Archive for September, 2005
Sunday, September 25th, 2005
The 400 Best Contemporary Country Singles
Part 2:
#375-#351
#375
“Take It Back”
Reba McEntire
1992
Peak: #5
For a singer defined by weepy ballads, McEntire is remarkably brass on this jazz-tinged kiss-off number. She approaches the song with ferocious intensity, making it one of her most fearless performances ever.
#374
“The Last Thing On My Mind”
Patty Loveless
2001
Peak: #20
She’s best known for her mountain twang, but Loveless proves she can wrap her voice around a pop melody as well as any of those city singers. This single is one of her most underrated performances.
#373
“She’d Give Anything”
Boy Howdy
1993
Peak: #4
It would be another four years before single women would receive their definitive country anthem, “All The Good Ones Are Gone.” Until then, they had to make due with this above-average single by a very below-average country band.
#372
“Tender When I Want To Be”
Mary Chapin Carpenter
1995
Peak: #6
For an artist defined by her knowing cynicism, this optimistic love song is a refreshing change of pace. Carpenter sounds like she’s channeling Jackie DeShannon, circa 1965.
#371
“There’s More To Me Than You”
Jessica Andrews
2002
Peak: #18
She became a star when she was in her early teens, but she finally came of age with this breakup hit that was released in two separate versions: an uptempo, rocking take, and a soft piano ballad. Andrews shines in both settings.
#370
“Do You Want Fries With That”
Tim McGraw
2005
Peak: #5
An ex-husband confronts the man that’s taken his place, demanding respect and appreciation for “paying both our rents.” It could’ve been a classic country weeper, if the setting wasn’t at a McDonald’s Drive-Thru window. Tim manages to make a potentially pathetic narrator seem sympathetic with his snide delivery.
#369
“This Side of Goodbye”
Highway 101
1991
Peak: #11
One has to wonder how many more great records radio would have played from Highway 101 if lead singer Paulette Carlson hadn’t left for an ill-fated solo career. While this doesn’t reach the dizzying heights of their pre-1989 singles “Cry, Cry, Cry” or “Whiskey, If You Were A Woman”, the depth of this performance suggests they still had a lot more great music left in them.
#368
“Back on the Farm”
The Thompson Brothers Band
1998
Peak: #58
It received more attention for it’s cheeky video, full of steaming cow pies and seductive sheep, but this country-rock single suggested what Steve Earle would be doing in 1998 if he had stuck with mainstream country. The combination of acoustic twang and heavy percussion sounds normal today, thanks to Big & Rich, but these guys were way ahead of their time.
#367
“I Guess You Had To Be There”
Lorrie Morgan
1993
Peak: #14
While most country women of the 90′s were singing strong-willed, independent anthems, Morgan spent a good portion of her catalog harking back to the Tammy Wynette-style country weeper days. This tale of a woman confronting her cheating husband ends with a sad resignation: “We’ve drifted so far apart, and it’s hard to admit it but there’s nothing left for you here, so I guess you had to be there.” Wynette herself said that this single, along with Pam Tillis’ “Do You Know Where Your Man Is”, were the only two songs on country radio in 1993 that she could see herself singing.
#366
“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”
Trace Adkins
2005
Peak: #2
For those of you, like me, who aren’t sure at first what a “badonkadonk” is, Adkins gives you a hint when he says “Lord have mercy, how’d she even get them britches on, with that honky tonk badonkadonk?” Yes. It’s a song about a woman shaking her ass on the dance floor. Hip-hop culture and vocabulary is seeping into country music. Whether that’s a good thing or not is open to debate, but this record certainly proves that the trend exists. And it’s catchy as hell.
#365
“Tennessee”
Marcel
2003
Peak: did not chart
Marcel is a better songwriter than singer; his voice is high-pitched, wimpy and thin. That works perfectly for this song, however, a heartfelt plea for the love of his life to follow him to Tennessee if she thinks she needs him. His sharp attention to detail – “And then a postcard fell from the book you gave me on my birthday”, for example – makes for a very realistic audio road trip.
