#Anne's kids when older have very distinct personalities but less so when little (just less!!)

[batrachised]

Did you say you recently read/re-read Anne of Ingleside? What did you think of it?

Anne of Ingleside marks a change for me in the AoGG series, kind of a "before" and "after" marker. Before, every book focused on Anne's perspective throughout, with the exception of the first. In Anne of Ingleside, the focus of the story begins to shift from Anne herself to her children. Anne still features prominently in the book--unlike say, in Rainbow Valley--but her children get their own voice and narrative attention. This splintered attention only grows more prevalent in the remaining books of Rainbow Valley and The Blythes Are Quoted. (I didn't include Rilla, as Rilla of Ingleside has Anne, but also, it's about Rilla).

The introduction of the children means that much of the plot of Ingleside focuses on Anne's role as a mother and a wife. Looking at goodreads, this rubs a lot of readers the wrong way. Brilliant Anne Shirley, reduced to yet another happy wife happy life stereotype. I don't really agree with this conclusion, but I understand it. While I think choosing motherhood shouldn't be looked down on as a lesser choice, I think it's valid to find it less interesting from an entertainment perspective. (It's also impossible to separate from the historical context flavoring similar stories with "the home is where women belong!" although I don't think we really get that with Anne--in fact Gilbert explicitly acknowledges feeling guilt over the fact that he stole Anne's talent from the world in TBAQ). I also do think complaints of this ilk can be somewhat silly, because LMM novels are romantic slice of life books about young women on PEI in the late 1800s thru early 1900s--what did you expect the book was going to be about? There's a discussion to be had about female characters deserving more than what the time period they were written in afforded them (ie Jo March), but I think LMM does her characters justice most of the time. Anne isn't Emily, and Anne doesn't need to be.

Personally, I find Anne's new stage of life interesting, but I can find the focus on her children boring. Although I love the Blythe children as they grow older, half of them read too similar to Anne in this book for me to care about them as a unique voice (looking at you, Nan and Di). There are moments I do love--the glimpse at Walter's and Gilbert's relationship, Walter helpfully saying "his bottom," (all time favorite LMM moment), Jem flooring a playmate by saying dog's legs are supposed to reach the ground--but squinting at the children-focused parts of the book overall, I can't say they captivate me.

I do, however, love Anne's role as matchmaking matron who provides guidance to her children, the tension between her and Gilbert at the end of the book, Anne laughing at how women flirt with her doctor husband, her and Diana discussing the ups and downs of motherhood (someone here described them as wine moms and I loved it), and overall our look at a more mature Anne. LMM provides an engaging look at an older Anne and Gilbert with her delightful brand of whimsical realism. Sure, Anne and Gilbert got their happily ever after (ish, considering TBAQ and Rilla), but you know, happily every after can put you in a rut, and sometimes it comes with nasty in-laws, and it always comes with great loss to share. I enjoy the continuation of Anne's story; I less enjoy the handing off of the story to her children.

Where Ingleside really shines for me, though, is its foreshadowing. Ingleside was written last of all the Anne books, barring TBAQ (which really isn't an Anne book, but it so directly continues the storylines I count it as one). Rainbow Valley was published in 1919, Rilla was published in 1921 and Ingleside in 1939. That's a pretty significant gap of time, and it shows in Ingleside. As I've written before, WWI is foreshadowed in Rainbow Valley but it's from the perspective of a childhood daydream, albeit a chilling one, about a pied piper. Anne of Ingleside is much more blunt in foreshadowing the war. Diana tells Anne her son wants to be a soldier, and Anne laughs it off and says war is a thing of the past; Anne sees the shadow of the cross over Walter's bed and wonders at it in the future as she grieves; there's our subtle poppy moment, where Walter spills poppies, the symbol of WWI, and Anne muses on how they only have a day to live. Anne of Ingleside reads like one last happy summer day before the long gray winter of WWI, which saves it from being too humdrum a story.

[benjiwyatt]

do you have any ben/leslie headcanons! i love your posts abt them so much it's great to see someone get as emotional abt them as i am asjdkajhjd

i got this message and i was like "god, i dont really know if i have any headcanons" and then i opened my notes app and started typing and didn't stop for over an hour

i'm literally putting this under a break and organizing it into categories bc it's absurdly long

here it is

A COLLECTION OF BEN AND LESLIE HEADCANONS

PRE-RELATIONSHIP/S3

basically canon but leslie definitely had a crush on a young benji wyatt and followed the story religiously for the first couple months before she started college

ben is only slightly jealous leslie had ann go out with chris to try and get more money for the parks budget rather than leslie asking him out with the same goal. he knows it’s insane, unethical, and illogical but he’s still excited that he gets to spend the night with her on a date plus two other people even if it is to accuse her of bribery.

ann realizes early on that leslie was attracted to ben and teases her mercilessly about it. she thinks it’s absolutely hilarious that leslie wants to make out with "mean ben.” after april and andy’s wedding, she realizes it's more than just attraction and she lays off.

before ben can even think rationally about what he’s doing, he’s in line at bed, bath, and beyond with a crock pot in his arms, calling stephanie to ask her to send him their family’s chicken soup recipe

ann knew ben liked her from the beginning and was totally positive when she ran into him in the hospital asking for leslie’s room number while holding jj’s waffles and a tub of homemade soup.

ben realizes he’s falling in love with leslie when he is at city hall with her until 3am one night trying to budget for the amount of cotton candy machines she wants for the harvest festival. in his exhaustion, he naively believes her when she tells him she’ll go home in a bit so he leaves. he never gets a text from saying she made it home so he stops at jj’s the next morning and brings a takeout container of waffles and a coffee complete with an outlandish amount of whipped cream and sugar to the parks department. he finds her asleep in the conference room. he starts trying to convince sweetums to donate more cotton candy machines that afternoon.

chris had to have known ben liked leslie. he’s not an idiot. in the deleted scene from their wedding, they read out emails from their “tumultuous first week in pawnee” and chris writes to ben saying, “why are you so focused on leslie knope?” ben replies saying, “i’m not. whatever. shut up.” there’s no way chris is this oblivious. ben takes her out for a beer. ben pays out of pocket for a children’s performer to help her out. ben shows up on chris and ann’s date just because he thinks leslie might be there. chris can’t be this dumb. but when they take the city manager jobs in pawnee, he knows it can’t happen so he cuts ben off when he starts to ask about dating someone in city hall. he cracks down on the rule in front of leslie after the tom incident to hammer it in. he starts setting ben up on a bunch of dates to try and head it off. he sends them to indianapolis for the little league pitch because, realistically, he knows they’re the best bet for success but makes sure to interrupt their dinner and invites them to his apartment to continue to run interference the rest of the night. after their fights in 4.06-4.08, he hopes he won’t have to worry anymore. the next work day, they come into his office looking nervous and happy and he knows he’s about to lose the partner and best friend that’s been by his side for the past decade.

april and andy knew they were secretly dating. it went unspoken aside from a few implicit teasing remarks from april and a few suggestive attempted high fives from andy but leslie assured ben they wouldn’t tell anyone despite their ostensible behavior.

BREAK UP

ben had commissioned the li’l sebastian plush for leslie after he had died but the toy shop didn’t finish it until after they broke up. he felt bad not going to pick it up so he did despite not being able to give it to her. he kept it for all those months and sometimes thought about getting rid of it but could never bring himself to do it.

when leslie made personalized copies her books for her friends with individualized annotations and notes in the bylines, she had two copies for ben. there was one that she gave him during their breakup that was very simplified and watered down where the note basically just said “i’m really glad you decided to stay in pawnee.” then there was a second copy that she kept while they were split up that was totally covered in notes and random thoughts she couldn’t say during their time apart. she gives him that copy when they get back together and it may or may not be the best gift he’s ever received.

april was much less abrasive with them during the break up because she’s a sweetheart and wants her friends to be happy.

the first time leslie admitted she was in love with him was during a long night of drinking and crying at ann’s house

ben craved the taste of sugar during their breakup because he got used to tasting the sweetness when he kissed her

ben found himself unable to sleep at night without the sound of leslie talking in her sleep to comfort him

april texted leslie the night of the halloween party to let her know that ben and andy were at the hospital after a fight and everything was fine and she didn’t need to worry. leslie was mad at andy for a few days after and he couldn’t figure out why.

the only photo in ben’s bedroom was of himself, leslie, and li’l sebastian at the harvest festival. if he got caught staring at it and crying, he would just say he missed li’l sebastian so much.

april and andy started having star wars and star trek movie nights to try and cheer ben up

DOMESTIC

ben and leslie got in the habit of having weekly game nights with april and andy during the campaign since they were all basically living together. it became a tradition that kept going as often as they could make it happen, even after the kids were born. they try to have game night at least once a month. april pretends to hate it.

one of my absolute favorite ideas about them is that she sleeps much better when he’s around to keep her grounded. after they get together for good, she starts getting closer to 5 hours of sleep a night.

another favorite involving leslie’s sleeping: ben is typically accustomed to tuning out incoherent nonsense that she babbles in her sleep but she also has some of her best ideas when she’s not busy trying to focus on a million different things. when he hears her coming up with legitimately good ideas or making speeches or having solid debate arguments, he takes out the notebook he keeps in his nightstand to record her thoughts and quotes. he revisits and revises the notes to strengthen her statements and make them more professional and less rambling but makes sure to keep her distinct voice apparent in them.

ben prefers pancakes to waffles but he will go to the grave with that secret

this isn’t a headcanon because nbc posted it but one of ben’s holidays on leslie’s calendar is watch synchronization day which is the day they celebrate syncing their watches to, as leslie puts it, “always be in harmony, like our hearts” which is just one of the sweetest fucking things in the world

leslie makes ben read and watch all the harry potters because he didn’t get into them when he first tried. ben is much more of a success than ann. she buys him a ravenclaw scarf for christmas.

their first fight as a couple was a historical debate gone awry

since ben clearly has some affinity for custom stuffed animals, he has some made for the triplets.

they’re both dog people but they adopt a cat because sonia and stephen beg for one and it does fit their busy lifestyle much better. they love the cat. they get a dog when the kids are older and life is slightly less hectic.

they both love striped shirts and sweaters so much that they have to make a conscious effort to avoid wearing them on the same day and matching

leslie makes sweets and bakes desserts while ben typically handles cooking the actual meals

BASED ON EPISODES, QUOTES, AND THROWAWAY LINES

i always loved the ann/ben dynamic in bus tour because there’s been such an obvious shift in ann’s attitude towards him in this episode. maybe it’s because she and tom just broke up and she just turned chris down again and she’s frustrated with relationships but i think it’s her realizing ben isn’t going anywhere. since the campaign is winding down, she realizes that things aren’t gonna go back to the way they were because ben is now part of this and he’s clearly in it for the long haul. ann’s definitely jealous that ben is just as important to leslie as she is and she now knows she’s never gonna get that full attention back. ann sits ben down to have a real “don’t you dare hurt her” speech after this ep and before win, lose, or draw. this is when he tells ann he wants to marry her.

they discover they both adore the princess bride after ben says “as you wish” to her one night and after that it becomes their movie.

the wildflower mural becomes a thing between them when ben says he considered that to be their first date, prompting leslie to tell him what the mural means to her.

ben puts banjo boogie bonanza on one of the mix cds he gives leslie at the beginning of their relationship

harrison ford movie nights start after they both reveal they had a crush on him as a kid. ben was obsessed with han solo and leslie was into indiana jones’ whole history teacher vibe.

they basically hate each other’s taste in music and stop exchanging mix cds once that becomes apparent that they aren’t gonna find much common ground. they both love tom petty, al green, and etta james and music in that vein though.

ben makes leslie watch game of thrones just to try to explain why he’s called her khaleesi. she gets into it, not so much because of the show itself, but because of how passionate her boyfriend is about it.

they start learning basic french during the s4 campaign because they think it will be useful to have a basic multilingual vocabulary for their political careers and because leslie confesses she has always dreamed of seeing paris. they study spanish next.

ben makes leslie watch the star wars prequels just so he can complain to her during them. he doesn’t think she’s paying attention and then he reads about midichlorians in the paper.

ann is also in on ben’s plan to sneak vegetables into leslie’s waffles.

they will sometimes jokingly refer to themselves as the “dream team” or “dynamic duo” because, despite chris’s absurdity, it’s true

i’m open to literally any origin of this because no matter what it’s perfect but i like to think that “i love you and i like you” started at some point in season 4 when, at some point, leslie went “i like you” and ben replied “you like me?” “mhm” “hm just like me?” “yes i like you. i love you and i like you. both.” “mmm i love you and i like you too”

i barely even register some of these things as headcanons since they just live so solidly in my brain

this might be my favorite ask ever thank you for loving benslie enough to ask me this and be genuinely interested

if anyone read all of this, i love you

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Royal Purple, Moon Silver

pretty short, but i wanted to test out this friendship

Word count: 1873

——————

Ever since the kids came back, Sunday Sessions were a bit…difficult to put on. Most of the queens became busy doing things after shows or in free time with their children, and those who were left didn’t see a point in going when it would only be them and the music director. So the only one who ever showed up was the pianist, and she had to be the one to explain to the fans why there were so many delays. Most of them understood, others didn’t and were angry. She was angry, too. In fact, she found herself getting mad a lot more often ever since the kids waltzed into their lives. It’s like they owned everything now!

“Oh, poor baby,” A voice crooned.

Joan whirled around in her chair as Mary walked over. The ex-princess began to massage her shoulders with her nails dug in, making Joan wince.

“What’s wrong? The loneliness getting to you again?” Mary said in the voice Joan heard Cathy talking to Mae with. Baby talk.

Joan slapped her hands away, but they grappled onto her shoulders and held tightly.

“Don’t hit me, pest,” Mary spat. She cleared her throat quickly and then chuckled when she felt Joan quaking slightly beneath her palms. She sneered. “Shaking already? You truly are pathetic.”

“What do you want now?” Joan growled.

“Oh, nothing,” Mary said. She raised a hand to caress one of Joan’s cheeks. “Just checking on the most worthless person in this building.” Her nails tickled the skin on the girl’s face as she trailed her fingers down to her neck. “Surprised you aren’t hanging, yet.”

“Get the fuck away from me.” Joan seethed, But Mary just cackled her hyena-laugh at her attempts to be fierce.

“Oh, you’re absolutely adorable! Really!” She said. “Perhaps that’s all you have going for you now. Not that anyone sees this little lamb face anymore. Everyone is caught up and me and my siblings. Nobody has time for you anymore.”

Mary stooped down and leaned in close to Joan. Her hot breath tickles the music director’s ear.

