Translating Country Music Marketing Lingo

Every #1 Country Song of the 2000s: 2009

2009

January 3: "Here" by Rascal Flatts

It's palpable how much trend chasing Rascal Flatts was doing with this one. This is so blatant in that regard by taking the writers of the genuinely great "What Hurts the Most" and making them do a rehash of "Bless the Broken Road." The opening line -- "There's a place I've been looking for / That took me out of buildings, behind windows, walls, and doors" -- is one of the most insipid, bland pieces of songwriting I've ever found in my life. Other than that, it's a stock "finally found the right one" narrative, with a stock "can you please turn the damn guitars down" production style from Dann Huff.. This is the very definition of a "nothing" song, as evidenced by it being one of the few #1 hits in this stretch to not even go gold. I'll say one thing in its favor: at least it's not "Bob That Head." C-

January 17: "Already Gone" by Sugarland

This one is already a cut above thanks to that melody -- which only gets even better when you hear multiple Jennifers and Kristian singing a round at the end. Thankfully, the lyrics measure up too. It's a story about a woman anxious to get away from home and falling in love, only for it not to work out at the end. This kind of three-act structure is tied to a hook of "already gone" and manages to pull it off without any sense of contrivance. Songs like this don't usually get downer endings. And that line "our whole life down to one box" is a great summary of all the mistakes the narrator makes along the way. By emphasizing her flaws and failures, this is way more nuanced than the "three act" formula in country usually gets, and the production only adds more to the surroundings. A

January 24: "Start a Band" by Brad Paisley feat. Keith Urban

And now we're back to Brad sticking the landing on his comedy songs. This guy has expectations that he isn't living up to -- something this gifted child can identify with -- and so his solution is to turn to music. It's not the most original narrative ever, but I did genuinely find it funny. Lines like "never buy another beer again" show how much fun the writers were having with the concept, and Brad's chemistry with Keith is highly tangible even before they start trading off guitar riffs. Some critics thought Brad sounded too dull compared to Keith, but I read it as a slacker versus go-getter dynamic -- Brad's character in the song wants to start a band because he's too lazy for anything else,whereas Keith's character is hungry for fame and money. Maybe that's a generous read, but either way, I think this song is just right in terms of comedy and talent. A

January 31: "Country Boy" by Alan Jackson

I said it before, but this song sounds like Herbert the Pervert recorded it. When a 50 year old man tells you "I'm not a stalker," the only reaction should be to run away and call the police. Alan makes it even grosser with the single entendre "climb in my bed, I'll take you for a ride" and comparing his truck seats to a baby's butt. Also, the slant-rhymes -- long a trademark of AJ's -- are at his worst here (asphalt/red dirt), not to mention the fact that the song is overlong and bloated thanks to two bridges. It's a shame, because not unlike "Where I Come From," the groove is pretty good here, and he seems to have accidentally stumbled into the criminally under-used Dorian mode on the melody. It's just that literally everything else about this is so gross I have to jump in the shower every time I hear it. F

February 7: "She Wouldn't Be Gone" by Blake Shelton

This is another "man finds out too late what he's done wrong" narrative, and I think it's slightly better than "She Never Cried in Front of Me." I like the detail of zooming in on a singular flower that he wishes he'd picked to bring to her -- a perfect example of how something mundane might have been the start of a totally different outcome. He knows he was "stubborn" and ego-centric. His vocal starts off soft, then ramps up throughout to an intense, almost screaming chorus and lines about punching his dashboard in frustration to illustrate how angry he is. I also like the details of him calling her mom and friends to no avail. The production is loud and leans heavily into the electric guitar to further convey his frustrations, but it never feels over-the-top or bombastic. This is another #1 that slipped through the cracks, and I'm at a loss as to why -- if you ask me, it's easily the best thing he topped the charts with since "Austin." A

February 21: "Feel That Fire" by Dierks Bentley

Just based on production and melody alone, this one is already above average: a neat syncopated rhythm with doubled banjo and electric guitar, octave-wide jumps on the vocals, and even some ventures in and out of Mixolydian mode. Lyrically, it's a list of observations on what his woman wants, but they're surprisingly nuanced and detailed. I can't say no to someone who wants to "make every stray a pet." But more importantly, she wants to feel like she's with someone who loves her, and he wants the same thing in return -- and it's that inward look on the chorus that ties things together. It's that payoff that makes this way more substantial than the meandering mess that was Eric Church's "Love Your Love the Most." This album is widely considered Dierks' worst, but you'd never tell that from the lead single alone. A-

February 28: "Down the Road"

by Kenny Chesney feat. Mac McAnally

I knew about Mac McAnally's ability as a performer long before this song came out, thanks to memories of "Back Where I Come From" and finding his Word of Mouth in a cutout bin. His solo verison of this song from 1990 was unfamiliar to me, but I remember hearing a good take by Restless Heart on their 2004 Still Restless album. I thought at the time, "this is an amazing song, and it's a shame no one will ever have a hit with it." Leave it to Kenny Chesney to prove me wrong. It's a sweet story about a father (or in this case, possibly two fathers?) wanting the best for their children, without ever feeling preachy, over-protective, or angry. As is the case with almost anything with Mac's name on it, the lyrics are short yet detailed ("Her mama wants to know am I washed in the blood or just in the water / Her daddy wants to know if I make enough to take his daughter"). Kenny has a relaxed read that leads seamlessly into Mac's laid-back twang on the second verse, and the production is just acoustic guitar and congas. It's economical, it's relatable, it's charming, and its success pleasantly surprised me. What more could you ask for? A+

