Brad Paisley - "Letter to Me"

[leilamaurizia]

Next single.

Brad Paisley Heads Home for New Video

September 13, 2007 — Brad Paisley is bringing a film crew to his hometown of Glen Dale, W.Va., to make the video for his upcoming single, "Letter to Me," Wheeling's WTRF-TV reports.

The new single will be the third release from his new album Fifth Gear. The song is filled with countless references to Brad's hometown, John Marshall High School and the good times he experienced when he was 17 years old.

The video shoot will take place in the next few weeks at John Marshall. All of his former classmates from the Class of 1991 have been invited back to be a part of the shoot.

www.gactv.com/gac/nw_headlines/article/0,3034,GAC_26063_5696777_,00.html

[jeff]

i knew this would be a single. i think the next one after this would be "it did"

[DCXfan]

Great, great song. One of the best to be released this year.

[orangeshuffle]

I really like this one; I'm glad it's the next single. Brad always puts out great videos, too, so I'm really looking forward to video for this.

[43dudleyvillas]

I would have been shocked if this hadn't been the choice -- it's the right and logical one, in my view. I absolutely love "Letter to Me" and, independent of that (errrr...I hope *g*), think it will be a multi-week #1 and figure heavily in the Song of the Year categories at the ACMs and CMAs.

[S4C]

Good choice. I don't have a particular favorite on this album, so I don't believe he can go wrong. (Well, he could if he tried...)

Not that it's stopping the 4-second-longer "Stay," but coming in at a length of 4:41, this will probably be edited, right?

[rowdawg21]

strong4country said:

Not that it's stopping the 4-second-longer "Stay," but coming in at a length of 4:41, this will probably be edited, right?

Much like "Stay," there's really nothing to edit in this song. There are a couple seconds of silence on the end of the album track version, so I expect the official length of the single version to be somewhere around 4:39.

Here's my comment on the song from the Upcoming Singles thread:

rowdawg2187 said:

Yes!! "Letter To Me" was the obvious choice for the third single, but I was afraid they would screw it up and pick something else.

I think this will probably end up being my favorite single from Brad up to this point - it's already my favorite album track.

Can we officially nominate this for 2008 CMA Song of the Year?

[bigbluenote]

This was the obvious choice for the first ballad to be released from the album. It's good enough, so I guess I'm glad.

EDIT: We all know this will continue his streak of top 5 singles. It'll probably be #1. Is this even questionable?

[Jonsolo]

I'm just glad he didn't pull another Waitin' On A Woman, and fail to release the strongest ballad on this album.

Online looks like it should have a strong chance at a week or two at #1 between Take Me There and Don't Blink, and I agree that this is a slam dunk multi-week #1 (maybe four weeks, to become the biggest hit of his career?), so I don't see much keeping him from stretching his #1 streak to six singles in a row. Two more and he'd make the Most Consecutive #1's list in the back on the Joel Whitburn book.

[drock89]

Great choice for a single.

To take Marv's fire, there are a number of great potential singles from this stellar album!!!! Mr. Paisley is well on his way to becoming the HOTTEST male in country music at the moment!!

;)

[Marv]

Yes, you must save a spot on the 2008 song of the year race at the ACMs and CMAs for this scintillating single.

'She's Everything' gets my vote as the best #1 single of 2007, and this masterepiece will undoubtedly merit very serious consideration for that same accolade in 2008 from yours truly.

The EOTY nomination for this year's CMAs is an honor very well deserved.

I will definitely do all I can to be SURE to see him in concert next year.

[Myeahhh.]

OMG! I'm so fuck!n pumped! I am Brad's biggest fan!! I just got word tonight that a close friend of my mother's is invited to John Marshall High School for the video shoot!! AHH!!! I Could potentially meet BRAD!!! AHHHHHHHHHH~!!!##@!#$#$#%A%w467

[bigbluenote]

Ater listening to this album again, which I haven't listened to that much, I think 'It Did' is THE best song on the disc. I really hope that gets released as a single eventually.

I'm just not too impressed with this album. His music is beginning to sound the same, which is not good at all for me.

I'm already looking forward to a new album. I sure do hope he realizes that he needs to have less electric, more steel and fiddle, and less 'fun' ditty songs on his next one.

[G-Reg]

Yes yes yes! I love this song every time I hear it, I'm so glad it's going to be the next single. :)

[Myeahhh.]

bigbluenote said:

Ater listening to this album again, which I haven't listened to that much, I think 'It Did' is THE best song on the disc. I really hope that gets released as a single eventually.

I'm just not too impressed with this album. His music is beginning to sound the same, which is not good at all for me.

I'm already looking forward to a new album. I sure do hope he realizes that he needs to have less electric, more steel and fiddle, and less 'fun' ditty songs on his next one.

