Okay Tim McGraw, You Have Me Intrigued With Your “Damn Country Music” Album Title
Word placement is a pretty big deal, right? There’s a big difference between the assistant CEO, and the CEO’s assistant. If I was going to say what I think Tim McGraw is trying to say, I probably would have worded it “Country Damn Music” instead of “Damn Country Music.” Putting “damn” in front feels more like a verb, like you’re “damning” country music, which I would guess is not on Tim McGraw’s agenda. So let’s just assume McGraw is just using “damn” for emphasis. Like “this is actual country music, and not that sissified crap they’re calling country music today.” Okay then Tim, you have me intrigued.
McGraw has a history of curious album titles. Sundown Heaven Town, anyone? You don’t stick that “heaven” in between, and you have the NAACP swarming your ass faster than a Confederate flag flying at a statehouse. I’m still a little surprised that title made it past the management at Big Machine Records, and that it still didn’t draw McGraw some unintended ire. But hey, I guess there’s bigger fish to fry these days.
Okay so Tim McGraw is declaring his next record is Damn Country Music. Well let’s just wait and see. I will say that Sundown Heaven Town, the terrible lead single “Lookin’ For That Girl” notwithstanding, was one of the surprisingly okay albums of the mainstream in 2014. That’s not an endorsement, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Tim McGraw, now 48-years-old, becomes one the of the bulwarks of country music in the mainstream moving forward—to keep at least some level of decency present in the upper tiers of the industry. I still probably won’t be listening, but it’s going to take a certain level of pragmatism to save country music.
McGraw’s recent singles “Meanwhile Back at Mama’s” and “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools”? Hey, not that bad, especially compared to their peers, and they fared pretty well on the radio too. The first single from Damn Country Music called “Top of the World”? Eh, a little nondescript, the chorus feels pretty contrived, and I certainly wouldn’t call it “Damn Country Music” if I was looking for a description. But every lead single these days you can pretty much count on being the worst song of an album.
Give credit to Scott Borchetta (Big Machine CEO) for playing both sides of the market. On one side you have Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, and the (all new Yellow!) The Band Perry. Then on the other side, he’s releasing Maddie & Tae, The Mavericks, and allowing Tim McGraw to release a record called Damn Country Music. You either have to give him credit for playing both sides and profiteering off of pitting them against each other, or for recognizing holes in the market, and how there’s a huge one where music of substance in country used to be.
But let’s wait to actually hear the music on November 6th before we start high fiving each other. In the end, it’s just a cover.
Pete Marshall
September 18, 2015 @ 12:04 pm
It makes sense the title says it all because mainstream country music is in the downward spiral.
Devil Anse
September 18, 2015 @ 12:11 pm
The cover looks like it was designed by the Chik-Fil-A cows.
MH
September 18, 2015 @ 2:36 pm
LMAO.
BassmanMatt
September 18, 2015 @ 6:45 pm
dam kuntry muzik (eat moar chikin)
Will
September 20, 2015 @ 7:01 pm
That’s probably an actual best-selling Big Smo album.
mcs
September 23, 2015 @ 10:12 am
LMAO.
But yes, who in the hell designed that cover? Terrible.
RD
September 18, 2015 @ 12:20 pm
“There”™s a big difference between the assistant CEO, and the CEO”™s assistant.”
That was a bit on The Office. Assistant to the Regional Manager / Assistant Regional Manager.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj4j4qciaEM
Fuzzy TwoShirts
September 18, 2015 @ 12:29 pm
I heard “Burnin it Down,” “Kick up the Dust,” “Anything Goes,” AND “Take your Time” while I was sitting in the dentist chair… and then some chick I went to college with turns up trying to be a local star the Maggie Rose truck song way, by being a bad Swift impersonator and singing about her bare feet… The D.J. loved it.
Then I found out my college professor is a Jason Al-D-Wad fan! how on God’s green Earth is this person qualified to teach me anything????
MY GOD! Am I the only sane one left?? Am I the biggest loser on the beach???
Melissa
September 18, 2015 @ 12:44 pm
Damn, that’s torturous even by dentist standards.
