Archive for December, 2005
Saturday, December 31st, 2005
How good was 2005 for country albums? Well, any one of the top ten albums this year could’ve been #1 in another year. Provided are some tracks for you to sample if you’re thinking you want to add these to your collection. Even with 25 slots on this list, only one new artist made the cut. The veterans and established artists came back with their very best, and there was no room at the table for the young’uns.
Best Country Albums of 2005
#25
Jo Dee Messina
Delicious Surprise
One of many female country artists to return this year after an extended absence, Messina picks up right where she left off with her trademark combination of kiss-off numbers and motivational anthems. I’ve been waiting in vain for a country act to cover the Grass Roots classic “Where Were You When I Needed You”, but Messina will tide me over with “Where Were You”, a worthy variation on the same potent theme.
Download This: “Where Were You”, “Love Is Not Enough”, “My Give A Damn’s Busted”
#24
Caitlin Cary & Thad Cockrell
Begonias
A duet album in the tradition of Porter & Dolly, these two run the gamut of every conceivable type of country duet. They’re loving, they’re leaving, they’re fighting, and in the album’s best track, they’re having a conversation about a mutual friend who has fallen for a girl he can’t have.
Download This: “Conversations About A Friend (Who’s In Love With Katie)”, “Two Different Things”, “Waiting on June”
#23
Pam Tillis
Just In Time For Christmas
The peerless Tillis wraps her voice around some of the best Christmas standards, incorporating some of her jazz-tinged roots along the way. But the biggest highlight isn’t a Christmas song at all, despite a reference to winter – “Seasons” is a declaration of unconditional love that is achingly beautiful. The album is currently available at her website, with wider distribution expected next year.
Best Tracks: “Seasons”, “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”, “Light of the World”
#22
Sara Evans
Real Fine Place
While all aspirations of serious artistry on her part seem to have been left behing a long time ago, Evans has established herself as a first-rate bubblegum country act. This is a great collection of songs tailor-made for radio.
Download This: “A Real Fine Place To Start”, “Coalmine”, “Cheatin’”
#21
Carrie Underwood
Some Hearts
Underwood had a short window to throw this album together, but in that time, she compiled the best country debut CD of the year, carried to that title on the strength of her unbelievable vocal talent. There’s a few too many inspirational-type songs, but when she cuts into a vicious song like “Before He Cheats” (“Right now he’s buying her some fruity little drink cause she can’t shoot whiskey), she knocks it out of the ballpark.
Download This: “Before He Cheats”, “Jesus, Take The Wheel”, “I Ain’t In Checotah Anymore”
#20
Kenny Chesney
The Road and The Radio
Chesney reaches new levels of artistic merit with this calm and reflective new album, which suggests he’s mellowing with age. Some of his best material to date resides on this record, particularly the introspective and insightful title track.
Download This: “Who You’d Be Today”, “The Road and The Radio”, “In A Small Town”
#19
Joy Lynn White
One More Time
White’s first widely released album in nearly a decade finds her as comfortable as ever singing honky-tonk and alt-country material. She remains a brilliant talent just waiting for that big breakthrough.
Download This: “Certain Boy”, “Just Some Girl”, “Girls With Apartments In Nashville”
#18
Big & Rich
Comin’ To Your City
Country music’s circus mascots continue to blend outrageous hooks and hip-hop lingo with solid country lyrics and themes. They are developing into a significant act that may have enormous influence on the direction of the genre; thankfully, they don’t take that role too seriously.
Download This: “I Pray For You”, “Filthy Rich”, “Caught Up In The Moment”
#17
Jamie O’Neal
Brave
O’Neal barely bothers with love on her comeback album, singing about everything from girlfriends (they kick ass), the perfect man (harder to find than Atlantis) and a stripper (who brings both her customers and the neighborhood priest to their knees.) She’s a vibrant talent who has sorely missed.
Download This: “Somebody’s Hero”, “Devil on the Left”, “Naive”
#16
Merle Haggard
Chicago Wind
The political messages of a few tracks have gotten the most media attention, but Haggard’s stunning return to form shines brightest when he’s singing about love and loss.
Download This: “Leavin’s Not The Only Way To Go”, “What I’ve Been Meaning To Say”, “White Man Singin’ The Blues”
#15
Marty Stuart
Badlands
Stuart revives the noble country music tradition of giving voice to the plight of Native Americans, managing to engage both historical and contemporary issues that have hit the community.
Download This: “Broken Promise Land”, “So You Want To Be An Indian”, “Listen to the Children”
#14
Terri Clark
Life Goes On
Clark finds a happy place between the introspection of Fearless and the hard country rock of Pain To Kill with this traditional set that showcases her powerful vocals wrapped around hard-core honky-tonk.
Download This: “Life Goes On”, “Not Enough Tequila”, “Damn Right”
#13
Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives
Souls’ Chapel
Stuart’s second stellar album of 2005 finds him putting his stamp on Southern gospel classics, creating an album that plays best for those Saturday night Christians who sleep through Sunday services because they’re still nursing a hangover.
Download This: “Lord, Give Me Just A Little More Time”, “I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand)”, “There’s A Rainbow (At The End of Every Storm)”
#12
Willie Nelson
Countryman
Willie finally released this long-gestating reggae album, and it’s a surprisingly entertaining collection. His compositions, many of which have been recorded before in more conventional country arrangements, sound even better here; the Jamaican rhythms complement his unique vocal phrasing far better than the Nashville sound usually does.
