It Matters To Me - Faith Hill

...it, no matter what genre it belongs to. But I have to say that there are very few artists whose entire collection I like. Faith Hill is one of them. I am a fan of her recent material. You know... 'There You'll Be', 'Breathe' etc, all of her crossover material from when she made the decision to take on the non-country listening world. However, I do prefer her early material, the real country stuff. I have done since I was flicking channels about aged ...
...out a tune... you guessed it - it was Faith Hill singing 'It Matters To Me', the title track from this album. Faith gave me my start in country so here goes...

Faith's early work ranks alongside Shania Twain and Jo Dee Messina as some of the best out there. this album is no exception. 'It Matters To Me' was released in 1995 on the Warner record label. It is Hill's second album, following her debut 'Take Me As I Am', which reached no. ... more

I am a music fan in general and I don't dicriminate as to what I listen to. I love rock, r'n'b and country with a dollop of pop added in for good measure. If I like a song I like it, no matter what genre it belongs to. But I have to say that there are very few artists whose entire collection I like. Faith Hill is one of them. I am a fan of her recent material. You know... 'There You'll Be', 'Breathe' etc, all of her crossover material from when she made the decision to take on the non-country listening world. However, I do prefer her early material, the real country stuff. I have done since I was flicking channels about aged 13 or 14 and spooted a blonde haired women in a long black dress standing by a piano belting out a tune... you guessed it - it was Faith Hill singing 'It Matters To Me', the title track from this album. Faith gave me my start in country so here goes...

Faith's early work ranks alongside Shania Twain and Jo Dee Messina as some of the best out there. this album is no exception. 'It Matters To Me' was released in 1995 on the Warner record label. It is Hill's second album, following her debut 'Take Me As I Am', which reached no. 1 in the billboard charts. Both albums are signature Faith Hill - bluesy ballads and country beats. It was her last pure country album,as you'll see if you look at her later work.The album has a total of 10 tracks on it. The lineup is as follows:

1) Someone Else's Dream - A great song to start the album off with. This song is a catchy bluesy tune about a girl who has lived her life to please others and the only one who isn't satisfied with her is herself. The message behind the song - lifes too short to do what everyone else wants you to do: 'She was daddy's little girl/ Mommas little angel/ Teachers pet, pagent queen/ She said "All my lif i been pleasing every one but me/ Waking up in someone elses' dream"' Hill's voice carries it off perfectly. She chose the opening song well. it makes you want to continue listening. (8/10)

2) Let's Go To Vegas - A fantastic upbeat song that you can't help but dance to and sing along with. This song is pure Southern, complete with the accent twang! It is about a girl trying to persuade her boyfriend to elope to Las Vegas to get married. I love the optimism of this song, which is provided by Hill's enthusiasm. This song is so light and carefree. I can imagine it being played in some barn dance though, no idea why. A great song for a great singer. (8/10)

3) It Matters To Me - A Faith Hill ballad at its best, and the reason I started to listen to her music. Hill sings about trying to make her lover understand her after the communication lines have gone down: 'When we don't talk/ When we don't touch/ When it doesn't feel like we're even in love/ It matters to me.' Her voice hits every high note and injects an almost heart-breaking emotion into the song. It isn't unique amongst her repertoire because she has many songs on the subject of relationships that slipped through her fingers, but in my opinion it is one of the best she has ever performed. (9/10)

4) Bed of Roses - I think this song is the first of only two weak links on this album. It is an uptempo song that you can't help but tap your feet to, but it is nowhere near the standard of the rest of the songs on the album and was probably put on to make up the numbers. Hill doesn't sing with her usual enthusiasm and feeling, so maybe thats why I think its weak because the song itself isn't bad, It is pure country: 'Theres somethin' 'bout your manner/ that makes it hard to see/ Just why you take advantage of a working girl like me.' The lyrics are simple enough, but there doesn't seem to be any feeling behind them. In terms of the rest of the album though, it is just a blip. (5/10)

5) A Man's Home is His Castle - This song is all about domestic abuse. I credit Hill for discussing it and presenting it from a woman's point of view because it is still a taboo in society today: 'Well he hit the roof/ Hit the wall/ And then it was my turn.' The lyrics are somewhat disturbing but make the subject and the victim very very real. The melody is haunting and Hill's voice pulls it off brilliantly, having a very surreal quality that makes it seem as if she experienced the pain herself. A very emotional song. (8/10)

6) You Can't Lose Me - This is one of my favourite songs on the album. It is a lovely uptempo number with a strong country flavour. It pays tribute to Hill's mum and thanks her publically for her support, and it makes me really appreciate my mum too. It is that catchy. You can't help but sing along to it, and often end up singing it all day. This song draws attention to Hill's roots in country. A lovely song. (10/10)

7) I Can't Do That Anymore - One up for feminism! This song is another favourite. It is a gorgeous ballad with a haunting melody that suits Hill's voice down to the ground. However, it's the lyrics that make you really listen - and think: 'I keep on giving/ But i can't stop living/A woman needs a little something of her own.' The basic outline is that her successful husband wants her to play the good little wife, stay at home and look good, and she wants more. The woman resolves that she has had enough and she wants a life of her own. the sentiments here are a direct contrast to those of tammy Wynette's 'Stand by Your Man' and thus shows how far attitudes have changed. The song is both thought-provoking and, on a more superficial level, and hauntingly beautiful. The best on the album, in my opinion. It was written by another country star, Alan Jackson. (10/10)

8) A Room in My Heart - A beautiful track that showcases Hill's voice at its best. This song is about never giving up hope of finding the one, no matter how much you have been hurt in the past. And I'm certain that it applies to most people out there, I know it does me. Hill has a gift for making her listeners understand and relate to what she is trying to say. (7/10)

9)You Will Be Mine - A true country song, the violins make this tune a must for the album. Hill's feminist sentiments are sung with feeling and authority: 'I will have held you/ I will have kissed you... You will be mine. Good on you girl! It is a fun song, good for raising anyone who sings it and giving them confidence. A true good feeling tune on which Hill's voice is at its best as she belts it out. (8/10)

10) Keep Walkin' On - A duet with Shelby Lynne, this song is certainly very different from the rest of the songs on the album. It is very up-tempo and upbeat, and for some reason I can see it being a line-dancers favourite! Ironically enough, it is intended to be more of a gospel track! Actually, now I'm listening to the words, it is about God. However, I didn't like this one all that much and think its one of the weak links of the album. It made no long lasting impression on me, unlike every other song. (4/10)

This album isn't readily available over here now. It is often in stock at larger record stores, or available for order. It is also on Amazon and CD WOW. On the former you can get a bargain because it sells used CDs. However, if it is full price you can expect to pay anything from £12.99 to £16.99. It is well worth the money if you are a fan of country, but not if you are expecting her recent sound rather than a Southern twang. I would highly recommend it for any country fan as a must have album though.

 

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