Throwback Thursday – Lori McKenna Songs You May Have Forgotten

By Michal Pietrzak

Lori McKenna is an amazing songwriter, storyteller, and performer and one of our NYCS Swag Spotlights. She is one of the most prestigious artists in the country music industry. Over the last three decades, as she became a wife and mother, she has also emerged as one of the most respected, prolific singer-songwriter in popular music. 

What makes her special is a passion for storytelling as she admits in her bio “Every single person in the world has such awesome stories. I love to write songs that just shine a little light on that for a second. Maybe our stories remind us of our families and what they give us. It’s beautiful, and sometimes we take it for granted” 

McKenna has written songs for Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Tim Mcgraw, and George Strait. She performed such great songs as “The Time I’ve Wasted”, “People Get Old”, “A Mother Never Rests”, “Stealing Kisses” and “Two Soldiers Coming Home”

These 10 lesser-known Lori McKenna songs, slow tunes, soft and calming voice of Lori will help you smoothly sail through current bad times. 

10. What’s One More Time – Really, what is really one more time? Is it too much or too little? Breaking someone’s heart whether it’s intentional or unintentional leaves damage but where is this thin invisible line when you say enough is enough? Maybe not directly but McKenna asks these questions in this slow tempo song. “I have cried your name so many times/ What’s one more time?/ I have cried these tears for you/ So many times/ What’s one more time?”

 

9. It’s Easy When You Smile – There may not be any scientific evidence but a smile has healing powers. A genuine smile that comes from the heart is for a soul like the first breeze of the spring. It brightens your mood, eases all pains and navigates you to happiness. That’s why: “It’s easy when you lough/ Troubles cut in half/ Where I will go without you?/ I don’t know/ Outside the night is breezing by/ Don’t cry/ And everything will be alright”

 

8. Fireflies – Dreams, sweet dreams help us stay sane. Being dreamy isn’t bad, it drives you to better tomorrow. Dreamers change the world and the way you perceive it. The lesson is: Think outside the box, let your imagination run wild from time to time. “Because I was taught to dream/ I found mayonnaise bottles/ And poked holes on top to capture Tinkerbell/ And they were just fireflies to the untrained eye/ But I could always tell”

 

7. Unfinished Song #57 – Definitely one of the most creative song titles but the song is actually finished. The sorrow in McKenna’s voice is sensible and it makes lyrics even more real and relatable. “Well I don’t wanna forget you/ Even if I could/ The reason that I met you/ Is cause God thought I should”

 

6. Afternoons – 10 minutes and 55 seconds of pure joy. Relaxing slow melody and great lyrics. It’s actually two songs in one with a little intermission between. During the interlude, you can hear noises of the living house, plates and glasses making noises, people chatting, it makes this song even more unique. “And this loneliness can be such a curse/ I never thought you’d be the one to go first/ What am I to do now that I wait for you/ And you are the one who’s off somewhere/ Wait for me, wait for me/ What if I can’t find you when I get up there”

 

5. The Most – What matters the most in life? It’s a great question and the answer is not easy. To some, little things are the most important, to others are the material goods or memories trapped in these things. Everyone has a different answer but we all can agree the most important are the people you love, not the money and what you acquire. “In my life/ Don’t know why the little things make us/ and sometimes it takes us/ too damn long to figure out what matters the most”

 

4. Rocket Science – It’s supposed to be easy, you meet somebody, fall in love and live happily ever after but it’s far more complicated than that. Everyone looks for love but not everybody truly experiences it, that’s why love may be rocket science after all. “Love is rocket science/ What comes up it must come down/ In burning pieces on the ground/ We watch it fall/ Maybe love is rocket science after all”

 

3. All I Ever Do – A love that never fades is such a rare thing these days. Love that lasts through ups and downs. “All I ever do is work/ All I ever do is pray/ But I do know that I have for you/ A love that never fades/ And it’s ok/ If It’s all I ever do”

 

2. Witness To Your Life – The chorus perfectly describes what the song is about. “All You really need is someone to be here/ Someone who never lets you disappear/ And I will be that witness to your life/ This may be just a softer place to fall/ But somebody will answer when you call/ And I will be that witness to your life”

 

1. Pieces of Me – Everybody’s life is like a jigsaw puzzle, each and every one piece must fit with others to create a full picture. There are sometimes pieces that are a little bit used, scratched, or broken and you have to replace them with new ones that will make your image complete again. “My life is written down on papers in my room/ And yours is bottled up somewhere/ So I’ll send you letters from half across the moon/ And it will cross your mind but you won’t dare”

Lori McKenna’s passion for storytelling and delightful and calming voice and slow tunes make you drift away from shaky and rough reality to harmonious and state of mind. She’s the kind of artist that you can’t stop listening to once you start.   

To keep up with Lori McKenna follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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