March 7: "God Love Her" by Toby Keith

Since this is just "Whiskey Girl" with different words, I'm going to copy my "Whiskey Girl" review. I think the guitar tone alone raises this a notch or two for me. Other than that, there's not really a lot of flavor here. It's a standard "man, my girl is hot" lyric without a real hook. While "beer just makes her turn up her nose" "She holds tight to me and the Bible / On the backseat of my motorcycle" is kind of a cute image and "but I like 'em rough" "God love her / Me and God love her" does stick out a bit for an intentional break in the rhyme scheme, everything else is extremely by-the-numbers. Thankfully, it doesn't feel nearly as creepy as Travis Tritt's "The Girl's Gone Wild," but that's about all I can say in its favor. This is just filler, and that's not usually a term I can use to describe a Toby Keith song, good or bad. C

March 14: "Sweet Thing" by Keith Urban

Heads up: we're in for a rough patch here. If you're reminding me of Enrique Iglesias, then you might want to step up your game a bit. This one is oddly muted for an Urban up-tempo, lacking the energy and passion that drove "Days Go By" or "Once in a Lifetime." It's also a very uninspired lyric about just wanting to be with your lover -- a sweet enough sentiment, but he just doesn't do anything with it. I can't remember a single line and I'm typing this less than a minute after I listened to it. At least it's not as infuriatingly juvenile as "Kiss a Girl." Do yourself a favor and skip ahead to "'Til Summer Comes Around" and "I'm In," because this one is barely even worth a curiosity listen. C-

March 28: "It Won't Be Like This for Long" by Darius Rucker

Ashley Gorley ripped himself off here. In an attempt to make another "You're Gonna Miss This," he strips out the progression of time, instead keeping things in the present day. While that might have worked as a sort of "midquel," the attempt to zoom in also robs the song's father-versus-growing child narrative of the emotional payoff that made "You're Gonna Miss This" soar. There's also the horrible rhyming and scansion of "Four years later, 'bout 4:30, she's crawling in their bed / And when he drops her off at preschool, she's clinging to his leg."To Darius's credit, he is a damn good vocalist, and the production stays out of his way to let his interpretive skills shine. The problem is there just isn't much here to interpret, and the song falls flat as a result. C+

April 18: "River of Love" by George Strait

It's a shame that King George's last trip to the top of Billboard was something so utterly inconsequential. The ukulele is literally the only thing to make this song stand out; otherwise, it's the lightest lyric he's cut since "I Just Want to Dance with You." There isn't a hook, and other than actually referencing the ukulele in the lyrics, there isn't even the tiniest bit of cleverness or originality in the verses. Strait's vocal delivery is the same chill charisma you'd expect, but that's chump change when there's just nothing to work with. I get that maybe he wanted lighter fare to balance out "I Saw God Today" and "Troubadour" (even if I think the attempts at depth catastrophically missed on the latter), but if you ask me, he went way too light. It's a shame the captivatingly dark "Living for the Night" only got to #2, because I'd love to spend time lauding that song instead. C-

April 25: "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts

"Here" failed by being a blatant rehash of "Bless the Broken Road," and it'd be easy to dismiss this as a blatant rehash of "What Hurts the Most," but let's zoom in. I like the first lines' detail about tires on a gravel road. The tension is there in lines like "I hear my doorbell / She usually comes right in; now I can tell / Here comes goodbye," and framing it right before the breakup does help it feel a lot less derivative than it looks on paper. The first two verses are a lot more restrained than anything off their last album; even though the strings and electric guitar by the second chorus do signal Dann Huff's usual excess, Gary LeVox's vocal stays mostly in check. (I also dig the brief time signature shift on the last "gonna cry.") This is another lead single that had seemingly zero staying power, but given some of the dreadful material they were releasing at this point ("Every Day," "Summer Nights," and yes, "Bob That Head"), both this and the stunning "Why" are proof that even what is widely considered their worst string of albums still had a few gems. B+

May 2: "It's America" by Rodney Atkins

If you're going to put an "it" in your title, make sure you clarify your grammatical antecedent. What is the "it"? Is it the kids selling lemonade (which, to be fair, is carried over from first verse to chorus)? Is it the community coming together after a tornado? Is it the litany of stereotypical images -- Springsteen, Chevrolet, fireflies, farms, the space race? Unlike "Only in America," there's no acknowledgment that even the ideal image of America is an imperfect one -- outside one throwaway line about "we don't always get it all right" that's not only not expanded on, but outright negated by the very next half of the couplet. This is pandering to a Norman Rockwell crowd, and it's probably the worst thing Brett James wrote since "Who I Am." Even the vocal track (where he almost seems to forget the key change) and production (where the backing vocals drown him out) are far below the standards of the If You're Going Through Hell album cycle. I'll tell you one thing "it" isn't: any good. C-

May 16: "She's Country" by Jason Aldean

Only two songs after the fantastic "Laughed Until We Cried," we have him trying something different. Unfortunately, that "something different" was "poor-man's AC/DC." And as someone who really can't stand AC/DC, you can bet I don't like this song at all. The lyrics are dumb as all hell, foreshadowing the "bro-country" trend of the following years through their mix of sexism and street slang. Exactly what is a "honey drippin' honey" in this context? I have a couple of theories, but they're probably too gross for this review. We learn little about what exactly makes her country other than "she's hot" and "she drives a jacked-up truck," which is galling for a song with a female co-writer (and the other co-writer being the usually more dependable Danny Myrick). I was pretty lenient on Aldean up to this point, but this is the first taste we got of Douche Aldean. And unfortunately, it will only get way worse on most of the later songs. D

