Single Review: Darius Rucker, “Come Back Song”

There’s a small pool of mainstream country artists whose careers I watch intently, patiently awaiting the day their material catches up to their incredible talent. Darius Rucker falls into this pool, but if “Come Back Song” is any indication of his sophomore album, due out in October, it’ll be another few years before he hits that magic moment.

Sonically, “Come Back Song” is refreshingly groovy with a mostly acoustic arrangement, and the melody in the chorus has some serious spice. That’s enough context for Rucker, a skilled and intuitive vocalist, to pump life into the song. He brings to it a rich performance  and a blast of personality, much like he’s done with all of his previous singles.

But I ask of you, lady readers: would you take back a man who apologizes with the words “my bad” and “get back,” or who laments the fact that he has to now sleep alone on his king-sized bed? Would you even take him seriously? Surely not after he compares himself to the “backside of a mule.”

It’s hilarious and disheartening all at once.

Written by Darius Rucker & Chris Stapleton

Grade: C+

Listen: Come Back Song

Buy:

11 Comments

  1. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a post from Tara. Good to have you back!

    Great review. I already knew the lyrics were dull, but your shout-out to all your lady readers really puts it in perspective!

  2. …george jones once dismissed the superb “too cold at home” because of the “too hot for golf-line” in it. i wonder what he’d have said about that “mule-line”?

    i’m tempted to refer also to something that comes from a mule’s backside, when i listen to this beauty. what do you call a fine singer who just sings jingle-quality songs – a rucker, perhaps?

  3. Ben – thanks! Life’s been a little crazy; apologies for my lack of reviews. I hope to be around more often!

  4. Good to see you back here, Tara… Love your honesty and candor in your reviews… including this one, of course! I also can so relate to the “life’s been a little crazy” thing…that’s been my July! I hope we both have a return to some “normalcy” soon!!!

  5. The narrator is such a failure at life that he burns a pot of coffee (something I didn’t even know was still possible in the age of $20 coffeemakers at Target), and the most heartfelt plea to get his girl to come back is to say “my bad.” Good job, Romeo.

  6. “My bad” doesn’t make grammatical sense. My bad what? My bad attempt at a song? Like the clichéd blues song, the first line says: “I woke up this morning”. He should have stayed asleep.

  7. No, you’re right. It doesn’t make grammatical sense, but it is a somewhat common catchphrase these days.

    My latest thought on this song: I just don’t get how he begins by singing about how he burned a cup of coffee and poured it down the drain because he didn’t know he needed her so. I suppose it means that he’s a mess without his woman, but I still don’t think that first verse really ticks.

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