Carrie Underwood - "Church Bells"

[ant]

Title: "Church Bells"
Album: Storyteller
Adds Date: April 11, 2016
Writers: Zach Crowell, Brett James and Hillary Lindsey
Producer: Mark Bright

[dm2081]

This actually is pretty decent, but it would be so much better if it was more country sounding. The electronic drums kind of makes this feel more robotic, which doesn't mesh well with an organic title like "Church Bells". I wish the production was more minimal on this with more banjo, but this is what we come to expect from most mainstream country artists these days.

[toomuchboy]

Wow, disappointed it wasn't DL after all.

[Dustin J.]

Holy overproduced!!!

I just don't understand. Carrie has one of the best, pure, natural voices in all of country music...yet song after song, album after album, this amazing voice gets completely drowned out by unnecessary overproduction. It's a shame because this could be a great tune.

[Kurt]

I can hear that #2 peak ringin', ringin'

Just kidding, but I'm glad this is getting single treatment. Aside from "Relapse," it's my favorite on the album.

[zjames]

I just listening to this again and I like it a lot more than I remember. The story is awesome and the production, while a little overbearing, doesn't hurt the song too much. They really couldn't have made a bad choice between this and "Dirty Laundry"; they're both definite hits.

[hosssulpizio]

I have a problem with this single. I think this song is a little risky for Carrie and I'm sure there's more people who agree with me.

[#brayden]

Once again... I'm just glad it isn't "Renegade Runaway". This has always been one of my favorites on the album, though, so I hope it does well for her.

[zjames]

Mar 18, 2016 13:39:44 GMT -5 hosssulpizio said:

I have a problem with this single. I think this song is a little risky for Carrie and I'm sure there's more people who agree with me.

What in particular is risky about it? She's done murder songs before, so it's not that. The only thing I can possibly think of is associating religious objects (church bells, choirs, prayer, etc.) to murder, but I think those religious objects simply connect the different parts of the story together through specific imagery. I don't see many people having problems with this.

[hosssulpizio]

Mar 18, 2016 13:43:02 GMT -5 zjames said:

Mar 18, 2016 13:39:44 GMT -5 hosssulpizio said:

I have a problem with this single. I think this song is a little risky for Carrie and I'm sure there's more people who agree with me.

What in particular is risky about it? She's done murder songs before, so it's not that. The only thing I can possibly think of is associating religious objects (church bells, choirs, prayer, etc.) to murder, but I think those religious objects simply connect the different parts of the story together through specific imagery. I don't see many people having problems with this.

The production is very risky. People may be thinking she's going too far with the sound. 

[Deleted]

I really like this song, I was hoping for "Dirty Laundry" next, but this will certainly do. "Dirty Laundry" is definitely next though, haha. We need an AMAZING video for this.

[Massikur2]

When I first heard this song when the album was released, it reminded me of Dixie Chicks' "Goodbye Earl" without the considerable humor. Although not my top single choice, I know it will perform well and probably connect with listeners and all that jazz. It's kind of an ironic follow-up to "Heartbeat," though.

However, how can she be "going too far with this sound?" What is she expected to sound like...? There's nothing wrong with this song or its production; in fact, it's better than most of what Mark Bright has produced on Carrie's behalf.

[Deleted]

Mar 18, 2016 13:50:49 GMT -5 hosssulpizio said:

Mar 18, 2016 13:43:02 GMT -5 zjames said:

What in particular is risky about it? She's done murder songs before, so it's not that. The only thing I can possibly think of is associating religious objects (church bells, choirs, prayer, etc.) to murder, but I think those religious objects simply connect the different parts of the story together through specific imagery. I don't see many people having problems with this.

The production is very risky. People may be thinking she's going too far with the sound. 

I don't see how the production is risky. Carrie Underwood has had some songs with big production (Little Toy Guns, Something In The Water, Blown Away). Carrie Underwood will make this song a hit just like the ones before it, she's still one of mainstream country radios "Staple Artists". I seriously doubt this will cause her momentum to go down. 

[matty005]

Mar 18, 2016 14:33:35 GMT -5 Massikur2 said:

When I first heard this song when the album was released, it reminded me of Dixie Chicks' "Goodbye Earl" without the considerable humor. Although not my top single choice, I know it will perform well and probably connect with listeners and all that jazz. It's kind of an ironic follow-up to "Heartbeat," though.

