Things That Really Matter And Things That Don’t

I hope I don't hurt anyone's feelings with what I'm about to say. But, I must make a confession. First of all, I am still shocked at the huge uproar that occurred today over the new Taylor Swift song. Secondly, I can't help but laugh a little at the incredible amount of emotions that people expressed while talking about the pros and cons of "We Will Never Ever Get Back Together". Don't get me wrong. We take our music very seriously. It's what KICK-FM has been about for nearly thirty years. But, in the whole scheme of life, it really doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

This all started when some of our colleagues at another station got on their high horse and proclaimed that they would not be playing the new Taylor song.  Fair enough.  It's a free country and they obviously are trying to do what they think is best for their station and their listeners.  As for KICK-FM, we played the new Taylor Swift song first (as we almost always do when it comes to new music from established stars).  Taylor Swift is a three-time Entertainer of the Year so it's virtually an automatic decision that we're going to play new music from her.  Her songs are always among our most requested.  Apparently there are still a lot of people that like Taylor considering her new song is the fastest selling song in iTunes history...not just in country but in any format.

We didn't give the new song any special treatment.  In fact, we also debuted brand new songs from Alan Jackson and the Eli Young Band the same day.  To me, it sounded like most of the other Taylor songs (especially "You Belong To Me"...even lyrically).  If you like Taylor, you'll probably like the song and if you don't, this new one won't change your mind.

I don't want to get into the love it or hate it Taylor song debate.  But, what I would like to inject into this is maybe just a little bit of perspective.  Let me preface this by saying that I cast no stones at anyone.  Anyone that has watched a St. Louis Cardinal baseball game with me will tell you that I get completely irrational when it comes to whether my Cardinals are winning or losing.  If I'm being objective, I'll be the first to admit that what I care so much about really only amounts to a bunch of grown men running around in white pants trying to whack a white rawhide ball and then run in circles.

Here goes.  Whether or not you like the new Taylor Swift song really doesn't matter to me.  It's a song.  You either like it or you don't.  Taylor Swift is a girl who happens to sing songs.  You either like her and her songs or you don't.  When it really comes down to it, it really doesn't matter to me what side of that equation you're on.

Here are some things that do really matter to me.  I have a friend who's husband passed away suddenly recently leaving behind a little boy to raise by herself.  That matters to me.  There was a 31-year-old guy in Augusta that chose to give up his life and stay in his plane so the skydivers on board (and the people on the ground) could survive.  That matters to me.  My wife is having a difficult pregnancy with our daughter who is due to be born in September.  We struggle every day to keep her from going into labor.  That matters to me.

Whether or not Taylor Swift's new song ends up being a big hit ranks in my mind somewhere below the casual thought about what the Kardashian's had for dinner last night and who's gonna be on Dancing With The Stars next season.  In other words, I really don't care.

So please forgive me if I don't take the whole Taylor Swift debate real seriously.  As my co-worker Dave Lee said, it isn't really important.  There are plenty of other things that are.