Jump around and make you sing.

If you know me at all, you recognize my affinity for the following:

1. Workout clothes.

2. Mexican food + margs with extra salt.

3. Live music, baby.

The perk of living in Atlanta is that my new home offers sublime opportunities for all the enjoyment of all three. But in this post, I shall address point #3.

Andrew Ripp // Drew Holcomb + the Neighbors, Buckhead Theatre

Christmas at Christchurch concert, Christchurch Presbyterian

Nathan Angelo // Ryan Horne // Jonathan Rich // Micah Dalton, Eddie's Attic

Ah. 'Twas a good week. My girl Caroline of Back Down South snapped these photos at Buckhead Theatre. Swoon. The girl who's favorite movie is Walk the Line WOULD love her some Drew and Ellie...

I just wanted to show you those and introduce you to my biggest couple-crush. Now you should go look at more of CFontenot's work and book her for weddings and stuff. 

Look for some exciting musica-related news in the next coupla days! In the meantime, if you're near Atlanta's skyline, blow her a kiss for me. For I'm in the land of cotton on account of Jesus's birthday.

Merry Christmas Eve Eve, y'all!

Blog post title: "Love is Magic" by Drew Holcomb + the Neighbors.

And then the beat comes, and then she's movin' on the dance floor.

Photo courtesy of Pinterest. The most addictive site on the internet.

What: 5.2011 Playlist
Used: When I was baking cookies the other day in a sports bra and tennis skirt with a glass of wine. Don't you wish you were unemployed? Kiddin'. That was a low-blow even to myself. :(

1. White Dress :: Ben Rector {Chyupp. Still numero uno on my playlist. Fave part? The build-up to "she's comin' on Frriiiiidayyyyy."}
2. The Beat :: Ben Rector {To continue telling you my fave lines, "her heart is broken but she won't say that..."}
3. She Is :: Ben Rector {Aaand: "She wrote the book on hard-to-get."}
4. Loving You :: Ben Rector

--Aight. Leh's be real: Just go 'head and add "Anything by Ben Rector." If a man can do this below, he is a permanent winner on my musicians list. Meg, Emi, and I saw him in Atlanta the other weekend. Boy sounds just as legit in person as he does on Grooveshark. In my well-educated, total-Samford-girl opinion*, he outshone Matt Wertz, who went on after him.

*You should know that every Samford University girl goes through the following initiation: Fall in love freshman year with Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes, and smile with them after the show for a pic as they visit Samford Country Club annually. If you don't do that, your diploma is lying. Lo siento. You didn't really graduate from Samford.
5. Crazy Girl :: Eli Young Band
6. Honey Bee :: Blake Shelton
7. For the First Time :: The Script {That is a dang-lotta emotion for one song.}
8. Barefoot Blue Jean Night :: Josh Owen
9. Dirt Road Anthem :: Jason Aldean
10. You've Had What You Need :: The Classic City Collection {THIS IS A JESUS SONG. Next fun fact: So. I have this girl crush on this precious Georgia girl. She posted about her Athens, Ga. church band and their latest album. This is them. Get. It. Now.}

You can move me if you want to.

Yay for music! Trivia fact about me: Walk the Line is my favorite movie. Mama--Christmas List that DVD please.

If you know me at all, you know my unbridled love for a beat. So here is what's spinnin' on the iPod lately. Hurrah!

