I recently bought this CD and it has fast become my very favorite one. I can wear headphones at work and I listen to this over and over. It never gets old. Martina McBride has been singing country music for over ten years now. This is her first #1 record. In the first week over 100,000 units were sold. This album is her greatest hits from the previous six albums that she has released along with 4 songs that have not been released before. The songs on this CD bring out so many different emotions in me. Some will make you happy and smile while others you will be crying.

There are 18 songs on this CD. Here is what you will find:

1. My Baby Loves Me is a peppy, fun song about unconditional love. "He thinks I'm pretty, he thinks I'm smart, He likes my nerve and he loves my heart".

2. Life #9 is a fast song that would be good for dance music.

3. Independence Day is a song about domestic violence. Martina says this is her "career song". The song is about a battered wife who finds escape by setting the house on fire with her husband in it. It is written in the 3rd person in the form their 8 year old child. This song has touched millions and has really gotten Martina into fighting to end domestic violence. Martina is the National Celebrity Spokesperson for the National Network to End Domestic Violence.

4. Strangers is a gorgeous song that should have been cut as a single. This is about 2 strangers that meet and become the world's greatest lovers. Then they can't figure out how they became so distant and ended up being strangers.

5. Safe in the Arms of Love is about looking for one true love. You will hear a solo with a fiddle and mandolin that is awesome. The background vocals sound really great on this song as well.

6. Wild Angels is about making it through the hard times with the help of wild angels. It was Martina's first #1 song.

7. Valentine is a gorgeous love song that has a special guest artist, Jim Brickman, on it. "All of my life, I've been waiting for all you give to me, I've dreamed of this a thousand times before, In my dreams I couldn't love you more...All I need is you, my love, my valentine

8. A Broken Wing says With a broken wing, she carries her dreams and you outta see her fly. Martina holds the last note for what seems like forever. Wow! What a voice!

9. Happy Girl is a peppy, upbeat, fun song. It has a beautiful mix of instruments including a fiddle, penny whistle, acoustic guitars, kick drum pattern and bass licks.

10. Wrong Again is about finally finding someone to build your life around, someone that she knew her heart would be safe with. Wrong Again. Then people told her that he would come to see that he still loved her, that he would wake up and see the light. Wrong Again. It is a great song that you can really feel the pain in. Dann Huff has a great guitar solo in this song.

11. Whatever You Say says "You think I'm always making something out of nothing, saying everythings ok...I don't hear I love you even though I want to..Whether go or whether I stay right now depends on 'Whatever You Say'" It has a low soft verse and a big chorus according to Martina. Sara Evans and Neil Thrasher provided wonderful background vocals.

12. I Love You is another fun, peppy and upbeat song. I consider this Pop more than I do Country. It was in the movie Runaway Bride. It stayed for 5 consecutive weeks at #1. This is the song Martina sang at the CMA awards when she won Female Vocalist of the Year.

13. Love's The Only House is absolutely amazing. It is a song about compassion. There is some talking in the song. It is so cool. Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world".

14. There You Are is about a true love. It is a slower song and Martina does a stunning job on it. "I've been blessed by the simple happiness of the perfect love we've made'.

These were previously not recorded:

15. When God Fearn' Women Get the Blues is Martina's current single. It is about a fiesty woman that has just found out her long time love has cheated. It has references to southern culture and has more traditional country instruments like the fiddle and dobro. Dan Tyminski who is in the Soggy Bottom Boys (lead singer of Man of Constant Sorrow) sings the background vocals. I love that man's voice and am tickled that he is on there. This song is hilarious!

16. Where Would You Be is about someone wondering if they have lost their love. "Where would you be, if you weren't her with me, where would you go, if you were single and free, who would you love, would it be me, Where would you be"

17. Concrete Angel is a song that will make you cry. The words are heart wrenching. It starts out with a beautiful piano solo. It is about a little girl making her lunch, walking to school, wearing the same dress as yesterday to hide the bruises. The teacher wonders but never asks. The neighbors hear her cries, but turn out the lights. The ending words tear my heart out "A statue stands in a shaded place, An angel girl with an upturned face, a name is written on a polished rock, a broken heart that the world forgot."

If you see or hear of a child being abused don't ignore it. Do something so that he/she doesn't end up with a concrete angel.

18. Blessed is a gorgeous song. She is thankful for her life, hearing her children laugh down the hall and is thankful to God for all that she has been given. Carolyn Dawn Johnson and Martina sing background vocals.

Produced by: Martina McBride & Paul Worley
Management: Bruce Allen

This CD is the best one I have ever heard. All of the songs are excellent, but my very favorites are: Strangers, Valentine, Whatever You Say, Love's the Only House and Concrete Angel. I give this CD 10 stars. Martina is a tiny woman with a huge voice. She is a beautiful person inside and out.

She donated $50,000 from the sale of this CD to the American Red Cross for the victims of the September 11, 2001 tragedy. She will also be making future contributions.

You can visit Martina at:

www.martinamcbride.com








Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends