美国国家公共电台 NPR Martina McBride: Happy Girls

Martina McBride: Happy Girls

play pause stop mute unmute max volume 00:0017:51repeat repeat off Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser 1 to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. JONATHAN COULTON: This is ASK ME ANOTHER, NPR's hour of puzzles, word games and trivia. I'm Jonathan Coulton, here with puzzle guru Art Chung. And now from the War Memorial Auditorium 2 in Nashville, Tenn., here's your host, Ophira Eisenberg.

(APPLAUSE)

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST: 

Thank you, Jonathan. Before the break, our contestant 3 Allen won his way into the final round at the end of the show. So we'll find out who he will be facing off against a little later.

But first, it's time to welcome our special guest. She's a singer, songwriter, four-time winner of Country Music Awards' Female Vocalist of the Year. And her latest album is called "Reckless." Please welcome Martina McBride.

(APPLAUSE)

MARTINA MCBRIDE: Thank you.

EISENBERG: Welcome to ASK ME ANOTHER.

MCBRIDE: Thank you. It's good to be here.

EISENBERG: So I found out that you grew up on a dairy farm in Sharon, Kan.

MCBRIDE: True.

EISENBERG: And graduated from a high school, a class of nine students.

MCBRIDE: Ten.

EISENBERG: Ten students?

MCBRIDE: Yeah. I graduated in the top 10 of my class.

EISENBERG: You were the number one?

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: No, in the top 10. There were only 10 of us, so, yeah.

EISENBERG: Yeah, so what was your rank?

MCBRIDE: Right. Oh, I don't know. I never - we grew up together, you know, we had the same 10 kids basically from kindergarten all the way through senior class. So we were like brothers and sisters, you know. It was pretty great, actually, looking back on it. I thought that's how it was everywhere. I didn't know any different, so.

EISENBERG: Right. Do you keep - still keep in touch with those people?

MCBRIDE: Yeah. Some of them, yeah.

EISENBERG: Through the advent 4 of Facebook and what have you?

MCBRIDE: Right. Exactly.

EISENBERG: Yeah. Do they ask you for free tickets to your shows?

MCBRIDE: Sometimes.

EISENBERG: Yes, of course they do.

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: It's OK.

EISENBERG: I knew you back in the day, there was 10 of us.

MCBRIDE: Yeah.

EISENBERG: So you had a lot of odd jobs in the beginning when you were making your way in the music scene, including selling T-shirts at Garth Brooks 5 concerts.

MCBRIDE: I did, yes.

EISENBERG: And then you finally caught his attention. How did you do that?

MCBRIDE: Well, you know, I was out touring. While I was trying to get a record deal, I was selling T-shirts for Garth. And I - my husband was Garth's production manager. And really, that's why I was out there. We were newlyweds, we'd just moved to Nashville. I didn't know anybody.

And I was sitting and waiting tables and, you know, I was lonely. I missed my husband because they were gone for weeks at a time. And so I said, is there a job I can do out there? Is there some kind of gig you can get me so I can travel with you? And so the T-shirt job opened up and that's that's what I did. And then Garth had heard from my husband, who was a very proud husband...

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: ...That, you know, that I was a singer trying to get a record deal. And so I got my record deal. And he actually, you know, asked me to sing a little bit of something acapella that I was working on in the studio. And then he offered me his tour for the next year. So I was his opening act. So I went from T-shirt seller to opening act in a few months time, yeah.

EISENBERG: Wow, wow.

(APPLAUSE)

MCBRIDE: Kind of crazy story.

EISENBERG: Now, all the songs in your new album "Reckless" are written by women.

MCBRIDE: Pretty much, yeah.

EISENBERG: Was that by design? Did you go out looking for female songwriters in particular?

MCBRIDE: You know, it really wasn't by design. It's just, you know, it makes sense that I would be drawn 6 to a woman's point of view, you know. So it was about halfway 7 through the record, I started looking at all the songs and the writers and sort of made that realization 8 that, yeah, every song has a woman writer on it.

EISENBERG: And I don't know what the ratio is. Is there are a lot of female country music writers out there? Or is the ratio of men to women...

MCBRIDE: I don't know what the ratio is either, to be honest.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

MCBRIDE: You know, but I think, you know, there are a lot of great female writers, especially here in this town.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

MCBRIDE: Yeah.

EISENBERG: Now, you have 14 gold records, nine platinum 9 honors, three double-platinum records, two triple-platinum awards. Is that right?

(APPLAUSE)

MCBRIDE: I don't know.

EISENBERG: Couple quick...

MCBRIDE: Sounds good, let's go with that.

EISENBERG: ...So a couple quick questions. Can you play a gold record?