May 23: "It Happens" by Sugarland

And we're two for two on songs that cheekily find a way to almost get a profanity on radio. I love the strong guitar strumming at the beginning here, along with the details of being late for work with two different shoes on, then getting into a car accident. With your neighbor's car, which you borrowed because yours had a flat. And the car you ran into is your ex's. Jennifer's voice sounds like she's laughing at how much of a wreck her life is right now, aided by lines like "the same ol', worn out, blah blah story" and a couple of spoken ad-libs -- and of course, the "pssh" before the title. (You put it together.) The production is crisp and joyous and fun, making this whole package sound like a goofier cousin to Trout Fishing in America's "Cracked Up." Why not learn to laugh at yourself? A

June 6: "Then" by Brad Paisley

I have a friend who loves this song, and he feels let down every time I remark on how much I hate it. While the vocal delivery is a bit warmer than usual, it's buried under a sludgy, bombastic production so far removed from Brad's usual style that it's hard to tell it's even him. And the lyrics are infuratingly cliché: "now you're my whole life, now you're my whole world / I just can't believe the way I feel about you, girl / Like a river meets the sea stronger than it's ever been..." It feels emotionally detached, uninspired, and as out of character as George Strait doing grindcore. Sometimes I can let some clichés slide, but this is probably the angriest I've ever been at the sheer un-originality of a lyric and arrangement since "How Do I Live." I correctly predicted over a quarter of the lyrics on the first listen; it's that damn uninspired. Furthermore, this song cast such a huge shadow that it leeched airplay from the infinitely superior "Welcome to the Future" (to the point that Chicago's WUSN still had "Then" in top rotation the week "Future" was at #2, and refused to play the latter at all), just giving me one more reason for this song to piss me off. F

June 27: "Out Last Night" by Kenny Chesney

What I love the most about this one is how it's not just about the partying, but also about the people doing so. We find all kinds of quirky little character sketches in this bar visit, including the narrator's own humorous tall tales about being a celebrity or fugitive. We find drunk girls singing "I Got You Babe" to each other. Like "Down the Road," it's helped with a more acoustic read, though this one is more of a brisk shuffle than an economic ballad. Drinking songs don't always have to be rave-ups, and this is one of the rare songs that manages to sound fun and likable without being loud. It's a shame that such a charmer was relegated to a greatest-hits album, because it easily stands out even in a catalog full of hits. A

July 11: "Sideways" by Dierks Bentley

This was the song that made me realize the consensus of Feel That Fire being Dierks' worst album, as this is by far his worst single. The first line says "it's so loud in here I can't hear a thing," which summarizes the production style to a tee. Most of the riffs just sound like someone threw "Feel That Fire" in a blender. This was probably the producer trying to salvage Dierks's vocal, which is the blandest and most lifeless I've heard him sound (a trend that will show up in a couple other songs of his down the road). While a more spirited read might have at least elevated it, it's still kind of a dull lyric about meeting a hot girl -- who of course is given zero characterization -- and barroom fights with seemingly no stakes other than boredom. The emphasis on the wrong syllable demon comes in hard with "dee-JAY, don't you play nothing slow" for extra measure. There's no buildup to the hook, which feels fully detached from the song. In short, literally nothing works here. I've flunked out songs before for having repugnant messages or being infuriatingly cliché, but this is one of the only songs I can give a failing grade for sheer incompetence. F

July 25: "I Run to You" by Lady Antebellum

This is another artist I have to really strain to separate art from artist -- and it's a shame, because for the most part, their debut album was solid. I love the opening line "I run from hate, I run from prejudice / I run from pessimism, but I run too late," which is a lot more than a song like this usually bothers to set up. Every other line builds on the "run" theme in some way, and while it's not quite as captivating as, well, George Strait's "Run," the whole concept of escaping from the negativity of the world in favor someone you can love and trust. Outside a slightly bombastic production style, it's not trying too take the "Troubadour" route of acting like its message is the biggest most meaningful important thing ever. It's just a pretty, slightly deeper than average love song with tasteful vocals. As tired as this formula would get just two albums later, but the first couple songs along this line were way better than I remember. B+

August 1: "People Are Crazy" by Billy Currington

This is a feel-good story that a more cynical person might dismiss as something made up to fill a page in Reader's Digest. The male narrator meets an old man, with whom he pontificates on the ups and downs of life. We learn a lot about the man, who is a divorced veteran and terminally ill from smoking. The narrator and old man probably don't see eye to eye on politics or their tastes in women, but they're willing to laugh and ponder. And that hook -- "God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy" -- is one of the countriest lyrics I've heard in my life. Then we get to the last verse, where the old man dies and leaves his entire fortune to the narrator, whom he apparently met just that once. But it's clear that conversation meant something to the both of them, and I can't ever fault a song for being sympathetic toward a dying old man. I've heard countless stories of wealthy people being extremely generous, so this doesn't seem at all far-fetched. In fact, it reads extremely likable and real, thanks in no small part to Currington's warm delivery and the beautiful, acoustic production behind him. By being human, heartwarming, humorous, generous, and a little sad all at the same time, this is one of the best country songs of the entire decade as far as I'm concerned. A+