“Face it, Joan,” She whispered. “You aren’t wanted.”

“What’s going on?”

Mary and Joan both turned to see Elizabeth and Edward standing in the doorway. Elizabeth stepped in cautiously, eyeing her older sister like a bomb that was about to detonate, then slid her gaze over to Joan. Edward stood by the door, his expression unreadable.

“Something wrong is going on here.” Elizabeth said slowly.

“Yes!” Joan suddenly yelled. She didn’t know where this burst of confidence came from, but it was bubbling up from her throat and spewing from her mouth before she had time to consider her words. “There is, and I can tell you what!” She spun around to Mary, pointing. “Your sister treats me like I’m some kind of alien! Do you know what kind of things she says to me?”

“Joan,” Mary warned. “Hold your tongue.”

“I will not!” Joan cried. She turned back to Elizabeth, eyes pleading. “Please! You have to tell your mums! They’ll never believe me, but if you could vouch for my claim—” She stepped forward and extended her hands to clasp Elizabeth’s, but was instead slapped so hard she fell backwards. Shocked, she froze on the floor, staring up at Elizabeth, who was shaking her hand in the air.

“Ow,” She muttered. “That kinda stung. Yikes.”

Joan’s cheek burned- Elizabeth had no idea how badly her hit really hurt.

“You’ll get used to it,” Mary said, gliding over to her sister’s side.

“Really?” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “What, do you get callouses or something?”

“No, you just learn to focus on the pain you inflict than the recoil of the action.”

“Huh.” Elizabeth looked back down at her palm. “Interesting.”

“Y—” Elizabeth and Mary’s heads snap down to the girl on the floor. “You were in on it?”

“In on what?” Elizabeth echoed. “This wasn’t some grand scheme, Joan. It was a little joke. But yes, I was. And it was great! You should have seen your face!”

Joan’s cheeks turned dark red, but the area where she had been struck remained a deep shade of vermillion. She looked past the sisters to Edward, who was shifting on his feet and giving her a pitiful frown.

“But why?” Joan said. “You’re- you’re not like her. You’re good!”

“She’s ‘good’?” Mary chortled. She stalked up to Joan and stomped on her ribs with her boots. “And, what? I’m not?”

“You killed people!” Joan hissed and then keened in pain when Mary’s heel dug against her chest.

“She’s my sister,” Elizabeth interjected. Her voice is gentler than Mary’s, but it’s obvious she was irritated from the glint in her eyes and the way her arms were firmly crossed over her chest. “Of course I’m going to side with her.”

“Side with her on what?!” Joan spluttered. “Her hatred for me? It’s not a fight, it’s just some grudge this sociopath can’t let go of! You don’t have to get involved!”

“Don’t call her a sociopath.” Elizabeth growled, advancing on Joan.

“Well, she is,” Joan said. “And you’re no better by supporting her.”

Mary stomped on Joan’s chest again and this time there was a very distinct crack. Joan yowled loudly.

“Alright!” Edward suddenly spoke up. He hurried away and pushed his sisters away from Joan. “That’s enough!” Then, with a calmer voice, “She’s had enough.”

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose at her brother. Mary looked annoyed that she didn’t get the chance to pluck out Joan’s broken ribs and string them on a necklace, but she backed off.

“Never did have a taste for this, did you, Edward?” She said.

“Looks like I didn’t inherit that gene from Father.” Edward replied.

“You need-”

“I know, I know,” Edward cut her off, rolling his eyes. “I need to be all tough and big and scary. I’m royalty, I have to put people in their place, I know. But we aren’t nobles anymore. And she’s a pianist, not a masochist.” A small smirk tugged on his lips. “You’d be able to tell when someone is with ease.”

Joan winced and closed her eyes, expecting Mary to crack open Edward’s skull for that jibe, but instead she just clenched her fists, bared her teeth, and glared at her brother.

“Aren’t you sweet,” She crooned venomously. “Protecting the girl who-”

“-killed my mother.” Edward finished, rolling his eyes again. “And I sure appreciate it, because I get to hear it all the time now.”

Joan flinched and Edward flashed her a quick smile to relieve her of any anxieties on that topic. His head turned back to his sisters, a hard expression set on his soft features.

“Maybe Mae will be less of a disappointment.” Mary spat.

“You would try to teach a two year old to be a cunt.” Edward said.

Mary growled and then spun around, marching out of the room. Elizabeth followed her out, but not without a final glance over her shoulder. When they were out of sight, Edward’s shoulders relaxed and his face became a lot less threatening and more like a gentle chipmunk’s.

“They’re going to be so mean to you now.” Joan said, sitting up.

“Oh, no!” Edward gasped. “My sisters? Being mean? I’ve never seen that before! That will be so unexpected and out of character!”

Joan laughed softly, but winced when pain throbbed in the left side of her chest. Her hand flew upwards, tentatively touching the injured area. Edward knelt down next to her.

“Are you alright?” He asked worriedly.

“Yeah,” Joan grunted. “I think. They don’t feel broken. Maybe just cracked.”

“Ouch,” Edward winced. “I’m so sorry about Mary and Elizabeth. You don’t deserve this at all.” He reached a hand out to touch Joan, but pulled back, presumably thinking against it. “They can be real jerks sometimes. Or a lot of times in your case.” He gave her a sad frown.

“Why do they hate me so much?” Joan asked. “Or, why does Mary? Elizabeth just seems to be some kind of pawn. I’ve never done anything to either of them!”

Edward shrugged helplessly. “Your guess is as good as mine.” He said. “Mary has some, uhh...issues. Back then and now. But that doesn’t give her any right to treat you the way she does. Or try to break your ribs!”

Joan smiled slightly. She had never thought she would like any of the kids, especially Jane’s son, but something about Edward gave him a pass. He was different from his sisters, even the annoying toddler.

“You-” She began hesitantly. “You don’t think I killed Jane, right? I-I tried to save her, I really did, but-”

“Hey.” Edward clasped Joan’s hands in his. They were smaller, but warm and loose enough for her to pull away if she wanted to. “Of course I don’t believe that. I know you didn’t. My mum died from poor sanitation, not you cursing her vagina to tear and get infected or something.” He paused for a moment, then laughed. “That was a weird thing to say.”

Joan giggled softly. “Yeah. Kinda.”

“Don’t believe anything my sisters say,” Edward went on. “They like starting stupid stuff.”

“Are you really the only sensible one out of your siblings?”

Edward grinned. “Yup. That also makes me the best.”

Joan smiled back at him. She stood up after Edward released her hands, gritting her teeth through the pain in her ribs, but managing to get on her feet without tipping over. She set one hand on the injured area, massaging it lightly.

“Are you gonna be okay?” Edward asked.

“Probably,” Joan answered. “I’ve handled worse.”

That earned her a curious frown, but Edward doesn’t press the matter. He just twitched his lips a little and then nodded.

They both walked out of the dressing room. Somewhere down the Stairs of Doom, a few of the queens and their daughters could be heard clamoring about, probably getting ready to leave. Edward looked up at Joan with a friendly warmth in his eyes.

“Wanna come over for dinner?”

Joan is both startled and surprised. “Wh-what? A-are you sure?”

“I am!” Edward said. “I like you. You’re much better company than any of my sisters.”

“What about the other queens?”

“Catalina, Anne, and Cathy all have their kids. Cathy is the worst about it, though. She’s ALWAYS with Mae. I can’t remember the last time I saw her alone.” Edward said. “Mum is, well, my mum. I can’t exactly be friends with her. Kitty is...okay. Mum REALLY wants me to like her, but she can be loud and too energetic for me. And Anna is cool, but,” He shrugged. “I like you much better. You’re quiet and smart and funny, but not in a pretentious way.”

Joan blushed shyly and looked away. She couldn’t believe she was letting herself be flattered by a twelve year old. How pathetic could she possibly get?

“Thanks,” She whispered. “I’ve never- I’ve never, umm, been someone’s top choice for a friend before.”

“Then I’ll be the first.” Edward smiled at her. “Come on, let’s go before they leave us here! Oh, and don’t worry, I won’t let my sisters pick on you again.”

[bewhoyouarebopeep]

Toy Story and Stories About Toys

I’ve been thinking about what, I guess I would call, the toy canon of literature, and why this genre exists, and what the appeal is of telling stories about toys at all. 

Pinocchio and The Velveteen Rabbit are stories about what makes us “human” or “real”. Pinocchio (1883) is very much a lesson in morality, this wooden puppet needs to learn about sacrifice and responsibility to be rewarded with being human. It’s reflective of the morality of the time and of the author. The Velveteen Rabbit (1922) is also reflective of certain values, but in a less straight forward way, and likely not just because of the different authors but because of the societal changes that occurred in the 40 years between the two works. The stark morality of earlier periods had been shed, and Love as an ideal is at the forefront. Toys become real not by being good, but by being loved. In these stories toys are things that are like humans but not, or like real creatures but not, which allows them to be useful characters to tell stories about what makes us “real”. That is, stories about values. 

Hans Christian Anderson’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier (1838) , like all of his stories, embodies a certain kind of Christian set of values, based on a passive, long-suffering kind of virtue. However, the story doesn’t use the conceit of sentient toys in the same way as Pinocchio and The Velveteen Rabbit. The toys in Anderson’s story are conscious, but helpless. In that way, they’re the perfect characters for a story about forbearance in the face of adversity. It’s still a story about human values, but not because the toys are trying to become real, rather because they are a simplified, miniature version of humans. 

The Nutcracker (1816) is about a human who is cursed to become a toy. You could say that it's like the first two stories, and that it uses the proximity between toys and living things to say something about what it means to be human/real. In this case, it’s the love of another person. However, the true-love-breaking-a-curse thing is not distinct from other fairy tales. I think the thing that endures and that really captures audiences about The Nutcracker is the other-worldliness of the story. The idea that behind these familiar things there’s an entire world, even kingdoms at war with one another. Using toys in this story is a way to use the familiar as a gateway to adventure. 

Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) uses toys in a somewhat similar way, though the world of adventure that the toys inhabit is a lot more mundane and safe. The toys live in the woods, and get up to hijinks. But the fact that they’re toys, instead of making the familiar strange and otherworldly, makes the realm of adventure more comfortable and familiar. The stakes are never that high, because they’re toys. Friendship and is the major theme, especially the persistence of friendship. Which is also very comforting. 

Raggedy Ann (1918) is interesting, because it was a set of stories released with a toy. The stories were part of the marketing. And the stories themselves are kind of an ode to why rag dolls are so great. I quoted from the introduction in a previous post, but here it is again: 

What adventures you must have had, Raggedy!

What joy and happiness you have brought into this world!

And no matter what treatment you have received, how patient you have been!

What lessons of kindness and fortitude you might teach could you but talk; you with your wisdom of fifty-nine years. No wonder Rag Dolls are the best beloved! You are so kindly, so patient, so lovable.

The more you become torn, tattered and loose-jointed, Rag Dolls, the more you are loved by children.

There’s the appeal to sentiment, the comfort, familiarity, and nostalgia of toys. There’s definitely value-statements (which are in the stories themselves as well) about patience and kindness. But also... it’s a sales pitch. The stories aren’t about what makes us human, they’re about why toys are great, because they’re trying to sell toys. This is why kids love rag dolls, and this is why you should get one. 

I organized this post by theme rather than chronology, but just for reference: 1816: The Nutcracker 1838: The Steadfast Tin Soldier 1883: Pinocchio 1918: Raggedy Ann 1922: The Velveteen Rabbit 1926: Winnie-the-Pooh Organized this way, there’s a clear demarcation as well. The first three all have toy characters with very human inner lives. The Nutcracker was literally human, Pinocchio is trying to become human, and the TIn Soldier has very little reference to actually being played with, he just falls in love and then suffers. The last three are about toys-as-toys. Being played with, or being friends with children feature very heavily in them. The Velveteen Rabbit does go deeper, thematically, but the rabbit is very much a toy, far much more than the first three. I would very much like to do some research into trends in story telling, into the development of capitalism and of children as a marketing demographic, and the extension of what’s considered childhood, because I don’t think that’s an accidental transition. However, I don’t have the time or resources for that.

So, I was thinking about where Toy Story fits in this. On a very basic level, Pixar chose toys as the protagonists because they were easier to animate and have them look good than humans. But there’s also the question of the kind of stories they’re telling.

The first three movies are actually far closer to Raggedy Ann than to anything else. They appeal to nostalgia, they’re about toys-as-toys rather than toys-as-something-approaching-human. And not to be cynical, because I do really enjoy the movies, but the marketing aspect must have been part of the appeal in the pitch meeting. I’ve read interviews where the team has said they were mindful that the story had to be about toys, and not about scaled-down humans. You can imagine the logic of story-building that comes out of that: What is important to toys? What are their lives organized around? So by necessity, the plots revolve around children and being played with, and then naturally the key conflict occurs when that kid grows up, through various stages. They’re about toys as an element in human’s lives. They go on adventures, but like Raggedy Ann, they always end up back at home, ready for the next play time, and aren’t toys great, and don’t you want to play with yours? 

I wrote in a previous post that the cool thing about Toy Story 4 is that it subverts the framework established in the previous films. And like I said in that post, I don’t think it would be a reach to say that societal change has played into that. The first three movies had a sense of comfort, they depended on the notion of a very average suburban childhood, there was an underlying sense of stability when the toys always ended up back in the same place. But the world is not as stable as it was in 1995. While those movies are still very popular, I don’t think they would have the same resonance if they originated  today. 

Toy Story 4 is both a step forward and a step backwards. It’s a step backwards in that, like older stories, toy are more than just toys. They have things they want besides being played with. They don’t become “real”, but they become self-actualized. It’s a step forward in that it moves beyond the Toy Story framework, and in that it doesn’t go back to the mysticism or morality of the old stories. There’s no Blue Fairy or Nursery Magic Fairy, just the toy’s own choices that make them “real”, and the question of what brings toys to life in the first place is pointedly unanswered. Buzz developing his “inner voice” doesn’t have dire moral consequences like it did for Pinocchio, it’s a question of his personal development and growing into his role as a leader. It’s not the “patience” or “fortitude” of the Tin Soldier or Raggedy Ann that’s held up as a virtue, but rather the ability to adapt to changed circumstances. Woody does not simply accept his fate, he determines it. Much more than any previous story, TS4 is about having agency over your own life. It has something to say about the human condition, something more than the previous movies, and something different from previous stories about toys. 

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From the Archives: Unpacking Branson: A Thanksgiving Improbability

By Don Hall

For Thanksgiving in 2012, I was single and Mom decided that I should come out to my step-sister's place in Branson, Missouri for a good old-fashioned country Thanksgiving. The carrot was family. The stick was Missouri.