Kale
September 18, 2015 @ 12:44 pm
I know how ya feel pal.
Albert
September 18, 2015 @ 12:48 pm
No , Fuzzy 2shirts You aren’t the only sane person left . There’s you AND me ….but then again I’m not too sure about me .At least the dentists needle must have given you some relief.
FromtheWordsofBR
September 18, 2015 @ 1:26 pm
No. I am. I forgot to wear sunscreen.
John Wayne Twitty
September 18, 2015 @ 3:46 pm
Did you request novocaine for your double ear aches?
Pete Marshall
September 18, 2015 @ 6:52 pm
Each is own anyway I’m not a Jason Aldumb or Aldean fan either.
Luke
September 19, 2015 @ 7:05 am
That’s is certainly torturous! Last time I took my boy to the dentist he had on an America album. I’ll take a little Sister Golden Hair over Dirt Road or Burnin it Down(Not sure I’ve even heard this song and not at all sad about that) any day!
Brett
September 18, 2015 @ 12:42 pm
There are a lot of punctuation and word-order choices you could make with that title.
“Works on contingency? No, money down!”
Gena R.
September 18, 2015 @ 1:06 pm
“Kill Bart! Kill Bart!” / “Kill, Bart! Kill, Bart!” 😀
Albert
September 18, 2015 @ 12:46 pm
My guess is that the title refers to a guy trying to forget and move on.. ….but that DAMN country music won’t let him . His life is in every song he hears ( that is …if he was living in 1999 or earlier. ) And THAT’s what country music should be about . It ain’t about ANYBODY’S life at this stage .
Melissa
September 18, 2015 @ 12:57 pm
I like that take on it. Like Doug Stone’s “Warning Labels.”
Albert
September 18, 2015 @ 4:13 pm
Maybe they oughta put warning labels on the ” country ” music they play RIGHT NOW Melissa .
WARNING ! This music contains mostly ideas and lyrics stolen / ripped-off / copied from other genres and should not be confused with REAL country music . Side effects include nausea , bewilderment , disorientation , anxiety , feelings of deja vu , alienation , frustration , severe decrease in the ability to think , feel or rationalize , and more nausea . Consume at your own risk .
Jackie Treehorn
September 18, 2015 @ 7:46 pm
Right. Just like that, except exponentially less actual country music than the album by Mr. Stone.
L
September 18, 2015 @ 12:49 pm
Looking through the track list, it looks like he has a song called “Don’t Make Me Feel at Home” on the album. Wouldn’t it be nice if it was the same song Wesley Dennis sung back in the 90s?
Ballgame
September 20, 2015 @ 3:09 pm
It is the same song.
Liza
September 20, 2015 @ 6:02 pm
Source?
Ballgame
September 21, 2015 @ 5:01 am
Just trust me on this. It is the same song.
Liza
September 21, 2015 @ 11:49 am
Excellent – thanks.
Melissa
September 18, 2015 @ 12:53 pm
Hoping this will be good. Tim’s made some notably awful missteps, but he’s also put out some good songs lately that show he might actually give a damn about country music. As an established star with a ton of fans and clout, if he is choosing to make a statement it could actually resonate. Guess I’ll be cautiously hopeful, which is as positive about mainstream country as I can be these days.
Kale
September 18, 2015 @ 12:58 pm
Do we know how Tim feels about country music? Is he into this whole “evolution” thing? He’s released some bad songs like “TruckYeah” and “Lookin’ For That Girl,” but he’s also released some good ones, even recently. He’s never spoken out against pop country, and he’s also collaborated with Pitbull and Nelly. He even invited those 2 on his tour show. Yes, Tim had a 2hr show about one of his upcoming tours, and non-country artists showed up. Then again, I don’t think he’s ever actually endorsed Bro-Country or EDM country like some people have, and he always tries to include better songs than everyone else on his albums, so he may be dissatisfied with how things have gotten and wants to change it. I don’t know what’s going on with him. Trigger, do you have any idea where Tim actually stands?
