Kenny Chesney’s ‘The Boys of Fall’ (A Rant)
Right now the #1 country song in America is Kenny Chesney’s “The Boy’s of Fall.” How anybody can even take Kenney seriously after he clearly lip synced his performance at at the ACM Awards in April, I have no idea. Well I’m feeling froggy, and I find this song a little offensive, so I think it is time to take the cover off the smoker, get a bag of Kingsford, throw some mesquite chips on top, and do a little roasting.
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Kenny Cheseney’s “The Boys of Fall” is the worst of all worlds. It takes the Nashville songwriting formulas of laundry lists (mindless smatterings of words that have to do with the “country” that are always preceded by ‘It’s’), adds some Bob Seager “Night Moves”-style nostalgia, and spits out a song that solidifies the unhealthy notion that life begins and ends in High School, and all that us mindless peons working in cubicle farms and factories have to look forward to is looking back.
“Well its, turn and face the stars and stripes. It’s batting back them butterflies. It’s knocking heads and talking trash, its slinging mud and dirt and grass.”
No Kenny, it’s mindless fop that should be labeled “unfit for human consumption.”
What’s funny is that Kenny, pop country’s recent king, is on last year’s trends. Didn’t he get the memo that he’s supposed to be aping Outlaws now, trying to capitalize on anti-Nashville sentiment and shoving rehashed AC/DC riffs down people’s throats? But I guess the fans didn’t get the memo either, as they are willfully shelling out their hard earned cash on this unhealthy bit of escapism.
I am a football fan. Really, I am. And I think many positive lessons can be learned by young men participating in the sport, and by spectators. But the way football is used in the American culture to help perpetuate the class system and skew the priorities of the educational system are the foundations for systemic problems throughout society. Despite all of our riches, we have created one of the most divisive and violent cultures the world has ever seen, and part of the reason is that the educational system institutionalizes the idea that some people matter, and most don’t. Popularity contests and pep rallies are not wholesome, they skew the perspective on priorities and respect in culture. This songs emphasizes that.
Look at some of these lines:
They didn’t let just anybody in that club. Took every ounce of heart and sweat and blood. To get to wear those game day jerseys down the hall, kings of the school man, we’re the boys of Fall.
Aren’t schools for education? Why aren’t the ‘kings’ the brightest students? But I don’t feel comfortable calling anybody ‘kings.’ It sounds to much like the reimplementation of a caste system.
This was the line that really set me off:
“In little towns like mine, that’s all they got. Newspaper clippings fill the coffee shops. The old men will always thing they know it all. Young girls will dream about the boys of Fall.”
So all that little towns have is fucking football, huh? This insults the soul of so many small towns across the country, and the BEAUTIFUL things they have to offer like authenticity, simplicity, honesty, beautiful people, strong communities, and the last shred of the true American fabric that has been buried under urbanization and homogenization from things like mindless songs from corporate Nashville perpetuated through radio consolidation. This is supposed to be country music goddammit! Meaning music for the country! Kenny should be singing about the death of the country, not accelerating it by slinging out indirect insults.
You may think this is a revenge of the nerds rant, and you may be right. But to take such a mundane thing as football, and to memorialize it in such a mawkish and melodramatic manner that it makes you think it is all that matters in life is insulting of the human spirit. If he wanted to use football as an illustration of the struggles of life, then maybe he’d have something. But instead he just glorifies its mundanity in an insipid manner. It’s Taylor Swift’s job to sing about this high school bullshit Kenney. You’re supposed to be a grown ass man. Grow a sack and sing about something relevant.
We live in a culture that obsesses over high school. Most of the popular songs are about high school. Popular televisions shows like “Glee” and movies like the Twilight Series all overly glorify the importance of virtually irrelevant high school occurrences. Lately in the news we’ve been hearing about suicides caused by school bullies. Are these caused by bullies, or the unhealthy perspective we have given our children that they should judge themselves through other’s eyes, and weigh things like popularity above everything else?
And a song like this inspire an antithesis reaction that is just as subversive:
And we war, and fight, and bicker back and forth while society continues to fracture across cultural lines: Republican and Democrat, Athiest and Christian, City and Country. But I will give Marlyn Manson credit for this line:
Nothing suffocates you more than the passing of everyday human events.
Truer words were never spoken.
Country in Philly
October 7, 2010 @ 10:22 am
People don’t write the kind of country songs anymore because the haven’t lived the kinds of lives people did (Cash, Haggard, et al) decades ago. That’s OK. Life changes. But I stopped listening to Country radio awhile ago because it’s just bad rock and roll, and Chesney is the crown prince.
