Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Music Review: Popular Country Songs

Dear readers,
While we eagerly await Robin Hood Week (which is currently under construction), I bring you another puzzle-piece type post. The only theme here is popular country songs. The songs are not randomly chosen and this will be just a brief look at a few of the more popular songs on the radio today. Enjoy!


Song: We Are Tonight
Artist: Billy Currington
My Rating: ****
Summary: A fun summer night needs a fun summer song, no? "It's a Friday night, it's a small town girl. Everything is right, and we rule the world....We are tonight." There's dancing, singing, and kids just having fun. "Her tan, her touch, her laugh" lets us know the guy is in love (in case anyone doubted that). Granted, there is an implication there with "we are tonight" and a girl being present, but the order of the lyrics gives us no reason to actually come to the conclusion of an intimate physical relationship. Simply put: it's a fun song.

Song: Goodnight Kiss
Artist: Randy Houser
My Rating: ***
Summary: Let's start with the kiss, shall we? Skip past whatever we do other nights and just move right to the kiss. H*** is used at least once. The chorus goes "start it with a goodnight kiss. My lips, your lips. Baby let's just get gettin' there. Start it with a long goodbye, wrapped up tight. Let's spend all night right here." Basically, the plan is to cancel meeting up with friends and "light that little spark that gets you goin' like you do. Just tell me that you want to." It's not too hard to figure out what's being implied here. The only reason for the three stars is the unfortunately fact that the tune is catchy and I like Randy Houser's voice.


Song: See You Tonight
Artist: Scotty McCreery
My Rating: *****
Summary: Basically, "sweet dreams, baby, goodnight" isn't good enough anymore. Scotty wants to see his girl face to face, not over the phone, and it has to be tonight. He's a little obsessed (with hundreds of pictures on his phone and in his car) to say the least. "So I'm comin' over, I hope it's alright" he sings. What does he plan to do? Apparently simply "holding onto you so tight under that porch light" or at least that's all he says. He's willing to drive far to see his girl and he'll be pulling up at her house no matter what time it is for that "little moonlight kiss." Hopefully she's ok with that. Rating based on the fact that this is Scotty McCreery which means it's his voice--which basically requires no explanation.


Song: Hey Girl
Artist: Billy Currington
My Rating: ***
Summary: This song is one big pick-up line. "Hey girl, what's your name girl? I've been lookin' at you girl, and every guy in here's doin' the same girl." She's "so hot, gotta give it a shot" even though he doesn't know her. But he's not about to let her get away without even trying. This consists of offering to get her a drink, suggesting a ride around the town, and continuing to flatter her with words. That's pretty much all the song is. Rating is based on the catchiness of the song and how fun it is to sing along.


Song: People Are Crazy
Artist: Billy Currington
My Rating: ****
Summary: The singer meets an old man at a bar and they have a little chat about "politics, blond and redhead chicks" and so on. H*** used at least once, d***ed as well. Chorus: "God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy." That's pretty much it. One of them fought in wars, was married and divorced, and they mention "every girl we knew, and what all we put 'em through, like two old boys'll do." Cigarettes are mentioned. Basically, the two have a chat about life (girls, politics, philosophy, God, and everything in-between). In the end, the old man dies and the singer inherits his fortune.


Song: Every Storm (runs out of rain)
Artist: Gary Allen
My Rating: *****
Summary: This is a song about a struggle. The singer sees someone close to him fighting through a storm, getting shoved about by life, and steps up to say "Every storm runs out of rain. Just like every dark night turns into day. Every heartache will fade away. Just like every storm runs out of rain." He's there for (presumably) her and urges perseverance and a belief in something greater. "Go find a new rose, don't be afraid of the thorns, 'cause we've all got thorns." It's that simple--and that awesome.

