MikePeercy.com

(Performed by Mason Ramsey, Written by Canaan Smith, Corey Crowder, Sarah Buxton, and Tyler Hubbard)

Disclaimer: I am not typically a “fan” of country music (which I will simply attribute to childhood musical trauma), but I am a fan of things that are unique and meaningful. I think this one hits on that count.

Sometimes I hear something that I have to go and investigate—musically speaking. Mason Ramsey caught my ear through a video some friend shared on social media. If you don’t know who he is or haven’t seen his video for the song “Twang,” you should watch it—after you finish reading this post, of course.

But my investigation caused another song to lodge in my lyrical library. Sometimes songs stick because of the unique audiology and some for a clever turn of phrase. But sometimes it’s the sheer simplicity of an idea that rings—especially when the musicality carrying the idea is a strong vehicle. This song falls into that category.

The idea of fame is a strange concept to me. I think it’s a hunger that many of us have—especially people who like to be on a stage or in front of people performing or speaking or some such display. It’s not terribly hard to draw an audience if you’re willing to take the risk to try. But still it’s always a risk.

The song, “Famous,” as recorded by Ramsey is acknowledging the somewhat sudden attention but longing for something much more meaningful. Consider the lyrics of this chorus:

If I'm gonna be famous for somethin'
I wanna be famous for lovin' you

Now he’s speaking (or technically singing) my language. I know some stuff. I can offer some instruction or share some skill in a few different areas. But I don’t expect I’m the world’s foremost expert at anything. Well… there is one thing.

This beloved of mine is the most cherished gift of my life. She often puzzles or confuses me even after 31 years of marriage. But if I am an expert on anything—if I am in any possible sense worthy of even a hint of fame, I hope that it is for knowing and loving her better than anyone else in the world.

That’s the idea behind this song. But think about what that means. It means trying to keep on learning, keep on discovering the wonders of this person I’m tied to for life because the person she is today is a far different person than she was 30 years ago or 3 years ago or even 3 months and sometimes even than 30 minutes ago. I owe it to her to love her where she is right now and there’s no way I can do that well if I’m not paying attention to her.

To my Sweetie, I really do want to be famous for loving you best of all.

To my friends who would take the time to read this, be sure you tune in to where your partner is today and don’t forget that the road changes who we are and how we experience life along the way.

I think that was part of what the strong-willed fisherman we know as the Apostle Peter was getting at when he gave this wise instruction:

“…husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way,…”

1 Peter 3.7

There’s more there in that discourse than I can unpack here, but the spirit of seeking to understand who your partner is even as they change and grow through life is there in that statement.

I’m not an expert at being a husband, but I’m aspiring to be the expert at being her husband.

Give a listen and consider the simple beauty of the desire to love well.

And… for those of you who aren’t familiar, you should go ahead and check this one out too. It will make you smile and we probably could use one of those today.