Download This: “The Harder They Come”, “One In A Row”, “You Left Me A Long, Long Time Ago”
#11
Nickel Creek
Why Should The Fire Die?
The ambitious trio recorded this long-awaited third album on analog in California. There is a warmth and artistic freedom that resonates throughout this project, which as a whole is the strongest album they’ve recorded.
Download This: “Somebody More Like You”, “Helena”, “Anthony”
#10
Trisha Yearwood
Jasper County
Yearwood’s first album in four years is a welcome return home for the genre’s finest vocal talent. Working with long-time producer Garth Fundis, the high points of this album rank with the best recordings of her career, which is no small feat. The sparse, rootsy production allows her vocals to shine.
Download This: “Try Me”, “Standing Out In A Crowd”, “Who Invented The Wheel”, “River of You”
#9
Dolly Parton
Those Were The Days
The concept sounds disastrous – Parton covering protest songs and warmed-over AM folk hits – and probably would’ve been if she was still in her Vegas phase. But the warm Appalachian treatments given to these classics breathe new life into them, and the best work here resonates as strongly as the originals.
Download This: “Those Were The Days”, “Where Do The Children Play”, “Blowing In The Wind”, “Both Sides Now”
#8
Dwight Yoakam
Blame The Vain
Yoakam’s first set without Pete Anderson at the helm burns with the fire of a veteran who suddenly has something to prove. He sounds absolutely rejuvenated, and allows his snarky sense of humor to sneak through on many of the tracks.
Download This: “When I First Came Here”, “She’ll Remember”, “The Last Heart In Line”, “Blame The Vain”
#7
Wynonna
Her Story: Scenes From A Lifetime
Country music’s very own Liza Manelli comes out of nowhere with what is possibly the greatest live country album of her generation. Structured as an autobiographical tour through her life, Wynonna reveals herself to be a master storyteller, adding new depth and meaning to the songs she performs. She is so genuinely sincere that you can grant her some grace for being over-the-top at times.
Download This: “Peace In This House”, “That Was Yesterday”, “I Want To Know What Love Is”, “I Can Only Imagine”
#6
Faith Hill
Fireflies
There was a beautiful period in country music about ten years ago, where female artists were exposing their listeners to lesser-known songwriters by covering their material. Much like Pam, Patty & Trisha brought fans to the work of Kim Richey, Matraca Berg and Bobbie Cryner, Hill makes the work of singer-songwriter Lori McKenna the grounding force of her phenomenal sixth album, easily the best of her career. Songs like “Stealing Kisses” and “If You Ask”, both McKenna originals, are the closest we’ll ever get to 21st Century Tammy Wynette, and we’re all better off for Hill singing them to us.
Download This: “Stealing Kisses”, “Wish For You”, “Dearly Beloved”, “Fireflies”
#5
Patty Loveless
Dreamin’ My Dreams
As a fan who was disappointed by her previous album On Your Way Home, I am grateful to say that Loveless’ newest CD is among the best of her career. She’s always been best at the ballads, and she records some great ones here, but her rough and raw performance of rocker “Keep Your Distance” is clear evidence of her versatility as a vocalist.
Download This: “Nobody Here By That Name”, “Keep Your Distance”, “Everything But The Words”, “When Being Who You Are Is Not Enough”, “Dreaming My Dreams With You”
#4
Lee Ann Womack
There’s More Where That Came From
The very deserved winner of CMA’s Album of the Year award, Womack brings all the lying, cheating and hurting back to a genre that was getting way too antiseptic. By any standard, this is a modern country masterpiece and a crowning career achievement.
Download This: “I May Hate Myself In The Morning”, “The Last Time”, “Stubborn (Psalm 151)”, “Twenty Years and Two Husbands Ago”, “There’s More Where That Came From”
#3
Rodney Crowell
The Outsider
A brilliant political and social statement that finds Crowell’s writing at its most incisive and furious. Crowell is the voice for the blistering, righteous anger that is simmering in the hearts and souls of progressives today, and thankfully, he is able to connect that frustration to the religious convictions that underly it. Oh, and the songs are also catchy as hell and sound great blasting from the car stereo
Download This: “The Obscenity Prayer”, “Dancin’ Circles ‘Round The Sun”, “Don’t Get Me Started”, “Ignorance Is The Enemy”, “Beautiful Despair”, “Shelter From The Storm”
#2
Kathy Mattea
Right Out Of Nowhere
There hasn’t been a country album with more intelligence, wisdom and hopeful optimism that the human spirit will triumph since Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Stones In The Road eleven years ago. Mattea has the moral authority to cover “Gimme Shelter” and “Down On The Corner” – she’s been a walking illustration of the virtues of peacemaking and creating art for pure joy that those songs respectively celebrate. The life lessons embedded in the new material on the album are countless, but perhaps the most noble comes toward the end of the album in “Give It Away”, which she co-wrote: “I’ve been given a gift and what I know today, is the only way to keep it is to give it away.” It’s a gentle reminder to all of us that the gifts we have been given by God were meant to be shared with and used in the service of others.