BlueRibbonRadio
October 7, 2010 @ 10:29 am
I’m still pissed that he was allowed to ruin “Hemingway’s Whiskey.”
I’m sure it’s landed Guy Clark a hefty lump of cash, and I get it, but hearing him sing that song makes me boil with rage.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 10:35 am
Yeah, some thought that a Guy Clark song was a sign of “Maturity.” When really the title fit into his “booze and beaches” marketing scheme.
chris e.
October 10, 2010 @ 7:34 pm
Good lord, I’ve been waiting to hear Coconut Boy’s bid for artistic credibility in the form of that cover, but then again, I don’t think I’ll willingly seek it out. I don’t want to forevermore hear Guy’s words and melody ruined by piles of Nashvegas production and possible Auto-tune vocal touch-ups.
Autopsy IV
October 7, 2010 @ 10:30 am
Like I said on twitter yesterday…the only good thing about that song is the speech Sean Payton gives at the beginning of the video.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 10:37 am
I like Sean Peyton, he was the quarterbacks coach here in Dallas before he went to NOLA, but that extended video draws out the mawkishness even more.
Here it is for anybody curious. Bring a strong stomach.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI&ob=av3e
“There’s so many people that live vicariously through you. I would give anything tonight to jump in one of these uniforms with you guys. ”
That puts it just about right. This is a better approach to vicarious living:
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/left-arm-tan-has-a-hit-with-wish
Autopsy IV
October 7, 2010 @ 10:46 am
The shit at the end was pure camp and I stopped watching after the second dude but I do like the speech from Payton.
IndyWebDude
October 7, 2010 @ 10:42 am
Wow, it’s a freakin song dude ? Not a way of life ? You hit the nail on the head with the “Revenge of the Nerds” statement.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 11:00 am
Wow, it”™s a freakin song dude ? Not a way of life ?
Somebody should tell Kenny that, because that’s exactly what he’s trying to say here.
And don’t fool yourself. This is all about life. Music is just the medium to discuss it.
IndyWebDude
October 7, 2010 @ 11:09 am
Actually that is true, I guess it IS a way of life, but is it wrong ? Is it wrong to get kids to be excited and passionate about something ? Maybe football is not everyone’s thing, but whatever your thing is, you should be passionate about it. Maybe baseball is a better analogy of life, not as violent ?
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 11:18 am
I’ll agree with that. Thats a good point. If football or sports is the one thing a kid is good at, they should approach it passionately. I don’t have any problem with sports. I’m about to stop down my world to watch the Ranger and Rays play.
My problem is with the way Kenny over-glorifies the whole thing. It’s about the perspective. Like Sean Peyton says in his speech, “this is all about the end, and you’ll never get this feeling again until you get married or have a kid.” (I’m paraphrasing). Why not? Why not pursue a life that you’re passionate about everyday occurrences? I was very passionate writing this article. Tell those kids to take that same passion, and bring it to every aspect of their lives, so that they can be fulfilled, instead of warning them its all about to end for them, there’s nothing more.
So many people in life settle on doing what they have to do to get by, instead of doing what they can be passionate about. That’s a shame.
Autopsy IV
October 7, 2010 @ 11:29 am
i think you’re reading more into it than is.
He’s saying. That feeling you’re getting…you’ll still get it in your adulthood but it won’t come on a regular schedule like it does when you’re young.
A sentiment that I can agree with.
MR.BANDANA
October 7, 2010 @ 10:44 am
THANKS FOR THIS BLOG..I WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ONE WORD OF THIS SONG,I’LL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT..MY EARS CAN’T BLEED ANYMORE FROM HEARING THIS POP CUNTRY BULLSHIT..YOU KNOW HE IS MY MOST HATED ARTIST EVER..I LITERALLY WOULD REJOICE IF I TURN ON THE NEWS AND HEAR HE IS DEAD..THERE ARE TOO MANY GRIZZLY WAYS I HAVE IMAGINED THIS HAPPENING..YES I AM A HEARTLESS SICK INDIVIDUAL..I BET HIS MAMA DON’T LOVE HIM..AS A MATTER OF FACT HE MAY NOT HAVE ONE..I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MY OPINIONS!!!
Dan
October 7, 2010 @ 10:52 am
Kind of funny considering what a shrimp he is I can’t see him knocking heads with anyone but the debate team. And can somebody get him a hat that fits? Whats with THAT?