In the late 1960s it was pretty much a tiny city in the Ozarks known for roadside stands peddling wares that proliferated the hillbilly stereotype. And, sure enough, there are still today roadside stands that exist only to continue to make fun of that stereotype. It's an odd thing to walk into a business in the middle of the Ozarks that sells you the stereotype it tries to escape from. Like buying a taxi cab medallion from an East Indian store or an “I’m a Wetback” T-shirt in a store that sells Mexican merchandise.

It is said you cannot judge a book by its cover.

This is true most of the time, but there are some things you can judge immediately by its cover and pretty much know what your getting.

An Ann Coulter book. Sean Hannity. A FOX News broadcast. Great America. Applebee's.

I assumed that Branson, Missouri would fall into this latter category. I was right and wrong. And the complexities made it a real trip to remember.

Branson is where the Beverly Hillbillies came from before moving to California.

A winding series of roads littered with signs and theaters and restaurants. Lots of bumper stickers that declare “I’d Rather Be Dead Than SOCIALIST” and random tributes to past GOP glory. In the three days we trucked around the city, I counted perhaps one hundred people of color the entire time — I didn't start the trip by calculating this but after a bit, it was hard to escape. Thousands of old white people with canes and wheelchairs abounded but that doesn't really look that much different than Navy Pier or the audience at Chicago Shakes — old white people like to be tourists and Branson is, after all, a haven of tourism.

My step-sister, Hannah, tells me that the crack business booms among the residents of Branson and there is evidence around if you’re looking for it. The place is slightly schizophrenic in its place as a home to rednecks and hillbillies while trying desperately to distance itself from that by appealing to the tourist trade. There are places that stink of what one expects in Ozarks — a biker bar called the Hawg Trough that even my pro-GOP brother-in-law avoids and a Smoke Shop that doesn't sell cigarettes and has a pit bull guarding the door. But there are surprises that popped up during my three-day Thanksgiving vacation that defied my pre-judged expectations.

The surprises came in weird ways. When I arrived, we ate at a place called the Rowdy Beaver — a place with T-shirts that trumpeted “I Like Bald Beaver” and “That's A Mighty Nice Beaver” and had washboard walls. The thing that surprised was that the food was out of this world. It was delicious and well prepared and not at all what I expected. “Our chef prepares everything from fresh ingredients,” trumpeted our waitress who seemed completely fine with her job at a place filled with such juvenile innuendo.

The Hollywood Wax Museum was fun but the wax figures left me a bit wanting — a frequent refrain of our visit was my niece saying “Who's that?” and me doing my best to figure it out. I tried to convince my family to go to Silver Dollar City so I could find and steal a urinal cake but it was $60 per person and even I couldn't argue that $300 was reasonable for me to complete a toilet cookie tale. We had tickets to a magic show billed as the World's Largest (by the way, every attraction in Branson is billed as “Show of the Year,” “The Most Amazing in the World,” and “Mindblowing”) but the show was cancelled due to illness. Turns out Kirby VanBurch’s greatest trick is to take your money and disappear.

Our replacement show for the afternoon was going to be either Jim Stafford (I desperately wanted to see this) or SIX (the nieces had heard it was awesome). Stafford only did an 8 p.m. show, so SIX at the Mickey Gilley Theater it was.

SIX is six middle-aged brothers who debuted on the Donnie and Marie Show and have fashioned themselves as sort of an older version of an a cappella boy band. As soon as they started with a cheeseball version of Don’t Stop Believin’, Hannah and I turned to each other with a look of pained resignation. These guys had pretty good voices and the arrangements were fine but the self-consciously hip pose and cornball attempts at cool banter was unbearable. I learned that wanting to see an awful Branson show and actually sitting through one are two different things. I also learned that I will never, as a middle-aged white guy, ever use the words “homie” or “peeps” ever again. To be fair, the second act was better — a selection of Christmas songs and a tribute to their dead mother. Apparently this tiny woman had ten children, all boys, and I suspect she isn't dead but just got the fuck out of there before having to bear an eleventh kid. But the damage of the first act left me scarred and a little terrified of that evening’s show — Legends at the Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater.

Legends is a show that debuted in Vegas and moved to Branson. It is a rotating cast of celebrity impersonators ranging from Barry White, Marilynn Monroe and Tim McGraw to the staples of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Our bill was George Strait, Whitney Houston, the Blues Brothers, Liberace and Elvis. As we entered and sat down, once again surrounded by octogenarians, I steeled myself. This was going to be fucking awful.

And it wasn’t.

Really. In fact, it was a blast. The Whitney Houston knocked it out of the park, Liberace was funny but completely inappropriate in a callback to the dark days of The Gay Closet and the Elvis impersonator was so fucking good, if we had been sitting in the nose bleeds it would’ve been like actually seeing Elvis live. My mom, a huge Elvis fan from when he was alive, commented that he was the best Elvis impersonator she had ever seen. Hell, even my teenaged nieces enjoyed the show.

But we saved the best, most Branson-y show for Saturday. Yakov Smirnoff. Holy shit. I couldn’t wait. I was absolutely certain it would embody everything I expected Branson to be — cheesy, cloying, the very portrait of a has-been celebrity stretching out his 15 minutes of fame as paper thin as he could in the heart of the Vegas of the Ozarks. We were greeted by a giant Yakov head making awful jokes about... the size of his head! Inside, it turned out that Yakov was a painter and had his paintings for sale!

The beginning of the show was the longest version of the national anthem I’ve ever heard (who know there were, like, nine verses?) and then I was hit with another fucking surprise. On the video screens came an old Paul Harvey “The Rest of the Story” about a painter known as Jacob who painted and commissioned a painting in tribute to the fallen at Ground Zero in NYC following the Attacks of 9/11.  Painted on the side of a building overlooking the rubble, it was the backdrop to the first anniversary of the attacks. The painter was an anonymous Yakov Smirnoff. He paid for the commission out of his own pocket.

Some of his show was what I expected: a revisitation of his “What a Country!” schtick from the ’80s—a sketch of him as the president answering questions from the audience, and he actually quoted the Lee Greenwood God Bless the U.S.A. as a closer. But other parts were not at all what I anticipated. Turns out that Yakov went out and got a Master's Degree in psychology and decided that his show could also serve as a relationship counseling session as well. Sort of like Defending the Caveman meets a less arrogant Dr. Phill with the takeaway being that we begin relationships laughing and giving each other little gifts and that, if we simply return to giving each other gifts and finding laughter in our relationships, we’ll be happier, healthier people.

Was it a great show? Not really. The dancers were cheesy and only there to fill time, the jokes were funny in a “Yeah, I remember that one” sort of way, the political stuff was tame (although at one point, Yakov asked the audience who was happy with the results of the latest election — a smattering of applause that included my mother and I enthusiastically cheering — and who was ticked off by it — a thundering, slightly ugly ovation — with the Russian comic commenting “Yeah, that's about even...”) and the recurring pro-America stuff was hard to hear after a while. But the thing is... I liked him.

I mean, I really liked the guy. He was so overwhelmingly sincere and genuine. Christ, I wanted to hug him. And, while his show is corny and inoffensive and gentle and perfect for the Branson tourist crowd, this is a guy who lives in Branson, Missouri suggesting that people spend time laughing and loving one another instead of being shitbags.

Prejudice is a funny thing. Judging books by their covers is what we do as people. I imagine it’s a hard drive instinct. But, as I am often heard saying, while we are all unique and precious snowflakes and each of us is completely distinct, we are all made of fucking snow. We all are simply people trying our best to get along in the world. Yes, that means that our baser, uglier instincts come to play like ordinary people rioting in a Walmart on Black Friday to get a discount on a portable DVD player. It also means that our better, more generous nature comes into play, and sometimes it's nice to be reminded that even in Red State Hell, Yakov Smirnoff is telling thousands of people every week to just be fucking nicer to each other.

On Thanksgiving, the point is to be with friends or family and celebrate those things in our lives we are (or should be) thankful for. Sure, the holiday is laden with cultural markers that include the genocide of the Native Americans and our national quest to bequeath every American with diabetes but the point is gratitude. Gratitude can come from a lot of places and I’m thankful to remember the lessons I learned in Branson. 

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Dating Scene Blackhawk California

The 1990s was a great decade for country music. As the ’80s came to a close there were a few country singers that were rising stars. Alan Jackson, Clint Black, Lorrie Morgan, Garth Brooks and others were becoming superstars. As the ’90s began, these and other artists – along with the validation from SoundScan – made country music the biggest music genre in the US.

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Along with the great country artists of the ’90s, the songs they sang made the decade memorable in the eyes of the fans. The lyrics were fun, sad, familiar, but now cliche, and understandable. The production of the songs was perfect. The instrumental hooks were filled with screaming fiddles, waning steel guitars, and even simple acoustic sounds.

It’s been over ten years now since one of the greatest decades in country music came to a close.

Let’s take a look at the songs that affected so many…

100) Queen of Memphis – Confederate Railroad

Confederate Railroad had a few big hits in the early ’90s. Arguably their best song was Queen of Memphis. The song is catchy and fun. The guys in the band put a great melody hook with a story of falling in love. The recipe was a success and the song climbed all the way to #2 on the charts – the biggest hit for the band. The guys are still going strong today and fans love hearing Queen of Memphis during every show.

99) Doctor Time – Rick Trevino

Rick Trevino brought a unique flavor to country music in the ’90s. His brand of country music was tinged with Tex-Mex influence. The songs he released were catchy and it led to a successful career for the young performer. One of his most successful songs was Doctor Time. The song climbed into the top five and helped his English debut album go gold. The hook is memorable and the song is still heard on country radio today.

98) Whatever Comes First – Sons of the Desert

The Sons of the Desert had an interesting run in country music. They’re first break came in ’96 when they sang the background vocals on Ty Herndon’s hit album Livin’ In a Moment. In ’97 the guys had their first and only country top ten hit with Whatever Comes First. The band later had success by singing background vocals on Herndon’s #1 hit It Must Be Love. The guys also received praise and recognition for singing background vocals on Lee Ann Womack’s signature song I Hope You Dance. The guys have since gone their separate ways, but their biggest hit remains a greatest song of the ’90s.

97) They’re Playin’ Our Song – Neal McCoy

Neal McCoy was always a dark horse in country music. It took him quite awhile to finally get a big hit on country radio. Once he broke out there was no stopping him. He racked up a bunch of top ten hits in the ’90s. A fan favorite was They’re Playin’ Our Song. The song was a big hit and one of McCoy’s most memorable. McCoy earned Entertainer of the Year recognition in ’98. He’s still entertaining fans all over the country and is a huge draw. He continues recording for various labels as well. And fans are still requesting his songs to be played on the radio today.

96) If The World Had a Front Porch – Tracy Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence was a major success in the ’90s. He consistently put songs and albums at the top of the charts. Of all the so called ‘Hat Acts’ to come out in the early ’90s, Tracy Lawrence was one to find tons of success. If The World Had a Front Porch was one of Lawrence’s best hits. The song is a great look at how down home roots play a major role in American culture. Millions connected with the message and melody in the song. If you listen to country radio today you’ll probably hear If The World Had a Front Porch every once in a while.

95) Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under – Shania Twain

The queen of country music in the ’90s was Shania Twain. Her two albums sold over 30 million albums in the US alone. A huge hit from her breakout album The Woman In Me was Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under. Shania knew how to sing a story that spoke to women and she knew how to craft a catchy hook. Even men would sing along to this song in their trucks – admit it, you did. It’s a classic song that is a huge part of the success Shania Twain has had in her career.

94) Little Good-Byes – SHeDaisy

In the late ’90s, country fans were lucky enough to hear the sister trio of SHeDaisy on the radio. The trio’s first big hit was Little Good-Byes. The girls sang the hell out of the song and women around the country took notice. The band became huge stars in the country music world. More hits followed and the girls have been releasing big hits ever since. Fans will always remember the song that made SHeDaisy stars. The song is still a favorite on radio today.

93) How Forever Feels – Kenny Chesney

By the late ’90s, Kenny Chesney was still working on a few big hits, but he hadn’t reached the superstar status he would go onto enjoy in the ’00s. In 1999, Chesney released How Forever Feels. Country fans got a little taste of what later came with Kenny’s love for the islands. The song had a slight Buffett feel and the video saw Kenny hanging out on the beach and in the ocean. How Forever Feels was Chesney’s biggest hit at the time. He’s since gone on to have much larger success, but fans first got a taste in ’99 with How Forever Feels.

92) Rockin’ Years – Dolly Parton and Ricky Van Shelton

By 1991, Ricky Van Shelton was a superstar in country music. He was on a roll of #1 hits and his albums were selling in the millions. In a few short years in the late ’80s, Shelton had taken the country music audience by storm. He was a distinctive sounding artist and fans were loving every song he released. In 1991, after a duet didn’t work out with George Jones, Dolly Parton got together with Shelton and they released Rockin’ Years. The song is a sweet love story told in a very clever way. The song is a country music classic. It came out in ’91, but the song could have been released in any decade. It’s a timeless country classic.

91) From Here To Eternity – Michael Peterson

It’s said that if you can get a song to become a classic event song you’ll have a hit for life. Whether it’s a classic sporting event song, a birthday song, an anniversary song or a wedding song, the saying seems to be true. In 1997, Michael Peterson released a classic wedding song with his #1 hit From Here To Eternity. The song was a huge hit for Peterson and became a regular at weddings in the late ’90s. The song is still a classic today. Peterson is still playing and releasing new music. He’s also writing for other artists. It seems that Peterson’s legacy will live with his timeless song. And that’s not so bad.

90) It Would Be You – Gary Allan

Gary Allan’s career really didn’t get going until the ’00s, but he still had a couple hits in the ’90s. Allan has a distinctive voice and he drew enough attention to have a top ten hit and one of the greatest songs of the ’90s with It Would Be You. Allan put his raspy and passionate vocal to the track that compares the love of his life and the heartbreak she caused with other recognizable things. The song was a hit with fans. Allan recently said that in his shows he’ll include the song when he’s touring with an artist that has an older fan base. Fans usually remember the hit and Allan seems to enjoy playing it for them.

89) Don’t Laugh At Me – Mark Wills

Mark Wills was just a kid when he started releasing hits in the mid-’90s. He covered some difficult material and brought it to the country masses with Don’t Laugh At Me. The song was about tolerance and acceptance. The song asks others to have a little respect and even a little care when it comes to the situations of others. The song was a major hit and had a few people thinking about the way they lived their life. It was a major breakthrough for Wills who at the age of 24 was still climbing his way to star status in the country world. He continues recording and touring today.

