Writing Challenge: Shuffle Music Challenge

This week's challenge is pretty cool, I think. I love music and have one of the most warped music collections on Earth, in my opinion, so I'm excited to see what 10 songs come up! I'm going to break a rule though: I'm only going to do 7 because it's my lucky number and because I don't want this post to feel like a novella. I will also be breaking a rule in that it won't be just the first ten songs, because I will skip any artist I have already covered. The challenge didn't call for this but I'll tell you a little about each song to keep this post more interesting (hopefully). Here we go!

1. "Better" by Tyler Ward (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khfrZbnbDug).

• Favorite Lyric: "So I'll blame it on my optimistic heart; at least I'll have stories for my scars. American Dream my life away, when all of my dreams cry: Mayday, Mayday!"
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: Tyler Ward started out on YouTube doing covers (you should  check him out- I love how he makes the songs cleaner), but this song is an original! I also love the video so please check it out if you're in the mood to have your spirit lifted!
• Favorite Song by Artist: "Dashes". It's another original and it's just beautiful!
• Reason I Love THIS Song: This song talks about optimism even while being lost...that speaks to me because I wish that I could keep more of a positive outlook, even when life gets rough.

2. "Travelin' Soldier" by Dixie Chicks (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXw3XhlmTcs). 

• Favorite Lyric: "He told her of his heart, it might be love and all of the things he was so scared of. He said when it's getting kinda rough over here, I think of that day sitting down at the pier and I close my eyes and see your pretty smile."
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: Dixie Chicks kind of started this cool genre, called alternative genre. I'm all for genre mixing and love it almost as much as I love mashups!
• Favorite Song by Artist: "Cowboy Take Me Away." It's a beautiful song about finding peace with nature and the person you love, about appreciating the simple things in life and escaping the craziness that can be society. 
• Reason I Love THIS Song: This song is just a beautiful tribute to love and loss. It's heartbreaking in a very real way. 

3. "More than a Band" by Lemonade Mouth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkNWlmEJDfI).

• Favorite Lyric: "I can't pretend to know how you feel, but know that I'm here. Know that I'm real. Say what you want or don't talk to at all. I'm not gonna let you fall. Reach for my hand 'cause it's held out for you. My shoulders are small but you can cry on them, too."
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: Lemonade Mouth actually is from a Disney Channel original movie that my little sister Kiera showed me. At first, I just loved that she was listening to something that wasn't from Miley Cyrus or some other less desirable role model. Then, as I watched the movie with her, I realized Disney had kind of gone old school and included some really good messages. I encourage you to check it out if you liked the Disney Channel original movies from around the time I was a kid (90s and early 2000s). 
• Favorite Song by Artist: "She's So Gone"...a song about the changes that a girl goes through after she goes through something hurtful like a breakup. I've identified with it more than once.
• Reason I Love THIS song: It's a great song about friendship that can be applied to all relationships, even if you're not in a band together (you can't see but I'm sticking my tongue out). 

4. "Marry You" by Bruno Mars (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xdyRsGOl6U).

• Favorite Lyric: "Is it that look in your eyes or is it this dancing juice? Who cares, baby? I think I wanna marry you."
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: The song is widely used in flashmob or lip sync marriage proposals! Check out more videos on YouTube!
• Favorite Song by Artist: "Just the Way You Are." It's just an amazing song that I think describes the way every girl wants a guy to feel about her. 
• Reason I Love THIS Song: I love how it illustrates the fun of being in love and that excitement that comes with knowing that person may be or definitely is the one!

5. "Before the Morning" by Josh Wilson (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=New8i_eX3x8)

• Favorite Lyric: "Well maybe, there are things you can't see and all those things are happening to bring a better ending. Someday, somehow, you'll see."
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: Josh Wilson is a Christian artist so all of his songs are clean and have a spiritual message!
• Favorite Song by Artist: THIS ONE!
• Reason I Love THIS song: I love how it talks about trials and the Savior's plan for us. I heard this song for the first time as I was falling asleep in my cousins' room. I was going through a very hard time and yet this song allowed God to place some hope in my heart. Savannah and Sierra, thank you for showing me the beauty of this song, this artist and the genre overall!

6. "I Can Still Feel You" by Collin Raye (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvReRQE9Yzk)

• Favorite Lyric: "There's a place you've touched with your love no one gets close to."
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: Collin Raye was originally known as Bubba Wray and was in a band with his brother (keeping it in the family is pretty cool!). 
• Favorite Song by Artist: THIS ONE!
• Reason I Love THIS song: When Parker and I were in a long distance relationship, this was one of many songs that described how I was feeling in ways I didn't know how to. This song specifically said nobody could ever take Parker's place and also described that weird feeling about how I always felt him with me. 

7. "Pieces of Me" by Ashlee Simpson (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJCsyLUCSXI).

• Favorite Lyric: "Fall, with you I fall so fast. I can hardly catch my breath. I hope it lasts.Oh, it seems like I can finally rest my head on something real. I like the way that feels. Oh, it's as if you know me better than I ever knew myself."
• Cool Fact about Artist or Song: Ashlee Simpson is the younger sister to famous actress and singer Jessica Simpson, whom I also like!
• Favorite Song by Artist: THIS ONE!
• Reason I Love THIS song: For me, this song came to be more than just a fun song when I realized Parker wasn't going anywhere. I'd hear this song and be like "This is what I'm feeling, I think this is what love is supposed to feel like."