August 15: "Alright" by Darius Rucker

I wish this song were "alright." Taking stock of the small things is a common country music formula, but you have to do something with that formula. Lyrically, the most interesting thing here is that he mentions spaghetti, which I don't think I've heard in a country song before. It's just a standard "I don't have X, but I have Y" that's been done to death, with only a vague hint of continuity making it feel less infuriatingly lazy than "Love Your Love the Most."The production and Darius's voice are as smooth and easy-going as "Don't Think I Don't Think About It," but that's chump change when the lyrics are so paint-by-numbers I'm surprised the CD didn't come with a cheap plastic brush. C-

August 22: "You Belong with Me" by Taylor Swift

This one sounds very teen-aged, but unlike "Should've Said No," she doesn't sound like she's singing through clenched teeth so it's already a ton better. I like the little writerly details of the narrator listening to the music the other girl hates, while also listing off all the differences between the two of them. As clearly indebted as this is to a crowd under drinking age, it once again shows glimpses of that wisdom beyond her years that made her strongest songs in this era the most captivating. I also dig the production, which mixes banjo with power chords and manages to sound like a mashup of all the genres its target demographic probably listened to at the time -- country, Radio Disney, and pop punk. The "dump him, you're better off with me" narrative has been done before, but tilting it to a younger audience was a smart move if you ask me. B+

September 5: "Big Green Tractor" by Jason Aldean

This kind of innuendo can be done right -- such as Justin Moore's "Back That Thing Up," whose final verse goes out of its way to side with the innocent interpretation of all the double-entendres it builds up. It can also be done wrong, as seen earlier in my review of "Country Boy." This one is comfortably in the former camp by merit of a more laid-back production and vocal. Even wedged between the incredibly douchey "She's Country" and even worse material of his later years, I can't knock this one. After all, it's still about a low-stakes affair with the one he loves. It's not the best thing ever, and it by no means exonerates him of later misdeeds. But the fact that I can give an honest and mildly positive review of this song without saying "haha, by 'tractor' he means 'penis'" says something. B

October 3: "Small Town USA" by Justin Moore

I'll say it again: I think the people who derided "Back That Thing Up" completely missed the last verse. Unfortunately, the follow-up has no twists to it. No specificity, no narrative, just a boring list of country things. It's so generic that I'm struggling to even write this review; all I can say is that Justin Moore does have a likable twang, even if he kind of forces it a little too hard on the line "a Sunday morning that's full of grace." I think he played it way too safe after a risky debut single. While a few later songs like "How I Got to Be This Way" or "This Kind of Town" found a few flashes of originality, this one would establish a precedent of getting airplay entirely by reminding people how many "country boy" tropes you check off. Can we just skip ahead to the genuinely funny "You Look Like I Need a Drink" instead? C-

October 10: "American Ride" by Toby Keith

This is such an odd time capsule of an era when Trump was just a buffoonish businessman; the McDonald's coffee lawsuit was still somewhat in people's minds; rising gas prices weren't such a cliché; and you could still guarantee at least one decent Toby Keith single per album. As known as he was for jingoism in by now, it's obvious this song at least tries to fire shots at the left and the right alike; whether it succeeds is up to the listener. I respect that he tried not to pander (maybe it helps that this is one of the few he didn't write), and mocks worthy targets like stupid Internet stunts and unfair body standards. Furthermore, he's willing to admit pride in America in spite of its faults -- or possibly that he doesn't love it. I like the unusual melody and guitar riff, and how much fun Toby is clearly having singing lines like "the fit's gonna hit the shan." I think it's pretty obvious by now that my politics are solidly on the left. B as scattershot and slightly dated as this song is now, I at least respect that someone who's pretty much my political opposite went for South Park level "both sides" absurdism. In an era where it seems just about the only "jokes" the right can make anymore are "I identify as X" and "Biden is old," it's refreshing to look back to a time when they could at least try. B

October 24: "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)"

by Chris Young

I still want to know what Bob Kingsley had against the second verse of this song, as he always edited it out during Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40. It's a shame, because this is a very solid make-out song. Chris Young has a natural charisma, and the guitar hook immediately reminds you you're listening to a country record, albeit one with a few splashes of old-school R&B. The easygoing vibe keeps things sensual without feeling macho or TMI as he lays out the story -- it's a night on the town, and he wants to end the night having sex. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and as un-original as the concept may sound on paper, it's clear he loves the woman he's with. This is just cool and sexy in all the right ways, and I think it was a great single to break him through. A-

October 31: "Only You Can Love Me This Way" by Keith Urban

This was a point where Keith Urban started to lapse into a seemingly endless stretch of love songs -- I blame the recent marriage to Nicole Kidman -- but thankfully this is one of the least mushy. This one manages to be low-key without being catatonic, thanks to some lovely acoustic guitar fills and a warm vocal. As boring as the lyrics look when typed out -- always on my heart, always on my mind, etc. etc. -- Keith sings them with a sincerity that makes them sound so much more than that. This song is never over the top in words or sound, which is saying a lot for something with Dann Huff's name on it. (It almost got cut by Rascal Flatts, and I shudder to think what their version would have sounded like.) These kinds of songs can be boring and stale in the wrong hands, but this one manages to stay just on the right side of the line. B