88) There’s Your Trouble – Dixie Chicks

It took nearly ten years, but in 1998 the Dixie Chicks changed things in country music. The group’s first #1 hit was There’s Your Trouble. The song kicked off a string of big hits for the Chicks. They went on to sell millions of records while touring the world and winning tons of awards. The song was unique when fans first heard it on the radio. The talented trio may have run into a bit of unwarranted controversy later in their career, but it’s hard to argue the quality of the songs they put out during their run at the top.

87) Bye, Bye – Jo Dee Messina

Jo Dee Messina’s career got off to a hot start in ’96 with her smash hit Heads Carolina, Tails California. You couldn’t go 45 minutes on country radio without hearing the song. A few less successful singles followed and many were thinking Messina would be a one hit country wonder. However, she covered the Phil Vassar-penned song Bye, Bye and in ’98 she had her breakthrough. The song was a #1 smash success and it paved the way for more huge hits from the feisty redhead.

86) Good As I Was To You – Lorrie Morgan

By the mid-90s, Lorrie Morgan had herself a huge career. She had a couple of #1 hits and plenty of top tens. Her albums were selling in the millions and she was coming off a successful Greatest Hits album. However, there was still room for a great song and in 1997 Morgan released Good As I Was To You. The song was a top five hit for Lorrie and it continued her reign as one of country’s greatest female stars.

85) All The Good Ones Are Gone – Pam Tillis

The daughter of a country legend, Pam Tillis had a huge career during the ’90s. By 1997 she was one of country’s biggest stars and certainly a huge female star. All The Good Ones Are Gone became a sad yet important song for women across the country. The song is sad and lonely, but part of what helps everyone get through each day is knowing there are others feeling the same way out there. The song was a major hit for Tillis and remains one of her biggest to date.

84) Ten Thousand Angels – Mindy McCready

Mindy McCready was young and fearless when she released her breakout album Ten Thousand Angels in 1996. The title song was a top ten smash for the girl with the true country voice. Other big hits followed and her album sold over two million copies. In subsequent years, McCready has struggled with her personal and professional life, but the big hits she had in the ’90s still stand as some of the best of the ’90s.

83) Dumas Walker – The Kentucky Headhunters

The Kentucky Headhunters were a true bar band that reached the heights of country music success. In 1990, the guys had their breakout hit with the appropriate ode to their favorite bar Dumas Walker. The song reached #15 on the charts, but its impact was felt throughout the ’90s. Each member of the band is credited with writing the song. Together they put together a simple yet favorite story with a great hook and sing along melody. It’s a true classic in country music.

82) The Fool – Lee Ann Womack

Lee Ann Womack is known as one of the traditional singers in country music. Her voice bleeds country down to her soul. The song she records speaks to the true fans of country music. Womack’s breakout hit was The Fool in 1997. The song climbed all the way to #2 that year and is still a favorite among the women in country music audiences. The song is a sad tale about how women find themselves in losing relationships. It’s a sad, but powerful song as it lets others know they’re not alone in their relationship struggles.

81) How Your Love Makes Me Feel – Diamond Rio

Diamond Rio had a huge career in the ’90s. The band reached the top of the charts with their debut single in 1991, but it wasn’t until six years and many other hits later that they reached the top again with How Your Love Makes Me Feel. It’s a crazy song about cows standing in the road and buying ice cream. The song is a classic. It’s fun to sing along with and everybody feels like dancing when it comes on the radio. A great hit from one the greatest decade in country music.

80) It’s Your Love – Tim McGraw and Faith Hill

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill were the biggest story in country music in the mid-’90s. The two toured together, fell in love, got married and had a family. It’s a fairy tale love story. At the beginning of the romance was the song It’s Your Love. Fans fell in love with the couple as they sang about how much they loved each other. The song was a major hit and raised the status of McGraw and Hill – already big stars. The two have continued recording the occasional duet, but none has quite reached the level of success of It’s Your Love. As a duo, it may be there signature song and it certainly was a big part of the ’90s in country music.

79) We Danced Anyway – Deana Carter

After the major success of her debut single Strawberry Wine, girl next door Deana Carter followed up with another smash hit We Danced Anyway. The song was about throwing caution to the wind when it comes to love. Fans loved the song and continued buying Carter’s debut album by the millions. Carter would continue her string of success with more hits from the album, but We Danced Anyway is still one that is played the most on country radio.

78) Nobody Knows – Kevin Sharp

Kevin Sharp took a popular R&B song and put a little country in it with Nobody Knows. The song was a big hit for Tony Rich and later became a big hit for Kevin Sharp. The song made Sharp a success. It kicked off a gold album for Sharp. He was able to follow it up with a few more hit singles. Nobody Knows is another great example of how good songs can be played to any music audience. As Willie Nelson says, “There are two kinds of music – good and bad.” Nobody Knows falls into the ‘good’ category.

77) Buy Me A Rose – Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers’ career has been up and down for over 40 years now. During his biggest run in the late ’70s and early ’80s Kenny was selling more records than anyone in music. His Greatest Hits album sold in excess of 12 million copies in the US alone. However, by the end of the ’90s there was little attention paid to Kenny. In October of 1999, however, Rogers self-released the song Buy Me A Rose. The song reached number one the following spring (we included it it here due to the release date and because it was climbing the charts in ’99). Kenny was back on top of the charts and making fans love the music he was making.

76) Too Much Fun – Darlye Singletary

There were a lot of fun songs in the ’90s and Daryle Singletary’s 1995 hit Too Much Fun was aptly named. The song was a top five hit that year and established Singletary as a rising star. Singletary had the voice of a country traditionalist. He had a few top five hits over his career and Too Much Fun became his signature song. It’s still played on radio today when fans need a little excuse to go a little overboard every now and then.

75) Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident) – John Michael Montgomery

John Michael Montgomery had fans gasping for air as they tried to keep up with the rip-roaring hit song Sold. In 1995, JMM was on top of the country world. He could have been just another hat act with three names in the mid-’90s, but he churned out hits at a rapid pace and sold millions of records. Sold is still a fan favorite today. JMM is still able to keep fans on their toes with the ultra-fast chorus as he sings about picking up a woman at the local county auction.

74) You’re Easy on the Eyes – Terri Clark

Canadian country singer Terri Clark had herself a ton of success in the ’90s. She racked up multiple number one hits, a few awards, and millions of albums sold. In 1998 she had one of her biggest hits with You’re Easy On The Eyes. The song shot all the way up to #1 on the charts. Terri’s success continued in the US for a few more years. Today she’s still recording and touring and finding big success in her home country.

73) What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am – Lee Roy Parnell

Lee Roy Parnell was trying to have success in the early ’90s with a few unsuccessful singles. Parnell found his success in 1992 with the hit single What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am. The song climbed all the way to #2 on the charts. Parnell followed the success with more hit singles over the next few years. His style was unique at the time. He played slide guitar better than anyone and had a voice that was distinctive on radio. His best songs are still heard on radio today. Perhaps the most popular is What Kind of Fool Do You Think I Am.

72) One Way Ticket (Because I Can) – LeAnn Rimes

LeAnn Rimes was a major success in the ’90s. Her debut album sold millions of copies on the success of the first single Blue. Her first number one hit came later as her third single One Way Ticket (Because I Can). The song was a huge hit on country radio. Rimes has gone on to have success in both pop and country music. Still young and in her twenties, Rimes seems to be driven to continue having success in country music.

71) Guys Do It All The Time – Mindy McCready

Mindy McCready had her first and only #1 hit with Guys Do It All The Time. Her second single off her multi-platinum album Ten Thousand Angels became her signature song. Guys Do It All The Time became an anthem for women in the mid-90s. The song is about ladies going out and having a good time using the excuse that…

70) Wild Angels – Martina McBride

Martina was coming into her own as a rising country star in the mid-90s. In 1995-96 she had her first number one hit with Wild Angels. The song featured Martina’s soaring vocals. Women and girls were singing along at the top of their lungs. It’s one of Martina’s best songs in a collection that features many fan favorites. The song is still popular on country radio and during Martina’s concerts today.

69) Running Out of Reasons to Run – Rick Trevino

Rick Trevino is back on the countdown with his biggest hit Running Out of Reasons To Run. The song climbed all the way to #1 and remains Trevino’s only top country hit to date. The single came off Rick’s hit album Learning As You Go. The song was a big hit and you can still hear it on radio today. It’s a classic sing along song that is a favorite of many country music fans.

68) That Ain’t My Truck – Rhett Akins

As far as success on the charts, That Ain’t My Truck wasn’t Rhett Akins biggest hit, but in terms of lasting effect, it certainly is Rhett’s signature song. The song tells the tale of a guy that drives past his girlfriend’s house only to notice that another guy’s truck is parked in the driveway. He realizes that the girl he loves is probably not interested as much in their future as he is. It’s a sad song, but one fans could relate to. The song is extremely catchy and sometimes that’s what it takes for a song to have the longevity of That Ain’t My Truck.

67) Goodbye Says It All – Blackhawk

People often to think about Blackhawk when they think about the best bands in the history of country music, but perhaps they should. The trio had a huge run of success in the ’90s. They racked up hit after hit. The collection of songs they cut and released weren’t just hits, they became timeless classics that are still favorites of many today. Goodbye Says It All was a huge hit for the guys. It’s still a favorite today. Guitarist Van Stephenson died in 2001 of complications with skin cancer. The other two guys still tour and record today. Their impact is still felt with hits like Goodbye Says It All.

66) Livin’ On Love – Alan Jackson

Besides Garth Brooks, it’s hard to find any country artist that had more success in the ’90s than Alan Jackson. It seemed like Jackson was consistently in the top five on the country charts for about 8-10 years during the great decade. Jackson sang songs about love and life as a guy from a small town in the southern US. Fans loved Jackson’s easy going nature and his smooth delivery. Livin’ On Love was a story about Jackson’s parents. The song was full of great melodies and lyrics most fans could connect with. When people don’t have much their only choice is to live with the love of each other.

65) Cafe On The Corner – Sawyer Brown

Sawyer Brown found a lot of success during the ’80s after their win on the popular talent show Star Search. The guys entered the second phase of their career in the ’90s with more big hits. In 1992, they released Cafe On The Corner. The song is about the struggling nature some folks run into with work during their later careers. The song is timely given today’s happenings in the economy. it’s a fan favorite hit. The guys are still a major tour draw each season and lead singer Mark Miller races from end to end of the stage singing their many hits.

64) Pickup Man – Joe Diffie

Joe Diffie was a major success in the early and mid-90s. He is now known most for his tongue-in-cheek songs. He racked up major hits and could easily have more than one signature song, but his 1994 #1 smash hit Pickup Man is perhaps his most well-known song. The double meaning song became an anthem for all the guys in the crowd that love their trucks. It’s a fun song and still gets requested on a consistent basis today. Diffie is still recording and touring today. He hasn’t had a hit in America for a few years, but never count this talented Oklahoman out.

63) Callin’ On Baton Rouge – Garth Brooks

It’s fairly obvious that the biggest success in country music in the ’90s was Garth Brooks. He has sold more records than any artist in any genre except for The Beatles, Michael Jackson and perhaps Elvis. Garth single-handedly lifted every artist in his wake as he charted albums simultaneously at the top of the Billboard 200. Ask Garth Brooks what the reason for his success was and he’d probably tell you that it was a result of the songs he was fortunate to record. A huge hit for Garth was Callin’ Baton Rouge. the song was written by the great country songwriter Dennis Linde. Callin’ Baton Rouge is one of the most played Garth Brooks songs on the radio still today.

62) State of Mind – Clint Black

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By 1994, Clint Black was a huge star in country music. He had broken out as the initial leader of the Class of ’89. Garth Brooks later overtook everybody from that class, but Black’s success continued. In ’94 he released State of Mind. The song was a #2 hit on the charts and became a signature hit for Black. He said he had written the song quite some time before its release. The song is unique. Black always brought a lot of harmonica to his records and State of Mind features a great intro with Black playing the harmonica. It’s a classic song from one of the best artists in country music.

61) He Thinks He’ll Keep Her – Mary Chapin Carpenter

Mary Chapin Carpenter’s 1992 album Come On Come On was a major success. The album spawned six hit singles and sold over 4 million copies. The 5th single from the album was the #2 hit He Thinks He’ll Keep Her. Mary Chapin Carpenter has always been known for her clever and smart lyrics about the beauty and power of women. This song was no different. The song was crafted with a great melody and is one of Mary’s signature songs. It’s an anthem for great women everywhere.

60) Hard Workin’ Man – Brooks & Dunn

In 1991, Brooks & Dunn emerged on the country music scene and changed the way fans perceived the genre. Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn were struggling solo acts, but together they were a huge success. After their debut album sold over six million copies and made them overnight superstars, the guys released their sophomore set. The lead off and title single was Hard Workin’ Man. The song is an ode to the hard working folks in the US. Nobody could have done this song better than Kix and Ronnie. Kix rocked the track with his energy and Ronnie added his one-of-a-kind vocals. Now on their last rodeo tour, the guys will soon separate. Their legend is forever stamped on country music.

59) She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful – Sammy Kershaw

Starting in 1990 and running for about 8-10 years, Sammy Kershaw had a great run as a country star. His biggest hit and currently only #1 hit was She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful. The song is for all the women out there that don’t know it, as Sammy puts it. Many of the great women out there don’t realize that men simply love the way they look when they don’t realize it. The song has a great melody and is still extremely popular on country radio. Sammy still tours with his band each year and She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful is still one of the most popular in the set.

58) Life’s a Dance – John Michael Montgomery

As 1993 kicked off in the US, a young, energetic guy with the biggest dimples you’ve ever seen emerged on the country music scene with an infectious debut single. Life’s a Dance became the first of many big hits for John Michael Montgomery. The song became a signature hit for JMM and that’s impressive given the number of quality hits he had over his career. Some say the song is an obvious rip off of Garth Brooks’ The Dance, but in reality Life’s a Dance does just fine on its own. The song is incredibly catchy and is requested on radio stations all over the US today. It’s a great example of why country music was great in the ’90s.

57) Small Town Saturday Night – Hal Ketchum

In 1991, the major label debut single from singer Hal Ketchum – Small Town Saturday Night – was released. The song climbed all the way to #2 on the charts and has never left country radio playlists. The song tells the common story of what people do in small towns all across the US. Millions connect with the song and sing along with the catchy chorus when it plays over the speakers. It’s still an anthem for many that look for a little fun on Saturday night.