Duluke
October 7, 2010 @ 11:23 am
Is it true that Senor Chesney is a hairless, closet bisexual fornication fiend? That’s what I heard.
manda13panda
October 7, 2010 @ 11:27 am
You have no idea how happy this blog makes me. Coming from the “small town” where we graduated four year ago, and everyone is still holding on to their football mentality, this song has been everyone’s anthem out here… and I thought I was the only one who was standing in the background, pulling their hair out, screaming ‘wtf?!’ every time someone said something like “oh, this song reminds me so much of high school.” So thank you… seriously.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 12:35 pm
Good to hear from you Manda Panda, it’s been a very long time.
manda13panda
October 7, 2010 @ 2:49 pm
I know! I need to participate more; I read a lot of the blogs, but I check everything on my phone, and it’s kind of a pain to comment and such 🙂
Denise
October 7, 2010 @ 11:27 am
He capitalized on the football arena (yes that’s a pun) and it’s evident in the video. Take the song by itself and it’s not all that remarkable. Add the names and faces to the video . . . voila! You got a megahit.
I love me some football too. Don’t know if a song about it is necessary. I mean, hey, we already got Hank Jr. revvin’ us up on Monday nights. That should suffice.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 1:54 pm
I don’t think football and country mix well. At first glance you think they might, but with at the risk of sounding like a hippie, they just have different energy.
Aran
October 7, 2010 @ 5:33 pm
I’ll agree with that Triggerman, and I’m not ashamed to say I really don’t like football. I really didn’t like high school either, and I wouldn’t go back there for anything. It was hard being a “music kid” in high school, and seeing all the money get thrown at the football team. They got new helmets all the time, but a friend had his amp destroyed because of a leak in the auditorium roof. Bullshit I say.
Ga. Outlaw
October 7, 2010 @ 1:22 pm
I got picked on a lot in school. 90% of the time it was football players doing the picking. My uncle coached, my cusin’s played & one day my dad told me “All I ever wanted was a son who would grow up to play quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, but I didn’t even get a son”. I never watched football as a kid, I haven’t spoke to my father since I was 16 & now I’m a huge Tennessee Titans fan. We play Dallas this Sunday. 🙂
Dave the Webmaster
October 7, 2010 @ 1:27 pm
No self-respecting musician would ever pose for pictures with no shirt on. If the people in my small home town saw a guy dressed like that walking down the street, he’d probably get his ass kicked.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 1:55 pm
AHHAAHA!
Dave the Webmaster
October 7, 2010 @ 5:16 pm
It looks like he’s also had a full body waxing. Either that or he hasn’t hit puberty yet. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve never seen a hairless cowboy.
Denise
October 8, 2010 @ 6:19 pm
My dog’s name is Cowboy, but anyway . . . I don’t think that loving Americana and football, being a Southern boy and having all those number one hits makes you anymore a cowboy or country than the next marketing major and pop country rising star. It just goes to show you that the mentality of Music Row is just that: Marketing and Strategy. Just as Cathy pointed out, people snub their noses at the problem child. Music Row is gonna capitalize on the “good old boy” as well as the “manufactured outlaw”. Will they stop at nothing? Got their goody two shoe girlie girls thrown in the mix, try to even it out with a few bad girl types and all the while wouldn’t give a real musician the time of day. Why? Because it doesn’t figure in their equation: money money money and more money.
Puke.
Waylon4ever
October 7, 2010 @ 1:48 pm
This song is awful, but I don’t think it is worth anyones time to look into it more than just “it sucks.”
Fact is that football is king in this country. High school football players are treated like gods in highschool. Small towns live and die with football teams. Is it right, no… but the song isn’t deep enough to call Chesney out on that. The song just sucks. It was done for the NFL/football media. Kenny should have kept it off any album.
Hank Jr. never put the monday night song on an album. Sure he put “All My Rowdy Friends” out but not the actual monday night football song.
You wanna hear the #1 piece of shit pop country song. Listen to Sugarland’s “Stuck like glue” You might consider killing yourself. Seriously, it is the worst song of all time, by far. Makes “Boys of Fall” sound like Cash.
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 2:02 pm
This song isn’t deep? I think its as deep as Kenny could make it, and that is my problem with it.
