Faith Hill broke into the Country seen in the 1990s and I have loved her music ever since. Her voice is a perfect balance of technique and emotion, bringing her listeners on the journey with her. The songs she records are filled with lyrics that touch all ages and lifestyles. It has been 13 years since I first turned up one of her songs and sang along as I drove. A lot has changed in my life and through her songs I have been able to cry, yell, sing loudly and feel like she understands. Here is my top 10 favorites from Faith Hill, in no particular order.
- Mississippi Girl (2005 Fireflies)- Everyone wants to be a country girl when this songs comes on. I actually change the words to “California Girl” when I sing along. It is a positive look on how life can change but we are always who we are in our core. There are touches of her personal life, which makes the song very accessible and us feel closer to her. After all, if Faith can feel like a normal woman while singing for thousands of fans, I can feel like a normal woman in my everyday life.
- This Kiss (1998 Faith)- This song took a while for me to like it. It was pop-country when the genre was just emerging and I wasn’t a fan. However, the more I listened to it, the more I found myself learning the words and no longer changing the channel when it came on the radio. It is catchy and gives you faith that the perfect kiss is out there just waiting to be taken.
- Breathe (1999 Breathe)- Again, it took a while for me to like this song. Faith has an amazing power in her upper range and this is quite the anthem. At first I didn’t like the swaying tempo this song lives in. Then one day I was listening to the radio at top volume while I cleaned the house and this song came up. The rhythm calmed me down and energized me at the same time. I sang along and finished the dusting with a smile on my face.
- If My Heart Had Wings (1999 Breathe)- Every time this song comes on the radio I imagine myself in a convertible speeding along the highway towards a gorgeous man. Up-tempo, pounding drums and guitar chords, clear voice- this song has it all. I always turn up the radio and I always have a smile on my face when it plays.
- There Will Come A Day (1999 Breathe)- You can really hear Faith’s Christian lifestyle come through with this song. There is a hint of gospel, well more than a hint, and it balances with the country perfectly. When I hear this song I want to be standing front row in one of her concerts, watching her raise her hands with the whole gospel behind her. It is powerful, it is motivating and it is a keeper.
- Cry (2002 Cry)- The power in Faiths voice resonates in this song. The slow, gentle start of the beginning makes way for the pain and heartache in the chorus. I have sung along to this song many times as I try to figure out how someone can go through life without caring or showing emotion.
- Let’s Go to Vegas (1995 It Matters To Me)- This song makes me want to jump in the car and head to Vegas. Doesn’t everyone want to leave life behind and just do something spontaneous? This song tells us we can! It’s an up-tempo with an energy about it that makes sitting down almost impossible. The song has a true country-pop feel and suddenly picking up a guitar and heading to Vegas with my guy.
- Sunshine and Summertime (2005 Fireflies)- In the vein of Beach Boys, this song is a staple for beach living. The tempo is relaxed, almost as if the heat and sunscreen are making it impossible to sing any faster. The smile in her voice is contagious and even sitting in a cubicle at work, you are transported to a tropical getaway where the only concern is applying enough SPF30.
- I Ain’t Gonna Take It Anymore (2005 Fireflies)- Everyone has been in the situation where you are fed up with the relationship and want out. This song provides the nudge to do that. This isn’t the song about women power or a women’s revolution. This is a hurt woman breaking up with the wrong man. This ballad is peaceful, almost like she is at the resolution and there is a calmness about it. I have found strength many times through this song.
- The Secret of Life (1998 Faith)- When listening to this song, I want to be the guy sitting at the counter with a drink in my hand, talking to Sam and trying to figure life out. Having Faith sing the words of the male characters makes this song universal for men and women. She reminds us to stop looking at the big things for answers and to just find the goodness in the small.
I wonder if she can rewrite “The Secret of Life” to add “listening to Faith Hill’s collection” in it.