56) I Saw The Light – Wynonna

In 1992, The Judds took a break from recording and touring. Naomi needed time to rest and recover and pursue other interests. Daughter Wynonna signed a solo deal and began her career on her own. Wynonna the solo artist turned out to be a huge success. Wynonna’s second single as a solo act was I Saw The Light. The song is uptempo and catchy. It was popular in 1992 and remains popular today. Wynonna is still releasing new music and touring. Word is she will reunite with her Mother to record new music and tour in 2010.

55) Independence Day – Martina McBride

It’s unusual for a song that missed the top ten on the charts to become a signature song for a superstar artist. That is the case, however, for Martina McBride. The song Independence Day is about domestic abuse and how it affects an entire family including a daughter. The song is not a comfortable topic, but it connected with many. Martina left her mark on the song with soaring chorus notes and passionate vocals. Independence Day is still a popular song today.

54) Fancy – Reba McEntire

Of all the Reba songs that could make this list, it’s surprising – on the surface – that the #8 hit from 1991 Fancy had the most impact. The story of prostitution with Reba’s rendition became a popular hit throughout the decade and still one of Reba’s best known songs. Reba’s sassy vocal and catchy delivery had girls singing along to the distaste of many parents. The impact was positive, however, and Reba is an inspiration for a generation of female country stars.

53) Love, Me – Collin Raye

Collin Raye had an almost quietly successful career in throughout the ’90s. He churned out multiple big hits that still play well today. Perhaps his best song is his first big hit Love, Me. The song is about true love as told by a grandson. The still has the ability to bring tears to the eyes of fans as they reflect on their own experiences with lifelong loves. Collin Raye had major label success the turn of the ’00s, but he’s still actively recording and touring.

52) John Deere Green – Joe Diffie

Mr. Tongue-In-Cheek Joe Diffie was releasing quality fun songs long before Brad Paisley and Jason Aldean came onto the country music scene. Diffie had a knack for writing and finding songs that were fun and touching at the same time. His 1993 top five smash hit John Deere Green was the best of the bunch. The song tells the tale of a young couple in love. To celebrate their love, Billy Bob writes Billy Bob Loves Charlene in big John Deere Green letters on the local town water tower. It’s a great tune that fans still love singing along with today.

51) Longneck Bottle – Garth Brooks and Steve Wariner

By the end of 1997, Garth Brooks was at odds with his record label. Brooks was upset about the lack of sales (by his standards) of his album Fresh Horses. He wanted to make sure his next album was a major hit. The first single released from the album Sevens was Longneck Bottle. The song, a duet with Steve Wariner, became a major #1 smash hit. More hits followed and Sevens sold extremely well. Longneck Bottle marked a bit of a comeback for Brooks and a big comeback for Wariner.

50) If I Know Me – George Strait

George Strait had so many hits in the ’90s it’s hard to pick for this list. If I Know Me is a song that still sees a lot of play on radio and seems to be a fan favorite. The song was a #1 hit for Strait in 1991. The song tells the story of a guy that recently broke up with a girlfriend. He’s questioning his decision and playing with the idea that maybe he can’t really go through with it. It’s a common personal fight men tend to go through. Perhaps that’s why it was and remains so popular. That and nobody sings a song like King George.

49) Down Home – Alabama

Alabama ruled the 1980s in country music. They were still releasing hits as the ’90s came and Down Home was a major hit for the group. The song is classic Alabama. The story of growing up in rural America. The good times, the bad times, and all the fond memories. As usual, Alabama crafted a catchy song that fans loved to sing along with. It’s what made them so special to country music.

48) Vidalia – Sammy Kershaw

It’s hard to believe that a song about a girl named after an onion could become such a fan favorite hit. The song was Sammy Kershaw’s Vidalia cracked the top ten in ’96 and became a signature song for Kershaw. According to him, it’s still a fan favorite in concert and transcends generations. The song is a sing along favorite for country fans of all ages. It wasn’t Sammy’s biggest hit during his successful run in the ’90s, but it’s a fun song that has become a timeless big hit.

47) Walk On Faith – Mike Reid

In late 1990 and 1991, former Cincinnati Bengals Defensive end Mike Reid took his debut single to #1 on the country charts. Walk On Faith had an infectious guitar riff and optimistic lyrics. Reid had been writing songs for successful artist since his retirement from football in 1974 and he’d had some big success. He continues writing songs for other artists today, but he might still best be known the most for Walk On Faith when it comes to his recognition in the music industry.

46) Seminole Wind – John Anderson

By the time the ’90s came around, John Anderson was experiencing a slump. He had major success in the early eighties, but things changed toward the end of the decade. That all changed in 1992 when John released his double platinum album Seminole Wind. The album produced a string of hits. The title track from the album went all the way to #2 on the charts. The song seemed to be too regional for national success on the surface, but fans all over the country connected with the story about Seminole Indians. Fans loved the melody and still request the song often.

45) You Don’t Even Know Who I Am – Patty Loveless

During the mid ’90s, Patty Loveless was the biggest female in country music. She was winning awards and her songs were having a major impact on the charts. In 1995, she released You Don’t Even Know Who I Am from her Album of the Year When Fallen Angels Fly. The song became a top five hit on radio and connected with country fans. The song is about a dying relationship. It doesn’t put blame on either person involved. According to Patty, the song lets people know they’re not the only ones experiencing the sad and lonely situation of an ending relationship. Patty put vocals on the track like only she can. The song is still a favorite today.

44) Sittin’ On Go – Bryan White

In the mid-90s, Bryan White was just about as hot as an artist could be in country music. He was only in his early twenties at the time, but had the charm and maturity of a guy much older. His voice was unique and his talent was undeniable. In 1997, he released the 4th and final single – Sittin’ On Go – from his platinum album Between Now and Forever. The song went all the way to #1. The song was uptempo and catchy. Fans still sing along each time it comes on the radio. Bryan took a few years off during the ’00s to raise a family. Now that his sons are a little older he is back out recording and touring again.

43) Goin’ Through The Big D – Mark Chesnutt

Mark Chesnutt had a lion’s share of hits in the ’90s. A traditional sounding guy from Texas, Chesnutt drew on the influence of the great George Jones. He took the fun Goin’ Through The Big D all the way to #2 in ’94-’95. The song took an upbeat mood to the common situation of divorce. The song perfectly written as it walked a fine line of cliche and commonalities. The song remains a fresh perspective on the all too common divorce so many experience.

42) Every Once in a While – Blackhawk

Looking back now, Blackhawk was an amazing band. The songs they recorded and released during the ’90s are some of the best country songs every created. Every Once And A While was the 2nd single off the band’s debut album. The song reached #2 on the charts in 1994. The story of two lovers that still think about each other every now and then with the killer melodies the band created, the song is still a favorite of country fans today.

41) Go Rest High On That Mountain – Vince Gill

In 1995, Vince Gill released the tear-jerking song Go Rest High On That Mountain. The song won Song of the Year at the CMA Awards as well as two Grammy awards. The song began as a tribute to Keith Whitley, but Gill finished the song after the passing of his brother. The song has helped many grieve the loss of loved ones over the years and remains one of Gill’s biggest hits despite only reaching #14 on the charts.

40) Old Enough To Know Better – Wade Hayes

The early and mid-’90s saw an influx of popular guy performers. Aft the success of Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, George Strait, and Clint Black, Nashville execs were looking for any guy with a Southern twang a hat. In 1995, Wade Hayes had his turn as a big country act. Old Enough To Know Better was an instant hit with fans. Everybody has a little kid in them. And we all tend to make a mistake or two that make others shake their head and say that we’re…

39) I Don’t Call Him Daddy – Doug Supernaw

As 1994 kicked off in country music, Doug Supernaw was a rising star. He was on the (at the time) independent BNA Records label. His 2nd single Reno had just climbed into the top five on the charts and he was becoming well known across the US. As 1994 began, Doug’s third single I Don’t Call Him Daddy made him a legitimate star. The song was about a divorced family as told by a young boy. The song had been a minor hit for Kenny Rogers years earlier, but the song belongs to Supernaw. In years since his stardom Doug has slipped into a real life Crazy Heart story… With Father’s Day coming next weekend you’ll be sure to hear this song on the radio.

38) Cadillac Style – Sammy Kershaw

Sammy Kershaw debuted in 1991 with his debut hit single Cadillac Style. Kershaw instantly drew comparisons to the great George Jones. The southern voice soaked in years of booze, hard work, and soul made Kershaw a hit with fans. Cadillac Style was catchy and fun to sing along to and fans ate it up. Kershaw built a solid career throughout the ’90s and never felt bad about the comparisons to the great George Jones.

37) When She Cries – Restless Heart

In 1992, ’80s country supergroup Restless Heart had an unlikely hit with When She Cries. The song became a hit on the country and pop charts and remains a classic on both charts to this day. The song marked the first time the band was without its lead singer. It’s usually difficult for bands to overcome the loss of a distinguishing part success, but Restless Heart had what is their biggest hit. The melodies were still there and the song still sounds great today.

36) My Love – Little Texas

Little Texas had become one of the biggest acts in country music by the time they released the third single from their double platinum album Big Time. The song was My Love and it would go on to become to the band’s biggest, first and only number one hit on the charts. Little Texas was known as the rock band of country music. The had rocking songs that fans loved, but like many hair metal bands of the late ’80s, Little Texas is most known for their big hit power ballad.

35) Why Didn’t I Think Of That – Doug Stone

It was the fourth and final single from his 1992 smash hit album From the Heart, but for Doug Stone Why Didn’t I Think of That has become his signature song. The tune is about a guy that loses the love of his life. He’s left contemplating the reasons he lost her. He sees all the things that her new love does and he wonders why he couldn’t do those simple things to make her stay. The song remains a favorite on country radio due to its catchy melodies and recognizable story. For Stone, the song remains a favorite at shows. Even though his career as slowed down and he’s had some legal issues, Stone continues recording and touring for the love of the music.

34) Choices – George Jones

In 1999, the greatest country music singer released a new album and a new single. Choices was the song and it became a top 30 hit for Jones. It wasn’t his biggest hit on the charts, but that didn’t take away from the impact the song had on audiences. Men everywhere connected with the song about life’s choices and how our decisions impact who we are and what we’ve done. The song is also remembered for the surprise Alan Jackson performance at the CMA Awards. Jones was asked to sing a shortened version of the song on the award show. He felt insulted and refused. So Alan Jackson cut off his own performance of Pop A Top and sang Choices in respect for his good friend and inspiration.

33) Time Marches On – Tracy Lawrence

Tracy Lawrence released his double platinum smash hit album Time Marches On in 1996. The title track made it all the way to number one as the second single off the record. The song has a unique beat that tells the story of a family over the course of many years. Fans loved the way Lawrence delivered the story. The song still stands out today as unique. Tracy Lawrence could deliver a song in the vein of traditional country artists from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Time Marches On is one of Tracy’s biggest hits and still a favorite today.

32) What Mattered Most – Ty Herndon

Ty Herndon said he arrived in Nashville to record his first music with producer Doug Johnson. The first song they discussed was What Mattered Most. The two debated about the song thinking it may have too many words to become a hit. Together they finally decided that was the unique feature of the song that would make it stand out to listeners. The two were right and the song quickly climbed to the top of the charts in 1995. Herndon would have a few more hits before falling into some hard times later in his career. He’s back now recording and touring and seems to be very happy with his life.

31) Maybe It Was Memphis – Pam Tillis

If there is a signature song for the great Pam Tillis it has to be the passionate Maybe It Was Memphis. The song became a top five smash hit in 1992 for Tillis. In the ’90s and still today, fans of all ages know just about every word of the song. It’s great to be sitting in a car with someone when the song comes over the radio because both of you will usually belt out the chorus with as much passion as Tillis put on the hit track. Tillis originally cut the song in the ’80s, but nothing transpired until she re-cut the song for her 1991 breakout album Put Yourself In My Place.

30) She’s In Love With The Boy – Trisha Yearwood

Trisha Yearwood was a female country music sensation in the ’90s. She sold millions of albums and had tons of hits. Her voice was powerful and emotional. In 1991, Yearwood released her debut single She’s In Love With The Boy. The song tells the story of a young couple in love. The father of the girl in the song is a little angry with the boy because he’s a little rough around the edges. The girl’s mother then has to remind her husband that he was the same way when they started dating. The song made Yearwood a star. Her talent, dedication, and collection of songs made her a legend.

29) This Kiss – Faith Hill

Faith Hill was already a country superstar by the time her third album Faith was released in 1998. The lead off single from the album was This Kiss. The song turned Faith into a crossover sensation. The song is simple. It’s about young love and the great feeling of falling and being in love. At the time, Faith and husband Tim McGraw were the biggest acts in country music. Faith’s career equaled McGraw’s at the time and This Kiss stands as one of the greatest songs of the ’90s.

28) What’s It To You – Clay Walker

Texas country music sensation Clay Walker has been a star in country music since his 1993 debut album came out. The first single for Walker was the ultra-catchy and fun What’s It To You. The song is still popular with fans on radio. It’s impossible to avoid singing along to the lyrics when you hear this tune even today. These days, Walker is releasing a brand new album and riding high on the top five success of a new single. He’s battled with MS and changing country music tastes over the 17+ years he’s been a star, but somehow he still one of the biggest draws in country.

27) Gone Country – Alan Jackson

In 1994, Alan Jackson released a single that poked fun at the music industry as a whole. Since the emergence of artists like Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and Jackson himself, there had been a rush for musicians to country music that may have been considered artists from other genres. Country had proven to be the biggest selling music genre and everybody wanted a piece of the pie. Gone Country was a catchy song that played on this phenomenon. Jackson was the perfect choice to sing. It was one of the few big hits he didn’t write or co-write for himself, but Gone Country is an Alan Jackson classic at any rate.

26) Blue Clear Sky – George Strait

George Strait had a ton of hits in the ’90s. It’s hard to pick a few for this list, but Blue Clear Sky has to be included. It’s a classic Strait song about love and the good things in life that surprise us. When the song was pitched to Strait he thought the lyrics should be changed to the more common phrase Clear Blue Sky. The songwriters and Strait’s producer let him know that the song needed to be Blue Clear Sky because that’s what Tom Hanks’ character Forrest Gump had said in the popular movie of the same name. George conceded and the rest is history.

25) Dust On The Bottle – David Lee Murphy

David Lee Murphy could have been just another hat act with three names, but in 1995 he released one of the most popular country songs of all time with Dust On The Bottle. The unique story of a young guy grabbing an old bottle of wine from a friend to take on a date became an instant hit with fans. The song has a rocking beat and a sing along chorus. Generations of fans still crank up the volume when it comes on the radio. Today, David Lee has become a major success as a songwriter for other artists. Most recently he wrote the smash hit Big Green Tractor for Jason Aldean.

