Pat Monahan: "Her Eyes"

[singingsparrow]

*

www.traindiscuss.com/news.htm#Pat-Goes-Solo-07

Pat Monahan, the lead singer of Train, will be releasing his debut solo record on September 18th titled "Last of Seven", and the lead single will be "Her Eyes".

Monahan has announced after this era, he will return with the rest of Train to record their fifth studio album.

I for one am looking forward to this, as I found Train's last album ("For Me, It's You") to be a very strong era for them in terms of quality, despite being a big disappointment commerically with "Cab" failing to chart the Hot 100 and the album failing to get an RIAA certification. It's a shame because many of their best songs yet came out of that era, particularly "Explanation", "All I Ever Wanted", "Am I Reaching You Now?" and "I'm Not Waiting In Line".

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Kid Pulse]

I loved "Give Myself to You". One of my favorite Train songs. Do you think this will be an AAA-only hit or does this have potential on Hot AC?

[singingsparrow]

video545 said:

I loved "Give Myself to You". One of my favorite Train songs. Do you think this will be an AAA-only hit or does this have potential on Hot AC?

All I can say is I think it will all depend on how much his label decides to promote him which, after the underperforming run of "For Me, It's You", this solo record could get lost in the shuffle.

According to Pat Monahan's MySpace page, Monahan says that "Her Eyes" will be somewhat of a "Meet Virginia type-of song", so certainly it seems this will be radio-friendly, and the main plus going for Monahan here is that Train has had a pretty good track record when it comes to lead singles with quirky, earnest lyrics.

The main problem, however, is that despite Train's success, they've never gotten any real respect among reviewers and even some listeners, and Train proved resilient by charting big hits. But with the last era, it became their first without a hit, and in result, their last album became the first without a certification, and they may very well have lost their staple-status at Hot AC, where "Give Myself To You" couldn't even make the Top 30 as a follow-up.

Ultimately this will all depend on the level of promotion put into it. Monahan certainly has what it takes I believe to establish himself as a successful solo artist; he has solid vocals, an impressionable songwriting ability, and even a sort of innocent sex appeal among many mid-age females in particular. Unfortunately, there are others who share his talents that have gotten lost in the fold, and one can only hope Monahan won't be instantly discarded as well.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[singingsparrow]

A 30-second preview of the new single is available on Pat Monahan's official web-site:

www.patmonahan.net/hereyes/hereyes.mp3

Gauging by what Monahan had described the song as being like before, this was along the lines mostly of what I was expecting, but I like what I hear here; hearing Monahan release something more upbeat and peppy after a string of more moody (though mostly strong as they were) singles with Train.

Again, there's just no predicting where this will go, given how some solo experiments just aren't given the fair shake to begin with. But this at least sounds like a deserved Top 10 hit on Hot AC.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[singingsparrow]

patmonahanmusic.com/

Pat Monahan's official site has also put up an audio sample of the album's title track, "Last of Seven".

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Rumors]

His voice sounds better on Last of Seven. My problem with Pat is that I just haven't liked many of his song's lyrics. Corny would be a word I would use to describe a lot of it.

I'll be surprised if he can go top 15. The HotAC format is becoming more pop centric every day. I think there will be a lot of stations that won't add the song.

[Kid Pulse]

Well, it's top 40.

49 40 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 301 218 83
0.978

Considering the lack of solo males on Hot AC (only one in the top 20 today, at #20), I could see this going pretty high on Hot AC. It's a good song, if you ask me.

WINC (Winchester, VA) has been playing this song a lot this week. The DJ pointed out that Pat loves to sing about "odd" or "different" girls, girls who are kinda out there ("Meet Virginia" and now this).

I agree with her 100%. When he sings about girls, they (and himself) are usually a little creepy-sounding.

[mrclimbfall20]

I hear this song last night and thought it was prett good. Hopefully this will chart high!

[singingsparrow]

rumors said:

His voice sounds better on Last of Seven. My problem with Pat is that I just haven't liked many of his song's lyrics. Corny would be a word I would use to describe a lot of it.

