Garth Brooks Saves The World in “We Belong To Each Other”
Oh thank God. With the vacuum of leadership and trust the United States is experiencing as we pinball from one crisis to another in the throes of racial injustice and political strife while a pandemic continues to persist, we search our elected officials and popular icons for a voice of unity and purpose, pleading with the heavens, “Who will will rise out of the noise and madness to save and unite us all?” Meanwhile the answer has been right under our noses the whole time. How stupid have we been? Clearly, our savior, the man who can resuscitate the unity and hope in America is none other than a pudgy 58-year-old Garth Brooks.
Look, I’m a Garth Brooks apologist. And make no mistake, that’s an occupation that will keep one quite busy. Go back and listen to those early Garth records and try to claim he’s not good or not country. I dare you. But there’s no real apologizing for this. “We Belong To Each Other” is the slap dashing together of extremely cliche and tokenism frap passed off as verses, while Garth squeezes every fiber of his being into a pandering effort exploitative of the moment like a T-shirt two sizes too small. The only saving grace here is that this song will pass like a fart in the wind, and hopefully, never be spoken of again.
“We Belong To Each Other” is Garth making a pathetic attempt to interpret Doo-Wop for no other apparent reason than it gives him a good excuse to put a chorus of black backup singers behind him in the mix so he can claim claim diversity and inclusion, and then double damns the song by setting it in some weird island time vibe, perfect for sipping a fruity drink out of the husk of a pineapple to, while in the real world buildings burn and protests rage. Way to read the room, Garth. The lyrics are like the scribbles on an inspirational version of a Mad Lib sheet, perfectly passionless and uninspired, and rendered inert aside from the incidental comedy they afford.
Maybe it’s the thought that counts, like that great aunt that still sends you $15 on your birthday. And though with Garth Brooks there’s always a financial equation being crunched somewhere in his mental calculations, he has actually taken the surprising step of releasing “We Belong To Each Other” where most people actually can hear it, unlike the rest of his streaming music that only lives in the Amazon environment.
And if you’ve been following Garth Brooks throughout his career, you know his effort itself here is probably sincere, in his signature dorky white guy sort of Garth way. Despite his life’s purpose to suck up every single discretionary dollar music consumers have with endless box set releases and now charging folks $100 a car to sit out in the heat and watch him perform on a screen at drive-ins (while still not fulfilling the pre-orders for his endlessly-delayed new album Fun) Garth Brooks does see himself as having a responsibility as a superstar.
Remember when Garth came out of retirement in 2014, and was supposed to release the Caitlyn Smith-penned “Tacoma” as his comeback single, but then did a switcheroo at the very last minute with the ultra-sappy “People Loving People” as a response to ISIS setting up a caliphate and beheading people on film? Or the time in 1993 when Garth stopped down the entire Super Bowl and refused to perform the National Anthem until they played a specially-prepared video for his song “We Shall Be Free” in response to the Rodney King race riots? This release of “We Belong To Each Other” is very, very much in the Garth vein of rising to a memorable moment to deliver a song everyone will quickly forget.
If only it was as easy as recording formulaic pablum to fundamentally address the systemic problems we haven’t been able to pacify in generations. But the only thing people will unify behind from “We Belong To Each Other” is how this song is just another bad and forgettable Kumbaya attempt by Mr. G.
Sarah Shook Me All Night Long
June 19, 2020 @ 8:13 am
This is absolutely the best article word for word, pound for pound you’ve ever written. If I was in charge of the Nobel I would give it to you. If you could put this whole article in a book and loop it for 500 pages I would read it. And I’m serious. I’ve laughed out loud over the first paragraph fourteen times.
Kim
June 19, 2020 @ 10:31 am
Nice song.
norrie
June 19, 2020 @ 8:37 am
I’ve got to give him credit.I didn’t think he could be any more cringeworthy than he already was but there you go….
LB
June 19, 2020 @ 8:38 am
I was SHOCKED when I heard about what Garth is doing with his drive-in…no one would think of charging 100 bucks to go to a drive-in movie, so why would anyone pay that to essentially watch a video of Garth in a time period where people aren’t in the greatest financial situation?? Just wait, I am sure this will somehow ensure that he wins EOTY at this year’s CMA Awards!! In all seriousness though, I am curious about what will go down with that show this year.