November 7: "Toes" by Zac Brown Band

Country radio, make up your mind: can singers say "ass" or not? I actually heard both versions, and one local station even edited out the word themselves (oddly, they didn't touch "roll a big fat one"). Not unlike Rick Trevino's "Bobbie Ann Mason," this one is lighthearted but gets bonus points for sticking to the bit longer, so the stakes can be fleshed out without over-staying its welcome. That it's a casual, light-hearted beach song might set off a few people's "poor man's Jimmy Buffett" alarms, but I like all the little details it adds. For example: we find out he's from Georgia, smokes weed, speaks at least a little Spanish, gets hit on by a waitress, and is generous toward the locals. I also love the payoff of him getting back home again and putting his lawn chair in the driveway -- because mentally, he's still in the islands. That nylon guitar is a hell of a melodic hook, and Zac's voice is warm and friendly. There is a hell of a lot going on in this song that makes it far more than just another beach song in my book. A (uncensored), A- (censored)

November 21: "Cowboy Casanova" by Carrie Underwood

This one is a hell of an ear-worm. It's a bit grittier than almost anything she'd put out prior, and it pops every time I hear it. The lyrics are somewhat of a sex-flip of Hall & Oates' "Maneater" (to the point that "only come[s] out at night" is in both songs), warning of a male who woos women only to misuse them. Carrie sings with authority, telling the other women to avoid his temptations, because she's come out the wrong end of a relationship with him. It's authoritative country-rock; it's ear candy with a bit more attention to craft than usual; and like so many of her other songs in this stretch, it's aged way better than I remember it being. A-

November 28: "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum

This is oddly solemn sounding for a booty call, but maybe that's the trick. These two are miserable and desperate, and it shows in their deliveries -- the way Hillary is always a tad off-pitch, and Charles always a bit stuffy -- combined with the strangely melancholic production against the more upbeat tempo. They could and probably will regret it, but they're both going to let tomorrow-them deal with it. I can see why this song resonated with people, to the point that it long reached saturation for me by 2010. But now that Lady Antebellum's career has cooled off, coming back to this with fresh ears reveals a song that is pretty damn good. Now if only they'd have come up with a different name to change to years later... B+

Every #1 Country Song of the 2000s: 2007

2007

January 6: "She's Everything" by Brad Paisley

So how did Brad Paisley follow up a cheesy yet boring list song? With another cheesy and even more boring list song. This one is just a list of random objects that represent the woman in his life, and while it's played more seriously than "The World," it still feels like too much of a carbon copy. It's not helped at all by some absolutely drab production and vocals, which are shackled to a very static melody. A couple of the lines actually do work, such as the slight chuckle on "stealer of the covers" and the mention of an "unborn children's mother," and a sudden spark of emotion at "she's the one I'd lay down my own life for" (as over-the-top as that sentiment may be). But these brief moments are mere speckles of color in an otherwise total sea of gray. As frustratingly hit-and-miss as Brad may be, at least most of his songs manage not to be boring. But this is one of the first I actually would describe as boring. C-

January 27: "Watching You" by Rodney Atkins

There's some intangible cutesy-ness to the melody that makes me think "diaper commercial" more than I would like, but other than that, this is far less cloying than I expected. I actually heard a station play this song before it was a single, and I thought it had potential. By this point, Rodney had settled into a gravelly tone that made his songs instantly less slick, and it works in this one's favor. I like that the examples set by the father to his son are both bad (swearing) and good (praying), and that the father has a sense of remorse over the former. It's a bit more nuanced than these father-son narratives usually get. I'm not a parent and I don't ever plan to be, but I can understand where this guy's coming from and the narrative feels like something that could have actually happened. B+

February 24: "It Just Comes Natural" by George Strait

It's almost like George and longtime producer Tony Brown knew they had a light-hearted list song, so they went a little extra on the production. There's a slight reverb/processing effect on George's vocal here, and even if he clearly fluffs the note on "tumbleweeds roll," it's otherwise a bit of a different take that adds a little more grit. The production and chord progression also have a gently insistent groove that remains a little left of center for King George. Again, this is a very lightweight song -- just listing off random things as "natural" as his love for his woman -- but the charismatic delivery, deliberate word choice, and most importantly the production all make it considerably weightier and less infantile than, say, "I Just Want to Dance with You." B

March 10: "Ladies Love Country Boys" by Trace Adkins

How was this the song that finally got him back to the top a full decade after the fantastic "(This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing"? I admit, "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk" never got under my skin, because any song with a lyric like "got it goin' on like Donkey Kong" is clearly too silly to be lecherous. This one isn't nearly as cringe as predecessor "Swing" nor as reeking of toxic masculinity as "I Got My Game On," but at its best, it's still a weak rehash of "Trashy Women" without that song's obvious tongue-in-cheek tone. The narrative of "upscale city woman falls for a country boy" has been done to death, and this brings nothing new to the table other than him trying too hard to bend "subdivision" to rhyme with "chicken" (presumably she came from a "mansion somewhere in Wiscansin"?) and an annoying, clashing chorus of "na na na"s. It's just messy and boring at the same time. Skip this and go straight to "I Wanna Feel Something." D+

March 24: "Beer in Mexico" by Kenny Chesney

Silly observation of the day: I love that the Wikipedia article on this song has to be at "Beer in Mexico (song)" because the title "Beer in Mexico" is used for the history of, well, beer in Mexico. Because to me, that's far more interesting than the song. While Kenny's forte is usually that sense of introspection, he kind of failed to stick the landing on The Road and the Radio. This is just a warmed-over rehash of "Living in Fast Forward" only with some barely-audible mariachi horns in the chorus and a much weaker hook. (I think the main problem is him trying to match that inward looking lyric with a way too loud production style. He'd gotten the balance right before, and he'd get it right again.) It's a shame that by far the two good songs off this album didn't get to #1. On the plus side, this is just a momentary dip before some damn good cuts later in the decade. B-