Trigger
September 18, 2015 @ 1:06 pm
I really don’t have any more insight than anyone else. He’s never really broached these matters in interviews and such. He doesn’t really do a lot of interviews, either.
Gena R.
September 18, 2015 @ 1:09 pm
“The first single from Damn Country Music called ‘Top of the World’? Eh, a little nondescript, the chorus feels pretty contrived, and I certainly wouldn”™t call it ‘Damn Country Music’ if I was looking for a description.”
I take it it’s not a cover of the Patty Griffin song (also recorded by the Chicks)? :\
Truth No. 2
September 18, 2015 @ 1:59 pm
You would be correct. Then again, I wouldn’t want him to record it. He already butchered “Angry All The Time,” another one of my favorite songs.
Gena R.
September 18, 2015 @ 4:50 pm
Ooh, good point — I’d forgotten about that…
Luke
September 19, 2015 @ 7:10 am
I remember listening to Bruce and hearing Angry All the Time. I wanted to listen again and searched for the title on Spotify and McGraw’s version came up and I had to compare and contrast. I was utterly disappointed needless to say.
Pete Marshall
September 18, 2015 @ 2:43 pm
no. Neither is The Carpenters version of the title.
Gena R.
September 18, 2015 @ 4:49 pm
Dang. :\
Pete Marshall
September 18, 2015 @ 1:26 pm
Tim McGraw had 3 bad singles but most of his songs were good. He could be in the Country music hall of fame within few years.
Eric
September 18, 2015 @ 1:33 pm
Tim knows that he is in the twilight of his career as a hitmaker, and hopefully this album will help start his transition to the role of elder statesman of country music. Despite his flubs, his stellar musical record, especially during his peak years in the late 90s to mid 00s, has certainly earned him that position of respect.
Kale
September 18, 2015 @ 1:57 pm
Remember when they were giving out Milestone Awards? How come Tim McGraw didn’t get one? He’s done more than most of the people that got them. I don’t understand how they make these decisions.
Trigger
September 18, 2015 @ 2:31 pm
Though Tim can draw in concert with the best of them, his years with Curb Records, especially the last half decade, completely train wrecked his chances of keeping up with the Kenny Chesneys and George Straits of the world. They released seven Greatest Hits records in six years (or something like that), and one studio album. Meanwhile, McGraw had nothing to tour behind. Mike Curb owes McGraw years of his life, and meanwhile I’m sure there’s still a pending lawsuit somewhere claiming Mike is still owed for every piece of McGraw’s music until he croaks.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 9:08 pm
The Milestone Awards were for very specific “achievements” such as most nominated, most wins, youngest…- this is how RollingStone Magazine described the winners
“Here’s how each of the Milestone Award recipients earned the distinction: Garth Brooks has won a total of six ACM Entertainer of the Year trophies (and is nominated again in that category this year); Kenny Chesney, a triple-nominee for his “American Kids” song and video, has earned four Entertainer trophies and holds the distinction of winning the first fan-voted Entertainer of the Year award. This year’s top nominee (with eight nods), Miranda Lambert has won a total of 18 ACMs ”“ the most for any solo female artist in history; Reba McEntire is a seven-time Female Vocalist of the Year; George Strait, the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, has 21 ACM trophies on his shelves; Swift earned her Entertainer honor at the age of 21, making her the youngest-ever winner of that award; and with 27 wins in all, the duo of Brooks & Dunn have the won most ACMs in the awards show’s 50-year history.”
Dogit
September 18, 2015 @ 2:02 pm
I will say it. Trigger danced around it, but McGraw did release the best mainstream album last year. I think the successful of the actual country singles have inspired him to make more. McGraw will always take chances with his music. I went through a period of hating him, and now I kind of respect him again. He has made some lunkers and some great memorable songs. The quality of his catalog is the only one that can rival George Strait at this point. He does not sing the same song over and over again (see Chesney, even the great Alan Jackson at times who is one of personal favorites). You make a pretty good playlist of his catalog that you enjoy. IMO, he never seems to surprise me or fans. He can turn out some shitty Truck Yeah and then bust out “If you are reading this” “Meanwhile back” “Barstools..”