24) Meet In The Middle – Diamond Rio

There were a ton of catchy, sing along songs in the ’90s, but Diamond’s Rio’s 1991 debut #1 hit Meet In The Middle may be the most catchy, most sing along, fun song ever. The opening guitar riff is awesome. The lyrics tell the story of two young lovers walking to meet each other halfway between each others house. The song is about the power of compromise in relationships, but the most memorable thing about the song will always be the sing along chorus.

23) Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away – Vince Gill

It took a few years in the ’80s, but Vince Gill became a superstar in the ’90s. He won tons of awards. He put out a string of hit singles and he sold millions of albums. In 1993, the second single off his most successful album I Still Believe In You was released. The catchy Don’t Let Our Love Start Slippin’ Away became a #1 hit for Gill. It’s one of his most recognized songs today and still gets played often on the radio. Fans love the upbeat vibe of the song and the chorus is easy to sing along to.

22) Wild One – Faith Hill

Faith Hill became an instant success after her debut single Wild One climbed all the way to #1 in 1993. The song is one of Faith’s most well-known hits today. Like most great songs from the ’90s, Wild One is extremely catchy and fun. The song is about a young girl growing up with an adventurous nature. 17 years later, the song is still connecting with young girls that share the same spirit of the girl in the song.

21) I Like It, I Love It – Tim McGraw

Tim McGraw’s career got off to a slow start when his first three singles and debut album failed to make much noise. His career took off like a shot with his second album though. For the lead off single to his third album All I Want, Tim released I Like It, I Love It. The song became a classic Tim McGraw song. It was one of the best and most played songs of the ’90s and remains a McGraw classic. The song even has a dance remix for line dancers.

20) Chattahoochee – Alan Jackson

Alan Jackson was already having tons of success with his first three albums when he released the single Chattahoochee from his third album A Lot About Livin’ (And A Little ‘Bout Love). The song became a smash summer hit as well as becoming a signature song for Jackson. The song tells the story about growing up and hanging out with friends during the summer. The video featured Jackson slalom water skiing in his trademark ripped jeans. The sound and style of Chattahoochee influenced songs that followed in the ’90s.

19) Some Girls Do – Sawyer Brown

In the early 1990s, Sawyer Brown entered a new level of success in country music. Their second single off their hit album The Dirt Road was the SB signature song Some Girls Do. The song was written by lead singer Mark Miller. The tune is about how some girls turn the other when it comes to the hard working, good timing, fun loving, good old boys, but there is no reason to worry because when it comes to loving country boys – some girls do. It’s a classic song and usually the closer for every Sawyer Brown show. The guys are still releasing music and touring. If you haven’t seen them live yet you need to do it asap. They’re great.

18) Don’t Take The Girl – Tim McGraw

If Tim McGraw’s first hit single Indian Outlaw gained him enough notoriety to get noticed, his second hit single and first #1 Don’t Take the Girl made him a legitimate country star. Don’t Take the Girl had fans singing along for most of the ’90s and still today. While the song that made Jimmy Johnson and Tommy Thompson a little more famous in the country world, it really took Tim McGraw’s career to a new level of success and propelled him to the superstar he is today.

17) Any Man of Mine – Shania Twain

In the mid-’90s there was no one better at crafting an infectiously fun melody than Shania Twain. Any Man of Mine came out in ’95 and became Shania’s first American #1 hit. The song even had crossover success, reaching #31 on the pop charts. Everybody and that means everybody was singing the tune. Kids, adults, women, and men were all singing all to perhaps the catchiest song of the ’90s.

16) A Broken Wing – Martina McBride

If you watch American Idol or any singing competition, you’re sure to hear a cover of Martina McBride’s classic hit A Broken Wing. The song is a favorite of females of all ages. The song is about a female character escaping a difficult and abusive relationship. Martina nailed the vocals as she always does and very few compare to the original version despite the number of times it’s been covered.

15) Next To You, Next To Me – Shenandoah

With a distinctive lead vocalist and an upbeat melody, country band Shenandoah had their biggest hit in 1990. Next To You, Next To Me was a fun song to sing along to throughout the decade and remains a favorite today. It’s a simple song, but sometimes those are the most memorable.

14) Five Minutes – Lorrie Morgan

Lorrie Morgan is sassy, sexy, and one of country’s greatest female performers. To kick off the ’90s she released her best song Five Minutes. The song is about a woman, sick of man that isn’t giving enough in a relationship, leaving. She gives the guy five minutes to try and figure out his deal before she hits the road. The song became an anthem for women.

13) Brand New Man – Brooks & Dunn

As solo acts, Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn couldn’t get their careers started. In 1991, they teamed up and released their first single Brand New Man. The result was a new breed of country music. The song was rocking, in your face, boot stomping country music that made you take notice. With Ronnie’s soaring vocals and Kix’s contagious enthusiasm, Brooks & Dunn dominated the ’90s and changed things in country music.

12) Heads Carolina, Tails California – Jo Dee Messina

If you listened to country radio in 1996 you couldn’t go 10 minutes without hearing Jo Dee Messina’s debut hit single Head Carolina, Tails California. The song was a #2 smash hit that year and it made Jo Dee a star. The catchy melody spun the tale of two lovers looking for something to do. The answer? Flip a coin. It was a fun song and one of the best songs in a decade that saw many fun songs.

11) The Dance – Garth Brooks

Over the summer of 1990, a slow, simple song from newcomer Garth Brooks was released. The Dance was an unusual choice as a single to kick off the summer. Normally it’s the hard rocking, up tempo songs that are released in an effort to become summer anthems. But The Dance was special. The simple lyric about life and taking chances became a signature song for the mega-star Brooks as fans everywhere connected with the performance. Garth lobbied his label to release the song when they wanted to move on to the next album. Brooks convinced them and he says it’s the song that really jump started his career.

10) You’re Still The One – Shania Twain

Shania Twain’s now 20+ million selling album Come On Over started out selling records relatively slow. That was until the album’s third single was released in 1998. You’re Still The One was a song about her then husband, producer Mutt Lange. The song became an anthem for all those in love. Fans loved the song and loved Shania. The song became a smash hit on the country and pop charts and took Shania to a new level of mega-star success. To date, it’s her biggest hit and still receives big play on multiple radio formats.

9) Check Yes or No – George Strait

In 1995, George Strait was preparing to release a collection of every hit he had up to that point. Strait Out Of The Box was a huge collection of great country songs and is one of George’s best selling albums. To promote the album, Strait needed a new song to hit the charts. The single he choose was the smash hit Check Yes Or No. The song told the cute story of two young lovers falling in love forever with it all beginning with a passing of a note in grade school class. The note was sent from the little girl to the little boy and the question became the timeless chorus of the song. Check Yes Or No is still a favorite of many fans today and George is still racking up #1 hits and he doesn’t appear to be slowing down.

8) Wide Open Spaces – Dixie Chicks

In the second half of 1998, the Dixie Chicks released the title track from their breakout album Wide Open Spaces. The single became an anthem for girls all over the country. The song was about a young girl looking to get away and head out into the wide open spaces life had to offer. The song turned the Chicks into stars and helped the album sell over 12 million copies. The chicks gained some misguided criticism for a comment in 2003, but their legend survives today. They’re ultra-talented musicians and still producing some of the best country music today. Wide Open Spaces is a classic country song and I’m sure a few Dads still use it to remind their girls to check the oil.

7) Strawberry Wine – Deana Carter

It was an unlikely hit, but in the second half of 1996, Deana Carter saw her debut single Strawberry Wine go all the way to #1 on the country charts. The song was a waltz and had a slow, but melodic feel to it. Carter’s vocals fit perfectly as she sang about a young girl’s first experience with love on her grandparent’s farm one summer. Women and girls connected with the familiar story and the song would go on to win Song of the Year at the CMAs.

6) Amazed – Lonestar

After two successful albums, Lonestar parted ways with bass player John Rich (Big & Rich) and set out to release their third album. The result was Lonely Grill and in the summer of 1999 the second single from the album would take the band into surperstardom. Amazed was the song. Fans loved the song. It had a slightly more pop and adult contemporary sound that what Lonestar had previously released. The song spent 8 weeks at #1 on the country charts and reached #1 on the pop charts as well. The song was everywhere that summer and Lonestar would often have to play it twice at their concerts.

5) Should’ve Been a Cowboy – Toby Keith

The most-played song on country radio in the ’90s was Toby Keith’s debut single Shouldn’t Been A Cowboy. The song turned Keith into a new country star. The song was about a guy looking back and wondering what his life would have been like if he had followed the path of his cowboy heroes. At the time of the songs release – 1993 – many adult men from the baby boomer generation had grown up with classic western movies and TV shows. The song was their anthem and still is today as they reflect on their lives. It wasn’t a bad debut single for Keith even though he was told earlier by a Nashville executive that the song was no good.

4) I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why) – Alabama

In 1992, after being named artist of the decade, Alabama still had plenty of great music left. They released the single I’m In A Hurry (And Don’t Know Why) and the song became one of their biggest hits. The catchy chorus caught on immediately with listeners of all ages. In a decade that saw the expansion of computers and the Internet, it seemed like everybody was in a hurry to get something done. Alabama provided a catchy theme song for all of the busy listeners in country music. It’s a great song. The opening chorus with lead singer Randy Owen belting out the vocals is amazing.

3) Don’t Rock The Jukebox – Alan Jackson

For one of the biggest artists of the ’90s, Alan Jackson released his signature hit in 1991 with Don’t Rock The Jukebox. The story of the Don’t Rock The Jukebox was simple and told best by the man himself in the video – Don’t Rock The Jukebox. Jackson and his band were at a small town lounge. Jackson went over by the jukebox to talk to a band mate. One of the legs was broken and when Jackson leaned up against it his bass player said…

2) My Maria – Brooks & Dunn

Brooks & Dunn were one of the biggest acts in the ’90s. Their fans loved everything they put out, but in 1996 the duo released what has become their most well-known and most requested song. The cover version of the song My Maria became a sensation in the ’90s. The song was everywhere. People were even naming their kids Maria. Ronnie’s soaring vocals during the chorus and the music arrangement clicked with listeners. Fans requested B&D to sing the tune for their going away special in 2010. It’s one of the greatest country songs ever and definitely a top song of the ’90s.

1) Friends In Low Places – Garth Brooks

In 1991, the biggest star in country music history, Garth Brooks, released his biggest hit song. Friends In Low Places set Garth’s career on a whirlwind ride to levels of success unseen in country music. The song is a story about a guy letting an ex-girlfriend know that he doesn’t need her anymore and that he has the best friends a guy can ask for. The song has become a barroom anthem and is likely the most played song at country karaoke bars all over the US. For added effect, Garth added a third verse to the song. He sang it almost exclusively in his live shows and often had the fans sing the entire verse. It was a powerful idea and a reason Garth was the biggest country star of the 1990s.

Listen On Spotify

Meet Robyn’s Virgin River Cast of Characters VIRGIN RIVER – BOOK 1

Melinda (Mel) Monroe—Nine months after losing her ER doctor husband in a violent, big-city crime, this burned-out RN, certified nurse midwife and nurse practitioner, age 32, comes to Virgin River, answering an ad to assist the local country doctor.

Jack Sheridan—40-year-old retired, decorated Marine who fought in four combat zones and now owns Jack’s Bar, the center of social life in Virgin River. There he meets Mel Monroe.

Doc Mullins—Virgin River’s grumpy 70-year-old town doctor, who has a difficult time accepting Mel Monroe’s help when she answers his ad for help.

Hope McCrea—The 76-year-old widow who donated the cabin and the first year’s salary when Mel answered her ad for an assistant for Doc Mullins. Virgin River town benefactor.

Liz (Lizzie) Anderson—Too wild, in her parents’ estimation, this 14-year-old is sent from Eureka to live with her Aunt Connie in Virgin River, where she meets Rick Sudder.

Rick Sudder—Surrogate son to Jack Sheridan, 16-year-old Rick Sudder falls hard for Lizzie. They become involved, and their romance is an ongoing story through the first six books.

John (Preacher) Middleton—The 32-year-old cook at Jack’s Bar, this Marine friend of Jack’s is as tender as he is strong. Preacher is known for his pies and fancies himself a bit of a gourmet.

Paige Lassiter—Twenty-nine-year-old beautician on the run from her abusive husband, Paige and her three-year-old son, Christopher, find shelter and protection in the person of Preacher Middleton at Jack’s Bar.

Mike Valenzuela—Having served in the Marines with Preacher and Jack, then shot while a sergeant in LAPD’s gangs division, Mike, 36, comes to Virgin River to recover from his injuries and eventually becomes the town constable.

Brie Sheridan—Jack’s youngest sister whose police detective husband left her for Brie’s best friend. A 30-year-old county district attorney, Brie comes to Virgin River to recover after losing a big trial. In Virgin River, a romance blossoms between Brie and Mike Valenzuela.

David Sheridan—Jack and Mel Sheridan’s first baby.

Tommy Booth—The new kid in Virgin River, this shy, athletic high school senior is the son of retired Army General Walt Booth and brother of Vanni. He plans to attend West Point.

Brenda Carpenter—Having recently suffered a miscarriage, Brenda loses her heart to Tommy Booth, who helps find the rapist targeting high school girls at area parties.

Walt Booth—The 61-year-old retired Army general and widow, whose two children, Vanessa and Tommy, have roots in Virgin River, as does his niece, Shelby.

Paul Haggerty—Now a local builder, Paul, 35, was best friends with and a Marine buddy of Matt Rutledge, who died serving his country. Living by the marine motto, Semper Fidelis, Paul honors his friend’s memory by helping Matt’s widow, Vanessa Rutledge, and her baby.

Matthew (Mattie) Paul Rutledge—Son of Vanessa Rutledge and her deceased Marine husband, Matthew.

Marcie Sullivan—A year after her beloved husband, Bobby, died of wounds sustained while fighting in Iraq, Marcie, 27, leaves Chico, California, to go to Virgin River in search of Ian Buchanan. Bobby’s best friend and his first sergeant in the Marine Corps, Ian saved Bobby’s life, and Marcie wants to find out why he won’t answer her letters of gratitude.

Ian Buchanan—Suffering from the after-effects of war, Ian, 35, lives in seclusion deep in the forest above Virgin River until Marcie Sullivan finds shelter in his remote cabin during a snowstorm.

Erin Elizabeth Foley—Marcie Sullivan’s older sister, a 34-year-old attorney.