Download This: “Give It Away”, “Loving You, Letting You Go”, “I Hope You’re Happy Now”, “Gimme Shelter”, “Right Outta Nowhere”, “Live It”
#1
Gary Allan
Tough All Over
Allan tackles the suicide of his wife head-on with this stunning album, and he runs the gamut of emotions from anger, guilt, sorrow and slight shades of hope. He’s always been one of the genre’s best vocalists, but he’s never used his talents to sing such dark and often disturbing material. He pulls no punches in the lyrics – a sample: “I’ve been mad at everyone, including God and you”, from the gut-wrenching “I Just Got Back From Hell.” There are no happy endings on this record – the final track laments that he’s getting through by “Putting His Misery on Display” for audiences every night – and one suspects that he’s still spending more time in the dark places the tragedy has created in his life than he is looking for the light. It’s a powerful and moving record that ranks with the best country albums ever made.
Download This: “I Just Got Back From Hell”, “Life Ain’t Always Beautiful”, “Best I Ever Had”, “Putting Memories Away”, “Putting My Misery On Display”, “Ring”
Tuesday, December 27th, 2005
Three days later than intended, thanks to a Blogspot glitch, here’s the first of a few year-in-review entries. Given the incessant single listing on this page lately, it seems only right to kcik things off with my favorite fifty singles of the past year. Observant readers will note that rankings have changed a bit since the 400 Greatest List; what can I say, it’s been three months and tastes change.
Fifty Best Country Singles
of 2005
#50
“XXL”
Keith Anderson
Newcomer Anderson’s celebration of the big-and-tall clientele was one of the funniest records to hit country radio this year.
#49
“Tonight”
Sara Evans
Overshadowed by the admittedly superior “I May Hate Myself In The Morning”, Evans’ ode to the one night stand has its own understated charm.
#48
“Don’t Worry ‘Bout A Thing”
SHeDaisy
The Osborn sisters get out all of their anger about being used and abused by the Nashville system, and ironically enough, it returns them to the top ten for the first time in years.
#47
“Don’t”
Shania Twain
A tender ballad that was nearly lost in the early months of the year, it helped her Greatest Hits solidify its place as the top-selling country album of 2005.
#46
“A Hard Secret To Keep”
Mark Chesnutt
A wonderful cheater’s lament that is laced with paranoia. Chesnutt’s never sounded better.
#45
“I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today”
Gretchen Wilson
While one would hope that co-writer Matraca Berg looked up Tillis, Loveless and Yearwood in her Rolodex before giving this song to Wilson, the newcomer does a decent job staying out of the way of an excellent song.
#44
“Big Time”
Big & Rich
A glorious celebration of what success truly means. Toby Keith should embrace the message.
#43
“Good Hearted Man”
Tift Merritt
Sultry and blues-tinged, this is country of the Bobbie Gentry variety, that Mississippi mud sound that is too often overlooked these days.
#42
“I Play Chicken With The Train”
Cowboy Troy with Big & Rich
This may end up more interesting in the long run to sociologists rather than musicologists, but the collision of musical genres here is wildly entertaining.
#41
“Race You To The Bottom”
Billy Dean
There seems to be a growing sector of the artistic community that are raising a voice against incessant commercialism; Dean is sadistic in adopting the voice of greed and envy. Who knew he had it in him?
#40
“She Didn’t Have Time”
Terri Clark
The saga of a single mom is lovingly retold by Clark in one of her most sensitive performances to date.
#39
“Boondocks”
Little Big Town
They’re more Fleetwood Mac than Dixie Chicks, but the harmonies of this trio sell this tale of growing up in the backwoods.
#38
“Comin’ To Your City”
Big & Rich
The Big & Rich boys seem to have a keener understanding of why their debut CD sold so well than their buddy Gretchen Wilson. This anthem is one of the main reasons they are exceeding the sophomore expectations that Wilson is falling short of, at least as measured by SoundScan.
#37
“If You Don’t Wanna Love Me”
Cowboy Troy with Sarah Buxton
It’s a bit campy, but Buxton’s haunting vocal keep this collaboration above water.
#36
“Goodbye Time”
Blake Shelton
Shelton covers one of Conway Twitty’s last hits and pulls it off with dignity. It’s Shelton’s first vocal performance that doesn’t feel strained.
#35
“Arlington”
Trace Adkins
There just aren’t enough songs sung from the grave in country music these days. The fallen soldier that Adkins gives voice to reminds about the cost of war in a way that is simply chilling.
#34
“Cheatin’”
Sara Evans
As I’ve said before, if Reba’s not going to make Reba records anymore, somebody has to. Evans absolutely nails this snarky song that revels in a man’s post-cheating decline.
#33
“He Oughta Know That By Now”
Lee Ann Womack
A fully believable every-woman tale about feeling neglected by a man who chooses work over his woman. If “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” was this generation’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night”, Womack has given us our own “Satin Sheets” with this hit.
#32
“Trying To Find Atlantis”
Jamie O’Neal
It’s wonderful to hear an artist that has been written off return with confidence and some great material. This search for the perfect man is clever and entertaining.
#31
“Blame The Vain”
Dwight Yoakam
Yoakam is always getting his heart broken on record, but he makes each heartache feel fresh. He sounds revitalized here, on the song that kicks off the fantastic album of the same name.
#30
“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland
Nettles goes toe-to-toe with legend Jon Bon Jovi and more than holds her own. Her extra dose of grit takes this song to a higher level.
#29
“‘Shoes”
Shania Twain
Twain returns to her traditional roots with her most fiddle-laden single since she broke through with “Whose Bed Have Your Boots Been Under” ten years ago. She sounds relaxed and comfortable on this stopgap single.
