Current Events > Songs you didn't like until you discovered the context

(+) Yeah! (+)

When I was getting into Spotify, I found this artist named Brandi Carlile. I listened to some of her stuff, then kind of left it alone, then I went back and enjoyed it more the second time.

One of the songs that stood out was "The Mother" - I didn't like it. It's a pretty straightforward "I am a very deep and changed person now that I have a child" sort of song, and it's one of those country songs that repeats the same chord progression the whole way though - kinda like "Pub With No Beer", but not as extreme. I was looking for more sing-songy music like Turpentine, I didn't care about this twangy country ballad about parenthood changing you.

But I found out later that she's gay. It's about this joy that her and her gf/wife had to fight for over the course of years, to be able to have a child together. And it made me really listen to that last verse, which made something click, y'know. Like damn, it wasn't popping a weiner in a baby-cave and growing a miracle, only to get cold feet and become existential about it when the time's nearly here. That's a valid line of thought, but I've heard it so much over the years.

This approach gives the formula a kick that I really appreciated. In essence, it's the same song as all the rest - it's about giving up the freedom of youth to become a parent, documenting the trials and tribulations of parenthood and saying that the joy of being a parent is worth every second of missed sleep. But there were years where this life was impossible for Brandi, to be recognised as the parent of a child along with a same-sex partner. So to be able to achieve this life goal, and proudly sing "I am the mother of Evangeline", a statement of fact after years of effort to make it a reality - it gives the song much more weight, and I appreciate it so much more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf193xgHt4U" data-time="
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