I'll be surprised if he can go top 15. The HotAC format is becoming more pop centric every day. I think there will be a lot of stations that won't add the song.

I agree that Monahan's songwriting is often corny, but I'll also add that there is a type of "corniness" I like and another I dislike.

Sometimes, when the lyrics are corny, but also come across as thoughtful and generated from a personal, convincing angle, it gives the song a breath of personality and originality. That former type of corniness, which I might call "golden corniness", or something fresh from the metaphorical fields of creative vision, is what made singles like "Drops of Jupiter" and "Meet Virginia" convincing and enjoyable, in my opinion.

Other times, however, lyrics are not only corny, but also sound uninspiring and sounds like something that either 1) wasn't written from the heart or 2) cliched or something that was assembled together from a bunch of VH1 or E! celebrity programs, etc. (like Nickelback's "Rockstar"). I call that "kettle corniness" in that something corny is made even more syrupy and artificial from superficial saccharine, and that latter kind of corniness is what made "My Private Nation" a most forgettable and regrettable era of Train, in my opinion, from the lame rhymes like "crazy" and "Patrick Swayze" on "All-American Girl" and "karaoke" and "hokey-pokey" on "Save The Day", to the overproduced music making the songs all the more artificial.

I haven't heard this song in its entirety, but based on the 30-second clip I heard, my first reaction is it may be somewhere in-between, where I don't doubt Monahan's sincerity of painting an honest, admirable portrait of girls that aren't quite what we idolize or picture, but on the other hand, because he has already written "Meet Virginia", it would feel as though he's just trying to duplicate that hit.

But then, yet again, I also understand he got divorced between the "My Private Nation" and "For Me, It's You" eras ("For Me, It's You" dwells on the theme of divorce on some songs, particularly "All I Ever Wanted") and since then Monahan has dated again and "Her Eyes" may be based on his honest impression of some special somebody he's been meeting, who also is "different" for the lack of a better word.

My station hasn't picked up this single yet, nor I have located a full-length MP3, but I'll have a better opinion of this song once I do hear the full stream.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Kid Pulse]

I don't think "Rockstar" has corny lyrics (or "Her Eyes", for that matter), but while we're on the subject, I think it depends what your definition of "corny" is.

Sure, the lyrics of "Rockstar" may be "corny" but they are very practical. I guess one might find "pop my pills from a pez dispenser" corny, but I don't get embarrased when I listen to it, as I do when I hear other corny lyrics. The "she thinks all men are addicted to porn" line in "Her Eyes" may be a pretty corny line that Pat Monahan wrote, but is not ridiculous or far-fetched in anyway, just not creative. I think that "Rockstar" suffers the same fate. In all honesty, while the song's lyrics are better, I think "If Everyone Cared" might have the corniest lyrics of any Nickelback single from this era. While they are arguably the most inspiring of thier career, they could also come across as "corny" or "lame".

"My Private Nation" was corny in that regard, too. The lyrics were not ridiculous, but they were practical. The "football teams are kissing queens and losing sight of having dreams" line of "Calling All Angels" was corny, but it wasn't the kind of thing that makes you embarrased to listen to. It was just a lyric with nothing special about it, if you ask me.

If songs like "The Sweet Escape" and "Umbrella" are becoming hits on Hot AC, then I don't think that the lyrics are at fault if this song is unsuccessful.

[atlantaboy]

singingsparrow said:

rumors said:

His voice sounds better on Last of Seven. My problem with Pat is that I just haven't liked many of his song's lyrics. Corny would be a word I would use to describe a lot of it.

I'll be surprised if he can go top 15. The HotAC format is becoming more pop centric every day. I think there will be a lot of stations that won't add the song.