#28
“Alcohol”
Brad Paisley
Paisley is often guilty of thinking he’s more clever than he is (ahem, “I’m Gonna Miss Her”), but he pulls off a great feat here by singing about alcohol in the first-person. He doesn’t have the honky-tonk grit to make this soar like a John Anderson would’ve done, but his understated vocal has its own charm.
#27
“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”
Trace Adkins
Country music finally gets its own “Baby Got Back.” There wasn’t a funnier line this year than “We hate to see her go but love to watch her leave.”
#26
“As Good As I Once Was”
Toby Keith
I said, Daaaave…
#25
“If Something Should Happen”
Darryl Worley
Worley ditches the fake bravado of his nauseating “Have You Forgotten” and returns to what he does best. He walks the tight rope between bravery and fear as he asks his friend to look after his family if he doesn’t survive surgery.
#24
“Fightin’ For”
Cross Canadian Ragweed
Raw and angry, this is a fed-up challenge to people who don’t even know what they’re fightin’ for. Interpret as you will.
#23
“It’s Getting Better All The Time”
Brooks & Dunn
Every once in a while, Ronnie Dunn reminds us that he’s one of country’s best vocalists by ripping into a painful ballad. Shades of mid-60’s Beatles color this hit.
#22
“Georgia Rain”
Trisha Yearwood
Try denying this voice when matched with a flawless story song. You feel like you’re actually in the truck with her.
#21
“My Give A Damn’s Busted”
Jo Dee Messina
What a relief to hear a kiss-off anthem that doesn’t mince words. Messina’s comeback hit is among her best to date.
#20
“Mississippi Girl”
Faith Hill
Hill acquits herself admirably in this pointed response to critics who feel she’s become above her raising. It helps that she has a killer hook assisting her defense.
#19
“Twenty Years and Two Husbands Ago”
Lee Ann Womack
What a shame that Womack chose to film a video for this song that is a vain period piece when she could’ve fully visualised the middle-class, middle-aged woman that she wrote about in this song. Close your eyes and listen, and you hear the voice of every woman who drives her kids to school every morning and quietly accepts those lines on her face as the marks of a road well-traveled.
#18
“Wake Up Older”
Julie Roberts
The only song worth your time on Roberts’ debut CD, she takes a man home to help her forget the true love she sings to, but she confesses “I thought about you the whole time we were getting it on.”
#17
“Tonight I Wanna Cry”
Keith Urban
A gorgeous showcase of his talents and clear evidence that those big CMA awards were deserved.
#16
“Jesus, Take The Wheel”
Carrie Underwood
She’s selling records at a clip that women (and men) in country music rarely ever experience. It’s more than that American Idol victory fueling it. She has the best voice to hit country music since Trisha Yearwood, and this first hit and its mass appeal indicates that she may be the most significant ambassador for the format to surface since the Chicks seven years ago.
#15
“I Would Cry”
Amy Dalley
Dalley’s matter-of-fact dismissal of a cheating lover is surprisingly and effectively rational; no desperate emotions here. “You made a choice and now there’s no way to ever make it right; if my tears had any power, I would cry.” Put out the damn album already, Curb.
#14
“They Don’t Understand”
Sawyer Brown
A three-act morality play that reminds us to check in with our neighbors before assigning them blame.
#13
“Probably Wouldn’t Be This Way”
LeAnn Rimes
Rimes finally sounds like the heir of Tanya Tucker with this Southern Gothic meditation on early death and the borderline insanity it can cause. Listen closely and you can hear the ghost of Delta Dawn.
#12
“Like We Never Loved At All”
Faith Hill with Tim McGraw
A classic power ballad that sounds better with each listen.
#11
“Drugs or Jesus”
Tim McGraw
It’s amazing that a contemporary mainstream country star was able to have a hit with a song that suggests that drugs and religion fill the same need. He still has the best ear for material in Nashville.
#10
“Who You’d Be Today”
Kenny Chesney
I still can’t watch the video. I leave the room when it comes on. This heartbreaking hit is Chesney’s finest moment on record.
#9
“Something More”
Sugarland
It takes a great country record to make you want to quit your job for the three minutes it’s on. The answer to anybody inquiring why this band has exploded can be granted by listening to their biggest single so far.
#8
“Keep Your Distance”
Patty Loveless
Sometimes it’s all-or-nothing. I’m fascinated by the character in this song who apparently went against her better instincts by falling for this guy, but has now gotten enough of a grip on reality to know to cut him off and begin undoing the damage: “I played and I got stung, now I’m biting back my tongue, and sweeping out the footprints where I strayed.”
#7
“A Real Fine Place To Start”
Sara Evans
An explosion of just-fell-in-love energy.
#6
“Best I Ever Had”
Gary Allan
Allan takes this song and makes it his own, twanging it up and adding a darker tinge to lines like “Was it what you wanted? Could it be I’m haunted?” that give unspoken weight to his wife’s suicide last year.
#5
“I Hope”
Dixie Chicks
“Our children are watching us, they put they’re trust in us, they’re gonna be like us.” Remember that, the Chicks warn. We’re role models whether we want to be or not. What an important and perfectly constructed message.
#4
“My Old Friend”
Tim McGraw
There aren’t that many great songs about friendships; lovers get most of the attention. McGraw’s lament for a friend who has passed on is poignant and a firm reminder to keep in touch with the people who matter to you.