1. Mountain and the Sea :: Ingrid Michaelson {So. Rachel the College Roommate and I determined the morning's playlist based off who got outta bed and outta the shower fastest. When Rach won, Ingrid blared among other artists. Her music taste is impeccable. I owe ya, Rach. I refound this song yesterday and it still kills me.}
2. Baby :: Neon Trees {Yes, as in Beiber's track. And they rock it.}
3. Lost in the World :: Kanye and Bon Iver {'Cause anything Bon Iver touches turns to gold.}
4. Come Around Sundown :: Kings of Leon {October 19 cannot come quick enough...}
5. White Winter Hymnal :: Fleet Foxes {Fun fact: I can't listen to FF unless it's cold. Weird quirk.}
6. Little Lion Man :: Mumford and Sons
7. Use Somebody :: Tyrone Wells
8. When She Comes Around :: Ben Rector
9. The Lime Tree :: Trevor Hall
10. Why Do I :: Joe Purdy
11. All I Have :: Mat Kearney
12. Stereo Love :: Edward Maya and Vika Jigulina {Guilty as charged. Sounds like Yiddish to me, but the first 30 seconds are addictive. Am I right or am I right?}
13. Uncharted :: Sara Bareilles
14. Gonna Get Over You :: Sara Bareilles
15. Need You :: Travie McCoy
16. Georgia :: The District
17. Just the Way You Are :: Bruno Mars
18. Poison and Wine :: The Civil Wars {One of 3 songs I don't EVER get sick of. The first two songs are called Anything John Mayer and Anything Tom Petty, in that order.}
19. Poison and Wine :: Angela Lupinacci {You wanna turn my favorite song into a worship song? Super. You get my vote.}
20. Teenage Dream :: Boyce Avenue
21. Caught Up In You :: 38 Special {Yes. Kristen, remember when Daddy first replaced his 38 Speical album with a cool CD so we could listen to it on the way to school? We pregamed education with education. We owe you so much, Rushger. I can dominate anyone in "Name That Singer."}

Honorable Mentions.

Because really, I just want the rest of their albums to come out.

One In a Million :: Ne Yo

Speak Now :: Taylor Swift {SLOOOOOAAANNNNN!!! I don't think I can buy a T Swizz album and not ride around Birmingham with the windows down singing with you. Luh you.}

Told y'all I like a good cover.

Music is what feelings sound like.

Photo courtesy of Flickr

"She is the bride of a King that loves her stronger than the ocean's tide / she's an example to the world of a captive that's been set free."

- Sam Heilig, "Words Fall Through"

I'm always game for an addition to my singer/songwriter iTunes genre. Send 'em my way!

Merci beaucoup to the guy that passed along this Georgia boy's name.

Cause now, I have some new songs on my fall-asleep playlist.

(Yeah I know, I'm 21 and maybe sometimes still go to bed with an iPod like I did in 9th grade. RIP, silver mini iPod.)

But I always did fall asleep to melodies. 

(Except for my brief departure to Delilah's hypnotic voice and radio show in the mid-90's.)

So I think it's kinda how we are wired if our mamas sang to us.

(Bonus points if you danced to it for 16 years.)

Consequently, I sing and rock little 3-month old I babysit every day. And after I sing Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah," a little Drew Holcomb, and some Sunday School classics, and Carson's blue eyes blink open and mischievously look at mine, I whip out the arsenal of ADPi chapter songs. Can't help it. I got about 10 songs memorized and they kinda sound like lullabys.  

And then I go back downstairs and watch Toy Story with my 2-year-old boyfriend.

Did you know 2-year-olds prefer to watch movies more than once?

They do :)

Frat hard.

The harmony abilities of Lady Antebellum stolen my little heart since "Love Don't Live Here." I mean, let's be honest, "Lookin' for a Good Time" hit my iPod the week before my 21st birthday. Grreeeaaaat timing. (Note to Mama: Not that I applied the song to my life so much.... That song and I had more of a holistic, sieze-the-day summertime connection. Plus I sounded reeeaal nice when the radio was blarin'.)

Anyway, as a girl who attends school where boys rip there Nantucket Reds on Thursday night and go back to the frat house to change into Nantucket Reds Pair #2 (yes, happened Thursday), where the sorority + frat term "srat" appears in my text inbox terribly often (and more often from fellas), and where there is enough Lilly Pulitzer fabric on campus to tent Rhode Island, I feel this video is appropriate.

Lady A's cover of Easton Corbin's "I'm a Little More Country Than That."

Prep style.

Because I adore this baseball-hat-wearin' country newcomer.

Because maybe I popped my collar to class last week.

And because my friend has been singing his own "I'm a Little More Fratty Than That" since Spring Break.

Just give me a beat.

Drew + Ellie photo courtesy of MySpace.

The past 2 nights, I've danced to 4 different bands. 

Saturday morning: Not sure how I feel; I can't stand for long periods of time because of my jelly legs. On the other hand, my legs have potential to look awesome for SB'10. Jury's still out.

