Tim McGraw Returns to Tim McGraw on “I Called Mama”
Did you call your mama on Mother’s Day? It’s the country music thing to do. We can be assured Tim McGraw did, because that’s what his latest song is about.
The career trajectory of Tim McGraw over the past few years has been somewhere between confounding and nauseating. Let’s be honest, he was never a country music savior, but when he wiggled out of the evil grasp of Mike Curb at Curb Records and landed firmly on his feet at Big Machine, he released some of the best material of his career with 2014’s Sundown Heaven Town and 2015’s Damn Country Music.
But when he moved to Sony Music Nashville to facilitate being able to record and tour with his wife Faith Hill, it was one misstep in his solo career after another. Tim’s first solo single on Sony Nashville called “Neon Church” was fine, but ended its run on the charts at #20. The next single “Thought About You” sounded outright New Age, and stalled at #17. Then Tim dropped the monstrosity on us that’s called “Way Down” with Shy Carter. A country rap disaster with lyrics that allude to oral sex, it might go on to be the worst song released in country music in 2020 (read review).
Now Tim has moved on from Sony Nashville and returned to Big Machine, and we can immediately tell the difference with his latest song, “I Called Mama.” Again, it’s no world beater. It’s the the type of cheesy, over-sentimental, adult-contemporary material Tim McGraw releases at his best. But it works for Tim McGraw like these songs have for many years. Whether you want to label yourself a die hard McGraw fan or see some of his songs as guilty pleasures, putting steel guitar behind a universal sentiment and evoking the tried and true country music theme of mama works well.
Written by Lance Miller, Marv Green and Jimmy Yeary, this is the kind of material a 53-year-old Tim McGraw needs to be releasing as his career reaches the mature period. He doesn’t need to be out there tractor rapping and hip-hop gesticulating with Shy Carter. Whether it was Sony Nashville or McGraw himself that was responsible for the strange turn his career took on the label, he’s appears to be back on track for now.
There is still this strange situation lingering out there where a ticket bundle was offered to Tim McGraw fans while he was still signed to Sony Nashville. If fans bough certain packages for his summer tour, they were promised a copy of his upcoming record Here On Earth. How that will all shake out now with the label change—not to mention the cancellations and postponement issues due to the Coronavirus—is anyone’s guess. Will the album even include the same music he intended to release through Sony Nashville, or will he reset towards more “I Called Mama”-style material on Big Machine?
We’ll just have to wait and see. But for now, Tim McGraw made the right choice, like calling your mama.
hoptowntiger94
May 11, 2020 @ 8:26 am
Nice sentiment. Not really a song lyrically though… some nice thoughts set to pleasant music. And the production at this point sounds really dated. This sounds like a song on every album McGraw ever released the last 25 + years.
I like McGraw the person. He’s still the nicest person I ever meet or worked with in the industry. But it’s tiresome trying to be a fan of his career.
Strait Country 81
May 11, 2020 @ 1:21 pm
Who’s the assholes that you have worked with?
hoptowntiger94
May 11, 2020 @ 5:03 pm
Tracy Lawrence
Acca Dacca
May 12, 2020 @ 6:32 pm
Care to elaborate? I’d like to hear some stories.
Dave
May 13, 2020 @ 10:44 am
Me too.
David
May 14, 2020 @ 11:25 am
I think it’s a really nice song. Better than most stuff on the radio. I’m not the biggest McGraw fan but I like simple songs that touch on emotions.
albert
May 11, 2020 @ 8:57 am
hmmmm… … its inoffensive , harmless , says the right things ..I guess .
its just not a good song . nothing memorable or insightful or even particularly emotional going on .
he’s done far better . and he’s done FAR worse .
ThePirate
May 11, 2020 @ 8:59 am
McGraw is definitely a guilty pleasure (at least his 90s era songs are). I hate that these artists feel that to stay relevant they must change from what made people love them. That doesn’t mean they can’t grow and evolve by the way. I’ve been on a Garth kick in quarantine but can’t listen to anything past “Fresh Houses”. He seems as if he keeps chasing the fame high and it makes it hard for me to care about anything he’s done recently. Maybe when you have as much money as he does fame is the only thing you can’t buy.
Trig thanks for always giving an honest opinion on country music and for introducing me to quite a few artists and bands I would’ve never thought of it not for the site. It all started for me back in 2015 when you reviewed some albums called “Adobe Sessions”. That led me to visit a little bar in Atlanta to see Jinks. I was then quickly turned on to Turnpike Troubadours, then Jason Eady, of course, Courtney, Jamie Lin and many others along the way.
But since their Mockingbird album, it’s been the Mike and the Moonpies. You had said in an article last year that we all needed to go see the best live band in Country music. A work trip to San Antonio in early March set the opportunity in motion to see them live. I’m legally blind and do not drive so getting from San Antonio to Austin for their March 6th show wasn’t going to be easy. That hour and a half drive might as well be 8 hours to me.