#364
“Trying to Find Atlantis”
Jamie O’Neal
2004
Peak: #18
O’Neal returned after a long absence with this ode about the difficulty of trying to find the perfect man. She sings without a hint of desperation – about an archaeologist, she sings “I was digging on him, but he wasn’t on me” – and she sounds like if she never does find this perfect man, she’ll be just fine.
#363
“The Good Stuff”
Kenny Chesney
2002
Peak: #1
A classic story-song that manages to tell the entire story of a life-long marriage that ends in the death of the wife by just remembering small details like “eating burnt dinners the whole first year, and asking for seconds to keep her from tearing up – yeah man, that’s the good stuff.” Country music at its best.
#362
“Every Time She Passes By”
George Ducas
1996
Peak: #57
They just don’t make rockabilly records anymore, but at least some people keep trying. Ducas put out this fantastic Orbison-flavored record and country radio yawned, but it still sounds as fresh today as it did nine years ago. It’s worth seeking out if you can find it.
#361
“Don’t Worry ‘Bout A Thing”
SHeDaisy
2005
Peak: #7
A story of resilience against Music Row criticism shouldn’t be the basis for a great song, but despite very specific references like being in bed with Mickey Mouse, a snarky swipe at their Disney-owned label Lyric Street, the girls manage to make this appeal to keeping a stiff upper lip sound universal. Perhaps because we’ve all “sat ourself down when the seat is all wet.”
#360
“Party For Two”
Shania Twain with Billy Currington
2004
Peak: #7
Cheesy, over-the-top, frivolous and good-natured fun. Twain has always wanted her music to be escapism, a way to forget your troubles. Great records like this prove she’s an expert at it.
#359
“If You Don’t Wanna Love Me”
Cowboy Troy featuring Sarah Buxton
2005
Peak: did not chart
The chorus of this song is one of the most beautiful and haunting things I’ve ever heard. As I wrote once before, this sounds less like a hick-hop song and more like one of those old spoken-word country hits of days gone by.
#358
“The Love That We Lost”
Chely Wright
1996
Peak: #41
“Going through old dresser drawers, fumbling through these closets, I know it’s ’round here somewhere, it’s got to be here somewhere…” So begins this appeal of a wife to her husband to help her find “the love that we lost.” If Wright was a more bombastic vocalist, this would have sounded too maudlin, but she pulls this off with sincerity; it’s the first of a few great singles she’ll eventually release.
#357
“Pour Me”
Trick Pony
2001
Peak: #12
The debut single of Trick Pony sounds like it’s going to be a sad song, as the first few lines sound like a woeful “poor me, poor me.” Then the snare drum kicks in and you realize you’ve been tricked by a homonym. She’s really singing “Pour me, pour me another shot of whiskey.” Surprising on the first listen, still entertaining four years later.
#356
“Small Town Saturday Night”
Hal Ketchum
1991
Peak: #2
Ketchum spares us the glorification of small-town life, painting a realistic but still-loving picture of teenagers killing time on a small town Saturday night. Then again, when he sings “got a six pack of beer and a bottle of wine, gotta be bad just to have a good time” – he’s really singing about teenagers everywhere, isn’t he?
#355
“Sometimes She Forgets”
Travis Tritt
1995
Peak: #7
The female characters in songs by honky-tonkers are usually two-dimensional and wholly unbelievable (see: the entire Brooks & Dunn songbook). How refreshing it was to have Tritt cover a fantastic Steve Earle song about a woman who has been hurt so many times that she’s sworn off men, but sometimes forgets that vow. This is Tritt’s most subtle performance to date.
#354
“Wake Up Older”
Julie Roberts
2005
Peak: #46
For one track on Roberts’ hugely overrated debut album, she actually matches the hype. This bitter tale of drinking to forget and having sex for revenge spares no punches. Lacking the irritating earnestness of the rest of her debut, she shows glimmers of potential here.
