I love all types of music, from what’s now called “Classic” Country, to Mozart to New Orleans Jazz to the Rolling Stones to chamber music to Memphis Blues to The Beatles.

I’m not much into rap or hip-hop, and I really don’t particularly care for the modern country music that’s popular on the radio today. But I’ll at least listen to and on some level, truly appreciate most other musical genres.

The genre that I believe really speaks to me, though, is the old traditional “mountain” music and the “Classic” Country (Maybe because I play the hammer dulcimer and the mountain dulcimer). This is the music with the words and messages, and, being a man of words and letters all my life, I enjoy the turns of phrases in the old time country songs, and I also am hit hard by the honest feelings and raw emotions that come through in them. In these songs, the words came first, and the simple and sweet melodies followed.

I was listening today to the first album that LeAnn Rimes ever recorded, back when she was in her early teens. The 1996 album is called “Blue” and it is full of the old time country stuff that just makes you glad that you’re a feeling, emotional human being. (She even sings a duet with Eddy Arnold of “The Lonesome Cattle Call” on it!) The album was produced by Curb Records out of Nashville, which is a label that I have never heard of since.

One song on this album always makes me cry.  Always.  It reminds me of my relationship with my wife and how patient she is with me, and how much she loves me, and how she showed me that I am a worthwhile human being, and how much I owe her. The song is called I’ll Get Even With You. (Who would ever think that that would be the title of love song? That’s one reason why I love old country music so much!) I’d like to share the lyrics of that song with you here.

I’ll Get Even With You

(Cowetta House)

For all the nights you held me close

And warmed my heart when it was cold.

When I was giving up, you gave me love.

From some dark alley in my mind

You made a hidden dream unwind.

You turned my stumbling blocks to stepping stones.

I’ll get even with you

For all the hard times you helped me through.

I’ll be giving back to you

All the love you’ve given me!

For the rest of my life,

Every day and every night,

If it’s the last thing I ever do,

I’ll get even with you.

When the odds were against me

And I was left with no will to go on,

You wrapped your loving arms around my heart,

Took my lonesome hand and led me home.

I’ll get even with you

For all the hard times you helped me through.

I’ll be giving back to you

All the love you gave to me!

For the rest of my life,

Every day and every night,

If it’s the last thing I ever do,

I’ll get even with you.

(Yup! I’m crying right now.)