Trigger
June 19, 2020 @ 8:46 am
Well, if there’s one thing we know, it’s that Garth could sell ice to Eskimos. I’m curious to see how the drive-in concept goes too. In Garth’s mind I’m sure he feels he’s offering folks a bargain.
sbach66
June 19, 2020 @ 9:46 am
Just for fun, I jumped on the TM website and entered the queue for near by drive in. I’ve been in there for upwards of 5 minutes so far, so my guess is people are buying into it.
I’m not at $100. If it had been significantly cheaper, I’d consider it.
NPC
June 19, 2020 @ 4:16 pm
Both the 8:30 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. showings are sold out in my neck of the economically-challenged backwoods. However, if we know anything about Ticketmaster, they probably withheld a chunk to list on the reseller market or they were bought by Sperry-wearing, collegiate-color-coordinated polo-bros with no intention of hauling their White Claw and Zima-filled Yetis to the drive-in but will instead sell them on Facebook Marketplace for $999 million or best offer.
618creekrat
June 19, 2020 @ 9:29 am
Yeah, even if you have a half-dozen Garth fans in your social-closeness circle, and a minivan to hop in, it’s still not such a bargain. Just one more insult to Carrie’s injury.
North Woods Country
June 20, 2020 @ 7:02 am
To be fair, it’s $100 per car, and you can have up to 6 people per car. It’s still a ridiculous gimmick, but it’s not $100 per person.
Justin
June 24, 2020 @ 7:41 pm
Yeah, but realistically most of those cars are only going to have 2 or maybe 3 people.
Charlie
June 19, 2020 @ 8:52 am
Yeah–that drive-in thing…are we sure he’s that pudgy, or is it squished-up ball meat? Cause he has got a serious pair.
My aunt slipped $20 in my birthday card every year until I was in my thirties. My wife just got a card. So that was like 2 of the best days on my calendar for many years. Miss that–sigh.
Colter
June 19, 2020 @ 9:04 am
Oh thank God. This whole time the world has been crumbling around us I’ve been wondering “what does Garth Brooks think about this?”
albert
June 19, 2020 @ 1:17 pm
NONE of this Covid mess would have even happened if they’d called G first .
They’ll learn . The hard way .
I hope the G man can scrape enough money together from his drive-in scam…..err concert…..to stay afloat .
WAKE UP folks ! This may be the most insincere person in the music biz today (and I’ve known more than a few agents ) . Nothing against some of his songs . But c’mon …..still with the gigantic ” G” hanging over him at shows ?? HE IS ALL ABOUT MARKETING , capitalizing and exploiting when he isn’t about the ‘G’ ego .
Wally
June 19, 2020 @ 8:00 pm
And….what does this blogger think about a potential void in leadership. Those have been my main concerns. I often look for music journalist to give me some sense of direction around political topics. They are so qualified to direct our group think. Thanks for caring enough to share your thoughts and I look forward to your next revelation to us, the poor feeble peasants.
Peter Bogert
June 21, 2020 @ 4:21 am
I never comment on forums, but this made me laugh. HA HA HA
Di Harris
June 19, 2020 @ 9:05 am
Garth quote:
“They’re going to run it just like a regular concert, but this is going to be all over North America, one night only,” he continued. “We are excited because this is a reason to get out of the house, but at the same time you get to follow all the COVID rules from every individual state and you get to have fun and stay within the guidelines of social distancing. . . . We’re calling it ‘social distancing partying.”
They plan on charging $100. per car.
What a money grubbing PRICK.
(Thought he & his wife, belonged to each other, you know, before “Miss Yearwood”)
Di Harris
June 19, 2020 @ 9:14 am
Oops,
Sorry Trig …
See where you had included the $100 a car info.
Apologies
Stringbuzz
June 19, 2020 @ 9:14 am
He is his own cliché now..
The drive-in isn’t too far off from when he did the movie theater shows.
CountryKnight
June 19, 2020 @ 9:20 am
Garth means well but these songs are never good.
I will say this, I will take Brooks’ brand of unity over the Highwaywomen’s brand. At least, he is genuine, if misguided. They are just false fronts.
