For those who like the Dixie Chicks...

[Lyric]

Let me recommend Mary Chapin Carpenter. I'm sure some of you are already fans, but she is truly a fantastic artist and person. She's even more liberal than the Chicks, and talented as hell to boot.

This is probably my favorite performance of hers. It took place at the 1993 Country Music Awards, where she sang the song "He Thinks He'll Keep Her" accompanied by *six* of country music's most amazing female superstars--Emmylou Harris, Kathy Mattea, Suzy Bogguss, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, and Pam Tillis.

On a more personal level, this is one of my favorite "housecleaning" songs. It's upbeat and sassy enough to keep me from feeling tired too quickly. :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2v-Cgk-rm4

Lyrics (because the video is old, and the clarity isn't perfect)

He Thinks He'll Keep Her

She makes his coffee
She makes his bed
She does the laundry
She keeps him fed
When she was twenty-one, she wore her mother's lace
She said 'forever' with a smile upon her face

She does the carpool
She PTA's
Doctors and dentists
She drives all day
When she was 29, she delivered number three
And every Christmas card showed a perfect family

Everything runs right on time
Years of practice and design
Spit and polished 'til it shines
(He thinks he'll keep her)
Everything is so benign
The safest place you'll ever find
God forbid you change your mind
(He thinks he'll keep her)

She packs his suitcase
She sits and waits
With no expression
Upon her face
When she was thirty-six, she met him at their door
She said 'I'm sorry, I don't love you anymore'

Everything runs right on time
Years of practice and design
Spit and polished 'til it shines
(He thinks he'll keep her)
Everything is so benign
The safest place you'll ever find
God forbid you change your mind
(He thinks he'll keep her)

For fifteen years she had a job, and not one raise in pay
Now she's in the typing pool at minimum wage

Everything runs right on time
Years of practice and design
Spit and polished 'til it shines
(He thinks he'll keep her)
Everything is so benign
The safest place you'll ever find
At least until you change your mind
(He thinks he'll keep her)

:hi:

[hippywife]

1. Absolutely love MCC!

Come On, Come On is a fabulous album, too. I really don't even consider her country, really. And even tho I'm not a country fan anymore, this performance from the same program brought me to tears then and still gives me chills when all the older ladies of country come up over the stage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf7dn4VrYXs&feature=related

What a great song to honor all those ladies who really did have to get there the hard way! :hi:

[hellbound-liberal]

2. I was just going to post that song! I guess I'll have to go with my second, but no less favorite

choice. MCC is one of my favorite musicians ever!

Grow Old Along With Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrhzI2jbMqo

[hippywife]

7. That's a beautiful choice, too.

I just love MCC. She's one of my favorites, even tho I don't have many of her albums. I'm going to have to correct that error. :hi:

[Lyric]

3. That song is fantastic

The video gives me chills and makes me tear up. Just...wow.

[hellbound-liberal]

4. It's the story of our life and our love.

Mary said it perfectly!:hi:

[hippywife]

6. Dammit!

It made me cry again! Every time I see those women who fought so hard to make their careers come up over the top of the stage, I just lose it. Even people who don't like country can appreciate the struggle those women had to endure to make it.

[laylah]

5. Saw her many times in

Telluride at the annual BG fest. She is awesome! Thanks for sharing :hi:

[hippywife]

8. Love her cover

of Lucinda William's song Passionate Kisses, too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otf7e5uNtw0

Heck, I've never heard her sing anything I didn't love. LOL

[lizerdbits]

9. I like her

and have seen her in concert once. I also recommend "On with the song"

This isn't for the ones who blindly follow
Jingoistic bumper stickers telling you
To love it or leave it, and you'd better love Jesus
And get out of the way of the red, white and blue

This isn't for the ones who buy their six packs
At the 7-Eleven where the clerk makes change
Whose accent makes clear he sure ain't from here
They call him a camel jockey instead of his name

Chorus:
No this is for the ones who stand their ground
When the lines in the sand get deeper
When the whole world seems to be upside down
And the shots being taken get cheaper

This isn't for the ones who would gladly swallow
Everything their leader would have them know
Bowing and kissing, while the truth goes missing
Bring it on he crows, putting on his big show

This isn't for the man who can't count the bodies
Can't comfort the families, can't say when he's wrong
Claiming I'm the decider, like some sort of messiah
While another day passes and a hundred souls gone

Chorus

This is for the ones that I see above me
Three little stars in a great big sky
Light for the world and hope for the weary
They try

This isn't for the ones with their radio signal
Calling for bonfires and boycotts they rave
Exhorting their listeners to spit on the sinners
While counting the bucks of advertising they'll save

This isn't for you and you know who you are
So do what you want 'cuz I know that you can
But I've got to be true to myself and to you
So on with the song, I don't give a damn


ETA: That's from the album "The Calling" and I really like the title track too.