I’ve already taken a swing at that Sugarland garbage. Working on a second swipe if I get a chance. Want to get a couple of reviews knocked out first.
https://www.savingcountrymusic.com/taylor-swift-tops-sugarlands-steampunk-w-splatterpunk
(btw, the comments on that article got erased when the site was hacked)
Waylon4ever
October 7, 2010 @ 2:10 pm
It examines football. Football is part of Americana. But no, the song ain’t deep. It ain’t going to go down in pop country history as a deep song. It is just cashing in on the 2010 football season.
Sugarland is soooo fucking bad!
evenbetter
October 7, 2010 @ 1:58 pm
What kind of “cowboy” sits around on the beach wearing $500 sunglasses anyway?
Ga. Outlaw
October 7, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
The kind that steels a policemans horse.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOCYEpLkV3A
IndyWebDude
October 8, 2010 @ 12:07 pm
Now THAT’s funny !
Travis
October 7, 2010 @ 2:53 pm
Everyday at work I have to listen to the local “Country” station. They must pick the 20 worst songs and play them over and over. Hank Williams jr’s “country boy can survive” is as real as it gets, and I hear that about once a week.
I will mention that “Farmers Daughter” is probably the worst of them all, not sure who sings it. Every time I hear it I want to blow my brains out!
I don’t know where I was going with this comment.
cathy
October 7, 2010 @ 6:14 pm
I stopped in cuz I really like to read your rants, always entertaining, and I was up for a smart ass comment or two myself. But you hit a serious note w/me and also hit the nail on the head;
“the educational system institutionalizes the idea that some people matter, and most don”™t. Popularity contests and pep rallies are not wholesome, they skew the perspective on priorities and respect in culture.”
Thank you! I work w/teens who have legal charges and have for 13 years now…I’ve seen 1st hand how the schools operate for the kids who “come from good family” or a good class of people as opposed to the kid from a single parent in public housing. Very selective indeed….kids are “labeled” by the school and society.
If a kid has a medical card and has any kind of behavior problem at school or home, it is a done deal that they will be referred to the local community mental health agency and put on adderall, ritalin, seroquel, vyvanse, prozac, and way too many more to name. I’ve watched this for years…..kids given amphetamines (vyvanse is the current prescription of choice by the doctors) in the morning and seroquel for sleep at night. Very common mix.
It’s all outrageous and I get real upset about it. So thanks for getting me all worked up and pissed off…….and, I’m w/Bandana and going to take yer word on the song. Don’t want my ears to bleed either and don’t need anymore to rage about 🙂
The Triggerman
October 7, 2010 @ 7:03 pm
Finally somebody read this and understood this has little to do with Kenny’s dumb music, and more to do with people, and the dignity that every human deserves.
Ojaioan
October 8, 2010 @ 1:21 am
Society itself is a governed american “dream”! Fuck this force fed society and it’s government inforced propaganda! Sites like this that have an “UN” endorsed myspace feed are what keep reality in check! DON’T SELL YOUR SOUL TO FACE BOOK! Great blog Triggerman, I saw something on a morning show(I think) where ol’ Chestnuts was whining about a coupla stints with a team in training and if he didn’t catch a punt all the team was gonna get reeeeal mad at him cause it meant an EXTRA practice…I almost teared up…before I threw up…and changed the channel to a nice long and very enthusiastic…infomercial.
Shot Jackson
October 7, 2010 @ 6:52 pm
It’s funny Chesney, like Eric Church, was a marketing major in college. That must be the advice A&R reps are giving out on Music Row.
The Triggerman
October 8, 2010 @ 7:43 pm
So was Garth Brooks. He set the mold.
the deserter
October 8, 2010 @ 6:30 am
I’d leave a comment but I decieded a long time ago that this scrawny little fucker was not worth one minute of my time.
Steve G
October 8, 2010 @ 1:02 pm
Is America really like this? I thought it was just on TV
Ryan
October 8, 2010 @ 3:27 pm
I play college ball in Wisconsin, have been consumed by this game (football) for the majority of my life. Its a huge part of me and has probably shaped a good amount of my life experiences, I can’t deny that. However, the game of football certainly does not define me as a man. I love it with all my heart and am very passionate about it, but again, it is not all that I am.
I cannot stand this song, It’s almost offensive. The guy hardly talks about the game itself, he talks about being nervous, the coin toss and then “you mess with one man, you got us all” I mean how much cheesier does it get. Way to cheapen the game and make a quick buck off of it asshole. I believe the guy played like 2 years of jv hs football, what a joke
The Triggerman
October 8, 2010 @ 9:29 pm
I think if I was a hardcore football player I would find it offensive as well.