#3
“You’ll Be There”
George Strait
A surprisingly spiritual Strait confesses that he’s only walking the line in the hopes that he’ll see his loved one in heaven when he dies: “I know that I want to go where the streets are gold cause you’ll be there.”
#2
“Dancin’ Circles ‘Round The Sun (Epictetus Speaks)”
Rodney Crowell
Vibrant and forceful country-rock philosophy, with one life lesson after another until an entire path for the good life has been constructed.
#1
“Somebody’s Hero”
Jamie O’Neal
Quite possibly the best record about mother and child in country music history. It still gives me goosebumps with each listen.
Thursday, December 8th, 2005
When your reader base consists of about twenty people, you can honor their requests fairly easily. An anonymous person commented that they would like to see me do a countdown of the best country duets of all-time. As I replied in the comments, all-time countdowns make me a little nervous. I started listening to country music in 1991, so I’m sure there are a lot of great, obscure duets that I never heard from before that time. So I’m being cautious and just calling this my Favorite Country Duets list.
In the interest of clarity and consistency, I have limited the list to collaborations between individual artists, so music by established duos such as Brooks & Dunn or Big & Rich are not eligible. Additionally, there must be legitimate lead vocals by both artists. If one artist is simply providing harmony, it doesn’t count as a duet in my book; there must be at least one line in the song sung by each artist. Finally, it’s a duet list, so any collaborations of three or more, no matter how stellar they may be (Sorry, Trio) are not eligible.
I also avoided checking out CMT’s list on the same topic to ensure my choices were free of outside influence. Hopefully, anonymous and everybody else will enjoy this latest list…
Fifty Favorite Country Duets
of All-Time
#50
“In Another’s Eyes”
Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks
Two cheating spouses remorse over the fact that the trusting spouses they are cheating on would never suspect they’re running around. The irony that this was released when the currently engaged Yearwood & Brooks were still in their former marriages is delicious.
#49
“Down From Dover”
Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazlewood
When she sings, it’s campy; when he sings, it’s creepy. This half-hilarious, half-disturbing cover of the Dolly Parton classic “Down From Dover” has to be heard to be believed.
#48
“Pancho and Lefty”
Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard
It originally appeared on the classic Luxury Liner set from Emmylou Harris, but the Nelson & Haggard cover is a classic unto itself. The two men get into the psyche of a renegade and the lawmaker who finally tracks him down, with glorious results.
#47
“Somewhere In The Vicinity Of The Heart”
Shenandoah & Alison Krauss
Shenandoah always kept one toe in bluegrass, so it made perfect sense for them to pair up with then-unknown Alison Krauss for this sweet ballad of two jaded souls finding new love at a downtrodden cafe. This was Krauss’ breakthrough and Shenandoah’s last big hit.
#46
“Keep Walkin’ On”
Faith Hill & Shelby Lynne
A damn near Pentecostal gospel rave-up, the girls praise the Lord with sass and style.
#45
“I Walk The Line (Revisited)”
Rodney Crowell & Johnny Cash
Crowell recounts his childhood discovery of the music that would define his life, taking us back to the beat-up car in which he first heard Johnny Cash sing “I Walk The Line.” The Man in Black himself provides the chorus, which alters the melody of his signature hit.
#44
“Hopelessly Yours”
Lee Greenwood & Suzy Bogguss
Another case of an established star’s last hit and a rising star’s breakthrough, Bogguss steals the show in this simple ballad of hopeless love.
#43
“You’re The Reason Our Kids Are Ugly”
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
One of the funniest records in country music history, the chemistry between these two was never more playful on record.
#42
“I Don’t Care”
Bobbie Cryner & Dwight Yoakam
You wanna hear some hillbilly? The muddy twang by these two traditional singers will make city-dwellers cringe if they don’t already have a taste for such unfiltered southern drawl.
#41
“Good News, Bad News”
George Strait & Lee Ann Womack
George has some good news; he’s worked through his issues and is ready to take Lee Ann back. Lee Ann has some bad news; she’s already moved on to someone new. This brought both of them good news at this year’s CMA awards, winning them the trophy for Musical Event of the Year.
#40
“Rockin’ Years”
Dolly Parton & Ricky Van Shelton
Ever the opportunist, Parton has always found time to record with the biggest stars of any given time. In 1991, that was Ricky Van Shelton. This sentimental declaration of eternal love was her last #1 hit.
#39
“If You Don’t Wanna Love Me”
Cowboy Troy & Sarah Buxton
This record works because of Buxton’s hauntingly sweet vocal, which gives the gravity and emotional subtext necessary to sell the listener on Troy’s storytelling.
#38
“The Way We Make A Broken Heart”
John Haitt & Rosanne Cash
This was left unreleased until ten years after being recorded, long after Cash had already recorded the song again as a solo number and scored a #1 hit with it. As a duet, the song is darker and more calculated, as the guilt-ridden one-sided conversation of Cash’s hit is instead a two-sided conversation of two plotting adulterers almost reveling in the pain they are causing the man sitting at home, wondering where his wife is.
#37
“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”
Bon Jovi & Jennifer Nettles
It’s barely been sent to radio, but this collaboration between the Sugarland lead vocalist and Bon Jovi absolutely soars. Nettles not only stands her ground against a legendary band, she actually takes control of the record, her soulful vocals providing the high points of a very entertaining performance.