 Song: Cop Car
Artist: Keith Urban
My Rating: ***
Summary: According to the music video, the couple is trespassing (to watch planes fly) when they are arrested. He's too busy watching the girl's reaction to really care. She gets angry, then tries flirting with the cops, all to no avail. "Your daddy's gonna kill me," he observes, and he's probably right. She considers running but doesn't and they end up in the back of a cop car. Sitting there in the blue lights, he falls in love. H*** is in the chorus. Stars for it being one of the most unique love songs I've heard in country music.

Song: Hey Pretty Girl
Artist: Kit Moore
My Rating: ****
Summary: Simply put, it's a sweet song. The guy meets his future wife at a dance and "hey pretty girl, won't you look my way? Love's in the air tonight. You can bet you'd make this old boy's day. Hey pretty girl won't you look my way?" They dance, he brings her home (his mom makes him sleep on the couch), they get married and have a daughter who looks like her mother, and he dies thanking God for his wife. One questionable verse is "Hey pretty girl, it feels so right, just like it's meant to be. All wrapped up in my arms so tight. Hey pretty girl it feels so right." As to the meaning of that, there is no clarification. It's up to use to decide what we think is going on, but in the music video it's a simple embrace.


Song: Play It Again
Artist: Luke Bryan
My Rating: ***
Summary: The singer sees a girl alone and believes her too beautiful not to have a date. When he walks up to ask, she interrupts him with "Oh my God, this is my song! I've been listenin' to the radio all night long, sittin' around waitin' for it to come on. And here it is. She was like, come here boy, I wanna dance" and that's exactly what they do, kissing at the end. And of course they both want it to play again. Eventually, he ends up playing it for her on his guitar. Whenever he's able to find it, they dance and kiss (as that's what the chorus requires). Rating because it's catchy, but it lost a star due to the use of the Lord's name.


Song: Keep Them Kisses Comin'
Artist: Craig Campbell
My Rating: **(*)
Summary: That last star was questionable. I wish we could do half-stars. The very beginning of the song lets us know what we're in for. "You got your hair down, you got that look in your eye that says come here and get me boy, lay me down and love me just right." And he, of course, is not about to leave that offer behind. A bottle of wine and a bunch of time results in his decision to "be your man tonight. I can't imagine doin' nothin' but what I'm doin'. Just layin' round, tangled up with you. We got our buzz on sippin' on a little somethin'. I need your lovin', just keep them kisses comin'." He's been missing his girl and after a long week, all he wants is her kiss. Then the chorus follows again. He wants this all night, doesn't want her to stop, and swears "there's honey on your lips. Baby give me one more long slow kiss!" The reason for the rating not being negative is that it's catchy and I happen to know the song was about his wife--which makes it a bit more acceptable.


Song: Everything I Shouldn't Be Thinkin' About
Artist: Thompson Square
My Rating: **(*)
Summary: It's catchy! (that's my defense for the rating) Basically, the guy has a lot of things that need to be done "but baby I can only focus on one. The way you're looking back at me right now, I'm thinkin' about everything I shouldn't be thinkin' about. You're playin' with my mind, baby, aint no doubt. I'm thinkin' about everything I shouldn't be thinkin' about." She is too, apparently. The conclusion is that since they're thinking the same thing, "let's do somethin' 'bout it, what do you say?" I say...this is overly suggestive. I'll admit to liking the song, but that's from the perspective of someone who knows the two singing it are married, in which case it ends up being more cute and less turn-that-off-right-now.



And there you have it. A bunch of semi-random country songs that are relatively popular right now. I do fully intend to do Scotty McCreery's new album sometime soon, but I'm not promising a date just yet.
If you have any suggestions for reviews of books, movies, or music, please leave a comment here on the blog and we'll see what we can do for you.

2 comments:

grandma jane said...

Love these short takes on pop country songs!
Thanks for sharing with us.

Maria Gianna said...

grandma jane,
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy these. I like being able to look at individual songs which are popular and not so much at entire albums. It gives a broader range, and it's a more accurate portrayal of what's being listened to anyhow.