However, how can she be "going too far with this sound?" What is she expected to sound like...? There's nothing wrong with this song or its production; in fact, it's better than most of what Mark Bright has produced on Carrie's behalf.

To you there may be nothing wrong with the song and that's fine. But others are entitled to think there is. :)

This was my favorite on first listen when I heard the album so I am pumped it's being released. While "Dirty Laundry" and "Relapse" have since taken over as my favorites I still love this song. I didn't love "Two Black Cadillacs,'" because I didn't like the idea someone was murdered for cheating. But this song I can totally get behind.

[keelhauled]

I like the lyrics to this one a lot. It's so nice to have an actual story and verses more than a few lines long. The bridge is even unique. The production is where it falls down, the strings in "Two Black Cadillacs" set that song far ahead of "Church Bells" IMO, which has a rather predictable guitar solo and a banjo that is barely audible. There is way too much reliance on electronic effects instead of the instrumentation and Carrie's voice. That said, I don't think that the production will impede it's success, songs with far more objectionable production have been very successful at radio already, and I think Carrie would have to actively sabotage one of her songs for it to flop.

[brinkeronline]

Mar 18, 2016 12:41:50 GMT -5 Kurt said:

I can hear that #2 peak ringin', ringin'

Just kidding, but I'm glad this is getting single treatment. Aside from "Relapse," it's my favorite on the album.

This is equal parts funny and depressing. Glad Heartbeat broke the #2/#3 BBAirPlay Peak streak.

[Stephen]

A better version of TBC - easy hit and I think this will be strong digitally because of the accessible sound (that's my euphemism for pop-leaning instrumentation :kii: ).

[.indulgecountry]

Very happy about this choice! This and "Choctaw County Affair" are my favorites on the album, along with "Heartbeat," so I'm glad that now 2/3 of them will have been singles! I think this one has big potential to be a solid digital seller and could add another fantastic music video to her catalog. Really excited to start hearing this one the radio. <3

I'm a bit surprised people find this over-produced, I don't hear it all with this one. I think the production on this track is absolute perfection; the use of the banjo, the drums, that "electric fence noise" in the second verse (idk what it is, but that's what the sound makes me think of, lol)... it's all just so dark and almost a touch creepy like the feel of Kacey's "Merry Go Round" or TBP's "Better Dig Two," i.e. The melody in particularly on this is also very, very strong, imo, especially the structure of the verses and the pre-chorus. I totally love the lyrics to this, too and the story it paints is just a wonderful visual.

[14887fan]

:rolls eyes: Carrie. Do not become a niche artist. Do not become Martina McBride. Do. Not. Do. It. Release edgier songs. "Dirty Laundry", 'Choctaw', and "Relapse" are intriguing and will pull listeners in. "Church Bells" is good, but there's nothing special about it at all -- at least, not in the same way as those 3, which would make for way, way, way better Country radio releases.

"Two Black Cadillacs" did the murder drama better.

[matty005]

Mar 18, 2016 19:41:48 GMT -5 14887fan said:

:rolls eyes: Carrie. Do not become a niche artist. Do not become Martina McBride. Do. Not. Do. It. Release edgier songs. "Dirty Laundry", 'Choctaw', and "Relapse" are intriguing and will pull listeners in. "Church Bells" is good, but there's nothing special about it at all -- at least, not in the same way as those 3, which would make for way, way, way better Country radio releases.

"Two Black Cadillacs" did the murder drama better.

I agree with this, but I love "Church Bells." Unlike "TBC" I feel like this tells so much more of a story and you can picture the characters. "TBC" was very bland lyrics wise, at least to me.

But I really wanted "DL" or "Choctow" as well.

[Future Captain]

I love this. Mostly for the poppiness, so forgive me for that

[Deleted]

Ugh. I like this, but it's a lesser-rate TBC, and thus it doesn't really break any new ground for her as an artist.

I really, really don't understand why Carrie's team loves to push for similar singles, because it just reinforces the public perception that Carrie treads the same ground artistically.

"Storyteller" is pretty varied, yet we have the two worst songs on the album and a second-rate TBC as singles.

[zaclord 🌈]

UGH. So upset with this. This is nowhere as good as the very similar "Two Black Cadillacs" and "Dirty Laundry" is a much bigger hit than CB.

I'll only be okay with this being a single if they go 5 (or more) deep with singles and "Relapse" and/or "What I Never Knew I Always Wanted" become singles after "Dirty Laundry".