Vanessa (Vanni) Rutledge—Giving birth to her son, Matthew, after her husband dies fighting in Iraq, Vanni comes to love Paul Haggerty but has a hard time convincing him he isn’t dishonoring his buddy by loving her in return. A former flight attendant and roommate of Nikki’s, daughter of General Walt Booth.

Joe Benson—Paul Haggerty’s best friend, an architect from Grant’s Pass, who falls in love with Nikki Jorgensen in Virgin River.

Nikki Jorgensen—The flight attendant friend of Vanessa’s, Nikki is based in San Francisco and has a fling with Joe Benson in Virgin River.

Muriel St. Claire—This 56-year-old movie star, expert horsewoman and lover of dogs is the romantic interest of her new neighbor back home in Virgin River, Walt Booth.

Terri—When she learns she’s pregnant, she tries to convince Paul Haggerty that the child is his.

Emma Sheridan—Mel and Jack Sheridan’s second child is born.

Dana Marie Middleton—Paige’s little girl is born.

Luke Riordan—A 38-year-old newly retired Army Blackhawk pilot, who comes to Virgin River to repair some cabins that he co-owns with one of his brothers.

Shelby McIntyre—At age 26, Shelby is embarking on a brand new life after being a full-time caregiver to her mother for the seven years prior to her death. A niece of General Walt Booth, she plans to travel, visit family in Virgin River and apply to nursing schools, but her plans change when she meets Luke Riordan.

Cameron Michaels—In nearby Grants Pass, Oregon, Cameron, 35, is a family practice physician/pediatrician who is ready to fall in love, marry and have children when he has a one-night stand with a woman he met in a hotel bar (Abby MacCall Crawford). Subsequently he applies for the job as Virgin River’s town doctor to fill the post vacated when Doc dies.

Abby MacCall Crawford—Because her musician husband, Ross, is divorcing her for another woman, this former flight attendant is not in the mood to celebrate when she comes to Grants Pass, Oregon, as a bridesmaid in a friend’s wedding. However, a romantic romp that night with Dr. Michaels leaves her pregnant with twins. She comes to Virgin River to stay with Vanni until the babies are born.

Maureen Riordan—Sixty-one-year-old widow and mother of five Riordan brothers.

Art Cleary—His mother deceased, 29-year-old Art has Down syndrome and, after suffering abuse at his grocery store job in Eureka, leaves the group home where he has been staying and goes to Virgin River. There Luke Riordan takes him under his wing and offers him a job and a place to stay at his little group of vacation cabins.

Ness Valenzuela—Brie and Mike’s baby girl.

Dan Brady—Introduced in Book 1 as a mysterious local illegal pot grower, Dan, who served as a Marine in Iraq and is now a reformed grower, returns to Virgin River to work for Paul Haggerty’s construction company. He rents Cheryl Creighton’s parents’ old house, renovates it and falls for Cheryl.

Lydie Sudder—Rick Sudder’s paternal grandmother, who raised him after his parents died when he was young.

Cheryl Creighton—The former town drunk, now sober, who finds more than understanding with Dan Brady.

Jerry Powell—Counselor for Lizzie Anderson and Rick Sudder.

THAT HOLIDAY FEELING – BOOK 8 Under the Christmas Tree novella

Nathaniel (Nate) Jensen—Large animal veterinarian who finds more than animal attraction with Annie McKenzie.

Annie McKenzie—A beautician with her own shop and the daughter of a local (retired) dairy farmer, who falls for Nate Jensen.

Reverend Noah Kincaid—Widowed Presbyterian minister from Seattle, who comes to Virgin River to renovate and reopen the abandoned church he bought on eBay. He shocks the townsfolk by hiring and falling in love with a former stripper.

Ellie Baldwin—The brassy, beautiful former exotic dancer who signs on as Pastor Noah Kincaid’s assistant in order to regain custody of her children, Danielle, eight, and Trevor, four.

Lucy—Noah’s rescued border collie.

George Davenport—Noah’s best friend and mentor from Seattle.

Sean Riordan—Thirty-two-year-old cocky fighter pilot from Beale Air Force Base, who comes to Virgin River in hopes of a second chance with his Air Force sweetheart, only to discover they have something more to share than a smoking hot history.

Franci Duncan—Former Air Force flight nurse, who settles in nearby Eureka to raise her three-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Rosie, who is a secret to her dad and Franci’s former boyfriend, Sean Riordan.

Harry—Franci’s dog.

Vivian Duncan—Family nurse practitioner.

Carl—Vivian’s significant other, a physician.

Dr. T.J. Brookner—Marine biologist Franci Duncan has been dating casually.

Erin Foley—Having raised her younger siblings after their parents’ early deaths, this 35-year-old, burned-out attorney and sister to Marcie Foley Sullivan (A Virgin River Christmas) and to Drew Foley, medical resident, comes to Virgin River to get to know herself.

Aiden Riordan—After serving in the Navy as an OB/GYN, Aiden leaves his last duty station (San Diego) and comes to Virgin River to recharge. There he falls for Erin Foley, but his crazy ex-wife complicates matters.

MIDNIGHT KISS – BOOK 12 Midnight Confessions novella

Drew Foley—Erin’s younger brother and a medical resident whose fiancé left him.

Sunny—Nathaniel Jensen’s niece, who’s soured on love after being left at the altar the previous New Year’s Eve, visits Virgin River for the Christmas holidays.

Clay Tahoma—Born in Flagstaff, Arizona, this 34-year-old divorced Navajo horse whisperer/farrier comes to Virgin River to work as a veterinarian assistant for his old friend, Nate Jensen. There he falls for Lilly Yazhi.

Lilly Yazhi—The Hopi woman who delivers feed and does the books for the feed store owned by her grandfather, Yaz, who raised her after her mother ran off. Not enamored with old-world, male-dominated tribal relationships, especially one with a Navajo with traditional ways, she nonetheless finds the new Navajo farrier irresistible.

Gabe Tahoma—Clay’s son from a teenage relationship.

Colin Riordan—Retired Army Blackhawk pilot, seriously injured when shot down, comes to Virgin River to recuperate. Younger brother of Luke Riordan.

Jillian Matlock—VP of Corporate Communications for Benedict Software Systems, on a leave of absence after being falsely accused of sexual harassment, comes to Virgin River.

Kurt Conroy—Former employee and one-time love interest of Jillian Matlock, who accuses her of sexual harassment.

Denny Cutler—A 24-year-old who has served in the Marines and comes to Virgin River to find his biological father.

Kelly Matlock—Older sister to Jillian Matlock, a sous chef in San Francisco.

Lief Holbrook—Widowed stepfather of 13-year-old girl and writer from Los Angeles.

Courtney Holbrook—Thirteen-year-old stepdaughter of Lief Holbrook.

Luca Brazzi—Mentor and owner of five-star San Francisco restaurant where Kelly Matlock works.

Shiloh Tahoma—Cousin of Clay Tahoma; artist and gallery owner in Sedona, AZ.

Kelly Matlock—Thirty-four year old sister to Jillian Matlock. A five-star sous chef in a restaurant in San Francisco, who comes to Virgin River to recuperate from an emotional collapse at work.

Lief Holbrook—Screenwriter in Los Angeles and recent widower, who relocates to Virgin River in search of a better environment to raise his troubled teen stepdaughter, Courtney.

Courtney Holbrook—Fourteen-year-old stepdaughter of Lief Holbrook with definite attitude issues.

Amber Hawkins—Girl who befriends Courtney at school in Virgin River.

Rory Hawkins—Wheelchair-bound nephew of Amber who suffers from muscular dystrophy.

Sinette & Hawk—Parents of Amber and Rory.

Luciano Brazzi—Famous chef and mentor to Kelly in San Francisco restaurant where she worked before coming to Virgin River.

Olivia Brazzi—Wife of Luciano.

Spike—Courtney’s new golden retriever puppy.

Becca Timms—Several years after her final break-up with Denny, 25-year-old Becca, an unemployed teacher, heads to Virgin River, where she plans to confront the man who broke her heart. She simply wants to let go so she can move on.

Denny Cutler—Having found a permanent home in Virgin River after serving in the Marines, this 25-year-old associate in Jilly Farms is surprised to see his former girlfriend, Becca, in town.

Nora Crane—single mother of a newborn and a two-year-old; very young and extremely poor.

Blackhawk Plaza California

Adie Clemens—elderly widow in need of some Christmas charity; very concerned for her young neighbor, Nora, and her children.

Thickson Family—Frank, a disabled and disgruntled logger; his wife, Lorraine, a hard-working waitress, and their children: eight-year-old Megan and three young boys.

Connor Danson—a 35-year-old, successful business owner in Sacramento, Conner is an unwilling witness to a violent crime. He is in Virgin River trying to keep a low profile until the trial.

Leslie Petruso—Burned by love, 32-year-old Leslie moves from her hometown of Grant’s Pass to Virgin River to put her cheery ex-husband his new wife out of her mind.

Katie—Connor’s younger sister. A military widow and mother of twin boys, Katie is forced to move across the country, away from Connor, who is her main support and the boys’ only male influence.

Mitch and Andy—Katie’s five-year-old twins; Connor’s nephews

Greg Adams—Leslie’s ex

Allison Adams—Greg’s new wife

Candace and Robert Petruso—Leslie’s parents, 60-something, retired and a fun-loving couple.

Regis Mathis—high profile businessman, Mathis is the murder suspect awaiting trial.

Katie Malone—Thirty-two-year-old widowed mother of twin boys. Now that the threat to their safety is over, Katie is reuniting with her brother, Conner, planning to spend the summer in Virgin River.

Dylan Childress—A former child actor, 35-year-old Dylan, now a pilot and rancher of sorts, is the owner of a charter air service in Payne, Montana. Dylan and his buddies are on their annual motorcycle road trip, this year through California, when they run into Katie, who is sidelined by a flat tire.

Andy & Mitch—Katie’s five-year-old identical twins. After a family trip to Disney World, Katie is taking her bright, rambunctious boys to Virgin River to spend time with their Uncle Conner.

Adele Childress—Dylan’s grandmother. Adele, a famous actress in her own right, she removed troubled teenager Dylan from the Hollywood scene, taking him to the ranch in Montana where she raised him.

Lang—Best friends since college, Lang and Dylan are business partners. Lang and his wife, Sue Ann, have five children.

Blaine—Dylan’s 40-year-old stepsister.

Bryce—Age 30, Bryce is Dylan’s half brother.

Cherise Fontaine—Dylan’s mother. Cherise is an actress and, like Blaine and Bryce, has used Dylan’s notoriety for personal gain.

Jay Romney—A well-known Hollywood producer, who is looking forward to having Dylan star in another movie.

Tom Cavanaugh—Having served in the Marines, Tom has returned home to Virgin River to take over the family apple orchard. Almost 30 years old, Tom is ready to settle down and perhaps start a family of his own.

Nora Crane—Twenty-three-year-old mother of two young girls. Brought to Virgin River and abandoned there by her abusive ex-boyfriend, Nora desperately needs work to support her family.

Maxie Cavanaugh—Tom’s grandmother. Maxie raised Tom and has managed the orchard during his college years and his time in the Marines.

Darla—widow of Bob Pritchard, who was killed in action in Afghanistan while serving under Tom. From Denver, Darla is now taking classes at University of California/Davis and wants to spend time visiting Tom in Virgin River.

Junior—a big, muscled man of about 50 years, Junior is the orchard’s long-time foreman.

Adie Clemens—Nora’s elderly neighbor, who has befriended Nora. Adie helps take care of Nora’s girls.

Jed—Nora’s estranged father, with whom she only recently reunited after not having seen him since she was 6 years old.

Susan—Jed’s girlfriend

Berry and Fay—Nora’s daughters, ages two years old and nine months old, respectively.

Patrick Riordan—The youngest of the Riordan brothers and a Navy fighter pilot, who is in Virgin River for a respite after losing his best friend when a mission over Afghanistan went terribly wrong.

Angie LaCroix—A young medical student recovering from a catastrophic car accident, who visits her uncle, Jack Sheridan. Her agenda is very like Patrick’s—she needs some time and space to regain her confidence and reassert her goals.

Donna LaCroix—Angie’s mom, Jack’s oldest sister. A journalism professor, she can be overprotective and domineering, one of the reasons Angie flees to Virgin River for a break.

Jake—Patrick’s deceased best friend.

Marie—Jake’s widow. Patrick spends as much time as possible talking to her on the phone or visiting her, feeling very responsible for her as a support.

Megan Thickson—A nine-year-old with a devastating facial scar that’s leaving her disfigured.

Frank and Lorraine Thickson—Megan’s parents.

Dr. Hernandez—A reconstructive surgeon.

[literateape]

Unpacking Branson: A Thanksgiving Improbability

By Don Hall

For Thanksgiving in 2012, I was single and Mom decided that I should come out to my step-sister's place in Branson, Missouri for a good old-fashioned country Thanksgiving. The carrot was family. The stick was Missouri.

In the late 1960s it was pretty much a tiny city in the Ozarks known for roadside stands peddling wares that proliferated the hillbilly stereotype. And, sure enough, there are still today roadside stands that exist only to continue to make fun of that stereotype. It's an odd thing to walk into a business in the middle of the Ozarks that sells you the stereotype it tries to escape from. Like buying a taxi cab medallion from an East Indian store or an "I'm a Wetback" t-shirt in a store that sells Mexican merchandise.

It is said you cannot judge a book by its cover.

This is true most of the time, but there are some things you can judge immediately by its cover and pretty much know what your getting.

An Ann Coulter book. Sean Hannity. A FOX News broadcast. Great America. Applebee's.

I assumed that Branson, Missouri would fall into this latter category. I was right and wrong. And the complexities made it a real trip to remember.

Branson is where the Beverly Hillbillies came from before moving to California.

A winding series of roads littered with signs and theaters and restaurants. Lots of bumper stickers that declare "I'd Rather Be Dead Than SOCIALIST" and random tributes to past GOP glory. In the three days we trucked around the city, I counted perhaps one hundred people of color the entire time—I didn't start the trip by calculating this but after a bit, it was hard to escape. Thousands of old white people with canes and wheelchairs abounded but that doesn't really look that much different than Navy Pier or the audience at Chicago Shakes—old white people like to be tourists and Branson is, after all, a haven of tourism.

My step-sister, Hannah, tells me that the crack business booms among the residents of Branson and there is evidence around if you're looking for it. The place is slightly schizophrenic in its place as a home to rednecks and hillbillies while trying desperately to distance itself from that by appealing to the tourist trade. There are places that stink of what one expects in Ozarks—a biker bar called the Hawg Trough that even my pro-GOP brother-in-law avoids and a Smoke Shop that doesn't sell cigarettes and has a pit bull guarding the door. But there are surprises that popped up during my three-day Thanksgiving vacation that defied my pre-judged expectations.