Waymore
June 19, 2020 @ 9:38 am
I can only hope that an old No Fences CD becomes sentient, grows arms and legs, and proceeds to bash this single to pieces.
It takes a lot to push one to pine for the Life of Chris Gaines, but darn it Garth… you dun it.
El Reno
June 19, 2020 @ 9:58 am
What is there to say about Garth that he hasn’t already said about himself?
robbushblog
June 19, 2020 @ 10:00 am
This is so terribly lame. He probably woke up the morning he wrote this trite nonsense and said to himself, “I’m going to do something to make the world a better place today. I’m going to write a song that will unite everyone.” You just might have done that, Garth. Just not in the way you had hoped.
Strait Country 81
June 19, 2020 @ 3:03 pm
Had a feeling the current situation wasn’t gonna pass without Garth making a message about tolerance.
glendel
June 19, 2020 @ 10:26 am
acts I’d pay $100 to see on a screen at a drive in:
— janis gill and her sister kristine redoing sweethearts
— original sugarland trio
— asleep at the wheel with a bunch of its former members
— back in the day statler brothers including a lester moran segment
— paisley if chely w was still ghostwriting for him
— films of flatt and scruggs
wayne
June 19, 2020 @ 10:47 am
Garth is the John McCain of country singers. Does the press love me, do they, do they, huh?
Mike W.
June 19, 2020 @ 10:56 am
Terrible comparison. Just awful.
wayne
June 19, 2020 @ 11:06 am
Thank you. Thought you might like it.
CountryKnight
June 19, 2020 @ 11:32 am
No, it is a great comparison. McCain sold out the country to keep the press liking him. Like Arnold, he needed his ego massaged.
He could withstand prison camp but went full fetal for media devotion.
Disgraceful performance.
Mike W.
June 19, 2020 @ 12:20 pm
Tell me how Garth Brooks has served his Country? You can crap all over McCain all you want, but at least he did that.
More than anything though, my comment was more about how the hell people like you two manage to turn an article about a sappy Garth Brooks song into a political diatribe. Go yell at people on Facebook and Twitter, but for the life of me I can’t imagine how bored you must be to drag politics into a Garth Brooks article.
Matt F.
June 19, 2020 @ 12:51 pm
How and when did McCain sell out the country?
CountryKnight
August 1, 2022 @ 9:57 am
His stance on Obamacare.
Keep up.
Jack W
June 19, 2020 @ 6:11 pm
… and by Arnold, are you referring to Benedict Arnold? Please clarify.
Jack W
June 21, 2020 @ 7:20 am
Two days later and still no response from you on how and when you think McCain sold out the country and whether or not you compared him to Benedict Arnold.
CountryKnight
November 20, 2020 @ 12:32 pm
Geez, you wanted attention.
My points were obvious. And yes, I was obviously referring to Benedict Arnold. Even the grade school kids understood that reference.
Thick minds struggle with the obvious.
Jack W
November 22, 2020 @ 11:16 am
Nah, I just figured you were hiding because maybe even you knew that you couldn’t defend your scurrilous comparison.
So you took the time to respond to me these five months later, but still nothing from you on Matt F’s question asking how and when McCain sold out the country. Curious.
Jack W
June 19, 2020 @ 11:10 am
He needs to post this on Instagram or Twitter.
Trigger
June 19, 2020 @ 11:11 am
Five points for this comment.
Di Harris
June 19, 2020 @ 11:33 am
Garth Brooks & Robin Roberts …
What a pair.
Used to love Robin until she became a huge attention hound, milking the hell out of her breast cancer.
Not sure who would be the Alpha Attention Hound, Garth, or Robin.
Certainly have tons of respect for Robins parents.
Her father, Colonel Lawrence Roberts, was a Tuskegee Airmen pilot.
Lame lyrics Garth.
Lame.
sbach66
June 19, 2020 @ 3:19 pm
“Used to love Robin until she became a huge attention hound, milking the hell out of her breast cancer.”
The hell is wrong with you?
Di Harris
June 19, 2020 @ 3:49 pm
Not a thing.
You?