#353
“Die of a Broken Heart”
Carolyn Dawn Johnson
2004
Peak: #52
Johnson made her mark as a songwriter first, penning hits for Chely Wright and Pam Tillis. Here, she returns to her roots with a sparse and sad meditation on dying alone.
#352
“Nothing On But The Radio”
Gary Allan
2005
Peak: #1
Allan’s voice is a perfect match for this saucy late-night hit. A fresh take on one of the oldest themes in the country music songbook.
#351
“It Only Hurts When I’m Breathing”
Shania Twain
2004
Peak: #18
For an artist defined by peppy up-tempo hits and romantic ballads, Twain is surprisingly effective doing a break-up song. This melancholy plea that she’s really doing fine after the break-up – it only hurts when she’s breathing – is heartbreaking.
Sunday, September 18th, 2005
Sixteen years ago, country music entered its modern era. The Class of 1989 – Garth Brooks, Clint Black and Alan Jackson among them – ushered in new levels of sales, media exposure and even production quality. The fortune of the genre has gone up and down over the past few years, but never come close to receding to pre-1989 levels of success. Country has remained a genre of multi-platinum sales, radio stations in the thousands and arena-filling concerts.
The modern era of country music is so different in terms of content and style from the ones that preceded it that many of the biggest stars of the 80′ s were nowhere to be found by the early 90′s.
The following list, which will be posted in 16 installments, attempts to evaluate the best singles that have been released since the boom began, without burdening comparisons to the untouchable classics of days gone by. There’s plenty of room for debate about what is and isn’t on the list – John Michael Montgomery and Neal McCoy fans can tune out now, since they’re not going to be making an appearance – but a historical discussion of this era is long overdue. I look forward to hearing about everything I got wrong (and right). Included with each entry is the song, artist, year of release and peak on the Billboard Country Singles chart.
The 400 Best Contemporary Country Singles
Part 1:
#400-#376
#400
“I Play Chicken With The Train”
Cowboy Troy featuring Big & Rich
2005
Peak: #48
An audacious fusion of country and hip-hop – Troy calls it “hick-hop” – this mind-bending collision of genres may be the most eyebrow-raising record to ever hit the country charts. Despite a lukewarm response from radio, Troy’s debut album is nearing gold and reached #2 on the country albums chart.
#399
“We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This”
George Strait
1998
Peak: #4
Speaking of eyebrow-raising, when Strait debuted this Jim Lauderdale song on the CMA’s a few years ago, the audience shot of Reba McEntire’s face was priceless. This Cajun-flavored romp, with Strait singing in a deeper register than he almost seems comfortable with, is so ballsy and against type that it reveals why Strait remains leagues ahead of his many imitators.
#398
“Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo”
Tracy Byrd
2005
Peak: #1
The sing-along bar anthems have gotten out of hand lately, but when done with the right combination of spirit and wit, with lines like “The singer couldn’t carry a tune in bucket”, they can be very entertaining. It helps that Byrd’s vocal is completely believable; he actually seems to get a bit drunker with each round. Perhaps José was making the rounds during the recording session?
#397
“Whatever You Say”
Martina McBride
1999
Peak: #2
The verses are sung in an almost-whisper; the chorus is an explosion of vocal power, releasing all of the built-up tension. She’s been repeating the formula to death lately – “How Far” and “Where Would You Be” are essentially the same song – but the original still packs a wallop.
#396
“Trashy Women”
Confederate Railroad
1993
Peak: #10
Before Jeff Foxworthy played the redneck thing to death, Confederate Railroad was the best celebration of an often-mocked lifestyle. I realize he’s singing about trashy women from below the Mason-Dixon line, but every time I hear this song, I picture girls from New Jersey. Got Aqua Net?
#395
“Wild Love”
Joy Lynn White
1994
Peak: #73
The vocal powerhouse that never made it to the big time, White sings the fire out of this Dennis Linde song that was written especially for her. Shania hadn’t made country radio safe for sexy, strong women yet , and this fell on deaf ears. But her cocky style lives on in the vocal stylings of Dixie Chick Natalie Maines.