Brian
September 18, 2015 @ 4:10 pm
I have to admit that I felt the same from what I listened to of mainstream. Miranda won multiple awards for “Platinum” and I thought his album was much better than hers. Miranda also beat him more than once for song with “Automatic” and once again I thought “Meanwhile Back at Mamas” was a similar type of song, but was actually a better written one. I am hoping he stays close to that path with this album, since he did have success with those songs.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 2:14 pm
I heard this song at his concert a few weeks ago. It was written by Jessi Alexander, Cary Barlowe, and Josh Thompson…I think you’re gonna like it. He said in an interview of Damn Country Music “When I recorded ”˜Damn Country Music,”™ it was one of those electric moments,” the star says in a press release. “It speaks to a passion and being at a crossroads in your life when you make that decision to pursue it knowing you might pay a heavy price.”
The big question is if the song listed on the album track list, “Don’t Make Me Feel at Home”, is a cover of the Wesley Dennis tune with the same title.
Six String Richie
September 18, 2015 @ 6:52 pm
That Wesley Dennis song was really good. I thought I’d be the only one who remembers it.
Interesting that the writers aren’t yet announced for it. I’ve never seen it before. Maybe they rewrote parts of the song and haven’t finalized the writing credits yet.
the pistolero
September 18, 2015 @ 8:57 pm
I thought I”™d be the only one who remembers it.
Nope. That song was freaking awesome. Wesley Dennis had a killer voice.
Kev
September 21, 2015 @ 8:07 am
I saw Wesley Dennis a few months back working with Kevin Moon and he sang that. Still sound great!
Pete Marshall
September 19, 2015 @ 6:20 pm
I have Wesley Dennis cd and it was great!!
Andrew
September 18, 2015 @ 2:15 pm
McGraw gets a lot of (earned) criticism for stuff like “Truck Yeah” and “Looking For That Girl” but those are still very much the exceptions in his music. He’s flirted with bro-country at times, but for the most part he’s still one of the best mainstream acts out there when it comes to picking songs.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 2:18 pm
I heard this song at his concert a few weeks ago. It was written by Jessi Alexander, Cary Barlowe, and Josh Thompson…I think you’re gonna like it. He said in an interview, “When I recorded ”˜Damn Country Music,”™ it was one of those electric moments — It speaks to a passion and being at a crossroads in your life when you make that decision to pursue it, knowing you might pay a heavy price.”
The big question is if the song listed on the album track list, “Don’t Make Me Feel at Home”, is a cover of the Wesley Dennis tune with the same title.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 2:34 pm
From Windmills Music
Here”™s the tracklist with songwriting credits where available for Tim McGraw”™s upcoming studio album
“Here Tonight” (ft. Gracie McGraw) (Brett Beavers / John Osborne / T.J. Osborne) – Beaver’s version is on soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/big-deal-music-bna/here-tonight?in=big-deal-music-bna/sets/stalefish and Tim’s version w/his daughter is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBCYXH_zwqw
“Losin”™ You” (Rodney Clawson / Tom Douglas / Matt Dragstrem)
”How I”™ll Always Be” (Chris Janson / Jamie Paulin / Jeremy Stover)
“Damn Country Music” (Jessi Alexander / Cary Barlowe / Josh Thompson)
“Love Runs” (Josh Kear / Brad Warren / Brett Warren)
“What You”™re Lookin”™ For” (Brett James / Angelo Petraglia / Troy Verges)
“Top Of The World” (Jon Nite / Josh Osborne / Jimmy Robbins) – lead single.
“Don”™t Make Me Feel at Home” (songwriters not yet confirmed)
“Want You Back” (Rodney Clawson / Ashley Gorley / Hillary Lindsey)
“California” (with Big & Rich) (Chad Hennesee / Brad Warren / Brett Warren)
“Humble and Kind” (Lori McKenna) – check out Lori McKenna performing the song live at the Opry on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx2s-k4Q4Gw.
