Already loving the Top 15 single, “Homeboy,” I knew that the new Eric Church album, Chief (which recently debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 and Country charts) was going to be on constantly in my vehicle and on my computer as I work through the day. The only problem was going to be keeping it out of the hands of my 16-year-old son long enough to get a good listen and feel for the album. I have to admit hearing that I was suddenly the coolest mom ever, for having a copy did loosen my grip just a little.
The first run through the album, two songs immediately stood out, “The Way Jesus Does” and “Springsteen.” Recently Eric Church hosted The Highway on XM Radio for the weekend. It was filled with his music picks, commentary and lots of his music. He said that he liked to write and record the music that everyone else is afraid to. It’s obvious with hits like “Smoke a Little Smoke” from his Carolina album and “Homeboy” from Chief that he likes to push the envelope.
On The Highway he also brought up the fact that “The Way Jesus Does” is the only song he has recorded that he didn’t write, but that doesn’t keep him from making it his song. The first line is, “I’m a long gone Waylon song on vinyl.” Church said, “That’s me.” It is a beautiful and touching song about true love. The other song that I replay over and over is track nine, “Springsteen.” I think singer-songwriters in particular want you to feel something when you hear their song. They want you to identify with it, like it’s about you or a familiar feeling.
Well “Springsteen” does it for me. The chorus says, “When I think about you, I think about 17/I think about my old Jeep/I think about the stars in the sky/Funny how a melody sounds like a memory/Like a soundtrack to a July Saturday night ... Springsteen”. I can’t get it out of my head, and I like it I guess because when I was 17 my boyfriend, who I"m lucky enough to have been married to for 18 years, had an old Jeep and all those songs from that time do bring back memories. It may be my favorite Eric Church song yet. I hope they make it a single. If not, I will continue to love it off of the album.
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