#394
“Wish I Didn’t Know Now”
Toby Keith
1994
Peak: #2
Right from his debut album, Keith demonstrated a knack for clever songwriting – “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then.” He realizes he can’t be with the girl who has been cheating on him, but still longs for the days when he didn’t know any better. A very realistic slice of life.
#393
“Right Where I Need to Be”
Gary Allan
2000
Peak: #5
California country-rock was perfected by Dwight Yoakam, and Gary Allan is the first true musical child of the style Yoakam refined. His voice has a raspy edge that’s a cut above the boys that Nashville churns out. This record is driven by a raw Bakersfield energy.
#392
“That Don’t Impress Me Much”
Shania Twain
1999
Peak: #8
With it’s snarky references to Brad Pitt and rocket scientists, this was the hit that turned Twain’s Come On Over from a mega-hit to a phenomenon. The pop fans who weren’t around for “Any Man Of Mine” were surprised to find the pretty ballad singer had a sharp wit to boot.
#391
“State of Mind”
Clint Black
1994
Peak: #2
It starts with an ass-kicking, harmonica-fueled jam session that lasts nearly a minute; radio chopped that part off, and most of America only heard the rest of the song, which is a beautiful celebration of how a good song can completely change your “state of mind.”
#390
“What If I Do”
Mindy McCready
1997
Peak: #26
Her boyfriend’s trying to get in her pants, but Mindy just wants to enjoy the movie. “What If I Do” is structured as a running debate within Mindy’s head about whether or not she should “give in.” One of the most ridiculous songs I’ve ever heard, and equally entertaining. She’s the only artist in country music history who could pull this off.
#389
“You’re Still Here”
Faith Hill
2003
Peak: #28
A gorgeous, string-drenched ballad sung to a person who has passed on. The lyric is vague enough to suggest she could be singing about her husband or her father. One of her most underappreciated gems.
#388
“You Can Depend On Me”
Restless Heart
1991
Peak: #3
The quintessential 80’s country-pop band puts out a little bluegrass-flavored number that’s better than any of her crossover hits. The rise and fall of the harmonies is awesome.
#387
“The Bride”
Trick Pony
2004
Peak: #27
Think about it. If you are single, after graduation there isn’t one occasion where people celebrate you … Hallmark doesn’t make a “congratulations, you didn’t marry the wrong guy” card. – Carrie, Sex & The City
They may not make a Hallmark card, but Trick Pony made a great record about it. The singer couldn’t be any more happy to be attending the wedding of her ex, and can’t help but enjoy knowing she dodged a bullet.
#386
“Never Let Him See Me Cry”
Ronna Reeves
1993
Peak: #73
If Joy Lynn White came to the party too early, Ronna Reeves got there too late. Her thin voice and “I’m a doormat” material rendered her outdated right out of the starting gate. A country scene dominated by strong women like Mary Chapin Carpenter and powerhouse vocalists like Trisha Yearwood had no room at the table for a Holly Dunn-type newbie. But Reeves managed to find herself one good song over the course of four albums, this killer Kim Richey composition, showing she could sound pretty good when she sang something with more spunk. Too little, too late, but enjoyable nonetheless.
#385
“You Know Me Better Than That”
George Strait
1991
Peak: #1
Strait talks to his ex about how his new lover thinks he’s perfect, but concedes that “you know the me that gets lazy and fat, how moody I can be, all my insecurities.” While many country songs paint breakups as more final than they really are, Strait captures how the closeness of a loving relationship can cool to a knowing friendship, right down to a phone conversation where a laugh can be had at the naiveté of the new girl in the picture.
#384
“Song of the South”
Alabama
1990
Peak: #1
A romantic portrait of the New Deal-era south, which moved a lot of farm folks into town and onto the federal payrolls. As I’ve written before, there is great irony in the anti-big government sentiments being strongest in the Republican south, which still receives more federal entitlements and benefits than any other region of the country, and by a large margin at that.