Bonus Tracks:
“Everybody”™s Lookin”™” (songwriting credits to be confirmed)
“Kiss a Girl” (Andrew Dorff / Tom Douglas / Matt Ramsey)
“Country and Western” (Rodney Clawson / Tom Douglas / Matt Dragstrem)
Brian
September 18, 2015 @ 5:24 pm
Both of the songs with clips sounded good.
Derek E. Sullivan
September 18, 2015 @ 2:39 pm
I’m excited about Tim’s latest album. Shotgun Rider hasn’t been mentioned much, but it was a really great song as well.
Also we can blame Curb for Tim’s run of bad albums, but he was also out trying to be a movie star, trying to set up residencies in Vegas. We have to remember that Tim doesn’t write his own music, and I think there was a span there were he didn’t spend a lot of time fighting for good songs. I really think touring with Kenny Chesney rejuvenated him. He realized that if he would have just concentrated on his music all of those years like Kenny did, he would have been playing the 8:30 p.m. slot and not the 6 p.m.
Glad to have you back Tim.
Kale
September 18, 2015 @ 3:03 pm
Here’s my insane idea: Country is so f***ed up at this point that that the only way to fix it within our lifetime will be to make it SO bad that nobody with a shred of decency wants to participate anymore. They all rebel against Music Row and succeed. Here’s how to accomplish that: bend all the rules and induct Florida Georgia Line into the Hall of Fame! Huh, what are you smokin’ Kale? Let me explain:
The Hall of Fame people say something about how country music has soared to new heights, all because FGL popularized the Bro-Country sound. Cruise broke records and set the stage for country to become pop, so FGL gets in the Hall of Fame. FGL gets up there with their “Aw shucks y’all, we’re just a couple country boys doin’ our thang, and we’re so blessed to be here.” That’s when everybody loses it. People come out of the woodwork to bash country music:
Merle Haggard comments about their screwing on a tailgate songs. Willie Nelson finally chimes in. Hank Jr. and Hank 3 both hand the Hall it’s a$$ for trashing their dad/grandpa’s name. George Strait and Alan Jackson make another protest song. Garth lists all the people who should’ve gotten in before them. Toby Keith rants about how hip hop has taken over country. Tim McGraw loses his cool and tells Music Row exactly what he thinks. Brad Paisley says “I’m not taking this anymore!” Jason Aldean has a hissy fit that HE didn’t get in… although that one might not help. Even Taylor Swift gives some philosophical statement about how it sucks. All hell has broken loose. Nobody will accept any more of this.
Everybody except the Bro-Country singers and EDM douchewads boycott everything. They no longer make music for the pop country record companies. They all start their own, unanimous record label dedicated to real country. Using their star power, they pressure the big wigs to call THEIR music the one true country music. So there is a huge paradigm shift. All the veterans and respectable country singers have created a new country genre that actually plays country music, and the Jason Aldeans, Luke Bryans, and Sam Hunts are left singing their stupid songs that aren’t even called country anymore. They are banned from CMA and ACM. All those bros and douchewads all fade away. FGL isn’t part of country anymore, so they are automatically fired from the Hall of Fame. That one act was just to destroy the country industry and give country music a fresh start. It is all perfect now.
I know that’s completely insane, but hey, so am I;)
Anthony
September 18, 2015 @ 3:10 pm
Once Tim Mcgraw realized he couldn’t get away with shit like Lookin For That Girl, he went back into his pocket zone n used the backups he had incase he could’t hang with the “cool crowd” haha. Although his new single is poppy.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 3:25 pm
He’s always been a bit poppy. The crowds at his shows go just as crazy over Truck Yeah as they do Diamond Rings and Old Bar Stools.
Marky mark
September 21, 2015 @ 5:14 pm
I like it, but how about if the real country musicians all just quit country music and form a new genre altogether? Who cares what it’s called, but don’t let anybody else in except country musicians.
hiYUN
September 18, 2015 @ 3:16 pm
Could someone please explain the meaning of Sundown Heaven Town, why its so controversial? I’m Canadian so I don’t understand the meaning of it.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 3:23 pm
Sundown Town is a term that comes from a time when minorities were not allowed to stay “in town” after sundown. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundown_town
Andrew
September 18, 2015 @ 3:26 pm
During segregation sundown towns were towns that were intentionally set up with only white people living in them. Many had signs posted telling non-whites they had to leave the town by sundown.