Di Harris
June 19, 2020 @ 3:55 pm
Well, actually,
Sometimes i swear like a parrot, born on a pirate ship. But i’m TRYING to reign that in …
James
June 19, 2020 @ 12:03 pm
Can’t say I disagree. This song is mediocre at best. I’m a big Garth fan and have been since 1990, sometimes you have to tell it like it is. He apparently has no one to be honest with him and is just surrounded by yes people. I’ve seen him several times in person and will go to see him again but I’m not paying $100 to watch him perform a show that he recorded a week or two ago just for the novelty of it being at a drive in. I’m still waiting to get the full album I preordered 2 years ago.
Since he came back in 2014, he’s recorded some really good songs but his single selections have mostly been horrible. He screwed up with not releasing Tacoma, Midnight Train, Cold Like That, Honk Tonk Somewhere and Whiskey To Wine. People Loving People was a weak single and Mom may be the most overrated song he’s done.
That’s the end of my rant. Thanks for the therapy session.
Ken
June 19, 2020 @ 12:13 pm
I am not a Garth fan because of his monopoly with Amazon, but this song is not as bad as you are making it out to be and the stooges you have responding are the quintessential yes men and women. It’s not a whole lot different than a Kenny Chesney tune. Is it a hit not likely but it’s a decent song to listen to. As usual you missed the mark
Lunchbox
June 19, 2020 @ 12:29 pm
Triggerman, what the hell are you guys looking at on the new Boomswagglers cover?
Jack W
June 19, 2020 @ 12:46 pm
Well, I’ll be damned.
Digs
June 19, 2020 @ 1:59 pm
Thank you for this comment as it lead to a discovery that literally made my week!
Matt F.
June 20, 2020 @ 12:03 pm
son of a gun
Austin Stevie
June 19, 2020 @ 1:20 pm
We can only say “we’re all in this together” in so many ways. People gripe about celebrities voicing their political opinions, so maybe… just maybe, as an artist he decided recording a song might be the best way to express what he’s feeling? Superstars of Garth’s caliber are almost in a no-win situation. If they stay silent, the public perception is they don’t care. If they become vocal, the masses tell them to shut up and leave it to the “experts.” His gift is obviously music. I applaud him and all the artists who try to capture the feeling of helplessness through their music.
Tunesmiff
June 20, 2020 @ 5:37 am
I’d be more “impressed” if he was donating all the money this might make ~ not just profits ~ to something positive and supportive instead of the GB retirement fund…
Corncaster
June 19, 2020 @ 1:32 pm
“it’s what the wild birds sing”
Srsly you guys!
Big Tex
June 19, 2020 @ 2:13 pm
Trigger:
It must be awful being so FEARFUL of posting things you disagree with that you are compelled to hide behind the censorship shield. Do you work for Twitter, by the way?
Trigger
June 19, 2020 @ 2:17 pm
Yeah, it’s not as much about being fearful of things I disagree with. It’s overtly and categorically racist shit that you’re actively trying to post that will then be taken and used to cancel and demonetize my site. This may be your fun little forum to see how far you can push the envelope. For me, it’s a livelihood.
Big Tex
June 19, 2020 @ 2:25 pm
Oh.
You might want go back and concentrate on the word “fearful” in my post, then.
Must be awful to be a slave to those who force one to conform or be destroyed.
sbach66
June 19, 2020 @ 3:16 pm
Must be awful to be a dick.
Big Tex
June 19, 2020 @ 3:27 pm
Wouldn’t know.
I’m not Jason Isbell.
Luckyoldsun
June 19, 2020 @ 5:56 pm
Listen, I often think Trigger’s got to be a bit crazy to be so passionate about recordings that he doesn’t like, but it’s his site. He created it and he makes a living doing his own thing. For an anonymous Internet troll (who makes a living how?) to call a guy who’s his own man and has thousands of followers a slave is a bit rich.
Big Tex
June 19, 2020 @ 7:31 pm
I am on record as stating that this is Trigger’s website, and he can run it however he wishes. No problem there. If he wants to ban me right now, I shall not complain about that. But I have not the slightest bit of respect for anyone – PARTICULARLY one who claims to be a Texan – who crawls on his belly and grovels before the left-wing scum who demand political correctness.
If Trigger is wise, he should know that is a DEAD-END course of action. The left will NEVER be placated by bowing to its absurd demands. Crawling in bed with left-wing scum results in only one thing: More scum.