#383
“Passenger Seat”
SHeDaisy
2004
Peak: #12
Too often seen as a punch line rather than a legitimate country band, SHeDaisy have been putting out pop confections like this with remarkable ease. This makes you want to jump in the car, roll down the windows, and pump up the volume.
#382
“Look At Me Now”
Bryan White
1995
Peak: #24
White’s second single is as refreshing and sharp a decade later as it was when first released. His prodigious talent lifts this record up, and makes you wonder where the hell he disappeared to.
#381
“Standing on the Edge of Goodbye”
John Berry
1995
Peak: #2
Berry was the Gary Morris of the 90’s, a stocky, intense singer lacking all subtlety and nuance. His vocal growl powers the tension in this well-crafted record.
#380
“Thinkin’ Problem”
David Ball
1994
Peak: #2
The best way to test how much of a real country fan you are is to listen to the first three seconds of this record. If you cringe during that first “Yes, I admit”, you’re not one of us; if it piques your curiosity and you want to hear the rest of the record, you’re in the club.
#379
“Leave Him Out of This”
Steve Wariner
1991
Peak: #6
Something of a stepbrother to the Keith Whitley hit “Don’t Close Your Eyes”, Wariner laments that the one he’s with has someone else on her mind. His plea for her to “leave him out of this” is understated, but still powerful.
#378
“Every River”
Brooks & Dunn
2002
Peak: #12
One of the last acts you’d expect to cover Kim Richey, they even enlisted her to sing back-up on their recording of her declaration of lifetime love and devotion. Richey’s original surpasses the Brooks & Dunn take, but their respectable version garnered the song much-deserved exposure.
#377
“Then What?”
Clay Walker
1998
Peak: #2
With this out-of-left-field smash, Walker has the dubious honor of bringing Caribbean-flavored country back to the forefront. Countless years and Kenny Chesney hits later, it still hasn’t gone away. Thanks, Clay.
#376
“As Good As I Once Was”
Toby Keith
2005
Peak: #1
I ripped this song apart a few months ago for it’s sleazy reference to a threesome in the first verse, but the rest of it has grown on me. He actually does pull off humility surprisingly well (“I used to be hell on wheels/when I was a younger man/Now my body says ‘you can’t do that, boy’/But my pride says ‘Oh yes, you can’”). It’s a refreshing change of pace from his irritating, fake-macho swagger.
Wednesday, September 7th, 2005
The 2005 CMA Award nominations have been announced, and there’s a long overdue changing of the guard. The full list is here, and my comments follow each of the major categories below. On the whole, I’m amazed how closely my wish list matched the actual noms, far more than usual.
Entertainer of the Year
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Toby Keith
Brad Paisley
Keith Urban
Paisley & Urban break into the Entertainer of the Year category for the first time, taking the place of perennial nominee Brooks & Dunn, who haven’t really deserved the slot since the mid-90′s, and more surprisingly, Tim McGraw, who scored only one nomination this year. It’s significant that of all these nominees, only one (Alan Jackson) has been a major star since the early 90′s. It took a very long time, but we finally grew some new superstars. If their sophomore albums match the success of their debuts, MusikMafia members Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich may find themselves in this category in the near future.
Male Vocalist
Kenny Chesney
Alan Jackson
Brad Paisley
George Strait
Keith Urban
This category is more static, with Brad Paisley returning to the category after a one-year absence, replacing another frequent nominee, Toby Keith. There really aren’t enough slots in this category right now to capture all the big male vocalists these days; splitting the men up between “entertainers” and “vocalists” may be the best option. I’m surprised it’s Kenny that got the nod over Toby, since Toby is the stronger vocalist. But voter support for him doesn’t seem as strong as it is for Brad and George this year. Other strong male vocalists like Gary Allan and Trace Adkins continue to be overlooked just because there’s no room at the table.
