On today's track list, we're going to move away from the old country and western songs from the previous couple of days and get into some alternative. In fact, this song, It's Been A While by Staind, is the song that is responsible for really getting me into alternative music to begin with.

I was actually getting my Chilly Willy tattoo that is on my left forearm and this song started playing. I had no idea what the name was or even who it was. I asked my tattoo artist and he told it was Staind. They were pretty new at the time. It really grabbed me and stuck with me. From that moment on, and still to this day, I listen to a lot of alternative and similar other genres of music because of this song.

And it's been awhile
Since I could hold my head up high
And it's been awhile
Since I first saw you
And it's been awhile
Since I could stand on my own two feet again
And it's been awhile
Since I could call you

Since @beardedtechguy and I were talking about memories when it comes to music, I'm going to keep that going with today's song which is Livin' On Love by Alan Jackson.

While I was certainly a pretty big Alan Jackson fan, I wasn't near as big of a fan as my Nana was. She loved him and his music and Livin' On Love was her favorite song by him. I remember when she was 94 and 95 years old, before passing away at the age of 96 in 1997, her hearing wasn't good at all. We would keep the living room TV on CMT - Country Music Television most of the day just for the sound and for the music. She never really knew what song was playing until Livin' On Love would come on the TV. She would immediately say, yep, that's Livin' On Love, my favorite song and she'd bob her head a bit and bounce her foot. Memories that I will never forget and often wish I could go back to!

Two young people without a thing
Say some vows and spread their wings
And settle down with just what they need
Livin' on love
She don't care 'bout what's in style
She just likes the way he smiles
It takes more than marble and tile
Livin' on love

Livin' on love, buyin' on time
Without somebody nothing ain't worth a dime
Just like an old fashion story book rhyme
Livin' on love
It sounds simple, that's what you're thinkin'
But love can walk through fire without blinkin'
It doesn't take much when you get enough
Livin' on love\

Today, we're doing an old country and western song. Where The Arkansas River Leaves Oklahoma by Don Williams. Without a doubt, my favorite song by Don Williams that he ever recorded in his career.

Don Williams was someone I grew up listening to as he was my dads favorite singer of all time. I saw him in concert numerous times over the years and I remember loving this song from a very young age.

To be honest, I'm not sure why it's my favorite, as I like most everything Don Williams has ever sung and recorded, but this one has just always stuck with me. I even got Don to sing it live in concert one year for me at the Tin Hall in Cypress, TX. A song he actually never played live until that day. To my knowledge, it's the only time he ever did it live, which makes this song even more special to me.

If you like old country and western music, then I urge you to listen to this song, or to at least listen to Don Williams, especially his big hits, which he had a LOT of them.

Where the Arkansas River leaves Oklahoma
It runs free and rambles, muddy and wide
Where the Arkansas River leaves Oklahoma
It's gone forever and never looks back

Today's entry is going to be a bit longer text wise as I describe what Down Home by Jimmie Allen is to me personally. I heard this song when he performed it on American Idol a few seasons ago as he was a guest on the show, not a participant, though he had been years ago.

When it first played, I didn't pay close attention to it until near the end of the song. Then something clicked and I knew I had to listen to it. So I immediately looked it up on YouTube and start listening. Immediately, this song hit me really hard. It's about him having lost his dad and his dad is up above looking "down home" on him and others. I too had just lost my dad back on July 9th, 2021 to his third battle with cancer. The lyrics of this song were absolutely perfect and powerful and again, struck me really hard. To me, it's an absolutely beautiful song that captures how I feel now that my dad is gone.

I know my dad is out there somewhere, having fun with his old friends who passed prior and now after he did. He's up there drinking a cold beer just like he did every day when he was here. I know he's out there looking "Down Home" on myself, my wife and others. I just hope he's smiling and proud of what I've become after having him teach me for 50 years of how to be a good human.

As always, I LOVE YOU POPS and I MISS YOU more than words can ever say!

I bet you're up there, makin' new friends
I'm pretty sure you're lovin' every minute
If there's a golden pond full of fish
I bet you already caught everything in it
I bet you're makin' everybody laugh with your jokes
I know you're holdin' nothin' but the best kind of hope
Shinin' a light up there with a big old smile, yeah
And meanwhile

[CHORUS]

Down home
Oh, you know Mama's still cookin'
Them down home grits
I promise I'm workin'
With this guitar about as hard as I can
I met a girl, bought a house, I put a nice little paymеnt
Down home
Is still where my hеart is
This down home kid is just how you left him
I still hate that you're gone
I wish you were here
But I hope I'm making you proud
'Cause I know you're up there lookin' down home

For my second song posting here on CrucialTracks, I'm going with a newer song, I Am Not Ok by Jelly Roll. This song is quite powerful in a lot of ways and is one that's been used on things such as the Grammy's and other places. Jelly Roll has one heck of a distinctive voice and has such a great story to tell about a lot of things, especially his past.

I know I can't be the only one
Who's holdin' on for dear life
But God knows, I know
When it's all said and done
I'm not okay
But it's all gonna be alright
It's not okay
But we're all gonna be alright

Since this is my first post here, I feel it's only appropriate that I write about Livin' On A Prayer by Bon Jovi since that's my favorite song of all time!

I remember the first time I heard it, on my Sony Walkman in the backseat of the car the day Slippery When Wet was released on cassette. I got about halfway through it and I said to myself, this will be a number one song whenever it gets released as a single. Little did I know that it would become Bon Jovi's most popular song ever, and still is to this day.

This song is my alarm song, my ringtone, the first song on my Apple Music/YouTube Music playlist and much more. It's been my ringtone since ringtones became a thing where you could use music. That will never change as Livin' On A Prayer is my favorite song of all time and a song I listen to at least once literally every single day of my life. I even have the song title tattooed on my left upper arm.

Woah, we're halfway there
Woah-oh, Livin' on a Prayer
Take my hand, we'll make it, I swear
Woah-oh, Livin' on a Prayer