After lots of careful planning, I decided to take a Mega Bus from San Antonio to Austin. I figureded there was no better way to travel the trip between the two cities than Jerry Jeff Walker’s Viva Terlingua. I then took in a Curtis Grimes acoustic show, ate so much brisket that I haven’t had any since and just explored Austin.
But On March 6th I was able to stand at the side of the stage and see the absolutely best band in country music live. One of the best nights I’ve ever had! Thankful for a few folks at the show that went above and beyond the call of duty to make that show even more special. By the way, The Weary Boys were great as well! I know this was a long winded reply but heck I’m in quarantine and had the extra time.
Guitars, Cadillacs...
May 12, 2020 @ 6:56 am
Oddly enough, I agree with you on Garth’s catalog. As much as I love him, anything past “Sevens” for me is hard to listen to with the exception of a few songs here and there. Fresh Horses and Sevens are solid, but his first five albums (“Garth Brooks“ through “In Pieces”) were solid gold. Honestly, I wish he’d just stop making albums until he has something really worthwhile and just stick to touring. His post-retirement albums have been less than stellar. I honestly think his best stuff was his early songrwriter stuff in the late 80’s-early 90’s. As great a performer as he is, he’s a very underrated songwriter and I wish he’d tap into that vein again instead of trying to outshine his 90’s highs.
OlaR
May 11, 2020 @ 9:16 am
Desperate times call for desperate measures & Tim McGraw must be very desperate. From “Way Down” to “…Mama” & back to Scott Borchetta (+ Scooter Braun).
He is trying to stay relevant & “I Called Mama” is a 3.35 min long Lifetime channel movie…& 3.35 min can be very long.
More New Music:
Travis Collins – “Rainy Day” – Single/Track – Released
One of Australias top mainstream country stars & Travis Collins is back to his old form (after some too pop/rock-leaning singles). “Rainy Day” is a sentimental ballad. Hit.
Carter & Carter – “We Are Family” – Single/Track – Released
The husband & wife duo is one of the top independent australian country acts. Winner of a Golden Guitar, 11 independent country music arwards, an APRA award & more than 20 #1 singles & Top 10 hits.
“We Are Family” is a “classic” Carter & Carter track about the strengths of family, friends & beyond. Hit.
Hunter Kaine feat. Shane Nicholson – “Long Way From Lonely” – Single/Track – Released
Hunter Kaine is an australian artist & producer. Shane Nicholson is a singer, songwriter, producer & multi-award winner (& former better half of Kasey Chambers).
“Long Way From Lonely” is a mainstream ballad tailor-made for australian country radio.
Dusty Neuman – “Any Less Lonely” – Single/Track – Released
The new Dusty Neuman track is already an entry on the Texas Top 100 (#90). A midtempo mainstream track. The voice of DN is a little special but “Any Less Lonely” is the right song.
Ray Wylie Hubbard feat. Ashley McBryde – “Outlaw Blood” – Single/Track – Released
I really want to like the track. I Can’t. “Outlaw Blood” sounds like an…outlaw song. The result is an artificial track. You get what you expect.
Uncle Kracker – “No Time To Be Sober” – Single/Track – Released
Good god. Next artist trying to stay relevant. Mainstream country radio fodder for the summer season.
Ceeceebee
May 11, 2020 @ 10:59 am
It’s not awful.
But not like he had anywhere to go after that last monstrosity.
Melissa W
May 11, 2020 @ 11:16 am
Lyrically it’s just doesn’t deliver on the desired sentiment. Production isn’t offensive but not great. Basically like what most people said not his best but not his worst. I probably wont listen again
Hey Arnold
May 11, 2020 @ 11:31 am
Humble and Kind – (visit grandpa every chance u get)
Meanwhile Back at Mama’s.
I Called Mama.
A common winning theme for Tim!!
wayne
May 11, 2020 @ 11:37 am
Not memorable. And that is the problem.
Corncaster
May 11, 2020 @ 12:09 pm
Too prosy. No music in the words. “Humble and kind” was prosy, but at least its hook ended on an open vowel. C’mon, Tim.
JG
May 11, 2020 @ 4:41 pm
I didn’t think it was as “prosy” as Humble and Kind. That “song” bordered on spoken word (though I liked it anyway).
Hey Arnold
May 11, 2020 @ 1:01 pm
Tim almost ended up recording “Ain’t Always the Cowboy”. The songwriters sent it to him, but he passed on it….
Jamie
May 11, 2020 @ 3:05 pm
It definitely sounds pleasant and refreshing compared to a lot of what’s on radio, but lyrically it’s a bit too cliched for my taste, especially in the chorus. Not too bad, but not one of his best, either. His 90’s and early 00’s music is still what I like to listen to most when it comes to McGraw.
I still remember when Lance Miller, one of this song’s writers, was on the second season of Nashville Star. He was often criticized for sounding too much like Merle Haggard (I thought he sounded more like John Conlee, myself), but I was a big fan of his back then, and I loved his voice. I thought he was one of those guys who could possibly bring back the neo-traditional sound if he won. I still wonder sometimes if he would’ve stayed on that traditional country path if he had won that show, instead of having to write stuff like “Drink To That All Night” and others. Guess the man’s gotta eat, though.