2.25.2010 - Drew and Ellie Holcomb at Harry's Coffeehouse

2.25.2010 - The Kicks at WorkPlay

2.25.2010 - Hightide Blues at WorkPlay

2.26.2010 - 17th Floor at Zydeco

In honor of la musica, here is what I lately can't stop downloading (Just iTunes, support the music), YouTubing, and singing in a hairbrush in front of my mirror.

1. Fire and Dynamite :: Drew Holcomb {The ultimate "you're hot and awesome can I please get to know you" song.}
2. Better Love :: Drew Holcomb {At the concert he said, "If I could only write one more song the rest of my life, this would be it."}
3. 4:15 :: Hightide Blues {I may or may not be guilty of wearing black dresses to their concerts for this line: "Hey pretty girl with the black dress on, you love to dance I see it in your eyes." Yeah. I'm cool. I'm also the girl who's mother put her on a little black dress purchasing freeze for owning too many.}
4. Pursuit of Happiness :: Kid Cudi {Smooth. Perfect. Now if only I were cool enough to learn all the words...}
5. We'll Be the Light :: The Dirty Guv'nahs {Gimme a good frat-band and I'm a happy girl. These Tennessee boys do the trick.}
6. Emmalyn :: Out of Order {"Girl I miss your emerald eyes and the way you touch the sky. I think I just might pack my bags tonight." Okay by me.}
7. Let It Ride :: Ryan Adams {We've been together since highschool, Ryan. You da best.}
8. Mockingbirdsing :: Ryan Adams
9. Funeral Dress :: William Fitzsimmons {I. Just. FOUND. THIS??}
10. Carry Out :: Timbaland feat. Justin Timberlake
11. I Can Transform Ya :: Chris Brown
12. Without You Here :: Eric Church {So I continue to acquire this album one song at a time. You'd think I'd catch on and buy the whole album. But now I'm rather attached to my organic approach.}
13. Young and Wild :: Eric Church
14. If It's Love :: Train {A little O.A.R. sounding, huh Sloan?}
15. Red Light :: David Nail {I'm still scratchin' my head as to how he made a break-up song so pretty/catchy.}
16. Whadsyaname :: Nelly {My question for you, Nelly: Whereyabeenboii?}
17. Guitar and Tambourine :: Stephen Kellogg
18. Live Like We're Dying :: Kris Allen {I've said it before and I'll say it again. There should be a website where you can make a mashup of songs, a la Glee. I would mash up this song and The Script's Breakeven. And it would be a trifecta of goodness. Except that "tri" means three...never mind.}

Players only love you when they're playin'.

Photos courtesy of Elizabeth C. Bryan, aka LB.

You can forever Tweet cocky and crass comments.

You can give TMI in Rolling Stone and Playboy interviews.

You can break the hearts of half the brigade of American sweethearts.

And I'll ever love and defend you as a tortured artist's soul, John C. Mayer.

Tuesday's John Mayer concert here in Birmingham = phenomenal.

 In 8th grade, my bestie Katherine tossed me a mix CD of some guy popular among her brother's Furman crowd. And since the days of knee socks, Trinity plaid, and crest-emblazoned cardigans, I've never looked back. Even when Mama saw that he had a song called "Your Body Is a Wonderland" and wanted to chunk the CD out the 4Runner window. 

Tuesday, I was in heaven. Mm. Just listen to how he changes up "Half of My Heart" here. (then he slid into Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams," and I pretty much had to sit down. Too perfect.)

Whistlin' Dixie

Photo courtesy of Kelly Braden.

The Southern lifestyle magazine I write for, MyScoop, boasts a brilliant new post: a listing of purely Alabama songs. Slight issue--the "Yea, Alabama" fight song was included. Now, I'm as proud of Dixieland as the next belle, but I HATE the university (lowercase) of Alabama. The first bars of that fight song make this Auburn girl's blood curdle. I found it flawless that they displayed the championship trophy at WalMart. Ha...

So, here's my Southern playlist.

It's a hybrid of the playlist that I've had for years and MyScoop's list. Whatcha think? What is on your list?

p.s. I'm sorry for what I said about UA. It's just hard to live in B'ham this week. I beg your sympathy.