I agree that Monahan's songwriting is often corny

Can't believe you all think Train's lyrics are "corny" - the only line that's ever bothered me by Train is in "Drops Of Jupiter" when he talks about the "best mocha late that you've had in years" :)

I guess "When I Look To The Sky" is sort of cliche if that's what you mean

And maybe taking a "ride on the back of a butterfly" is pretty corny too in "Get To Me"

[roentgenizdat]

BOOKED: Pat Monahan - Vem, director

artist: Pat Monahan
song: "Her Eyes"
label: Columbia
director(s): Vem
production co: The Artists Company
rep: Laure Scott Representation

[Kid Pulse]

This is now one of my favorite songs on the current Hot AC chart, and may become one of my all-time favorites as I get into it more.


This BETTER go top 20, if not top 10.

40 37 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 331 270 16 1.227

[blurple]

I LOVE this song!

[Kid Pulse]

Anyone else think this song will peak higher on Hot AC than ""Wake Up Call" will?

40 33 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 382 289 93 1.596


The lyrics are much more suited for Hot AC, in my opinion.

[singingsparrow]

video545 said:

Anyone else think this song will peak higher on Hot AC than ""Wake Up Call" will?

40 33 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 382 289 93 1.596


The lyrics are much more suited for Hot AC, in my opinion.

No! LOL!

But I do hope this enjoys a respectable peak, at most on line with the first three lead singles from Train, or at least where "When I Look To The Sky" peaked.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Rumors]

It's a nice, pleasant song with strong vocals. I think it'll end up doing better than James Blunt's new song. Maybe a peak around 15 or so.

[Chase]

video545 said:

I don't think "Rockstar" has corny lyrics (or "Her Eyes", for that matter), but while we're on the subject, I think it depends what your definition of "corny" is.

Sure, the lyrics of "Rockstar" may be "corny" but they are very practical. I guess one might find "pop my pills from a pez dispenser" corny, but I don't get embarrased when I listen to it, as I do when I hear other corny lyrics. The "she thinks all men are addicted to porn" line in "Her Eyes" may be a pretty corny line that Pat Monahan wrote, but is not ridiculous or far-fetched in anyway, just not creative. I think that "Rockstar" suffers the same fate. In all honesty, while the song's lyrics are better, I think "If Everyone Cared" might have the corniest lyrics of any Nickelback single from this era. While they are arguably the most inspiring of thier career, they could also come across as "corny" or "lame".

"My Private Nation" was corny in that regard, too. The lyrics were not ridiculous, but they were practical. The "football teams are kissing queens and losing sight of having dreams" line of "Calling All Angels" was corny, but it wasn't the kind of thing that makes you embarrased to listen to. It was just a lyric with nothing special about it, if you ask me.

If songs like "The Sweet Escape" and "Umbrella" are becoming hits on Hot AC, then I don't think that the lyrics are at fault if this song is unsuccessful.

I always believed that every band is entitled to release one bad record, and My Private Nation was that record for Train. I'm a sucker for the piano in When I Look to the Sky, but that album was massively fluffy and overproduced. I'm not surprised they were reserved a spot on www.youhavebadtasteinmusic.com during that era. For Me, It's You offered a more mature outing for the band, almost an apology album to Triple A for abandoning its roots on the previous record. I think that from here on out, Pat Monahan and Train will chart more successfully at Triple A than at Hot AC.

[reception]

mms://66.186.0.101/allaccess/patmhere.wma

[Kid Pulse]

I believe this is the largest the bullet has been so far.

38 33 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 414 306 108 1.675

[JCMF3]

singingsparrow said:

video545 said:

Anyone else think this song will peak higher on Hot AC than ""Wake Up Call" will?
40 33 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 382 289 93 1.596
The lyrics are much more suited for Hot AC, in my opinion.

No! LOL!

Are you sure about that now Noah?

27 20 MAROON 5 Wake Up Call 850 746 104 3.529
28 21 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 811 660 151 2.921

I finally heard the song on his site, and I think it is absolutely great! It looks like top 20 is almost guaranteed for this song.

