SOS: Redneck Yacht Club

Redneck Yacht Club 

by Craig Morgan

Nothing screams "summer" like laying on a boat in the middle of the lake with a cold beer.  That's exactly the portrait that Craig Morgan's beloved "Redneck Yacht Club" paints with lyrics like, We're checkin' out the girls on the upper deck rubbin' in the 15 SPF, it's hot. Everybody's jumpin' in.  Craig Morgan does a great job of making you feel like you're at a party every time you hear this song - even if it's in the dead of winter.  We've also noticed that you can't help but smile and sing along to the bridge, When the party's over and we're all alone, we'll be making waves in a no-wake zone.

Paying Tribute to George Jones

Paying Tribute to The Possum

George Jones, country music legend, passed away today at the age of 81. Jones influenced many modern day country music artists and is the source of countless country classics, such as "We're Gonna Hold On" (with Barbara Mandrell), "Yesterday's Wine", and what is said to be the greatest country song ever recorded - "He Stopped Loving Her Today". George Jones is often covered by aspiring artists and will go down in history as one of the country greats. He will continue to be honored as new artists are influenced by his music; but today, Country Music Jesus would like to pay tribute by remembering some of his greatest hits.

"He Stopped Loving Her Today"

"Golden Ring" with Tammy Wynette

"White Lightning"

Image

When Good Artists Go Bad: George Strait

When Good Artists Go Bad:

GEORGE STRAIT

"Give It All We Got Tonight"

George Strait is hoping to celebrate his 60th #1 single before his 61st birthday on May 18th, and is doing so with the his recent single "Give It All We Got Tonight".  Country Music Jesus acknowledges George as the King of Country Music, and while the campaign to help him reach this milestone is a noble cause, shame on George for putting his fans in the awkward position of supporting such a terrible song.

The first single of his album "Love is Everything", set to be released on May 14th, this single is just a slur of words that even gets slightly awkward at times: "We both know when that seat lays back anything can happen"...we all know at 60 years old George Strait is not getting busy in a truck anymore.

Hopefully this new album, which features songs written by Strait, his son Bubba.  It also features songs by the legendary songwriter Dean Dillon, who wrote some of George's best work: "Ocean Front Property", "Nobody In His Right Mind Would've Left Her", "Marina del Ray", and "The Chair".

We will never understand why George didn't ride away in his Wranglers singing "Troubadour", his perfect swan song.

Image

Uncharted Single

Uncharted Singles

"Do You Wish It Was Me" by Jason Aldean

Sometimes artists record songs that don't make it on country radio or are never released. Country Music Jesus wants to pay respect to these songs that never hit the charts, but are great, just the same. This week's uncharted single is from Jason Aldean's 2007 "Relentless" album, "Do You Wish it Was Me". "Do You Wish it Was Me" is an unrequited love song about what might have been. In this sing, Aldean croons amazing lyrics like, "I know you did what you thought you should do, It was safe and secure so completely thought through, you sacrificed passion and abandoned your dreams. Baby, was it all worth it or do you wish it was me?" This is a song that didn't not get any hype from the country music world, but we think it deserves a second look!

SOS: Where The Boat Leaves From

"Where The Boat Leaves From"

by Zac Brown Band

"Take one part sand and one part sea, and one part shade of a banana tree"...
This fun summer song could have been written by Jimmy Buffett himself, but instead comes from some boys from Georgia who's lead singer looks like a long lost member of the Duck Dynasty clan.  Considering we rarely see Zac Brown without his toboggan, it's hard to picture him in a bathing suit on an island.  But somehow, this song still works.

Zac Brown Band could give Kenny Chesney a run for his money when it comes to filling Jimmy Buffett's shoes.  Brown's voice can pull off the reggae-like lyrics and phrasing, and as always, the band's musicians are outstanding.

Put this song on your summer playlist and give it a listen when you need a break from reality!!!

Album Review: "Standoff"

Album Review: 

"Standoff"

Casey Donahew Band

Casey Donahew Band won us over a long time ago.  They're not your standard country band trying to sell a million records, and this album shows that they're still trying to make authentic, Texas, Red Dirt music and aren't willing to sell out to the Nashville sound.  Many times mainstream artists put out very generic songs about love, being from the country, and breaking up.  When you listen to this album, you'll see that nothing about Casey Donahew Band is generic.  They throw in very specific details into each song, which makes it hard to deny that somewhere along the line someone in the band probably lived out the scenario of the plot.  The attention to detail connects the listener in a way that pop-country today cannot.