The ONLY course of action in order to maintain one’s self-respect is to bellow, loud and long at the PC crowd . . . GO STRAIGHT TO HELL!
Mike W.
June 19, 2020 @ 9:24 pm
Imagine how sad and pathetic your life has to be to spend your free time yelling about political correctness on a Country Music site.
Big Tex
June 20, 2020 @ 3:18 pm
Mike W.
I hope you get this.
Sorry to take so long responding, but the satellite WIFI internet on my private jet has been hit or miss today. I may have to fire the pilots for not taking care of that. Just now saw your message. I will be in touch when I get to my beach home in Maui, or, if not then, when I get to my penthouse in Victoria, B. C.
It’s a tough life, but I trust you’ll understand.
Bigdog
June 19, 2020 @ 9:54 pm
Respect this reply
Throwback Country
June 19, 2020 @ 2:35 pm
There’$ tone deaf…and then there’$ Garth.
Melissa W
June 19, 2020 @ 2:49 pm
I skipped the song and went straight to the comments and they haven’t disappointed. haha
I don’t think Garth was the one who came up with the drive in concerts… I recall hearing about Alan Jackson doing the drive in concerts first. I would pay to see Alan but they’re expensive too… Tickets started at $100 for two-person general admission car and $40 for each additional person.
Jimmy
June 19, 2020 @ 3:57 pm
Alan Jackson is actually performing live at the Drive in, though. If you see Alan in any other venue, you will be paying far more than $40 or $50 for a ticket. So $100 for AJ would be a bargain. Garth isn’t even going to be live in person for his Drive in show.
Melissa W
June 19, 2020 @ 4:26 pm
Ooh I thought Garth was performing live. Yeah that’s dumb. Alan would be worth it but definitely not Garth
HayesCarll23
June 19, 2020 @ 3:00 pm
Trigger, I love you…God bless you for speaking the truth. The world needs more of it in every avenue of the media.
Blackh4t
June 19, 2020 @ 3:05 pm
Actually I like it.
Sure its bland, and lyrically not a song that will stand on the front line. BUT its listenable, and its trying to calm everyone down.
Also, 100 a car isn’t stupid. This is for the nostalgia crowd who doesn’t really know music. So they pay a lot of money to know they’re going to an expensive show. Expensive=good, right?
Jimmy
June 19, 2020 @ 3:59 pm
$100 a car works out to $25 a person. Pretty cheap. I remember seeing the Stones at the Imax decades ago for $15.
jim bob
June 19, 2020 @ 4:11 pm
2 in the trunk, and it goes down to 17 a head.
LB
June 20, 2020 @ 7:05 am
You people realize that this is pre-recorded, right? That’s part of the issue with the $100.
Jimmy
June 19, 2020 @ 4:02 pm
““We Belong To Each Other” is the slap dashing together of extremely cliche and tokenism frap passed off as verses, while Garth squeezes every fiber of his being into a pandering effort exploitative of the moment like a T-shirt two sizes too small.” This was great.
I like early Garth Brooks albums, but the stuff he’s released since he un-retired hasn’t moved me at all.
Patty
August 9, 2020 @ 3:41 pm
Amazon music plays this crap liberal song every hour !!!
albert
June 19, 2020 @ 4:12 pm
….this is one uninspiring , generic , cliche-riddled, lyrically-laughable excuse for anything worthwhile in these SERIOUS times . and as such it almost borders on a disrespecting exploitation of the situation . its is soul-less , heartless and insignificant . .
the music lacks any kind of dynamic or contrast or passion or drama or plain ol-fashioned INTEREST . its a big-time bore-fest , amateur in structure , passion-less in performance and offers no challenge whatsoever to a vocalist . this is less interesting than that l’il nads old town road crap and that is just about an impossibility . this thing doesn’t even approach anything meaningful or emotional . it NEVER achieves liftoff at any point .
ego is seemingly the only motivation and explanation for anything G seems to do and I know I’ll get lambasted for saying this but it sure reminds me of another ‘big wheel’ operating on a me-centric scattershot agenda that always comes across as ego-driven .
sorry for using the word ‘lambasted ‘ . don’t get to use it too often . it felt good .