Female Vocalist
Sara Evans
Alison Krauss
Martina McBride
Gretchen Wilson
Lee Ann Womack
Hard to argue here. I’m surprised Krauss is represented in both the female and group categories, but she does enough solo work to justify it. Faith Hill and Trisha Yearwood are back on the scene, but only had singles barely released during the eligibility period. The comeback of Lee Ann Womack has her taking the slot that Terri Clark has had for the last two years; with the latter only releasing one single that didn’t do very well, and Womack making the best album of her career, it’s easy to understand why.
Vocal Duo
Big & Rich
Brooks & Dunn
Montgomery Gentry
Van Zant
Warren Brothers
For the first time since the late 1980′s, this category actually has five legitimate competitors. Big & Rich have sold the most records by far, and Brooks & Dunn and Montgomery Gentry have been hits at both radio and retail. Van Zant have seen their debut single and album both go top ten, and the Warren Brothers, still waiting for that breakthrough hit, have become media stars through their CMT reality show Barely Famous. After so many years of wondering why duos have their own category, this may finally be the end of the “Brooks & Dunn award.”
Vocal Group
Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
Diamond Rio
Lonestar
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
A decent lineup, with fingers crossed that AKUS or Sugarland get the prize instead of the undewhelming hair gel boys.
Horizon Award
Dierks Bentley
Big & Rich
Miranda Lambert
Julie Roberts
Sugarland
There are two huge acts in this category – Big & Rich and Sugarland – and a third, Dierks Bentley, who is doing very well. Julie Roberts got a gold record and Miranda Lambert a #1 album, but both of them are faltering at radio and not living up to the hype that surrounds them. They are place-fillers in this category.
Album of the Year
Tim McGraw Live Like You Were Dying
Rascal Flatts Feels Like Today
George Strait Somewhere Down In Texas
Keith Urban Be Here
Lee Ann Womack There’s More Where That Came From
The big surprise here is that the Toby Keith CD isn’t included, but Urban, McGraw and Rascal Flatts have been steadier sellers. George Strait’s nomination is a surprise, since it’s such a new album, but it is a decent record. Womack is in here on merit; the album has sold respectably, but it is the massive critical and industry acclaim that have carried her to the nomination, and rightfully so. If voters go on merit, she’ll win.
Single of the Year
“Alcohol”- Brad Paisley
“As Good As I Once Was” – Toby Keith
“Baby Girl” – Sugarland
“Bless The Broken Road” – Rascal Flatts
“I May Hate Myself In The Morning” – Lee Ann Womack
The Sugarland nomination is a shock to me, but a welcome one. I think this is a race between the Flatts megahit and the Womack instant standard. CMA voters tend to lean traditional, so I wouldn’t be surprised if “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” wins over the bigger hits in this category.
Song of the Year
“Alcohol” – Brad Paisley
“As Good As I Once Was” – Toby Keith & Scott Emerick
“Bless The Broken Road” – Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd & Jeff Hanna
“I May Hate Myself In The Morning” – Odie Blackmon
“Redneck Woman” – Gretchen Wilson & John Rich
“Whiskey Lullaby” – Bill Anderson & Jon Randall
An arcane publishing rule allows for “Redneck Woman” and “Whiskey Lullaby” to be nominated two years in a row; the latter just might win.
Music Video of the Year
“Alcohol” – Brad Paisley
“As Good As I Once Was” – Toby Keith
“Day Go By” – Keith Urban
“I May Hate Myself In The Morning” – Lee Ann Womack
“When I Think About Cheatin’” – Gretchen Wilson
What can I say? Five great videos that really stood out from the standard CMT fare. Great choices.
Musical Event of the Year
“Good News, Bad News” – George Strait & Lee Ann Womack
“I’ll Never Be Free” – Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack
“New Again” – Brad Paisley & Sara Evans
“Party For Two” – Shania Twain with Billy Currington
“Trip Around The Sun” – Jimmy Buffett & Martina McBride
I haven’t heard the Paisley/Evans duet. Shania & Billy have the only big hit here, but I imagine one of Lee Ann’s duets will get the prize, most likely the one with Strait, though it would be a shoo-in if it was released as a single.
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