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: I don't know, I've never tried.

EISENBERG: (Laughter) You've never tried?

MCBRIDE: We should try it.

EISENBERG: OK, where do you keep all of your awards and gold records?

MCBRIDE: I have a room in the house that's kind of like - I don't know, it has some built-in shelves. And I put them in there. And, you know...

EISENBERG: (Laughter).

MCBRIDE: ...I don't know. It's weird 10 because you don't know - you're proud of them, you know, you don't want to, like, stick them in a closet.

EISENBERG: Right.

MCBRIDE: At the same time, you don't want them to be, like, the main focus of a room. So it's - so they're very, I think, tastefully displayed.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: Now, you've said that you like to challenge your listeners. And I see that you do that in a couple of ways. And one that that I find very interesting is the subject matter of your songs. In "Independence Day," you address domestic violence. In "Concrete Angel," addressing child abuse. Or alcoholism in "Cheap Whiskey," cancer in "I'm Gonna Love You Through It." Why pick particularly dark themes?

MCBRIDE: I was going to say, as you were saying all that back, I was like, that sounds like a really sad catalogue of songs.

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: You know, I don't know. It just comes down to instinct, you know. It just - when I hear a song that moves me and is as powerful as those songs you mentioned, I just can't walk away from it. And I also feel, you know, instinctively 11 that those kind of songs, there's going to be - there's somebody out there that needs to hear that song, that is going to either lift them up or inspire them or make them feel not so alone, you know.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: So I imagine, like, are you somewhat inspired to keep doing that just based on the fact that you get all this great feedback from specific individuals?

MCBRIDE: You know, when you get feedback about one of your songs, it's just a testament 12 to the power of music and how powerful music really is, you know. And I feel like I am so blessed to be the vehicle, or whatever it is, that that song gets to come through and kind of do what it's supposed to do in the world.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: And the other way I think you challenge listeners is that you like to switch styles. You like to change it up. You released a couple years back "Everlasting," which is classic soul and R&B tunes 13. You've said that you're a huge Linda Ronstadt fan. Would you ever consider doing, like, an all-rock cover album or something?

MCBRIDE: Yeah, absolutely.

EISENBERG: Yeah?

MCBRIDE: I love singing all kinds of music. You know, I grew up singing mostly country music because that's what my dad - he had a band as a hobby and played country music. But there were other kinds of music in our house, too, you know. And as I got older and sort of started listening to more of my older brother's music and my older sister's music and discovering pop radio. And I'm a kid of the '80s so, you know, I could do an '80s rock cover album.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

MCBRIDE: That would be a lot of fun.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: All right. Martina McBride, would you like to help us out with an ASK ME ANOTHER challenge?

MCBRIDE: Yes.

EISENBERG: All right. Martina McBride, everybody.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: All right. Let's meet our next two contestants 14. First up, Charlotte Underwood (ph). You are a middle school Science teacher. So what are some tricks you use to make middle school children interested in science?

CHARLOTTE UNDERWOOD: I like to dress up as scientists when I'm applying this.

EISENBERG: OK, so who do you dress up as?

UNDERWOOD: My favorite is Gregor Mendel because you get to dress up as a monk 15 and wear the robe and have the candles going and you sort your peas and - the kids love it, they love it.

EISENBERG: (Laughter) Of course they do.

UNDERWOOD: They do. It's a big hit.

EISENBERG: I might just find myself enrolling 16 back in middle school, just - I might learn something.

UNDERWOOD: It's a good time.

EISENBERG: So you just walk in, in the costume and they're like, oh, my God?

UNDERWOOD: No. I actually set it up, you know, before they get into the class. And then I have a fellow teacher who kind of keeps the kids, you know, off for, like, a few minutes.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

UNDERWOOD: And then I text her and say, like, send them in because it has to be dark because there was no electricity then.

EISENBERG: Well, that's great.

UNDERWOOD: So there's candles. I have monks 17 chanting. And I'm sorting peas. It's very peaceful.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

UNDERWOOD: Lovely.

EISENBERG: I feel OK for those kids. I feel like those kids are - they might become future scientists.

UNDERWOOD: Actually, they have.

EISENBERG: Yeah?

UNDERWOOD: It worked.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: Your opponent is Lisa Logic 18 (ph). You are a microbiology graduate student studying staph infections.

LISA LOGIC: I am indeed, yeah.

EISENBERG: All right, staph infections, that's a big deal. How do I avoid getting one?

LOGIC: Yeah, that's a great question. Mostly it's about, you know, hygiene 19, making sure you wash your hands a lot after you touch things.

EISENBERG: Yeah.

LOGIC: And then most people don't know this, but a lot of people, like, about a third of the population has the bacteria that causes staph infections in your nose. So don't pick your nose.