The surprises came in weird ways. When I arrived, we ate at a place called the Rowdy Beaver—a place with t-shirts that trumpeted "I Like Bald Beaver" and "That's A Mighty Nice Beaver" and had washboard walls. The thing that surprised was that the food was out of this world. It was delicious and well prepared and not at all what I expected. "Our chef prepares everything from fresh ingredients," trumpeted our waitress who seemed completely fine with her job at a place filled with such juvenile innuendo.

The Hollywood Wax Museum was fun but the wax figures left me a bit wanting—a frequent refrain of our visit was my niece saying "Who's that?" and me doing my best to figure it out. I tried to convince my family to go to Silver Dollar City so I could find and steal a urinal cake but it was $60 per person and even I couldn't argue that $300 was reasonable for me to complete a toilet cookie tale. We had tickets to a magic show billed as the World's Largest (by the way, every attraction in Branson is billed as "Show of the Year," "The Most Amazing in the World," and "Mindblowing") but the show was cancelled due to illness. Turns out Kirby VanBurch's greatest trick is to take your money and disappear.

Our replacement show for the afternoon was going to be either Jim Stafford (I desperately wanted to see this) or SIX (the nieces had heard it was awesome). Stafford only did an 8 p.m. show, so SIX at the Mickey Gilley Theater it was.

SIX is six middle-aged brothers who debuted on the Donnie and Marie Show and have fashioned themselves as sort of an older version of an a cappella boy band. As soon as they started with a cheeseball version of Don't Stop Believin', Hannah and I turned to each other with a look of pained resignation. These guys had pretty good voices and the arrangements were fine but the self-consciously hip pose and cornball attempts at cool banter was unbearable. I learned that wanting to see an awful Branson show and actually sitting through one are two different things. I also learned that I will never, as a middle-aged white guy, ever use the words "homie" or "peeps" ever again. To be fair, the second act was better—a selection of Christmas songs and a tribute to their dead mother. Apparently this tiny woman had ten children, all boys, and I suspect she isn't dead but just got the fuck out of there before having to bear an eleventh kid. But the damage of the first act left me scarred and a little terrified of that evening's show—Legends at the Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater.

Legends is a show that debuted in Vegas and moved to Branson. It is a rotating cast of celebrity impersonators ranging from Barry White, Marilynn Monroe and Tim McGraw to the staples of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Our bill was George Strait, Whitney Houston, the Blues Brothers, Liberace and Elvis. As we entered and sat down, once again surrounded by octogenarians, I steeled myself. This was going to be fucking awful.

And it wasn't.

Really. In fact, it was a blast. The Whitney Houston knocked it out of the park, Liberace was funny but completely inappropriate in a callback to the dark days of The Gay Closet and the Elvis impersonator was so fucking good, if we had been sitting in the nose bleeds it would've been like actually seeing Elvis live. My mom, a huge Elvis fan from when he was alive, commented that he was the best Elvis impersonator she had ever seen. Hell, even my teenaged nieces enjoyed the show.

But we saved the best, most Branson-y show for Saturday. Yakov Smirnoff. Holy shit. I couldn't wait. I was absolutely certain it would embody everything I expected Branson to be—cheesy, cloying, the very portrait of a has-been celebrity stretching out his 15 minutes of fame as paper thin as he could in the heart of the Vegas of the Ozarks. We were greeted by a giant Yakov head making awful jokes about... the size of his head! Inside, it turned out that Yakov was a painter and had his paintings for sale!

The beginning of the show was the longest version of the national anthem I've ever heard (who know there were, like, nine verses?) and then I was hit with another fucking surprise. On the video screens came an old Paul Harvey "The Rest of the Story" about a painter known as Jacob who painted and commissioned a painting in tribute to the fallen at Ground Zero in NYC following the Attacks of 9/11.  Painted on the side of a building overlooking the rubble, it was the backdrop to the first anniversary of the attacks. The painter was an anonymous Yakov Smirnoff. He paid for the commission out of his own pocket.

Some of his show was what I expected: a revisitation of his "What a Country!" schtick from the '80s—a sketch of him as the president answering questions from the audience, and he actually quoted the Lee Greenwood God Bless the U.S.A. as a closer. But other parts were not at all what I anticipated. Turns out that Yakov went out and got a Master's Degree in psychology and decided that his show could also serve as a relationship counseling session as well. Sort of like Defending the Caveman meets a less arrogant Dr. Phill with the takeaway being that we begin relationships laughing and giving each other little gifts and that, if we simply return to giving each other gifts and finding laughter in our relationships, we'll be happier, healthier people.

Was it a great show? Not really. The dancers were cheesy and only there to fill time, the jokes were funny in a "Yeah, I remember that one" sort of way, the political stuff was tame (although at one point, Yakov asked the audience who was happy with the results of the latest election—a smattering of applause that included my mother and I enthusiastically cheering—and who was ticked off by it—a thundering, slightly ugly ovation—with the Russian comic commenting "Yeah, that's about even...") and the recurring pro-America stuff was hard to hear after a while. But the thing is... I liked him.

I mean, I really liked the guy. He was so overwhelmingly sincere and genuine. Christ, I wanted to hug him. And, while his show is corny and inoffensive and gentle and perfect for the Branson tourist crowd, this is a guy who lives in Branson, Missouri suggesting that people spend time laughing and loving one another instead of being shitbags.

Prejudice is a funny thing. Judging books by their covers is what we do as people. I imagine it's a hard drive instinct. But, as I am often heard saying, while we are all unique and precious snowflakes and each of us is completely distinct, we are all made of fucking snow. We all are simply people trying our best to get along in the world. Yes, that means that our baser, uglier instincts come to play like ordinary people rioting in a Walmart on Black Friday to get a discount on a portable DVD player. It also means that our better, more generous nature comes into play, and sometimes it's nice to be reminded that even in Red State Hell, Yakov Smirnoff is telling thousands of people every week to just be fucking nicer to each other.

On Thanksgiving, the point is to be with friends or family and celebrate those things in our lives we are (or should be) thankful for. Sure, the holiday is laden with cultural markers that include the genocide of the Native Americans and our national quest to bequeath every American with diabetes but the point is gratitude. Gratitude can come from a lot of places and I’m thankful to remember the lessons I learned in Branson. 

[theliterateape]

Unpacking Branson: A Thanksgiving Improbability

By Don Hall

For Thanksgiving in 2012, I was single and Mom decided that I should come out to my step-sister's place in Branson, Missouri for a good old-fashioned country Thanksgiving. The carrot was family. The stick was Missouri.

In the late 1960s it was pretty much a tiny city in the Ozarks known for roadside stands peddling wares that proliferated the hillbilly stereotype. And, sure enough, there are still today roadside stands that exist only to continue to make fun of that stereotype. It's an odd thing to walk into a business in the middle of the Ozarks that sells you the stereotype it tries to escape from. Like buying a taxi cab medallion from an East Indian store or an "I'm a Wetback" t-shirt in a store that sells Mexican merchandise.

It is said you cannot judge a book by its cover.

This is true most of the time, but there are some things you can judge immediately by its cover and pretty much know what your getting.

An Ann Coulter book. Sean Hannity. A FOX News broadcast. Great America. Applebee's.

I assumed that Branson, Missouri would fall into this latter category. I was right and wrong. And the complexities made it a real trip to remember.

Branson is where the Beverly Hillbillies came from before moving to California.

A winding series of roads littered with signs and theaters and restaurants. Lots of bumper stickers that declare "I'd Rather Be Dead Than SOCIALIST" and random tributes to past GOP glory. In the three days we trucked around the city, I counted perhaps one hundred people of color the entire time—I didn't start the trip by calculating this but after a bit, it was hard to escape. Thousands of old white people with canes and wheelchairs abounded but that doesn't really look that much different than Navy Pier or the audience at Chicago Shakes—old white people like to be tourists and Branson is, after all, a haven of tourism.

My step-sister, Hannah, tells me that the crack business booms among the residents of Branson and there is evidence around if you're looking for it. The place is slightly schizophrenic in its place as a home to rednecks and hillbillies while trying desperately to distance itself from that by appealing to the tourist trade. There are places that stink of what one expects in Ozarks—a biker bar called the Hawg Trough that even my pro-GOP brother-in-law avoids and a Smoke Shop that doesn't sell cigarettes and has a pit bull guarding the door. But there are surprises that popped up during my three-day Thanksgiving vacation that defied my pre-judged expectations.

The surprises came in weird ways. When I arrived, we ate at a place called the Rowdy Beaver—a place with t-shirts that trumpeted "I Like Bald Beaver" and "That's A Mighty Nice Beaver" and had washboard walls. The thing that surprised was that the food was out of this world. It was delicious and well prepared and not at all what I expected. "Our chef prepares everything from fresh ingredients," trumpeted our waitress who seemed completely fine with her job at a place filled with such juvenile innuendo.

The Hollywood Wax Museum was fun but the wax figures left me a bit wanting—a frequent refrain of our visit was my niece saying "Who's that?" and me doing my best to figure it out. I tried to convince my family to go to Silver Dollar City so I could find and steal a urinal cake but it was $60 per person and even I couldn't argue that $300 was reasonable for me to complete a toilet cookie tale. We had tickets to a magic show billed as the World's Largest (by the way, every attraction in Branson is billed as "Show of the Year," "The Most Amazing in the World," and "Mindblowing") but the show was cancelled due to illness. Turns out Kirby VanBurch's greatest trick is to take your money and disappear.

Our replacement show for the afternoon was going to be either Jim Stafford (I desperately wanted to see this) or SIX (the nieces had heard it was awesome). Stafford only did an 8 p.m. show, so SIX at the Mickey Gilley Theater it was.

SIX is six middle-aged brothers who debuted on the Donnie and Marie Show and have fashioned themselves as sort of an older version of an a cappella boy band. As soon as they started with a cheeseball version of Don't Stop Believin', Hannah and I turned to each other with a look of pained resignation. These guys had pretty good voices and the arrangements were fine but the self-consciously hip pose and cornball attempts at cool banter was unbearable. I learned that wanting to see an awful Branson show and actually sitting through one are two different things. I also learned that I will never, as a middle-aged white guy, ever use the words "homie" or "peeps" ever again. To be fair, the second act was better—a selection of Christmas songs and a tribute to their dead mother. Apparently this tiny woman had ten children, all boys, and I suspect she isn't dead but just got the fuck out of there before having to bear an eleventh kid. But the damage of the first act left me scarred and a little terrified of that evening's show—Legends at the Dick Clark American Bandstand Theater.

Legends is a show that debuted in Vegas and moved to Branson. It is a rotating cast of celebrity impersonators ranging from Barry White, Marilynn Monroe and Tim McGraw to the staples of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. Our bill was George Strait, Whitney Houston, the Blues Brothers, Liberace and Elvis. As we entered and sat down, once again surrounded by octogenarians, I steeled myself. This was going to be fucking awful.

And it wasn't.

Really. In fact, it was a blast. The Whitney Houston knocked it out of the park, Liberace was funny but completely inappropriate in a callback to the dark days of The Gay Closet and the Elvis impersonator was so fucking good, if we had been sitting in the nose bleeds it would've been like actually seeing Elvis live. My mom, a huge Elvis fan from when he was alive, commented that he was the best Elvis impersonator she had ever seen. Hell, even my teenaged nieces enjoyed the show.

But we saved the best, most Branson-y show for Saturday. Yakov Smirnoff. Holy shit. I couldn't wait. I was absolutely certain it would embody everything I expected Branson to be—cheesy, cloying, the very portrait of a has-been celebrity stretching out his 15 minutes of fame as paper thin as he could in the heart of the Vegas of the Ozarks. We were greeted by a giant Yakov head making awful jokes about... the size of his head! Inside, it turned out that Yakov was a painter and had his paintings for sale!

The beginning of the show was the longest version of the national anthem I've ever heard (who know there were, like, nine verses?) and then I was hit with another fucking surprise. On the video screens came an old Paul Harvey "The Rest of the Story" about a painter known as Jacob who painted and commissioned a painting in tribute to the fallen at Ground Zero in NYC following the Attacks of 9/11.  Painted on the side of a building overlooking the rubble, it was the backdrop to the first anniversary of the attacks. The painter was an anonymous Yakov Smirnoff. He paid for the commission out of his own pocket.

Some of his show was what I expected: a revisitation of his "What a Country!" schtick from the '80s—a sketch of him as the president answering questions from the audience, and he actually quoted the Lee Greenwood God Bless the U.S.A. as a closer. But other parts were not at all what I anticipated. Turns out that Yakov went out and got a Master's Degree in psychology and decided that his show could also serve as a relationship counseling session as well. Sort of like Defending the Caveman meets a less arrogant Dr. Phill with the takeaway being that we begin relationships laughing and giving each other little gifts and that, if we simply return to giving each other gifts and finding laughter in our relationships, we'll be happier, healthier people.

Was it a great show? Not really. The dancers were cheesy and only there to fill time, the jokes were funny in a "Yeah, I remember that one" sort of way, the political stuff was tame (although at one point, Yakov asked the audience who was happy with the results of the latest election—a smattering of applause that included my mother and I enthusiastically cheering—and who was ticked off by it—a thundering, slightly ugly ovation—with the Russian comic commenting "Yeah, that's about even...") and the recurring pro-America stuff was hard to hear after a while. But the thing is... I liked him.

I mean, I really liked the guy. He was so overwhelmingly sincere and genuine. Christ, I wanted to hug him. And, while his show is corny and inoffensive and gentle and perfect for the Branson tourist crowd, this is a guy who lives in Branson, Missouri suggesting that people spend time laughing and loving one another instead of being shitbags.

Prejudice is a funny thing. Judging books by their covers is what we do as people. I imagine it's a hard drive instinct. But, as I am often heard saying, while we are all unique and precious snowflakes and each of us is completely distinct, we are all made of fucking snow. We all are simply people trying our best to get along in the world. Yes, that means that our baser, uglier instincts come to play like ordinary people rioting in a Walmart on Black Friday to get a discount on a portable DVD player. It also means that our better, more generous nature comes into play, and sometimes it's nice to be reminded that even in Red State Hell, Yakov Smirnoff is telling thousands of people every week to just be fucking nicer to each other.

On Thanksgiving, the point is to be with friends or family and celebrate those things in our lives we are (or should be) thankful for. Sure, the holiday is laden with cultural markers that include the genocide of the Native Americans and our national quest to bequeath every American with diabetes but the point is gratitude. Gratitude can come from a lot of places and I’m thankful to remember the lessons I learned in Branson.