#36
“Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man”
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
Fun, silly, and a bit of a tongue-twister, two lovers won’t let the Mississippi river keep them from each other. Twitty’s even willing to wrestle an alligator to get to Loretta. If I were him, I’d be more worried about Mooney.
#35
“Something Up My Sleeve”
Suzy Bogguss & Billy Dean
Using a surprisingly effective magician metaphor, Bogguss & Dean lament that there are no tricks, spells or surprises that can keep the two of them together anymore.
#34
“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”
Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffett
Jackson is a legend partly because his drinking anthems are as good as his deep and meaningful ballads. Despite a concept of time zones that doesn’t quite work (if it’s half past twelve, it’s not five o’clock anywhere), this hit got everybody drinking in the afternoon with a little less guilt. Okay, maybe just me.
#33
“Brotherly Love”
Keith Whitley & Earl Thomas Conley
I don’t know if I’ve ever heard another song this beautiful about the bond between two siblings. What “Calico Plains” is for sisters, this is for brothers.
#32
“Shelter From The Storm”
Rodney Crowell & Emmylou Harris
Rodney had the brilliant idea to make a Bob Dylan classic a duet with a few lyric changes, and bring in Emmylou Harris to sing it with him. The result is a fascinating, rambling collaboration that is chill-inducingly beautiful.
#31
“Party For Two”
Shania Twain & Billy Currington
You can keep “From This Moment On” – everybody knows that record was much better once she ditched Bryan White and sang it solo. But here, Twain and Currington provide an irresistably catchy and sexy flirtation that radiates off of the record.
#30
“Squeeze Me In”
Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood
Recorded previously by Lee Roy Parnell and its writer Delbert McClinton, Brooks & Yearwood have the good wisdom to make it a duet that brings out a ferocious performance from both.
#29
“‘Til All The Lonely’s Gone”
Pam Tillis & Mel Tillis
Pam Tillis was so well-established by the time she recorded Sweetheart’s Dance that she could have her dad sing a few lines of her gospel closing track without having to worry about standing in his shadow. Mel helps out respectably, giving the family-themed song a little boost, but even he knows to stay out of the way once it’s time for those big notes; Pam tears the roof off as Daddy watches.
#28
“Don’t Cry Joni”
Conway Twitty & Joni Lee
Speaking of Dad and daughter duets, Twitty had his daughter Joni Lee sing on one of his records. Radio found it buried on the album and started playing it. If you can ignore the fact that it’s dad and daughter singing, you’ll be deeply touched by this tale of an older man breaking the heart of the young girl who adores him, then realizing he loves her once it’s too late.
#27
“Please Remember Me”
Aaron Neville & Linda Ronstadt
Somewhere between writer Rodney Crowell releasing this and Tim McGraw making a smash of it, Neville & Ronstadt got together to make a duet out of one of the greatest country songs ever written. Now, you know the song is great; it’s being sung by two of the most talented vocalists in the history of recorded music. Do I have to tell you it’s a classic performance?
#26
“Mendocino County Line”
Willie Nelson & Lee Ann Womack
1991
Peak: #7
I still don’t really understand what the hell they’re talking about in this song, but Nelson & Womack make beautiful music together.
#25
“Does He Love You”
Reba McEntire & Linda Davis
Two of the wimpiest women ever to appear in a country song wonder who he really loves – his wife or his mistress. Why they don’t just talk about why they’re even dealing with such an asshole is beyond me, but who can deny the power of the performances of these two ladies?
#24
“Don’t Go Out”
Tanya Tucker & T. Graham Brown
Two friends try to talk each other out of the dates they’ve planned independently, since they secretly are in love with each other. It’s a raw back and forth by two equally gritty vocalists.
#23
“Baby Don’t Go”
Dwight Yoakam & Sheryl Crow
Yoakam & Crow cover Sonny & Cher and put the beatnik legends to shame in the process.
#22
“Keep Your Eyes On Jesus”
Pam Tillis & Johnny Cash
The voice of God meets the voice of an angel. Tillis sings the gorgeous lyrics and melody of this Louvin Brothers classic in her sweet soprano as Cash reads the bible verses that inspired the song.
#21
“Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson
An indisputable classic cowboy anthem, the reluctant Outlaws essentially counsel against mothers raising their boys to end up like them.
#20
“Not Too Much To Ask”
Mary Chapin Carpenter & Joe Diffie
One would think the label must have forced a collaboration between such distinctly different artists, but with a fantastic song, courtesy of Miss Carpenter, there was no going wrong. Diffie sounds fantastic, even though he’s removed from his usual honky-tonk setting, and Carpenter is downright wistful as she sings her cautiously optimistic lyrics.
#19
“Two Story House”
George Jones & Tammy Wynette
Recorded years after their marriage split up, Jones & Wynette lament that they focused on fame and fortune, working to make the money to afford the two-story house of their dreams, and now are in a beautiful home, but there’s no love to be found there.
#18
“The Last Thing On My Mind”
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton
They released tons of duets, but this first single release from Porter & Dolly remains their most interesting pairing. The thinly veiled indifference to his feelings as she’s leaving is surprisingly harsh – “I could’ve loved you better, didn’t mean to be unkind”, Parton says in a sing-song voice that lacks any hint of remorse.
#17
“Baby Ride Easy”
Carlene Carter & Dave Edmunds
The duo try on different fantasies ranging from truck stop chef and waitress to president and first lady, and commit to stay with each other if his loving is good and her cookin’ ain’t greasy.