[atlantaboy]

Finally heard this on a road trip thanks to WKBC/Charlotte - major Jason Mraz wanna be IMO - don't think this has any chance of CHR airplay, and only limited HAC (luckily for him the HAC chart's pretty open right now) - IMO Pat Monahan's gotten writer's block on every release after "Get To Me" - pretty sure this will stall in the Top 20, similar to "Curbside Prophet" (actually not sure where that peaked)

I was wondering why Triple A wasn't playin it, and now I know (the spoken-rapping type thing that Mat Kearney does much better)

[blurple]

This is so overplayed now at WTMX...

[Kid Pulse]

"Curbside Profit" peaked at #23 I think, but I think this should go top 10.

[jmason]

I was already a big fan, but it just keeps getting better. This song is great! Can't wait for the album. I wish HOT AC would give the song some more attention.

[singingsparrow]

jmanmusicfan said:

I was already a big fan, but it just keeps getting better. This song is great! Can't wait for the album. I wish HOT AC would give the song some more attention.

Actually, this song is performing better on the chart than I thought it would, considering Pat Monahan hadn't previously established himself as a successful solo star, and usually solo experiments are either slow-growers or efforts that are ultimately lost in the shuffle.

I finally heard this song in its entirety on my station, which added it a week and a half ago, and while I think it's alright, lyrically it sounded lazier and less thoughtful than "Meet Virginia". The bridge starts out fairly strong with vocal energy, but the ending before the final chorus sounds very lazy and rushed.

Also, I don't understand the "Gemini Capricorn" lyric, where I don't know if he means "Sun in Gemini, Moon in Capricorn", or "Sun in Gemini, Capricorn Rising" or if he was simply ignorant of astrology and thought you can be more than one sun sign, LOL!

However, vocally, Monahan sounds strong in that song, and sure hits some high notes in the final two choruses, LOL! So all in all, it's a mixed bag, but decent enough, which I'd rank lower than "Meet Virginia", "Drops Of Jupiter" and much of the "For Me, It's You" album, but superior to almost all of the "My Private Nation" album and the other singles from the "Drops Of Jupiter" era.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Same here. I'm surprised to see it get much airplay. Emerson Hart is doing better than I thought as well but it isn't looking like he'll get a major hit out of that song. Of course Train is bigger than Tonic were but unlike, say, Matchbox Twenty, Pat doesn't have the name recognition that Rob Thomas was able to make off of 'Smooth' or even as just the frontman for mb20.
Which brings to mind, if Chad Kroeger were to do a solo album, how well would that do?

I'm going to make a related topic in here.

[Kid Pulse]

This is steadily rising on Hot AC. :)


20 17 PAT MONAHAN Her Eyes 2007 Columbia 1315 1143 172 5.965

[singingsparrow]

themaxonline said:

Same here. I'm surprised to see it get much airplay. Emerson Hart is doing better than I thought as well but it isn't looking like he'll get a major hit out of that song. Of course Train is bigger than Tonic were but unlike, say, Matchbox Twenty, Pat doesn't have the name recognition that Rob Thomas was able to make off of 'Smooth' or even as just the frontman for mb20.
Which brings to mind, if Chad Kroeger were to do a solo album, how well would that do?

I'm going to make a related topic in here.

Unlike Pat Monahan, though, Chad Kroeger has already proven he can carry a massive hit by himself on multiple formats, which he did with "Hero" for the "Spider Man" soundtrack in 2001.

Thus, I'm certain if Chad desires to take a stab at a solo career, it would be pretty successful.

Sincerely,
Noah Eaton

[atlantaboy]

themaxonline said:

Which brings to mind, if Chad Kroeger were to do a solo album, how well would that do?

I'm going to make a related topic in here.

Not a good idea!!! Too much Chad Kroeger!!! I get the feeling Chad Kroeger is basically Nickelback anyway so I don't think he'd want to or need to do a solo album, unless Nickelback broke up -

Rob Thomas seemed like he wanted to try a more pop sound and that's why he went solo, just like Phil Collins (one of his idols) did in the 80s - I doubt CK would want to do that