It’s not a particularly well known term in much of the country though, so it’s easy to understand why no one in McGraw’s camp noticed any negative connotation with it. I consider myself a history nerd and still had to google it the first time I heard of the controversy to know what it meant.
Tunesmiff
September 18, 2015 @ 3:32 pm
Here’s two other ways of looking at the title:
Damn is an descriptive used by a tired, worn out singer or his/her equally worn and frazzled spouse~ Damn country music… Like Garth’s “that damn ol’ rodeo…”
OR~
An exclamation ~ Damn – Country music~ as opposed to rap/hip-hop/EDM stuff claiming to be country~ of course without punctuation it’s hard to tell for sure…
(Like:
“I like cooking, my family, andy pets”
OR
“I like cooking my family and my pets…”)
Mike W.
September 18, 2015 @ 4:00 pm
I’m interested. Which is more than I can say for a lot of the crap coming out of Music Row. McGraw is usually good for 4-5 really good songs per album, some filler and a handful of radio friendly material. At the very least I look forward to those 4-5 songs.
Sunny B
September 18, 2015 @ 4:48 pm
He’s probably just trying to make himself seem edgy/naughty/badass to the harder crowd. Seriously, I bet “Damn” is really edgy in Music Row nowadays. I think he needs to listen to PFF or Wheeler’s new single
Dean
September 18, 2015 @ 6:34 pm
I doubt this album will be very country at all. Top of the world was pretty pop and Tim has pretty much lost his mind so…
Heather
September 18, 2015 @ 6:59 pm
Tim got lucky for sure. His vocals in the beginning of his career were terrible. Don’t know how his voice got better but it did. He picked, didn’t write some awesome, now legendary songs. This is an entertainer but not an artist in any way. He doesn’t play the guitar or write his own. Tim is the milll vanelli of country music who looks good and taking the credit. Millions of people can sing on his avg. level. He is a lucky man considering. Could easily have went the way of him living out “do you want fries with that” like the others who tried with mediocre talent.
Eric
September 19, 2015 @ 5:59 am
George Jones, George Strait, Patty Loveless, Waylon Jennings, and the vast majority of other major country singers did not write or co-write the bulk of their songs either. Were they not artists?
Sam Wayne
September 18, 2015 @ 9:09 pm
Am I the only one to notice that Southern Girl was a ripoff of John Schneider’s Country Girls?
Both have references to California, Chicago, and New York. Both claim there is nothing better anywhere than a southern/country girl. And for heaven’s sake, both mentioned tupelo honey.
See for yourself:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/southern-girl-lyrics-tim-mcgraw.html
http://www.metrolyrics.com/country-girls-lyrics-john-schneider.html
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 9:40 pm
Southern Girl stinks. No way around it.
Liza
September 18, 2015 @ 10:04 pm
Damn Country Music
Clip 1 https://instagram.com/p/7dwBacEjZB/?tagged=damncountrymusic
Clip 2 https://instagram.com/p/7c_dhEkjS1/?tagged=damncountrymusic
Norrie
September 19, 2015 @ 12:44 am
The lead single is so bland.Been years since I’ve listened to McGraw and this does nothing to make me want to hear more.Yuck.
Liza
September 19, 2015 @ 12:57 am
Oh come on, Norrie. You weren’t going to listen to more under any circumstance. Once you yuck, there is no turning back.
Big Cat
September 19, 2015 @ 3:31 am
Tim is far and away in the most tolerable range of today’s ‘country’ artists. Recent music included. Always been mainstream but always managed to stay in that tolerable range in my book. I really like shotgun rider and ‘old barstools. Good tunes.
Chase RIce
September 19, 2015 @ 4:04 am
I hope this is going to be a damn good album. Going by the first single from it, I don’t have high hopes as it damn sucks.
But God Damn it, I’m such a damn hypocrite complaining about the state of damn country music. I should damn well keep away from this damn website.