Instead of reviewing each song, here's the best line or lyric from each track.

Track by Track:

1. Loving Out of Control

“She more holes in her heart than my blue jeans, I tried to patch ‘em all up.”

2. Whiskey Baby

“I wish you went down easy, but I really can't complain…‘cause I can't get enough of your love coursing through my veins.”

3. Pretending She’s You

“I’ll hope that she’s pretty, I hope that she’s sweet, hope she wraps me in your arms ‘til I fall asleep.”

4. Not Ready to Say Goodnight

“We might wind up lost, or we’ll find what we need the most.  We can turn around with the sun or drive ‘til we hit the coast…”

5. Small Town Love

“And I know you got big city dreams…but what you want ain’t always what you need.”

6. Sorry

“I said ‘you don’t have to be mean to me’, she said ‘were you hoping for sympathy?’”

7. Homecoming Queen

“She’s had a couple of kids, and a couple last names…falls into bed and love like it’s all the same.”

8. Missing You

“Trying to drink you off my mind, does it take more whiskey or more time?  I’ve got plenty of both sitting on this old barstool.”

9.  Loser

“It’s better to lose all love than love a loser like me.”

10.  Put the Bottle Down

“When you’re young you don’t know hate, but it don’t take long to learn…he was supposed to keep us safe, we got tortured in return.”

11.  Go to Hell

“And when I wake up in the morning, well I’m sure I’ll be in jail…and I’ll be using my one phone call to remind you to go to hell.”

Image Image

Country Music Ten Commandments #9

"Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Your Neighbor"

This commandment, in laymen's terms, means you shouldn't talk bad about people, spread lies, or gossip.  In this Ten Commandments post, we delve into the feuds that country music artists have been a part of; when gossip, lies, and sh*t talking have taking priority over artists' music making.

Dixie Chicks vs. Toby Keith

One of the most talked about feuds in country music involved a Dixie Chick and, according to her, one "ignorant" country music singer.  The feud began when Natalie Maines made comments about Toby Keith's single, "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue".   Maines reportedly said that Keith's American Anthem was "Ignorant and made country music sound ignorant".  Toby Keith responded by saying that Maines' songwriting skills were less than mediocre and displaying a backdrop of her with Saddam Hussein at his concerts.  To show how she really felt, Natalie sported a "F.U.T.K" shirt at the ACA Awards in 2003, which she later admitted stood for (surprise!) "F- You Toby Keith".  The feud is reportedly over, even though Toby Keith refuses to speak Maines' name.

Miranda Lambert vs. Eric Church 

This feud is more recent to the country music world and involves the current Female Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year winner.  Eric Church, while giving an interview for Rolling Stone Magazine, made the comments, "Honestly, if Blake Shelton and Cee Lo Green turn around in a red chair, you got a deal? That’s crazy," says Church. "I don’t know what would make an art­ist do that. You're not an artist.  Once your career becomes about some­thing other than the music, then that's what it is. I'll never make that mistake. I don't care if I starve."  Miranda Lambert responded by taking to social media and tweeting, "Thanks Eric Church for saying I'm not a real artist" and "you're welcome for the tour in 2010".  The feud ended when Eric Church released a statement saying that he does have respect for artists like Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood, and Kelly Clarkson and wasn't aiming for offending anyone - however, he does not apologize or retract the comments (like the true outlaw that he is).  

Bocephus vs. "Bo-rack" (and Monday Night Football)

All of country music was shaking its head when Hank Williams Jr. made comments about President Barack Obama comparing him to Adolf Hitler.  Williams, who recorded the theme song for ESPN's Monday Night Football, quickly learned that you can't make defamatory statements about the POTUS without receiving some grief.  ESPN pulled Bocephus's song from Monday Night Football and issued a statement saying that they did not endorse or agree with Williams' statements; Bocephus himself, however, was far less apologetic.  Hank Williams Jr. wrote and released song directed at Fox and ESPN with the lyrics, So Fox 'n Friends wanna put me down, ask for my opinion, twist it all around. Well, two can play that gotcha game you'll see.  Williams also made comments at a Labor Day Weekend Concert where he said, "We've got a Muslim for a president who hates cowboys, hates cowgirls, hates fishing, hates farming, loves gays, and we hate him!"  I think it's safe to say that Bocephus won't be invited to the White House in the next four years!

Image Image Image Quotes Quotes