EISENBERG: Well, so if I know someone that has had a staph infection...

LOGIC: Don't pick their nose.

EISENBERG: ...Don't pick their nose.

LOGIC: Yeah.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: Very good, very good. Science.

Remember, Charlotte and Lisa, the first of you who wins two of our games will move on to our final round at the end of the show.

Let's go to your first game. Charlotte, I'm going to say a word and you are just going to tell me the first thing that comes into your head. OK? Free association. Ready?

UNDERWOOD: Great.

EISENBERG: Tennessee.

UNDERWOOD: Williams.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: All right, Lisa. I'm going to say a different word...

LOGIC: OK.

EISENBERG: ...And you're going to tell me the first thing that comes into your head. Tennessee.

LOGIC: Titans.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: (Laughter) Well done. OK. Your first game is a music parody 20 game called Tennessee Girls. Jonathan Coulton, take it away.

COULTON: Thank you, Ophira. For some reason, Martina McBride let us rewrite her song...

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: ...Her song "Happy Girl" to be about famous women who were born in Tennessee. Yes. I will play the guitar, Martina will sing and you will buzz in and guess what famous women Martina is singing about. Winner be one step closer to the final round at the end of the show. Are you ready?

LOGIC: Yeah, let's do it.

UNDERWOOD: Sure.

COULTON: OK. Here we go.

MCBRIDE: (Singing) She used to sing in a gospel show. Then she switched to pop and her fame did grow. She is the queen, better come correct when it comes to soul. She deserves respect.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: Charlotte?

UNDERWOOD: Aretha Franklin?

COULTON: Yeah, you got it.

(APPLAUSE)

MCBRIDE: (Singing) If you're James Caan you better run, you see. She had a sledgehammer and misery 21.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: Lisa?

LOGIC: Kathy Bates?

COULTON: Kathy Bates is correct.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: Little known fact, the novel - if you've read it - was even more gruesome and the actors changed it to just being smashing Paul with a sledgehammer. They toned it down, you know.

COULTON: They toned it down?

EISENBERG: Yeah.

COULTON: I don't think I knew that.

EISENBERG: (Laughter) Yeah, just to make it more believable.

COULTON: Ah (laughter).

MCBRIDE: (Singing) Oh, saw her grow as a teenage girl on a sitcom 22 show. Then she helped LaBeouf fight Decepticons, helped the turtle clan 23 spoil Shredder's plan.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: Lisa?

LOGIC: Megan Fox?

COULTON: Yeah that's right.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: First of all, I have to say that is the most academic clue ever written about Megan Fox.

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: Yeah, that's probably true.

EISENBERG: Second, Martina McBride, there is something truly lovely about hearing you sing the word Decepticons, like...

MCBRIDE: I know.

(LAUGHTER)

EISENBERG: ...Never those things should meet until now.

MCBRIDE: I've never sang that word before.

EISENBERG: (Laughter) I'm sure.

COULTON: Maybe you should be writing songs about Transformers and Decepticons.

MCBRIDE: Yeah. I'll see if I can work it in the next single.

COULTON: Yeah. They're pretty popular, I'm just saying.

(LAUGHTER)

COULTON: I don't want to tell you how to do your job, but, you know.

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: I've never sang Shredder, either.

(LAUGHTER)

MCBRIDE: All kinds of new stuff tonight.

COULTON: All right. Here we go.

MCBRIDE: (Singing) In college basketball she had few peers. She coached the Lady Vols to victory cheers.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: (Laughter) Lisa?

LOGIC: Pat Summitt?

COULTON: That's correct.

(APPLAUSE)

COULTON: You got a little cheer just for saying Lady Vols.

(CHEERING)

COULTON: All right, this is your last clue.

MCBRIDE: (Singing) Oh, did you know that this country girl came from little dough 24? She worked nine to five, got her own theme park. She's a writer too, she'll always love you.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELL)

COULTON: Charlotte?

UNDERWOOD: Dolly Parton?

COULTON: Aw, yeah, Dolly Parton.

(APPLAUSE)

COULTON: Ophira, how did our contestants do?

EISENBERG: Oh, it was close. But, Lisa, you are one step closer to moving on to our final round.

(APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: We are so honored to have you both sing on our stage and do this game with us.

(APPLAUSE)

MCBRIDE: Thank you. I'm honored to be here.

EISENBERG: Martina McBride's latest album is called "Reckless." And she'll be back later in the show. Give it up one more time for Martina McBride.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DOWN ON MUSIC ROW")

DOLLY PARTON: (Singing) Down on music row, down on music row. If you want to be a star, that's where you got to go.