1. Dixieland Delight :: Alabama
2. Song of the South :: Alabama {I mean, you knew they'd be on here more than once.}
3. Sweet Home Alabama :: Lynard Skynard {Never. Gets. Old. If I get the band to play this at my wedding, does that make me a redneck?}
4. Miss Magnolia :: Matt Costa {Bingo--that's where the blog title originated.}
5. Oh, Susannah :: James Taylor & Johnny Cash
6. Midnight in Montgomery :: Alan Jackson {As a wee Montgomerian, I used to get Mama to change the station when this came on because it was "scary." I can handle it now.}
7. Southern State of Mind :: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers {Yup, I play this erytime I cross over the Alabama River going home.}
8. Sorority Girl :: Luke Bryan {We may or may not have morphed this into a rush song. Bhaha.Gooo ADPi!}
9. Louisiana Saturday Night :: Benjy Davis Project
10. Sweet Southern Moon :: Benjy Davis Project {Ah, young love. Add boys in SUV's, and I'm in.}
11. The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down :: The Band
12. Take Me Home, Country Roads :: John Denver
13. Carolina On My Mind :: James Taylor
14. Auburn Fight Song/Insert Your Team's Song here. {Let's be politically correct little ladies, y'all.}
15. If Heaven Ain't a Lot Like Dixie :: Hank Williams, Jr. {Shout out to a true Gumptown Baller.}
16. Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) :: The Doors
17. South On 65 :: Ryan Kinder {"Find a Southern girl, wants to rule the world..." Don't we all?}
18. Magnolia Tree :: Drew Holcomb {I swear, if this song happened to me I could just scoot on to heaven.}
19. Sweetness :: Drew Holcomb
20. Something About a Southern Girl :: Amos Lee {By golly, I think he's got it!}
21. Gin and Juice :: The Gourds {Great message, huh? But it's no band party without it. CoughCourtneyMcAlisterCough}
22. Stars Fell on Alabama :: Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong {The guv'nah does his inagural ball first dance to this.}
23. Georgia On My Mind :: Ray Charles {Rip my heart out. And I'm not even from there.}
24. Welcome to Atlanta :: Ludacris {Yeah. And I'm not apologizing.}
25. Ramblin' Man :: The Allman Brothers Band
26. Angel From Montgomery :: Dave Matthews Band
27. Pearls On a String :: Ryan Adams {That voice can describe a Southern Belle to me any 'ole day.}
28. If I Could Do It Again :: Corey Smith
29. 21 :: Corey Smith {Couldn't have been college without you, Cor. SB 'O6! And '07, and...}
30. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours :: Stevie Wonder {A classic on the Montgomery ball circuit in high school.}
31. Domino :: Van Morrison {See #30. And Camilla, this will always remind me of you!}
32. September :: Earth, Wind, & Fire {See #30. And Bec, this one has your name all over it.}
33. Rich Girl :: Hall & Oates
34. Who Do You Love? :: Bo Diddley {Thank you for rock and roll, Bo.}
35. Carolina :: Eric Church {Melts me. Ha, Sloan and I sang this the whole way to Nashville this summer.}
36. Love Your Love the Most :: Eric Church {If I weren't Southern, I'd roll my eyes at this song. Instead, it wins me over EVERY time.}

Take the stress away, Johnny boy.

✓ Senior thesis submission and presentation

✓ History of Art, Architecture & Design III exam

__ Mass Media Law exam

__ American Politics exam

After today, my eyes are a little more squinty, thoughts a little fuzzier, and brain a smidge more exhausted. But with my new found study buddy, Lala.com, I'm hanging in there. It's like Pandora except get this--you PICK what song comes next. Genius, eh?

Current playlist:

*DISCLAIMER: I have a huge thing for covers.

Assassin - John Mayer

Half of My Heart - John Mayer

Forever and Always (Piano version) - Taylor Swift

Whatever You Like - Anya Marina

Such Great Heights - Act of Congress

She Knows Her Way Around - Act of Congress

Breakeven - The Script

Man that Can't Be Moved - The Script

Before the Worst - The Script

Hey Soul Sister - Train

Cousins - Vampire Weekend

Gather the Horses - Charlie Mars

Happier - A Fine Frenzy

One Day - Matisyahu

You & Me - Dave Matthews Band

Don't worry Pandora, I'm not cheating on you. I just can't help that I'm controlling and that may not work in our relationship some days.