Sofia Rositani – Arts & Entertainment Editor
Everyone has that one guilty pleasure. Mine is country music. I grew up listening to both rock music and country music, so it was no surprise that I slowly fell in love with both genres.
My ultimate favorite country singer is Thomas Rhett. When he released “What’s your Country Song,” I freaked out, because I had no idea he was releasing a new song. This song, weirdly, made me feel nostalgic for a place I have never been to before. In my mind, Rhett can never write a bad song, especially since many of his songs are about his children and wife.
This music video shows scenes of nostalgia for the viewers, such as attending a high school football game, driving around with friends and having a first relationship.
“The lyrics of this song stir up so many vivid memories for me; I think everyone has that one song that takes them back to a specific moment in time,” Thomas points out. “I wanted the music video to visually capture that same thing and instantly transport anyone watching back to that familiar feeling or place in their mind,” according to ABC News Radio.
This week, Rhett has been getting many different accomplishments, such as being nominated for awards at the Country Music Awards and hosting at this year’s CMA Country Christmas Special, with his wife Laura Akins.
In the song, he brings up many different country songs in his lyrics.
Do your exes live in Texas?” is a lyric which is based off the song “All My Ex’s Live in Texas” by George Strait and “that ain’t your truck in her drive?” is based off a song title his dad wrote called “That ain’t my truck” by Rhett Akins. There are many other lyrics such as “who’s your strawberry wine?” from a song by Deana Carter titled “Strawberry Wine.” With this Rhett brings back the old country within the new by using these song titles, he gives those who have listened to country for a very long time that feeling of nostalgia and make them remember if “you [were] country back when country wasn’t cool?,” which ironically was another song title by Dolly Parton.
One of many things I like about Rhett is how passionate he is about his music and family, which for him goes hand in hand. All his songs are about his family. “Remember you young” is a song he wrote about his children and “Die a happy man” he wrote about his wife. He was a father and husband before he was a musician, which I love because not many celebrities are like that.
Listening to “What’s Your Country Song” brings me back to high school, which may not have been too long ago but it made me think about the times my mom and I would get food while waiting for my siblings to get out of practice and she would tell me the craziest stories from her childhood. This song brings me back to my childhood in Vermont where I felt free from the complications of life, it really hits hard and will be stuck in my head for who knows how long.
Something I enjoy about Rhett’s music is that he sings with such passion, his lyrics always mean something to him.
During his concerts he always brings his daughters on stage to sing a unreleased song called “To the guys that date my girls.” Seeing this live is very emotional and you can see the love in his eyes when he sees his daughter dancing to the song.
“Everybody got a small-town anthem Everybody got a story to tell. Everybody got a hallelujah. Everybody been through a little hell.”
These lyrics speak to me because this year has been hard for everybody, but when I turn on my music, I feel better and Rhett has captured this perfectly in his new song.