#16
“Crying”
Roy Orbison & k.d. lang
The original solo recording of Orbison’s was a classic, but he took the song to a new level when he recorded it again with the assistance of then-new singer k.d. lang. Her soaring vocals give the song a new intensity.
#15
“After The Fire Is Gone”
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
Their first collaboration is one of their best, a somber and honest assessment of why people cheat – “Love is where you find it when you find no love at home, and there’s nothing cold as ashes after the fire is gone.”
#14
“It’s Such A Small World”
Rodney Crowell & Rosanne Cash
A very modern one-night stand, this is something of an up-tempo “I May Hate Myself In The Morning” minus the guilt, a hooking up with an old lover – “You and me will always be looking for something that already happened”, they sigh. But for one night, all is new again, as a chance run-in in New York City becomes a night of passion between a man who has lived alone for a while and woman who feels like she’s gone out of style.
#13
“By My Side”
Lorrie Morgan & Jon Randall
Morgan and Randall observe that there are so many people who put up walls that keep them from falling in love because they’re too scared they’ll get hurt, but vow to each other that “I’m not gonna be afraid to give up my heart that way, cause I need you by my side. I’m not gonna say I’m strong out here in this world alone, cause I need you by my side.” One of those records that makes you want to fearlessly fall in love for the three minutes it plays.
#12
“The Battle Hymn Of Love”
Kathy Mattea & Tim O’Brien
It sounds much more like an Irish wedding song than a country hit. This list of heartfelt vows to stay together for better or worse is what you’d expect from any record involving Mattea: tasteful, sentimental and the honest truth.
#11
“Helping Me Get Over You”
Travis Tritt & Lari White
Tritt and White acknowledge that their new lovers are just there to fill a void. They haven’t gotten over each other, and their new man/woman are serving the purpose of getting past a love that kicked them in the ass.
#10
“A Bad Goodbye”
Clint Black & Wynonna
Black wonders how he can leave the woman that they both know he’s been bound to leave, if he can’t do it with a smile. He cares enough about her that he doesn’t want to leave her with “a bad goodbye.” By the time they both sing, “How can we be so far between where we are and one more try?”, even the listener suspects that goodbye isn’t the answer.
#9
“The Heart Won’t Lie”
Reba McEntire & Vince Gill
Two of country music’s most distinctive vocalists absolutely bare their souls on this power ballad. All the lies they tell to the world and themselves won’t stop the fact that the heart won’t lie, and their hearts are telling them they belong together.
#8
“Whiskey Lullaby”
Brad Paisley & Alison Krauss
This dark and harrowing tale of a double suicide via Jack Daniels is already a standard. Paisley has never sounded better, but it’s Krauss’ ghostly vocals that lift this into a spiritual experience.
#7
“The Sweetest Gift”
Linda Ronstadt & Emmylou Harris
A mother visits her son in prison, giving him the sweetest gift of all – a mother’s unconditional love. It’s a song as old as the ages, but Ronstadt & Harris recorded the definitive version, their intertwining vocals conjuring up a long-gone era of mountain soul.
#6
“Portland, Oregon”
Loretta Lynn & Jack White
Dripping with sexual tension and cheap beer, the worlds of traditional country and alternative rock collide, producing a dead-on portrait of alcohol-induced lust on the west coast.
#5
“Islands In The Stream”
Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton
This song makes absolutely no sense. Having acknowledged that, this duet is a legendary meeting of two country superstars at the peak of their pop crossover fame. That lovers across the country felt like islands in the stream just listening to them is a testament to their on-record charisma and innate ability to turn a confusing lyric into an anthem of love.
#4
“Golden Ring”
George Jones & Tammy Wynette
A tale of a wedding ring that by itself is “just a cold metallic thing”, this golden ring travels from the pawn shop to the wedding chapel, becoming the symbol of a couple’s love. As things fall apart, and “they fight their final round”, she declares “one thing’s for certain, I don’t love you anymore,” and throws the ring off of her finger. By the time the ring finds its way back to the pawn shop, its adventure has left the listener wondering if love can ever be for all eternity.
#3
“Streets of Bakersfield”
Dwight Yoakam & Buck Owens
A brilliant collaboration between mentor and student, Yoakam revisits a song by his idol and invites him to sing on the new recording. The Bakersfield sound is given its finest tribute by being granted new vitality. It’s one of the finest achievements of both men, no small feat given their respective accomplishments. Now that they are both legends, the value of this pairing is ever higher in retrospect.
#2
“September When It Comes”
Rosanne Cash & Johnny Cash
This was the audio documentary of Johnny Cash’s final days on earth, not “Hurt.” Rosanne writes and sings a fascinating reflection on preparing for a parent’s impending death. She writes a near-eulogy for her father to sing that feels unflinchingly honest – “I cannot move a mountain now, I can no longer run; I cannot be who I was then. In a way, I never was.” This is Johnny the human and the father, not Cash the legend and icon. Listening to the obvious love between father and daughter, it’s hard not to think he was even more important in his family life than he was in his music.
#1
“As Soon As I Hang Up The Phone”
Conway Twitty & Loretta Lynn
Only in country music, and possibly only in the 1970’s, could a record as brilliantly hokey as this find the audience it deserved. It starts with a telephone ring, and Loretta picks up the phone. For half of the record, Lynn is so happy that Conway has called her, as the talk around town is that he’s leaving her: “You gave me the will to go on as soon as I picked up the phone.” He’s trying to get a word in edgewise, and the listener is already aware that the rumors are true.
