Comments on: Single Review: Gwyneth Paltrow, “Country Strong”

By: Lynn

Lynn — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:04:45 +0000

I’ve heard the demo from the writers and it is apparent Gwyneth recorded Hassler’s version of the song. I personally still love Carrie Hassler’s amazing voice more than Gwyneth’s, but Gwyneth did a great job in singing Carrie’s version.

By: lia

lia — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 09:24:55 +0000

true about the artifice, but a B rating,really. this song is awful even if it sounds like the equally awful stuff that comes out of music city. she may compare well to mediocre country music but never with the good stuff.

By: Steve from Boston

Steve from Boston — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 05:44:42 +0000

And now,yet another movie about a Country singer, this one starring Russell Crowe..

http://www.theboot.com/2010/07/29/russell-crowe-dirt-music/

Looking forward to this as well.

By: Steve from Boston

Steve from Boston — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 02:56:52 +0000

And how could I forget for best Hollywood performance in the role of a Country singer…has to be Sissy Spacek as Loretta Lynn, and Bevery D’Angelo as Patsy Cline…and in their own voices no less. Amazing, amazing stuff.

I think Hollywood does have a good track record honoring Country music, and I look forward to the Country Strong movie as well.

By: Chad

Chad — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 20:09:18 +0000

Its actually much better than I thought. Its not a great song, but she sings it well and there’s more country instrumentation than what’s often on country radio. It’ll be interesting to see what country radio does with this. Will they play it because of who she is? If this were anyone else, no one would ever hear it.

By: Ben Foster

Ben Foster — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:44:22 +0000

One compliment I can give this song is that I’ve heard plenty that were much worse. At least she doesn’t start thumbing her nose at the city slickers, like so many country singers do. And judging by vocals and instruments, it SOUNDS good. But when a song is meant for a movie soundtrack, the standards just aren’t very high.

By: Jim Malec

Jim Malec — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:07:19 +0000

Yeah, check out Carrie Hassler’s pseudo-bluegrass version of it. Kinda off, IMO.

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 17:05:59 +0000

Ew, this was recorded as a legitimate song by actual artists? It works well for me as a film’s approximation of what mainstream country sounds like, I guess because in that context I become as much concerned with accuracy of representation as with quality. This definitely sounds like modern country, so it works in that regard, and Paltrow is a good singer. But what a lame song.

By: Jim Malec

Jim Malec — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:15:32 +0000

In all honesty, it’s the best of the three versions I’ve heard so far. I think it’s a pretty basic song, and she stays within its boundaries more than Ashley Ray or Carrie Hassler did. There’s nothing wrong with pushing things a bit, but some songs can’t support too much experimentation without collapsing.

By: Steve from Boston

Steve from Boston — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:09:44 +0000

Jeff Bridges and Colin Farrell aquitted themselves nicely as Country singers in Crazy Heart, and Robert Duvall with some self penned and performed Country tunes in Tender Mercies before them. Then there’s Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash…lot of good stuff from Hollywood actually..I’m sure there’s more as well.