KC
September 19, 2015 @ 5:41 am
McGraw has always been a puppet for what his label wants. I am not intrigued by anything he does. He’s the lone “empty hat” from the mid-1990s to survive.
Eric
September 19, 2015 @ 5:56 am
Country music in the mid-1990s was pretty darned great.
Mike W.
September 19, 2015 @ 6:40 am
His early work wasnt great, but I maintain he has cut some damn good songs in his time. Live Like You Were Dying may have been a postcard/self-help single, but that album had a number of damn good album cuts from the like of Rodney Crowell to name one off the top of my head.
I’m not saying Tim McGraw is some kind of amazing artist who should be respected, but for as embarrassing as a number of his singles have been he has also shown a willingness to cut some good album cuts by a number of respected songwriters.
Trigger
September 19, 2015 @ 7:15 am
Tim McGraw had arguably the biggest legal battle with his label Curb Records in the history of country music, and it specifically had to do with the creative control of his music. Curb didn’t want to release his final record “Emotional Traffic” because they said the material wasn’t topical enough. They then refused to release him from his contract until he turned in an entirely new album. You may think his music sucks and that’s totally fair. But he was no puppet to his label.
KC
September 19, 2015 @ 11:39 am
The fact stands that McGraw has – when at Curb and Big Machine – followed the trend and pretty much agreed to release the singles the label has wanted to put out on a consistent basis. He has virtually zero writing credits and IS for all intents and purposes a puppet for his label and its hit-writers. But hey, George Strait had a lot of thos qualities, too. The big difference is Strait, though also singing other people’s words, stayed true to what he believes country music should sound and look like. McGraw just nodded and said,”Sure, I will collaborate with Nelly” or “Yeah, Truck Yeah is a great song.” I have always said Tim McGraw was the gateway drug to Jason Aldean.
Eric
September 19, 2015 @ 3:36 pm
Let’s pause for a moment and realize how deeply elitist it is to regard vocalists as “puppets”.
Using that same argument, musicians who do not compose their instrumentals are also “puppets”. Actors are “puppets” because they are following the instructions from the director and the screenwriter. Machinists are “puppets” because they are following the designs laid out by the mechanical engineers. Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, HVAC specialists, and other construction tradesmen are “puppets” because they are following the designs made by the civil engineers and architects.
The fact is that music, like all other products, works best under division of labor, which in this case means that creating the best songs requires the best vocalists along with the best songwriters, and the two categories do not necessarily overlap. Country music has always recognized this fact, which is why we have so many great country songs.
Bobby Braddock and Curly Putnam could not have sung “He Stopped Loving Her Today” nearly as well as George Jones, whereas Jones, for all his fabulous vocal talents, likely could not have written a song quite like that.
Matt B.
September 19, 2015 @ 3:52 pm
But he’s not a puppet. He owns his music. HE chooses the singles and songs he records. He just listens to people like his MGR (Scott Siman) and label (Big Machine’s radio team and Borchetta) to pick the singles.
Who cares if an artist has writing credits. McGraw tests the waters, the Nelly song wasn’t a song on his own damn album (until a Curb record) and “Truck Yeah” was a kiss off song against Curb (that he’s likely legally unable to sing a song about directly).
Call him a puppet if you must but the man is one of the best A&R types in Nashville and THAT is what has helped him stay around so damn long.
Eric
September 19, 2015 @ 3:58 pm
Exactly. Vocalists are like actors and directors rolled into one. Or, to use an industrial example, they are like skilled tradesmen AND human resources specialists. It would be like if the machinists and the construction tradespeople had the power to pick and choose the engineers and architects.
Big Cat
September 21, 2015 @ 5:54 am
Look a-there….someone that actually knows what they are talking about. Refreshing. Thumps up
The0ne
September 22, 2015 @ 4:32 pm
People keep bringing up the Nelly song. I personally would take it over all of Luke Bryan’s current singles. I could care less how you feel about Rap/HipHop in general. Listen to the song ignore all the extra stuff Nelly throws in, (even though hes singing not rapping) and you have a pretty decent story of being stuck on a women who has done you wrong. This was not a Country singer who brought in rap, this was Rap performer who reached out to one of the biggest Country music singers at the time to make a HIT….. I don’t believe McGraw crossed any lines here.
https://youtu.be/n3htOCjafTc
Joco Blake
September 19, 2015 @ 1:30 pm
He should have called it “Damn Album Title”.