Fuck you hater! (Takes deep breath).....[Just Kidding]

I do agree with you. Musically it seems like Brads gotten way too polished recently. This is the reason I love MUD ON THE TIRES, it's the perfect blend between the two ends of the spectrum. With that said...this single/song isn't like the rest of the album. This is a smash. <3Letter to Me<3

[bigbluenote]

'Mud On The Tires' is also my favorite Brad album. Without looking at the track listing, I can name so many good songs. 'The Best Thing I Had Goin' and 'Famous People' are easily two of my most favorite country songs of all time. Both have such a fresh, unique sound to them, both are different from today's monotonous country music. 'The Cigar Song' is a great 'ditty', if you will. It's not over the top like 'Ticks' and the music is wonderful. 'Is It Rainin At Your House' is a flawless ballad as is 'Someone Knows You Now'. BOTH song have perfect lyrics.

I just think that 'Mud On The Tires' was a perfect album from beginning to end with TONS of creativity. He's missing that in his latest album. I thought he was also missing a little bit of that on 'Time Well Wasted', but not so much. That album, to me, was still a solid album.

[dcowboy77]

jonsolo said:

Online looks like it should have a strong chance at a week or two at #1 between Take Me There and Don't Blink, and I agree that this is a slam dunk multi-week #1 (maybe four weeks, to become the biggest hit of his career?), so I don't see much keeping him from stretching his #1 streak to six singles in a row. Two more and he'd make the Most Consecutive #1's list in the back on the Joel Whitburn book.

i think alabama had 12 #1's in a row....is that the all-time record ??

[Zazie]

Not 12 but 21 in a row for Alabama, the all-time Billboard country record. Here are the double-digit entries on the list:

1. Alabama 21
2. Earl Thomas Conley 16
3. Sonny James 16
4. Buck Owens 15
5. George Strait 11 (these were from 1986 through 1989)
6. Conway Twitty 11
7. Ronnie Milsap 10

[Ten Pound Hammer]

The record for BDS era seems to be six #1's in a row. Granted, the BDS era hasn't lasted nearly as long as the pre-BDS era yet...

Toby had six in a row from 2000-2002: "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This", "I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight", "I Wanna Talk About Me", "My List", "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)", and "Who's Your Daddy?". His streak ended with "Rock You Baby", which got trampled by "Horses". (This streak also includes Toby's cover of Roger Miller's "Old Toy Trains", which peaked at #57.)

Tim also had six in a row, technically: "My Next Thirty Years", "Grown Men Don't Cry", "Angry All the Time", "Bring on the Rain", "The Cowboy in Me", and "Unbroken". Of course, "Rain" probably shouldn't count under Whitburn rules, seeing as it was really Jo Dee with Tim singing backup.

[dcowboy77]

zazie said:

Not 12 but 21 in a row for Alabama, the all-time Billboard country record. Here are the double-digit entries on the list:

1. Alabama 21
2. Earl Thomas Conley 16
3. Sonny James 16
4. Buck Owens 15
5. George Strait 11 (these were from 1986 through 1989)
6. Conway Twitty 11
7. Ronnie Milsap 10

yea imo joel whitburn kinda cheats here cause conley had 5 #1's but then "all tangled up in love" peaked at #8....but it was gus hardin with conley so joel w. doesnt count that....to me that shouldve killed the streak as it did chart with conleys name on it.

same with alabama who had 8 #1's but then "christmas in dixie" peaked at #35....but joel w doesnt count it as it was a flip slide christmas song....but hey, again, it charted so to me it should count....oh well.

[Zazie]

I know what you mean -- but on the other hand unreleased songs, releases on other labels (which covers many duets), and holiday songs don't really fit in. I agree that a charting album track shouldn't break a streak, so there might as well be other exclusions.

I suppose George Strait has the record for most consecutive #1 songs, not counting any of his other songs.

[WamuFive]

tenpoundhammer said:

Of course, "Rain" probably shouldn't count under Whitburn rules, seeing as it was really Jo Dee with Tim singing backup.

An artist gets credit for a song as long as their name is listed as a performer on the song. On the back of Jo Dee's album cover, you'll see "featuring Tim McGraw" so by the rules, he shares credit for the song. So technically, this should count towards his streak. However, it is inconsistent to not count Earl Thomas Conley's collaboraton with Gus Hardin peaking at #8 since he is credited as an artist on that song. The collaboration rule shouldn't only be used when it's "convenient" for the artist (as in Tim's case).

I have no problem with not counting seasonal songs and album cuts since they have essentially zero chance of making it to #1 and were never intended to. That would be like a batter who had a 31 game hittng streak going, inserting him into left field for half an inning, then taking him out and saying his hitting streak is over.

Personally, I don't count Tim's collaboration with Jo Dee as a #1 for him since it is not a true duet, nor is the song present on any of his albums--but that is my own personal judgement. I think the rule used by Whitburn of basing it on who is officially credited on the album is the most objective way to go, as there are certainly varying degrees of "artist participation" on a song and it would be like splitting hairs trying to decide when an artists has sung enough to get credit.