April 14: "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" by Tim McGraw

I'm embarrassed to admit I love this one. It's loud, gaudy, and over the top in a way that screams "yep, Big Kenny wrote it," but that's why I dig it so much. This dude's just infectiously happy despite all the things going on in his life, but he never feels like a Pollyanna. Hard times are there; they just aren't cutting him down. "If I ain't got nothin', I got nothin' to hold me back" is a brilliant way of expressing this. But what really sends this one over the top for me is how much fun Tim and producer Bryon Gallimore seemed to be having in the studio. There's a cheerfulness to his delivery, enhanced by the blasting guitars, the "ha ha ha ha"s, flanger effect, and even his kids singing along. Like so many of his other #1 hits from this era, I'm baffled as to why this one seemingly had zero staying power. We need more unabashed happiness like this in music. A

April 21: "Wasted" by Carrie Underwood

When I bought her first album, this was the track to me that was just begging to be released as a single. Both sides of my family are alcoholics, and I've long feared becoming one of them -- so a narrative where someone kicks the habit is always compelling to me. I like how this shows two separate people struggling with their addictions, implying their stories may even intertwine in some way. There's no judgment or moralizing; just two people who've hit rock bottom and are looking for a way back up. I also love the image of the moon and sun floating side by side, implying the days are blending together. I also like how "wasted" refers not just to intoxication, but also by the time and resources lost to a bad habit. The timbales in the production add some nice sonic flourishes, and Carrie's all-in vocal delivery is perfectly matched to the performance. By nailing a tough topic, this one is easily among her best. A+

May 12: "Stand" by Rascal Flatts

This song has so many interesting similes: a candle in a hurricane, a picture with a broken frame, and so on. Unfortunately, for all the somewhat inspired imagery, it never does anything with them. What do all these images mean when placed next to each other? Also, it kind of derails on the chorus with "When push comes to shove, you taste what you're made of." You taste what you made of? Where did that come from? They all build up to an image of dusting yourself off and standing back up -- an inspired and necessary message, sure, but none of the surrounding verses have anything to do with it. (And what does "life's like a novel with the end ripped out" even mean?) The slick over-production and strident vocals -- again, thankfully not as bombastic as they'd get later in the game -- recall the bland, interchangeable CCM my boss listens to at work. If you did get something out of this, then I won't take it away from you. But to me, it's just Motivational Song Mad Libs. C-

May 19: "Settlin'" by Sugarland

This one starts off strong with an interesting organ riff and doesn't let up. Jennifer's vocal is on fire, and Kristian carries a bit more of the song than usual for a reminder that yes, this is a duo. Lyrically, it's a bit of a rehash of "Something More" and "Just Might (Make Me Believe)" with its whole yearning for a better life (to the point that it even reuses the former's reference to red wine), but if you're going to revisit themes, those are far from bad songs to draw inspiration from. The title lyric "I ain't settlin' for anything less than everything" says more, and more emphatically, in eight words than the entirety of "Stand" did. And in some interesting inside baseball, this song got the #1 position over "Stand" due to the only ever tie on the Billboard country charts, with "Settlin'" getting the position because it gained in airplay while "Stand" decreased. I guess they weren't "settlin'" after all. B+

May 26: "Good Directions" by Billy Currington

I'm still trying to figure out the logistics of how turning right at the fork in the road will bring her back around to him. Maybe they're on a circular road? Whatever, this song's too charming for me to let that bring it down. Billy's delivery is charming and laid-back, sounding just like the kind of country boy who'd be asked for directions -- and then chew himself out for not even getting the name of the pretty lady who stopped in the first place. It sounds like the kind of small town where strangers really would offer directions and sweet tea to lost passers-by, and the way the punch line (and title) is held off until the very end is genuinely clever. I also like that the contrast between the city girl and country boy is never played for any sense of superiority or cultural clash -- they just are who they are. Even a novelty song can have layers, and this one is all the better for it. A

June 16: "Moments" by Emerson Drive

The "homeless man offers advice" trope is so well-worn, but this is probably the best take on it. The narrator is planning to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge when he is stopped by said homeless man, who tells a bit of his own life story. Of course, the narrator shares his own too, and it's that realization -- that level of detail -- that immediately makes this song a million times better than its setup would have you think. At no point do those first two verses feel trite; in fact, it's subtle commentary on the situation of homeless veterans and on those of us with inferiority complexes. (I've never felt suicidal myself, but I can relate to someone who still does positives, like this man's giving up alcohol, yet still feels like it wasn't enough.) They both walk away with newfound re-contextualizations of the big and small things in life. But to me, the best part is that the song continues to characterize the homeless man in the third verse, painting him as a real human being and not just a dispenser of advice. Brad Mates' vocals are a lot warmer and more relaxed than usual, and the overall melancholic yet subtly uplifting vibe recalls some of the high points in Sawyer Brown's career (e.g., "Cafe on the Corner," "All These Years"). This was easily their best song, and I'm glad they got recognition for it. A+

June 23: "Find Out Who Your Friends Are" by Tracy Lawrence feat. Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney

When you're stuck in an unfavorable situation, such as a car wreck or a moment of homelessness that requires you to couch-surf, those are the times when you find the people most willing to help you. The friends sung about here are the selfless, generous, charitable kind the world can use more of. It's a positive, relatable, charming message. And the way it's told here, at least lyrically, is on point without ever sounding trite or preachy. If you listen to the remix that has Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney chiming in, there's a sense of chemistry that underscores the message (and works on a meta level, because those two singers -- actual friends of Tracy's -- are the reason this song got to #1.) Even the production is delightfully chill. As with most Casey Beathard co-writes, literally the only mark against it is the rigid, uninspired melody -- those same so-mi-so-mi-so-mi-so runs that I can hear in well over half his body of work. As a music theory nerd, I can't ever not notice stuff like that,but I don't think the average listener would care too much. A- (McGraw/Chesney version) / B (solo version)

June 30: "Ticks" by Brad Paisley

Not long after this song came out, my house actually was hit with a tick infestation thanks to one of my dogs. So yeah, I'm not a fan of those little suckers. And the thought of checking someone for them, something I actually did have to do multiple times until we finally eradicated them? You're freaking gross, Brad. I get what you're going for with this sleazy, intentionally bad pickup line -- like some sort of modern-day "I'd Lie to You for Your Love" -- but why'd you have to pick that? Brad's voice continues to be much flatter and less charismatic than before, further helping to ensure that his tryhard comedy lands with a resounding thud (shame, since I do like the chicken-pickin' guitar work at the beginning). C-

July 7: "Lucky Man" by Montgomery Gentry

Things aren't going right for this guy: he hates his job and his favorite team lost, and he's stuck in a perpetual loop of the grass always being greener on the other side. But before he spirals into cynicism, he takes stock of the fact that he's got the basics in life -- food, shelter, money, and love. From the chorus onward, the song continues in that more positive vibe, highlighting other minor victories in life (such as his dad surviving a health scare, a line that hits all the harder after Troy Gentry's sudden unexpected death). Record executives would later pan this album for being "too soft," but I think that softness results in some of Montgomery Gentry's most compelling moments and helps the more swaggering ones go down easier. This and "Some People Change" were a hell of a one-two punch in terms of tempering the macho with the meaningful. A+

July 21: "Lost in This Moment" by Big & Rich

One of the most surreal facts in country music history is that this, and not "Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)," is Big & Rich's highest chart entry. Granted, Big & Rich were no strangers to ballads, and some of their best works ("8th of November," "Wild West Show") are among their more serious songs. John Rich has a surprisingly nuanced vocal read here, to the point that he manages to channel Hal Ketchum of all artists on the first verse. Big Kenny's crooning bass harmony is as on-point as ever, although there are times when both solo and together, they come dangerously close to cloying. Really, the only downfall of this song is that it's a generic wedding ballad, with none of the spark of their aforementioned best ballads. Of course, it doesn't help that their up-tempos became downright un-listenable ("Loud," "Party Like Cowboyz," "Fake ID"), nor that John dove headfirst into deeply troubling conservativism both on and off the record. (Fun fact: did you know the Twitter account for his Redneck Riviera bar has me blocked?) But on its own, this is just bland, which is not a word one would usually use to describe either their best or worst. C

August 4: "Never Wanted Nothing More" by Kenny Chesney

I told you we'd get back to the good Kenny Chesney songs. This one has a twangy, banjo-driven approach he'd never tried before or since, and he manages to fit it like a glove. The central concept of wanting all manner of things -- a car, a sexual encounter, marriage, and salvation -- flows naturally without ever feeling forced, a tough needle to thread in the "repurpose the chorus three times" formula. (Seriously, in a world where contrived examples like "Don't Take the Girl" and "Keep It Between the Lines" exist, this is one of the best ones.) Kenny also sounds invigorated on the verses, perhaps doing his best to channel a little bit of one of the writers. You know, some guy named Chris Stapleton. That something so spirited and credible is still only the second-best single off the album says a lot, both for this album cycle and for Kenny as a whole. A

September 8: "These Are My People" by Rodney Atkins

I think some of Rodney Atkins' best moments come from being a highly likable everyman. His previous hits didn't reach too high, and told relatable stories that sounded more lived-in thanks to his unpolished voice. This one sounds like it's going to be another paean to small-town life, but he goes out of his way to highlight the foibles. These are college dropouts who smoke and get a reality check when they realize they can't "run this town" and who get into fights during softball games, but at the end of the day, they've got each other's backs regardless. I also like how the melody slides down the scale then back up, almost as if melodically suggesting the line "we fall down and we get up." That's clever. Overall, this song is way more substantial than I remembered. A-

September 15: "More Than a Memory" by Garth Brooks

 I like how dark and moody the verses are -- images of him trying to forget her, deleting her number from his phone, and so on are then ripped away by that powerful chorus. It's easy to believe this guy is desperate to stop thinking about her, yet still finds himself driving by her house. He sounds miserable, angry, and drunk, and the hard-hitting chorus feels like he's screaming out in rage over this maelstrom of emotions. It's moodier, angrier, and heavier-produced than almost anything in Garth's catalog, helped by some strings and a resolution to a dissonant minor-second chord along a nearly whispered "forget." I can hardly think of any songs as raw and angry that were as successful -- to the point this literally debuted at number one. Garth's always been about being larger than life, and both in and out of context, this is one of his biggest. A+

September 22: "Take Me There" by Rascal Flatts

I'm amazed that this song took only ten weeks to hit #1 and spent three weeks there, because it had zero staying power -- it's not even certified gold, which is almost unheard of for a song with that strong of a chart showing. And it's not hard to see why. With an un-memorable droning guitar riff so badly mixed that it clips, the song goes nowhere and spends a lot of time doing it. Even the melody isn't that memorable, which is unusual for a Neil Thrasher co-write. The idea of being "taken" to his lover's favorite hangouts and places of memories is somewhat admirable, but both lyrically and production-wise, it just never gets off the ground. Literally the only thing that stands out is Gary's voice cracking on the line "tell me what yout story is." So yeah, it's not hard to see why this one fell off almost immediately. Fortunately, this album gave us the much more likable "Winner at a Losing Game"; unfortunately, it also gave us the train wreck that was "Bob That Head." C-

