I’ve been listening to (American) Country music at www.181.fm through iTunes lately quite a bit. While I don’t share the overly religious, simplified, and USA-centered basis of most of the songs I still enjoy the music. I respect all the hard-working country folk most songs are dedicated to. Nonetheless, some songs can bring you close to tears because they’re so touchy – even if the artist seems to have fallen into almond paste (marzipan) when he wrote it. They ooze with pathos.

One such sweet piece is Tough by Craig Morgan. It’s an ode to strong women i.e. traditional women i.e. house wifes. Wonderful!

Artist: Craig Morgan
Song: Tough
Album: Little Bit of Life

She’s in the kitchen at the crack of dawn
Bacon’s on, coffee’s strong
Kids running wild, taking off their clothes
If she’s a nervous wreck, well it never shows
Takes one to football and one to dance
Hits the Y for aerobics class
Drops by the bank, stops at the store
Has on a smile when I walk through the door
The last to go to bed, she’ll be the first one up
And I thought I was tough

Chorus
She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

We sat there five years ago
The doctors let us know, the test showed
She’d have to fight to live, I broke down and cried
She held me and said it’s gonna be alright
She wore that wig to church
Pink ribbon pinned there on her shirt
No room for fear, full of faith
Hands held high singing Amazing Grace
Never once complained, refusing to give up
And I thought I was tough

Chorus
She’s strong, pushes on, can’t slow her down
She can take anything life dishes out
There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough

She’s a gentle word, the sweetest kiss
A velvet touch against my skin
I’ve seen her cry, I’ve seen her break
But in my eyes, she’ll always be strong

There was a time
Back before she was mine
When I thought I was tough