Jack W
June 20, 2020 @ 8:32 am
Preach, Brother Albert. Or as Leo Gorcey of The Bowery Boys used to say (in his New York Irish accent), “my sentiments exactly.” And I couldn’t help but start singing Stand By Me as I listened.
Daniele
June 20, 2020 @ 9:50 am
After hearing this song i wish the ghst of Ben E. King haunts him at night and kicks his ass.
DJ
June 19, 2020 @ 4:34 pm
There is a blank page where, I guess, the video is supposed to be- I ain’t paying to watch it- or him- even in person. Too many drunk idiots at large venues.
albert
June 19, 2020 @ 5:00 pm
one other point . WHY are guys like G actually encouraging people to get together at all in these times ….car or no car ???….
It won’t be young families going to see this . it will be carloads of ‘ young ‘ people with beers n God knows what else ..5-6 to a car and probably NOT related and all running to the bathrooms at the same time or hanging out with the 5-6 young people in the next car . this is exactly the kind of party-type get-togethers that NEED to be strongly discouraged . this is a saturday night on a florida beach without the beach . we’ve already seen how THAT party ends .
Billy Wayne Ruddick
June 19, 2020 @ 6:27 pm
Sorry Garth. I’ll just stay home and watch the Selena biopic for the 125th time along with some Blake Berglund music videos on YouTube. Way better and way more entertaining.
Jake Cutter
June 19, 2020 @ 7:07 pm
Weird that even bedroom MIDI programmers have gotten a little rusty during lockdown.
albert
June 19, 2020 @ 7:47 pm
if you’re commenting on that ‘groove’, jake , I noticed it right away . the ‘feel’ is a fight throughout .
Derek K Larsen
June 20, 2020 @ 1:15 am
I was extremely disappointed in this track. But after calling yourself an apologist, you list multiple examples that lead me to believe you’re making a political statement rather than an editorial on this awful track. “We Shall Be Free” is Garth’s greatest song, in a GOAT catalogue. He had 18/19 singles through his first 5 albums that were Top 3, ‘Free’ doesn’t break the Top 10. Country doesn’t like different opinions.
Regardless, this track is awful. But, for a guy that sells $75 concert tickets while his colleagues run up $150-$500/ticket prices, I’m unsure how $100 for a van of 4-8 is greedy. He’s a marketer by trade. No doubt. But he’s always been about the fans.
You’re overall thesis lacks focus. When you’re talking about this track, there is no argument. When you go off the track, you sound like you just really hate Garth.
Mike
June 20, 2020 @ 7:49 am
Just when you thought Garth Brooks could have any less shame than he already does, he proves us wrong. This guy is such a [Brand] these days it is pathetic. And if I hear one more celebrity say “We’re all in this together” from their $5 million dollar mansions, I am going to puke.
Shut up, Brand!!!
The Original WTF Guy
June 20, 2020 @ 3:37 pm
It’s pretty simple people – just remember, GARTH!!! sucks. He always has, he does, and he always will.
Wuk
June 21, 2020 @ 2:43 am
I am a Garth Brooks fan. An excellent songwriter, a great singer and a super entertainer. I also think he is genuine, sincere and humble. I also liked ‘We Shall be free’. This is though is for me one of the poorest songs I have heard from him, if not the poorest. The sentiment is good. The songwriting clumsy and it feels forced for current events. It just isn’t very good.
Natty Bumpo
June 26, 2020 @ 5:11 am
$G$A$R$T$H
For some reason I can’t spell his name without $ in it.
He’s a marketing genius and one of the most authentic frauds ever to exist in the music industry. Most of his music is really great. He knows exactly what he’s doing and does it to perfection all the way to the bank.
Makes me wonder what kind of cult leader he would have been if not for country music because he knows what makes people tick and uses that skill to perfection.
Atomic Zombie Redneck
June 28, 2020 @ 10:27 am
It sounds like a song written for one of those live “events” that are supposed to “bring the country together” by having a bunch of clueless artists perform their sleepiest songs in the dreariest ways imaginable in hopes of creating a viral moment for themselves. Probably hoping the morning news show hosts would play the song and talk about how it moved them to tears, or some similar bullshit.