When he finally tells her halfway through that “Oh but it is true. They’re not wrong,” she lets out a wail that only a country fan can love – “Oh nooooo, oh nooooo, I can’t believe that it’s true.” Then Conway the cad surfaces, throwing every line at her that a cheating man will – ” I know you know that I never thought it would come to this” and “I really thought that I loved you, you know that” and “You just got to believe me, I never meant to hurt you” and “This is the hardest thing I ever had to do, and it hurts me too.” Lynn wails back, “You tell me it’s over and done, you say that you’ve had all your fun”, and is choking back the tears as she sings, “I can’t believe you’ll be gone as soon as I hang up the phone.”
The listener is left feeling like a voyeur by the time they hear the dial tone, as if they’ve eavesdropped on a very private conversation of a woman being left by a heartless man. Legend has it that one country fan was so incensed by Conway’s dumping of Loretta on this record that she slapped Conway in the face for being so cruel, not realizing it was only a song. Even Twitty appreciated such an illustration of the effectiveness of the performance, despite his stinging cheek. The raw energy of this collaboration makes it, by a wide margin, my favorite country duet of all-time.
Saturday, December 3rd, 2005
2005 will soon come to an end, but there’s still time for one more round of single reviews before starting with the inevitable year-in-review lists.
For the thirteenth and final time this year, here we go…
4 RUNNER We Will Hope With You (Fresh)
Trite, uninspired and dull.
BON JOVI with JENNIFER NETTLES Who Says You Can’t Go Home (Island)
A fantastic collaboration between a legendary band and the lead singer of Sugarland. They sound like they were born to sing together. I’m starting to think anything Sugarland-related is destined for awesomeness.
BRICE LONG Anywhere But Here (Columbia)
With a bit more muscle in the production and a stronger vocalist, this could’ve been pretty good. Long is supposed to be a relapsing alcoholic, but he sounds like he’s not even of drinking age.
CARRIE UNDERWOOD Jesus Take The Wheel (Arista)
She may be the strongest vocal talent to hit the genre since Trisha Yearwood. The metaphor is a little forced, but she sells it with undeniable skill.
CHELY WRIGHT C’est La Vie (You Never Can Tell) (Dualtone)
See, this is a cover of a cover of a classic. Wright clearly heard this on Emmylou Harris’ Luxury Liner album, where Harris put a Cajun country spin on the Chuck Berry classic. Wright brings nothing to the table here, and sounds like an amateur when measured against Harris.
CLINT BLACK Drinkin’ Songs and Other Logic (Equity)
What’s the point of running your own label if you’re going to use your complete artistic freedom to release even more inane material than you did with the majors? Where is the guy who wrote “Killin’ Time”?
CRAIG MORGAN I Got You (Broken Bow)
I’ve heard this backing track before on some forgettable mid-90’s hit. Maybe Ty Herndon’s “I Have To Surrender” or something. Anyway, why bother coming up with some fresh licks when you’re recording a song as stale and cliche-ridden as this one?
CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED Fightin’ For (Universal South)
Finally, something with a few rough edges. Satisfyingly bitter.
DANIELLE PECK I Don’t (Show Dog)
This sounds a little forced. “Jesus loves you but I don’t.” Come on. You can do better than that.
DOLLY PARTON Imagine (Sugar Hill)
You have to be incredibly idealistic and optimistic to pull this song off. Parton certainly is. She brings her own style to the song, which is hard to do with such an iconic record.
JAMIE O’NEAL I Love My Life (Capitol)
Unrestrained joy and celebration.
JASON ALDEAN Why (Broken Bow)
This is an interesting song. It sounds very real and sincere.
JO DEE MESSINA Not Goin’ Down (Curb)
Resilient rockers like this are her calling card, and she always pulls them off with gusto.
KEITH URBAN Tonight I Wanna Cry (Capitol)
This is fantastic, brilliantly written – “I’m just drunk enough to let go of the pain, to hell with my pride, let it fall like rain, tonight I wanna cry.” This is aching with vulnerability. One of his most fully realized performances.
KENNY ROGERS I Can’t Unlove You (Capitol)
His voice is, as always, instantly recognizable. He sounds as good as ever on this breakup song that rises above its awkward title.
LEANN RIMES Something’s Gotta Give (Curb)
It’s an excellent song, and Rimes sings it well. The production is just a little too loose to keep it all together.
LEE ANN WOMACK Twenty Years and Two Husbands Ago (MCA)
This is why she won Album of the Year.
MERLE HAGGARD America First (Capitol)
A fearless political statement from a legend nobody would dare paint as unpatriotic.
SARA EVANS Cheatin’ (RCA)
This is the best Reba record in years. It would be even better if it was Reba singing it.
SHEDAISY I’m Taking The Wheel (Lyric Street)
This is great, but surprisingly conventional. I worry that they’re holding back a bit to keep their slot at country radio.
TIM MCGRAW My Old Friend (Curb)
One of the best singles of his career.
TRISHA YEARWOOD Trying To Love You (MCA)
Why would MCA pick this middling ballad as a radio single? It’s a decent song, but far from the best on Yearwood’s new record. Stupid decisions like this are what sink great careers.
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