[WamuFive]

bigbluenote said:

'Mud On The Tires' is also my favorite Brad album. Without looking at the track listing, I can name so many good songs. 'The Best Thing I Had Goin' and 'Famous People' are easily two of my most favorite country songs of all time. Both have such a fresh, unique sound to them, both are different from today's monotonous country music. 'The Cigar Song' is a great 'ditty', if you will. It's not over the top like 'Ticks' and the music is wonderful. 'Is It Rainin At Your House' is a flawless ballad as is 'Someone Knows You Now'. BOTH song have perfect lyrics.

I just think that 'Mud On The Tires' was a perfect album from beginning to end with TONS of creativity. He's missing that in his latest album. I thought he was also missing a little bit of that on 'Time Well Wasted', but not so much. That album, to me, was still a solid album.

I pretty much agree with everything you said here (except I'm not as crazy about Time Well Wasted as you). I think his album "Mud On The Tires" was absolutely superb, one of the 10 best albums I own. That might have been his mastepieice; as you said a great blend of substance and sense of humor, without trying too hard or coming off as gimicky or sappy. I wore that album out. That's not to say that there aren't any good songs on his last 2 albums--there are, the albums as a whole just don't have the consistent quality and instant appeal of Mud On The Tires. I'll give his new one more spins, though--there's still plenty of time for it to grow on me.

[rowdawg21]

A radio edit of "Letter To Me" was sent to radio today. The album version is 4:40, and the radio edit is 4:20.

The only thing they took out is the extra "to me" at the end, along with the outro. So the last lines are "I'd say have a little faith and you'll see/If I could write a letter to me." Then a little fade out. Not a big difference, and the song really doesn't lose anything in my opinion.

[kevin59]

Listen to FULL stream of song (Radio Edit Version) (Courtesy of Allaccess Website0

wm.allaccess.com/allaccess/bradlett.wma

[Marv]

Ronnie Milsap had two hefty string of charttoppers, according to that enormous country music guide published by Billboard and available at any bookstore.

He had 16 straight charttoppers, then 'Stranger In My House' stalled at #5 (it was deemed 'too controversial for radio' in some circles---no idea why?), and then he ran off another string of ten more consecutive #1 tunes.

I also believe that Alabama had more than 21 straight charttoppers; I believe the correct number is somewhere in the upper twenties; Milsap would have had 27 straight if not for 'SIMH'.

Ther current issue of R&R does cite Toby Keith as the last artist with six straight charttoppers, a mark which Paisley has a respectable shot at matching early next year.

[Zazie]

Can't say why Stranger in My House was so out of step with its time, but here's what Whitburn's book says about Milsap and Alabama:

Milsap had 7 straight #1's from What Goes On When the Sun Goes Down through Let's Take the Long Way Around the World (he liked long titles), 1976 thorugh 78. I'm not counting a #79 song that doesn't look like an official release, as Whitburn doesn't break streaks that way.

Then, after a #2, #1, and #6 song, he had his streak of 10 in a row, 1980 to 1983, beginning with Why Don't You Spend the Night and ending with Inside (too short a title there). Then came Stranger, followed by 3 more #1's, then a #6 (Prisoner of the Highway), then 8 more #1 songs. Don't see how Stranger is stopping a 27-song streak, unless you think there's something wrong with Whitburn's data. Of course if you don't count the songs that peaked below #1, then Milsap had a 35-song streak.

As for Alabama, their 21-song run beginning with their 4th single, Tennessee River, and running through You've Got The Touch, was interrupted twice -- once by Christmas in Dixie and once by the duet with Lionel Richie, Deep River Woman. (Whitburn doesn't count duets or Christmas songs, if you're just tuning in.) Then, after Tar Top peaked at #7, they ran off 6 more. But how do you get rid of Tar Top?

Generally I find Whitburn's book very carefully researched, but it isn't perfect

[country102]

KMPS played "Letter to me" as a test track today and they played the complete version.

[WamuFive]

marv said:

...according to that enormous country music guide published by Billboard and available at any bookstore.

Marv, are you in marketing by any chance? Just curious. ;)

[drock89]

Let's take a quick look at Brad's chart history dating back to 2003's Mud On The Tires:

1. "Celebrity" - #3
2. "Little Moments" - #2
3. "Mud On The Tires" - #1
4. "Whiskey Lullaby - #3
5. "Alcohol" - #5
6. "When I Get Where I'm Going" - #1
7. "She's Everything" - #1
8. "The World" - #1
9. "Ticks" - #1
10. "Online" - #1

I would say this one will peak no lower than #3, and based on quality, "Letters" deserves to be his sixth consecutive #1 and 11th top 5 in no less than four years.

It should be noted that Brad's two singles thus far from 5th Gear have only spent one week at #1. Stiffer competition, perhaps..