However, I just need to be thankful that "Cowboy Casanova" I mean... "Good Girl" I mean... "Renegade Runaway" isn't the next single.

[43dudleyvillas]

Mar 18, 2016 14:40:56 GMT -5 matty005 said:

I didn't love "Two Black Cadillacs,'" because I didn't like the idea someone was murdered for cheating.

I don't think that you were supposed to like the idea that someone was murdered for cheating or consider it a rational or justified action. That's one of the things that makes "Two Black Cadillacs" (which I concede was a bit underwritten) interesting -- it's unrepentant, sure, but the juxtaposition of "And the preacher said he was a good man, and his brother said he was a good friend" line with the women's point of view is a reminder that there were different perspectives on the guy, and the preacher line in particular highlights the women's refusal to do the faithful thing and forgive.

I will say that I appreciated that, in an era when formulaic bro songs that denied and disrespected female agency were taking over country radio, Carrie went to (Mediabase) #1 with a song that showed two women joining forces in a twisted sisterhood to outsmart the guy who was cuckolding them both (the wife also didn't blame the mistress, which I thought was noteworthy and welcome). But mostly, I appreciated that we had a mainstream hit built around heroines who were anything but, and that Carrie, as devout as she is, was unafraid to use a religious frame to explore how very twisted and wrong notions of justice and sin can get.

"Church Bells" develops both of these concepts even further. Jenny is a victim, sure, and I suppose there's a self-defense justification to her murdering her husband. But prior to that, we learn that she is perhaps a gold-digger and social climber -- not that this could ever justify her husband's violence, obviously, but I appreciate that this song doesn't go for sainthood in its portrayal of Jenny. It's more that a young, poor Jenny was looking for a way out, didn't quite think things through, and then later in life, a rich Jenny found herself in the same position (and maybe didn't quite think things through, though she probably felt like she had no other option). It's a morality tale to some degree.

Meanwhile, the "church bells" frame not only takes us through three moments in the story (the wedding, a typical service and the funeral), but it also serves to highlight institutional failure and spiritual distortion. In that second chorus, for example, Jenny seeks deliverance through prayer, but none comes (whether from her fellow congregants or from above). Or if it does, it drives her to murder. So when in the end she folds her hands and closes her eyes to pray that "it's all gonna be all right," it may be as much a plea for forgiveness and redemption as anything else. The church bell that tolls as the last note of the song is haunting -- it feels like judgment come, but is it exclusively for the violent "Ken"?

There's an interpretation of "Church Bells" where it's a straightforward tale of a woman taking matters into her own hands when nothing and no one else can free her from her violent husband. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the interpretation that the video (which I really hope delivers) conveys. But I think that there's more to the song, and once again I appreciate that the devoutness of Carrie's faith doesn't get in the way of her willingness to recognize that humans don't always translate the spiritual teachings passed on to them the way that they're supposed to. I like that there's a "gospel gone wrong" section in her catalog and hope that she develops it further as she no doubt will songs that reflect her personal faith.

ETA: The song is written by Zach Crowell, Brett James and Hillary Lindsey. ant, could you please update the original post to reflect that? Thanks.

[someguy]

I like this choice. I would have preferred "Choctaw County Affair" or "Dirty Laundry", but this was my third choice. I just hope that the other two will still get a release at some point.

"Church Bells" does lend itself to a really good video, which is something Carrie excels at, and I hope we get.

[matty005]

Mar 18, 2016 22:36:07 GMT -5 43dudleyvillas said:

Mar 18, 2016 14:40:56 GMT -5 matty005 said:

I didn't love "Two Black Cadillacs,'" because I didn't like the idea someone was murdered for cheating.

I don't think that you were supposed to like the idea that someone was murdered for cheating or consider it a rational or justified action. That's one of the things that makes "Two Black Cadillacs" (which I concede was a bit underwritten) interesting -- it's unrepentant, sure, but the juxtaposition of "And the preacher said he was a good man, and his brother said he was a good friend" line with the women's point of view is a reminder that there were different perspectives on the guy, and the preacher line in particular highlights the women's refusal to do the faithful thing and forgive.

.

[/i][/quote]

That is a big jump from not doing the faithful thing and forgiving, to murdering someone. I will make sure I never cross you.

