MUSIC: "What I'd Give"

Words can not express how deeping saddened and disappointed I was in Sugarland's lead-off single from their upcoming fourth studio album. (So disappointed I won't even mention the title of that barely-country Jamaica-ska infused mess of a wannabe hip-hop song.)

That being said, the band offered a contest to fans to create a video for one of their favorite Sugarland songs. The winner chose the tune "What I'd Give" off their third album Love On The Inside. The song is beautiful and the videographer did an amazing job of tying together footage of the country duo to really capture the essence of the song.

I think I'll just bookmark this video and play it when, or if, Jennifer and Cristian decide to release another travesty of a single...ah, the good ole days!

Sergio del Limonar

MUSIC: "Stay" cover

One of my all-time favorite country songs of all time is the beautifully tragic and powerful "Stay" written by Jennifer Nettles and performed by her band Sugarland. The song is sung from the point of view of "the other woman" in a cheating relationship, begging the man to stay with her instead of going back to his wife. It is sad and heartbreaking and, in the end, the mistress gets up the strength to get back on her feet and walk away, effectively telling her lover to stay where he is.

I heard recently that a cover of the song was being released by British ex-boybander Ronan Keating. Keating clearly is a fan of country music as he has recorded the bluegrass staple "When You Say Nothing At All" as well as dueted with LeAnn Rimes on the moving "Last Thing On My Mind."

Keating's version of "Stay," off his recently released Winter Songs, while not quite capturing the angst and quivering sadness that only Nettles could muster, is still a decent effort. The song is ambiguous enough that, with a few noun changes, easily suits a male's perspective just as well as the original does a female's. ZONINO! to covering a great song well!