bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,353
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Dec 27, 2018 3:52:32 GMT -5
"The Long Goodbye" is not a song I immediately think of when I picture Brooks & Dunn's best songs, but whenever I hear it I always love it so much! I remember reading something a couple years ago about how Ronnie just couldn't quite get the vocal to come out the way that he wanted it to, so he would go out in his barn and practice the song every day. I believe this went on for weeks. Totally a random fact, but it really stuck with me. Famous musicians are people, who are critical of themselves just like you or I are, so I thought it was really fascinating to hear a humanizing story like that about Ronnie as a musician. It honestly made me hear the song from a new perspective, and appreciate it that much more. I have always considered it to be one of his strongest vocal performances, so clearly the hard work paid off!
"A Man This Lonely" is an outstanding song, but it feels like a good time for it to leave. It can be a little boring when you are not in the right mood for it. Still an A+ song though!
"It's Getting Better All The Time" -- I am honestly a little shocked to see this out now. After it made the top 10 in its year-end rankdown (which I was totally shocked by) I figured it would be hanging on for a surprisingly long time in this rankdown too. I can totally understand people finding this song boring, but imo this is one of the best ballads of their entire career. The point of view of a man who is recovering from the aftermath of a surprising end to a relationship is a super emotional perspective, which the songwriters totally nailed. The musical arrangement is also gorgeous. But to top it all off, Ronnie has the perfect voice for connecting to all the emotion in the lyrics, and the vocal performance he turns in totally wrings every ounce of emotion out of this song... When I saw Brooks & Dunn live around '07ish, and Ronnie sang this song, the performance honestly made me cry... And I don't cry to songs easily, nor is it a song that is in-your-face "sad" the way something like "Concrete Angel" is, so that really speaks to how well he nails this song!
As far as what is next, surely it can't be "Only In America" already... But that's all that the mention of our "President" makes me think of :(
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 27, 2018 10:10:52 GMT -5
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 27, 2018 10:13:07 GMT -5
Words cannot express how upset I am with this leaving already... :'(
I no longer have hope for you guys...
|
|
austin
9x Platinum Member
Pulse Survivor Sri Lanka Sole Survivor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 9,188
|
Post by austin on Dec 27, 2018 10:17:56 GMT -5
Yuck. lol. Cant believe this made it that far, but at least it didnt scrape the Top 15.
I am still sad Connie came back for her second cousins wedding just to fall at 21.
|
|
.indulgecountry
Diamond Member
Best Country Poster 2011, 2017, & 2018
"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
|
Post by .indulgecountry on Dec 27, 2018 11:21:08 GMT -5
"Only in America" is so basic. Overstayed.
|
|
LBTrocks
Diamond Member
Joined: September 2012
Posts: 17,190
|
Post by LBTrocks on Dec 27, 2018 12:25:20 GMT -5
āOnly In Americaā remains dreadful. Such a shame it made it so high!
|
|
mamasaid
New Member
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 432
|
Post by mamasaid on Dec 27, 2018 14:55:04 GMT -5
This time, it's mamasaid 's turn to lose one of her top threes as the last GH single from the 2000s leaves us outside the top fifteen. Four others can feel the same pain as they lose a top ten as well. Sadly, this was one of the more polarizing songs with three bottom tens weighing this down a good bit. And mamasaid is completely broken hearted that y'all shoved this one so far down....I first heard this on one of the award shows...Ronnie swaggered up to the microphone in that fringed buckskin jacket he used to wear and totally took my heart (yet again)....He sounded so genuinely broken hearted singing this. Hooked, totally hooked....I wish there was a video of that performance.
|
|
sabre14
Diamond Member
Vince Gill & the Muppets make everything better
Joined: October 2013
Posts: 26,920
|
Post by sabre14 on Dec 27, 2018 15:15:56 GMT -5
"Only in America" is so basic. Overstayed. Wow, to each their own, but I don't think "Only In America" is basic at all. The verses are supremely detailed and paint such a great picture. "Sun coming up over New York City School bus driver in a traffic jam Staring out at the faces in a rear view mirror Lookin' at the promise of the Promised Land One kid dreams of fame and fortune One kid helps pay the rent One could end up going to prison One just might be president"
"Sun going down on an LA freeway Newly weds in the back of a limosine A welder's son and a banker's daughter All they want is every thing She came out here to be an actress He was a singer in a band They might just go back to Oklahoma And talk about the stars they could have been"The chorus isn't as creative, yes, but the melody is great and what I love about this patriotic song (where some fail), is this admits things won't always go your way when chasing dreams. You could dream big and become famous, but settling for a family life with the person you love is just as good. I think this song is very well-written.
|
|
|
Post by tim on Dec 27, 2018 18:09:13 GMT -5
I couldn't agree more with sabre14's perspective on "Only In America". Most patriotic songs fall short for me, but this one really works because of the picture it paints about living in America. Great songwriting intertwined with a great melody and Ronnie's vocals make this song a jam (and one I love to drive along with in the summer!). Speaking of great drive songs..."Every River" is another one of those for me. I've always really enjoyed the production and yet again Ronnie's vocals make this song sail. I'm glad to see "Hard Workin' Man" make it into the top 20 because it's definitely one of those songs that only Brooks & Dunn could pull off and was also a big hit for them back in 1993. I used to see the video for it all the time on CMT and I've always thought it was just a fun number. "It's Getting Better All the Time" always gives me the feels and it's such a wonderfully written song...wish it could've snuck inside the top 15.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,353
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Dec 27, 2018 18:20:13 GMT -5
Well this is a damn shame...