I think that sounds more stern.
Matt B.
September 19, 2015 @ 4:12 pm
Right.
Tommy
September 19, 2015 @ 1:32 pm
I’ve hated this guy since the moment he came out. I’ve never liked a single song he’s ever put out. To me, he just reeks as a phoney. I can’t stand his voice. He seems more like an actor portraying what he thinks a country star should be. I just never found him or his music sincere or interesting.
KC
September 20, 2015 @ 2:38 pm
Or dare I say a puppet.
Cobra
September 19, 2015 @ 8:21 pm
When the tracklist for “Sundown Heaven Town” was first released (before the album), there were a couple of titles that initially worried me (“Keep on Truckin'” and “Dust”). Looking at the tracklisting for DCM, nothing immediately strikes me as worrisome. Granted, I’m looking at titles only, but looking simply at the titles, nothing strikes me as cliched or 100% telegraphable.
j
September 21, 2015 @ 12:11 am
I personally am interested to see how this goes. Mcgraw is either a hit or miss artist. I think that live like you were dying was a great song that had substance. Used to work in a tackle shop where mainstream country radio was on regularly and hearing this song on the radio was always nice. To be clear it was only on until my 80 year old coworker would come in and then we would turn it off and play things like Hank (who he was lucky enough to see live in Pennsylvania, im still envious), Doc Watson and Faron Young.
Charlie
September 21, 2015 @ 5:01 am
Tim McGraw has the opportunity to step into the void left by George Strait and inherit George’s fan base. If he keeps things a little more traditional, and if only for a few years . . .
Robert Powell
September 23, 2015 @ 6:36 pm
Tim McGraw is a TOOL! Don’t be fooled by anything he does! Back at Mama’s and Diamond Rings were fools gold! McGraw is a succubus!
Brian
October 9, 2015 @ 7:18 am
Just listened to the song “Damn Country Music”, it is available on iTunes and I think it is another very good song by Tim. I hope he continues going like this, I think it was actually a good thing that “Truck Yeah” kind of bombed, because I think it forced him to go back to more country songs. Don’t know about the whole album, but his last album was an excellent mainstream album and in my opinion should have beaten “Automatic” for the album of the year awards. This second song available here is a good one. Hope it keeps going this way.
Liza
October 9, 2015 @ 8:21 am
Damn Country Music
(Jessi Alexander, Cary Barlowe, Josh Thompson)
I packed it all on a whim
Threw an old Hank cassette tape in
That 84 rusty Ford, we swore we’d never make it
I quit my job, let my Mama down
Broke an angel’s heart on the way out of town
Pulled my roots from the ground for
The hum of wheels on a black top
The strum of strings on a flat top
It’s a neon fever for a small town dreamer
Tells you everything you have is worth losin’
Damn country music
You might get lost in the lights,
The things that keep you up all night
Whiskey straight, 3 am
Chasin’ songs in your head
It’s the sweetest highs, the lowest lows
Needin’ yes and hearin’ no
Just another so so
Believe me I know it’s
The hum of wheels on a black top
The strum of strings on a flat top
It’ll take you, break you
Damn sure make you do things
You never thought you’d be doin’
Damn Country Music
When the money, the fame
The lights on your name
All fade away, will you still be a slave to
The hum of wheels on a black top
The strum of strings on a flat top
It’s a neon fever for a small town dreamer
Tells you everything you have is worth losin’
Damn Country Music
Damn Country Music
Julie
October 9, 2015 @ 4:43 pm
I think he say’s “Dad’s 84 rusty ford, he swore we’d never make it”. And I think it’s, “Just another soul sold”, not “just another so so”. Anyway, what a great country song, very traditional sounding. He has to release this as a single. I thought his last two albums were really good, and I have a feeling this one will be too.