October 13: "Online" by Brad Paisley

I've been a lifelong victim of bullying, I am on the autism spectrum, and until my early 30s I still lived with my mom and worked fast food. So on a more cynical day, I might complain that this song cuts too close to home for me. On the other hand, as someone who turned to the furry fandom in high school, I can relate to the concept of being an unpopular sort who finds comfort in pretending to be someone or something else through the magic of the Internet. Also, Brad's laid-back delivery makes the song's tone not feel nasty or mean-spirited, and it's helped by some clever production tricks (such as the organ intro, which evokes 8-bit video games or dialup modems, and the auditory punchline of a marching band at the end). Plus, Brad just doesn't seem like the kind of guy to say something like "never been to second base" un-ironically, so it doesn't feel like a famous person punching way too far down. (Besides, who's to say the nerd's lines about his unpopularity aren't exaggerations too?) In short, this song is about a self-deprecating loser who finds solace in the escapism of the Internet -- in other words, it's about people like me, and I think it's pretty cool. A

October 20: "Love Me If You Can" by Toby Keith

Remember how I said I initially thought "American Soldier" was written entirely to try and soften the blow from "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue"? It turns out this song was a response. Lines like "I sometimes think that war is necessary / But every night I pray for peace on earth" sound like he's desperately trying to walk back, not apologize or reconcile. He wants to "agree to disagree," which can work when it's pizza toppings or tastes in country songs, but not so much when it's pushing fear-mongering and bigotry. I was an "able soul," yet I still didn't have a real job until I was 27. Would he have given me money, or just screamed "get a job, loser, and stop wasting taxpayers' money" at me? Even in the context of the song, I'm inclined to believe the latter. I'm also not a fan of him putting the title phrase into the mouth of Jesus, which just makes him sound wishy-washy. If you recall the account of Jesus turning over the money changers' tables in the temples, that was not the image of a half-hearted man. I also think it's kind of icky and egotistical for him to project himself onto Jesus. And to think people got mad when Phil Vassar had God say "all I'm asking for is love" in "This Is God"? I dunno, that sounds like a far more accurate and less ego-centric exegesis to me. This is just trying to cover up pandering with more pandering. D

October 27: "Don't Blink" by Kenny Chesney

Sympathetic portrayals of the elderly are a surefire way to get my attention. Here, the narrator hears a news interview with a 102-year-old man. The man's "secret to life" is "Don't blink; just like that, you're six years old and you take a nap / Then you wake up and you're 25..." I still remember some of the early 90s, when things from the 60s and 70s hadn't quite been put away yet -- things that were as far away then as my high school years are from now. I feel like I wasted a lot of my 20s through bad decisions, but nowadays, 37 isn't old. I've still got time to live life. I especially like how the second verse and bridge show the narrator reacting to the man's words and taking stock of his own life, which is exactly what this kind of song should set out to do. Kenny is relaxed but not lethargic, and the production is that calm but electric-driven sound he mastered around this point. Don't blink; you might just miss one of the best songs in a staggeringly strong discography. A+

November 24: "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)" 

by Dierks Bentley

The repetition of the title gets a little bit overbearing at times, but other than that, this one is about as "free and easy" as you can get. It's just a carefree ride that never feels laconic or lazy, and I love that banjo. Plus, who am I to argue against name-dropping the supremely talented Cross Canadian Ragweed? A good travel song always gets me in the mood, and sometimes it's okay to just have a low-stakes drive. This one has a very likable groove that just feels like the kind of relaxing, unwinding road trip it's singing about, and I think that's pretty neat. Got any room for me in the passenger seat, Dierks? B+

December 1: "So Small" by Carrie Underwood

Something about the concept of love making everything else feel so small just rubs me the wrong way. It feels like she's trivializing the troubles of the world -- not in a "don't worry, it'll be okay" manner, more of a "just think rainbows and puppies" manner. It comes dangerously close to an ignorant, Pollyana type of blind happiness. You mean to tell my depression, poverty, and being bullied will all go away with love? What is this, the Care Bears? (No pun intended.) I also think that the production and belting work against the message; why would you make the hook "so small" and then blast it to the rafters? Isn't that the least appropriate way to produce the word "small"? The message seems clumsy and insincere, and the bombastic vocals and delivery feel like they're trying way too hard for style over substance. No thanks. C-

December 22: "Our Song" by Taylor Swift

This was one of the most country sounding songs on her debut, thanks in no small part to that banjo. Although she wrote it at a relatively young age, there's a lot of thought put into it. The concept of tying one's memories to a song is well-worn, and the twist here is brilliant. Instead of naming a specific tune, their "song" is the sound effects of everyday life. Slamming screen doors, tapping on windows late at night, hesitant late-night phone calls; they're all believable images that tie into the theme. I also like the conclusion where she sings "I wrote down our song," putting an even greater meta spin on this whole trope without feeling cutesy or overdone. Her vocal delivery is a little rough (the last "real slow" almost has a valley-girl cadence that comes out of nowhere), but I think the lack of vocal polish just makes the rest of the song feel all the more charming. A