Roscoe
October 8, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
A very good rant I’m tired of the radio saying your best days are behind you memories and death are all you’ve got to look forward to now and I guess I’m screwed i was to busy learning and did’nt play football there is just so much of this crap you can take so I’ll just go listen to my Otis Gibbs & Steve Earle albums people who can actually say something smart and meaningful in their music thanks Triggerman
Scott
October 9, 2010 @ 9:49 am
If you ever have an hour to kill and there is nothing else on tv, try watching a Chesney video in slow motion. It’s a riot!
Jim Malec
October 11, 2010 @ 10:29 am
Nothing wrong with Bob Seger though. Just sayin’–that man’s a legend.
The Triggerman
October 11, 2010 @ 12:28 pm
I agree. Bob Seger is greatness. But if I want to hear Bob Seger, I will listen to Bob Seger. The nostalgia formula is tired.
David Lee
October 11, 2010 @ 11:40 am
Well let’s just cut our wrists like cheap coupons and say that death was on sale today. Great comparison of perspectives .. genious. I’m motivated to download some old Manson … I seriously couldn’t even listen to the Chesney song .. I saw him live on CMT a while back and wanted to smash the T.V. He is indeed a country poseur trying to model his waxed ass, throwing out cliche’s, and would indeed get his ass whipped in a bar in Mississippi.
Bill
October 12, 2010 @ 5:56 am
Wasn’t he married to Renee Zellwegger for 5 minutes?
He took off his hat and started singing. That was the end of it.
The Triggerman
October 12, 2010 @ 8:19 am
Publicity stunt. Like all those sham marriages.
Carla
October 12, 2010 @ 3:36 pm
I think that macho football culture exists in most western societies: it’s all about the rugby here. When the All Blacks win a game everybody goes out drinking and domestic violence incidences increase dramatically.
That song is so wimpy!
Keith Urban gives Kenny a run for his money in these tasty shots:
http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com/archive/2006/08/08/oh_keithyou_tease.php
Bo Darville
October 15, 2010 @ 1:47 pm
This song emasculates football.
Toby Keith’s ‘Bullets in the Gun’ The Worst #1 Ever « Saving Country Music
October 16, 2010 @ 1:34 pm
[…] This week it was announced that Toby Keith’s Bullets in the Gun album is the new #1 in country. However this is the worst-selling country music #1 album since stats like this have been kept according to Billboard. A sheepish 71,000 copies sold, and even this is addition by subtraction, as the main reason it’s #1 is Kenny Chesney’s Hemingway’s Whiskey went in a 64% tailspin from it’s #1 perch last week, helped little by its terrible single “The Boys of Fall.” […]
Jkalnasy
October 22, 2010 @ 10:34 am
What’s humorous to me is right after the line you posted, he follows up with “Let’s turn and face the stars and stripes…”
Nothing like appealing to the nationalists and football fans in one song eh? Convenient for him to release the album in the middle of football season, let’s see how big this paycheck can get.
The Triggerman
October 22, 2010 @ 12:05 pm
This isn’t a song. It is a marketing strategy with a sales jingle.
A Mom
December 13, 2010 @ 4:01 pm
I agree with The Triggerman, “This isn’t a song. It IS a marketing strategy with a sales jingle.” And a very grim message to the students that work hard to make good grades and plan to have a future (based on something other than brawn).
Sad world that we live in, now we have football determining our worth…
Mike
April 4, 2016 @ 12:26 pm
In all fairness though….Marylin Manson was nothing but a corporate ripoff of Skinny Puppy and Alien Sex Fiend. Even former Skinny Puppy member Nivek Oghr did a song dissing him on his “Welt” CD.
AX10
April 4, 2016 @ 1:25 pm
By chance he does have a point. America’s inferior secondary education system emphasizes sports.
The rest of the world, sports exist outside of school. Tax dollars are not diverted to sports from education funds.
So yes, football players are the “kings” of the school.
Unfair, but sadly true.
Honkytonksue
November 22, 2017 @ 5:25 am
I really liked the song. WE CAN look back at our memories and the things he mentions ARE real in many people’s lives. Not everyone’s of course, but for some people it triggers the good times back then and the faces of those high school friends. I live in Canada but went to visit friends in Texas whose son was a senior. I got to experience that Friday night lights thing. The song is about all those things, those most important times of our young lives so far. And then it ends and you move on, but most of us can smile about how important it all was when we were living it. But yah, those coach thing,,,I could live without that.