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,353
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Dec 27, 2018 18:25:16 GMT -5
"Only In America" could have been my #1, easily. My top 5 were literally interchangeable. The production on this song absolutely slays, and I agree that it is so much better than your typical "woo-hoo 'MURICA!!!" songs, because the lyrics are very well-crafted and the melody is superb. Not to mention the killer guitar parts throughout this song! One thing that makes this song extra cool for me is that it came out before 9/11 and all that pro-America wave that followed on its heels. This was their current hit when 9/11 happened! So people tend to think of it as just another part of that patriotic wave, but the song was never intended to be one of those songs. Just lucky timing I guess?
|
|
.indulgecountry
Diamond Member
Best Country Poster 2011, 2017, & 2018
"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
|
Post by .indulgecountry on Dec 27, 2018 19:40:53 GMT -5
I do think the verses are much stronger in the song, but the chorus of "Only in America" is the definition of basic imo and has always felt a bit cringey to me. There's a little color in the verse lyrics (though I think the second one is much stronger and doesn't strike me as toe-ing the line of 'pandering,' which I know is ironic given my job title, lol), but it falls apart with that chorus, and I also don't think the melody or production on the song is that strong. It makes me think of like a half-baked "Red Dirt Road" musically.
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 17:37:08 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by castleoblivion26 on Dec 28, 2018 17:44:14 GMT -5
I'm kinda around. Playing video games online with some friends so may not respond right away but I will here and there.
|
|
gardyfan
2x Platinum Member
Bad Mother Trucker
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,759
|
Post by gardyfan on Dec 28, 2018 17:49:57 GMT -5
I'm here!
|
|
|
Post by tim on Dec 28, 2018 17:58:47 GMT -5
I think āMy Next Broken Heartā, āThat Aināt No Way to Goā, āHeās Got Youā, and āRed Dirt Roadā are likely to miss the top 10 (always seems RDR is a bit divisive here on Pulse). Another wild card might be a Kix song such as āYouāre Gonna Miss Me When Iām Goneā and/or maybe āShe Used to Be Mineā.
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 18:20:09 GMT -5
#16 left me so mad that I feel like taking down someone's #1! Would I be angry enough to shoot myself in the foot and take down my own #1? Or am I aware enough to take it out on someone else?
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 18:55:55 GMT -5
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 19:01:36 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by castleoblivion26 on Dec 28, 2018 19:15:55 GMT -5
a little disappointed to see "My Next Broken Heart" miss top 10, I kinda expected it to make it. I love the song despite the fact that it barely missed my Top 10.
|
|
|
Post by tim on Dec 28, 2018 19:16:17 GMT -5
This seems about the right spot for āMy Next Broken Heartā to exit and although I didnāt place it inside the top 20 Iām glad to see it make it. Iāve always enjoyed this song but itās one of those that Iāve heard consistently since I first started listening to country radio as a young boy in 1992, so therefore overplay kind of pushed this down a bit on my list.
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 19:20:41 GMT -5
Anyone ready to see what the most polarizing song of the ENTIRE RANKDOWN is?
|
|
gardyfan
2x Platinum Member
Bad Mother Trucker
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,759
|
Post by gardyfan on Dec 28, 2018 19:24:30 GMT -5
Bring it!
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 19:35:25 GMT -5
|
|
Cody Wants Out...
9x Platinum Member
Extrovertly Introverted
Forever Young at Heart
Joined: June 2009
Posts: 9,138
|
Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 28, 2018 19:36:07 GMT -5
Now this one... REALLY surprised me as far as it being the most polarizing song of this entire set! I didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but I guess more people found it boring than not?
|
|
|
Post by castleoblivion26 on Dec 28, 2018 19:37:48 GMT -5
wow, this song is great. I love everything about this song, so I'm disappointed to see it be the most polarizing.
|
|
gardyfan
2x Platinum Member
Bad Mother Trucker
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,759
|
Post by gardyfan on Dec 28, 2018 19:39:26 GMT -5
Way overplayed and just boring to me.
|
|
|
Post by tim on Dec 28, 2018 19:45:17 GMT -5
Wow this is a shocker...I thought āIf You See Him/If You See Herā was a lock for the top 10. I always forget how much I like this until I put it on and get to the middle of the song at which point Iām reminded what an epic song and duet this is.
On a side note...I remember going to see Reba and Brooks & Dunn live a couple of times when they were touring together during this time. I remember one show had both Terri Clark and David Kersh as opening acts.
|
|
gardyfan
2x Platinum Member
Bad Mother Trucker
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 2,759
|
Post by gardyfan on Dec 28, 2018 19:48:07 GMT -5
Wow this is a shocker...I thought āIf You See Him/If You See Herā was a lock for the top 10. I always forget how much I like this until I put it on and get to the middle of the song at which pint Iām reminded what an epic song and duet this is. On a side note...I remember going to see Reba and Brooks & Dunn live a couple of times when they were touring together during this time. I remember one show had both Terri Clark and David Kersh as opening acts. Yes I was at one of those shows too. Clark and Kersh played back to back, then intermission, then Reba and B&D back to back.
|
|
.indulgecountry
Diamond Member
Best Country Poster 2011, 2017, & 2018
"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
|
Post by .indulgecountry on Dec 28, 2018 19:58:32 GMT -5
Wow, this was robbed. The Reba duet should've for sure been Top 10. What an iconic masterpiece of a song!
|
|