[bboat11]

Mar 18, 2016 19:41:48 GMT -5 14887fan said:

:rolls eyes: Carrie. Do not become a niche artist. Do not become Martina McBride. Do. Not. Do. It. Release edgier songs. "Dirty Laundry", 'Choctaw', and "Relapse" are intriguing and will pull listeners in. "Church Bells" is good, but there's nothing special about it at all -- at least, not in the same way as those 3, which would make for way, way, way better Country radio releases.

"Two Black Cadillacs" did the murder drama better.

But this song is about love, devolving into abuse, and ultimately leading to murder... Not to mention it is a story song. And the production is very unique. This song will stick out like a sore thumb among the pile of male party songs that dominate country radio. If that is not the definition of edgy, then what is?

Constantly expecting Carrie to crank out "edgier" material is only going to ensure she becomes a niche artist. When she releases a story song about murder to 2016 country radio, and people feel that she is not being "edgy" enough, there is absolutely no way for Carrie to win.

At this point it feels like society just wants Carrie to be "edgier" regardless of what song she is actually releasing. True, this is her second murder song in 4 years, but "Dirty Laundry" and "Choctaw County Affair" have basically the exact same dark-sounding-story-song theme going on. I think if she released either one of those in place of this one, the general public would react to it in exactly the same way as they will with this one.

And then we would want her to be "edgier" because she insisted on giving us a dark-sounding story song right on the heels of a love song after a relaxation song after a verbal abuse song after a religious celebration song after a song about saying goodbye after a song about murder after a song about alcoholism and tornados after one solitary, frivolous, upbeat song. Now if only she would release something that pushed the envelope...


Edit: About "Church Bells", I do like this song quite a bit. I really enjoy the amount of character depth built into the lyrics, and the fact that it is a story song. The production is also pretty cool to me, especially the beginning where there is the banjo and then a bunch of low drum hits/bass falls start happening... I would definitely have enjoyed "Relapse" or "Chaser" more, but I will look forward to seeing if one of them gets chosen next, and in the meantime I will enjoy hearing this one.

[matty005]

Mar 19, 2016 3:05:59 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Mar 18, 2016 19:41:48 GMT -5 14887fan said:

:rolls eyes: Carrie. Do not become a niche artist. Do not become Martina McBride. Do. Not. Do. It. Release edgier songs. "Dirty Laundry", 'Choctaw', and "Relapse" are intriguing and will pull listeners in. "Church Bells" is good, but there's nothing special about it at all -- at least, not in the same way as those 3, which would make for way, way, way better Country radio releases.

"Two Black Cadillacs" did the murder drama better.

But this song is about love, devolving into abuse, and ultimately leading to murder... Not to mention it is a story song. And the production is very unique. This song will stick out like a sore thumb among the pile of male party songs that dominate country radio. If that is not the definition of edgy, then what is?

Constantly expecting Carrie to crank out "edgier" material is only going to ensure she becomes a niche artist. When she releases a story song about murder to 2016 country radio, and people feel that she is not being "edgy" enough, there is absolutely no way for Carrie to win.

At this point it feels like society just wants Carrie to be "edgier" regardless of what song she is actually releasing. True, this is her second murder song in 4 years, but "Dirty Laundry" and "Choctaw County Affair" have basically the exact same dark-sounding-story-song theme going on. I think if she released either one of those in place of this one, the general public would react to it in exactly the same way as they will with this one.

And then we would want her to be "edgier" because she insisted on giving us a dark-sounding story song right on the heels of a love song after a relaxation song after a verbal abuse song after a religious celebration song after a song about saying goodbye after a song about murder after a song about alcoholism and tornados after one solitary, frivolous, upbeat song. Now if only she would release something that pushed the envelope...


Edit: About "Church Bells", I do like this song quite a bit. I really enjoy the amount of character depth built into the lyrics, and the fact that it is a story song. The production is also pretty cool to me, especially the beginning where there is the banjo and then a bunch of low drum hits/bass falls start happening... I would definitely have enjoyed "Relapse" or "Chaser" more, but I will look forward to seeing if one of them gets chosen next, and in the meantime I will enjoy hearing this one.

I love this song, but I agree with 14887fan. You can say this song is about love leading to abuse then to murder. Is it that far off from love, leading to cheating, and then murder? I mean, of course there are differences, but the point is that we don't want Carrie become someone who always does murder songs. Martina did so many statement songs, that they all started to feel the same.

[ClevelandRox]

Ofcourse it's Church Bells, I wanted Dirty Laundry.

[mus1cr0w]

What's Carrie's body count up to now?

MR