we have to gain by adopting a slower lifestyle, not only through the lyrics but the rhythm of the music itself.
Case in point; After listening to the song several times, I realized I was taking more time to listen to the words and reflect on what I felt they meant rather than just listening to it once and writing a blog. I’m not saying this is what I usually do; It’s just that most people gravitate toward fast-tempo songs. Why? Because it fits into our lifestyle and makes us happier.
Chris Richardson’s rendition of the song “Mayberry” is similar because it reminisces of simpler times- hence the mention of the fictional town of Mayberry and its beloved TV show, which debuted on October 3rd, 1960. During the old days, people viewed Sunday as God’s day- rest. These days, most businesses see Sunday as just another workday. Socially, this world is much more fast-paced than we used to be; people don’t take the time to reach out and get to know each other more personally on a first-name basis.
May this blog encourage you to slow down and take this holiday for what it is- a gift from God. That being said, I have stepped away for the next couple of days and let a few guest bloggers take the reins as they share their take on “Music Monday” and the beauty of grace.