Brian
May 11, 2020 @ 6:32 pm
I actually love this song, the simplicity of it. I actually love the lyrics, but I prefer my country to be very simple and common lyrics. I was not a huge fan of younger Tim McGraw, but I think he was hitting absolute home runs at the end of his first Big machine run. I thought he had the best mainstream albums during that time. Miranda is a big mainstream critic favorite and I felt his last albums at Big Machine were far better than anything she was putting out during that time. I am glad to see that he appears to be going back in that direction that made his first Big machine run so good to me.
Big Tex
May 11, 2020 @ 7:44 pm
Sorry, but, since the first time I (unfortunately) heard country’s “Tiny Tim,” I have not been able to tolerate him or his “music.” The same goes for his empty-headed wife, who is so ignorant she makes the dummy Tim seem like an absolute genius. Tim ought to be consigned to a special place in country music hell if for nothing more than wearing a big, black, PLASTIC cowboy hat. (Don’t you DARE try to convince me otherwise by parroting the lie that it’s really an EXPENSIVE 20X chapeau!)
As for the ignorance of his wife, let me explain. Years ago, when she was just getting started, she appeared in concert in Dallas. The reporter for the Dallas Morning News asked Faith why she considered herself a “country singer,” when, during her performance, practically all of the songs she sang were covers of “pop” songs. Faith, looking like a deer caught in the headlights, could only respond by saying, “Because I’m a country singer.” Later, Faith released a cover of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart.” When asked about covering the song that Joplin made famous, Faith stated that she did not know that “Piece of My Heart” had ever been recorded before!
Tim & Faith: We don’t need ye!
country girl
May 12, 2020 @ 9:04 am
LOL…..is this an ex ‘disgruntled drummer’ by any chance?
Big Tex
May 12, 2020 @ 11:19 am
Nope, country girl. I am not a drummer. I am a musician.
roscoe jones
May 14, 2020 @ 1:50 pm
Ha!😉
tim mcgraw
May 13, 2020 @ 6:13 pm
it’s really an EXPENSIVE 20X chapeau!
Big Tex
May 15, 2020 @ 1:03 pm
So, you consider $1.75 “expensive?” Not surprised, Tiny Tim. I suppose your wife has “faith” that it’s really expensive, as well.
Cobra
May 14, 2020 @ 8:45 am
Cool story, bro.
Big Tex
May 14, 2020 @ 5:42 pm
Thanks, Cobra! I just call ’em like I see ’em.
The disrespectful, 100% playlist & suggestions free OlaR
May 11, 2020 @ 11:56 pm
“I Called Mama” is the Hot Shot Debut/Breaker/Most Increased Audience/Most Added (#20) on the Billboard Airplay Charts.
The new #1 track is “Beer Can’t Fix It” (Thomas Rhett feat. Jon Pardi).
“After A Few” (Travis Denning) is in week 61 on #5 with a bullet.
Scott McCreery (“In Between”) is in week 57 on #9 with a bullet.
LoTrash are in week 52.
Good to see country stars Halsey & Noah Cyrus on the charts too (well…no).
Kenny Chesney leads the Album Charts with Here & Now…& American Aquarium are new on #16 with Lamentations.
Chris Stapleton is stil on #1 with Traveller on Billboards Americana/Folk Charts while Billy Strings is back on top on the Bluegrass Album Charts.
(Source: Billboard Country Update – 05/11)
The disrespectful, 100% playlist & suggestions free OlaR
May 12, 2020 @ 12:00 am
“Your comment is awaiting moderation.”
What a surprise.
Trigger
May 12, 2020 @ 7:25 am
You comment was awaiting moderation because you changed your username.
Again, I’m not saying your playlists aren’t respected or appreciated. I think they’re useful. I simply was making an observation that when someone suggests an album, song or artists to me, I tend to check it out. When someone suggests 40 songs, albums, or artists to me, my eyes tend to gloss over. Just my opinion.
Dawg Fan
May 12, 2020 @ 7:42 am
Thought About You struck a chord with me. I lost my wife to breast cancer in 2009 and I still think about her.
Brian
May 12, 2020 @ 9:19 am
I really like that song, however I would like to see him cut it again on Big Machine, because I think they have been much better at production with Tim. I think that song could be done with a little more country feel and not quite so much adult contemporary sound.
Scott Burshitta
May 13, 2020 @ 5:58 am
As usual, he is singing thru a computer to keep him pitch perfect. He can snort coke better than he can sing! This dude is a real fraud. Jerry Cupit got sued for the audio clips that proves he cant sing. But if you can give some head in this business youll get ahead!
Atomic Zombie Redneck
May 13, 2020 @ 3:25 pm
Sunday drive music, I dig it.
Mac
February 2, 2024 @ 8:14 am
Is it just me or does the title confuse anyone? “Tim McGraw returns to Tim McGraw” that sounds wired. I think the person typing this had a stroke.