Martina McBride Album Series Rankdowns

[bboat11]

Waking Up Laughing Rankdown: Results Time!

Final Participant List: (17)
bboat11
soulfulwings
castleoblivion26
someguy
Kanenrá:ke
George Strait Junkie
.indulgecountry
BlueShades874
d3vin44
fearlessarrow
SHOOTER
Cody Wants Out...
dub
Troublemaker
born
cerulean
DistrictTwelve

Following Along:
@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔

If your name is in the following along section, it is because you either participated in a Martina album rankdown previously, or previously asked me to tag you in other Martina album rankdowns. If you want your name taken out, let me know! And same goes for anybody else who happens to see this and wants to be added!

---

Questions to get us started:

1) What will be #1?

2) What will be #12?

3) Which songs belong in the top 5?

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing?

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Anyway, How I Feel, For These Times)

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place?

7) What will be the highest-placing album track?

8) Any other thoughts/predictions?

[.indulgecountry]

1) What will be #1? "Anyway" is the only correct choice, lol.

2) What will be #12? Hoping it's "I'll Still Be Me," but it could also be "Blue Bayou" due to unfamiliarity perhaps?

3) Which songs belong in the top 5? "Anyway," "House of a Thousand Dreams," and "Love Land" should be Top 5 locks for sure.

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing? Most, maybe "How I Feel." Least, "Anyway" at the top.

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Anyway, How I Feel, For These Times) "Anyway," lol.

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place? "For These Times" will probably place the lowest and I'm going to take a random guess and say it'll be #8.

7) What will be the highest-placing album track? "House of a Thousand Dreams," I hope. <3

8) Any other thoughts/predictions? Nope.

[born]

All I know is I want my top 2 to do well :( They're awesome.

[d3vin44]

1) What will be #1? Anyway

2) What will be #12? Beautiful Again

3) Which songs belong in the top 5? Anyway, If I Had Your Name, How I Feel, House of a Thousand Dreams, Blue Bayou

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing? Least Anyway, Most Blue Bayou

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Anyway, How I Feel, For These Times) Anyway at #1

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place? For These Times at #9

7) What will be the highest-placing album track? If I Had Your Name

[someguy]

1) What will be #1? Anyway

2) What will be #12? Possibly Blue Bayou

3) Which songs belong in the top 5? Anyway, Everybody Does, House Of A Thousand Dreams, Love Land

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing? Most - Beautiful Again Least - Anyway

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Anyway, How I Feel, For These Times) Anyway at #1

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place? For These Times at #10

7) What will be the highest-placing album track? Everybody Does

8) Any other thoughts/predictions? Nope

[born]

someguy I like both you and your predictions.

[castleoblivion26]

Questions to get us started:

1) What will be #1? "Anyway"

2) What will be #12? better be "Beautiful Again"

3) Which songs belong in the top 5? "Anyway", "House Of A Thousand Dreams", "Love Land", and "Everybody Does". Maybe "How I Feel"

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing? Most: "Love Land", "How I Feel", "For These Times"; LEAST: "Beautiful Again", "Anyway", and "House of A Thousand Dreams"

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Anyway, How I Feel, For These Times) "Anyway" will be #1

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place? "For These Times" will likely place in the low tens

7) What will be the highest-placing album track? "House of A Thousand Dreams" or "Everybody Does"

[Kanenrá:ke]

1. Anyway
2. Beautiful Again
3. House Of A Thousand Dreams, Tryin' To Find A Reason, Love Land
4. Most: Blue Bayou Least: House Of A Thousand Dreams
5. Anyway #1
6. For These Times #9
7. House Of A Thousand Dreams

[bboat11]

Alright, who's ready to get started??!?!?!?!

bboat11 soulfulwings castleoblivion26 someguy Kanenrá:ke George Strait Junkie .indulgecountry BlueShades874 d3vin44 fearlessarrow SHOOTER Cody Wants Out... dub Troublemaker born cerulean DistrictTwelve @adam1995 codyj100 kansasmeetsmo tim BackwoodsBarbie Leo ✔


Coming up in last place, we already say goodbye to our lowest standard deviation of the rankdown!!!

[bboat11]

We said we wanted all of this.

We made the plans together, 

And promised that we’d never forget.

 Drinkin’ apple wine in our first kitchen, 

Throwin’ pennies in a well and wishin’ 

We’d spend our lives forever holdin’ hands.

And here we are still holdin' on.

But if all the pretty things tied up in bows were gone,

I'll still be me.

12. "I'll Still Be Me"

Track #7
Runtime: 3:49
Songwriters: Rachel Thibodeau, Tammy Hyler
Vocal Range: F3 - D5



Total: 170
Average: 10.00
Std Dev: 1.87 (1st smallest!!!)


someguy - 5
cerulean - 8
George Strait Junkie - 9
Cody Wants Out... - 9
Troublemaker - 9
born - 9
BlueShades874 - 9
dub - 10
d3vin44 - 10
castleoblivion26 - 10
soulfulwings - 11
Kanenrá:ke - 11
.indulgecountry - 12
fearlessarrow - 12
SHOOTER - 12
DistrictTwelve - 12
bboat11 - 12


@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


This song was pretty much always a contender for the bottom spot, although it was by no means a runaway contender the way we have seen with some of her previous albums. I am thrilled that this song was the first to leave, because imo this has always been one of her more boring songs in her entire catalog. She sound amazing, as is to be expected, but the song itself is just plain boring... She honestly elevates it more than just about anyone else could, and it is still boring

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Beautiful Again
Blue Bayou
Cry Cry (’Til The Sun Shines)
Everybody Does
For These Times
House Of A Thousand Dreams
How I Feel
If I Had Your Name
Love Land
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[.indulgecountry]

Yassss! The correct choice for last place! Nailed it.

[fearlessarrow]

Yeah, this was really boring...

[bboat11]

Oh wow, listening to that live version of "I'll Still Be Me" right now, and I am shocked at how much better it is as a live song than a studio song! I can't really put my finger on it. It's almost like she decides to take more liberties with the phrasing, and the melody is therefore less rigidly structured at the beginning. Plus the extra echoeyness on her voice adds a pretty cool touch. If the studio version captured the emotion of the song the same way that live version did, I would definitely like it a lot more!

[castleoblivion26]

this song is boring sure but it is by no means bad. In fact that belongs to "Beautiful Again" which is one of the worst songs in Martina's library. I really dislike it a lot. Hopefully that is next!

[bboat11]

Mar 6, 2018 0:02:44 GMT -5 castleoblivion26 said:

this song is boring sure but it is by no means bad. In fact that belongs to "Beautiful Again" which is one of the worst songs in Martina's library. I really dislike it a lot. Hopefully that is next!

Lol I don't know what's so bad about that song. It's catchy, the lyrics are so descriptive, and she sounds great!

But then again you also think "Happy Girl" is one of the worst in her catalog, so...

[castleoblivion26]

Mar 6, 2018 0:08:27 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Mar 6, 2018 0:02:44 GMT -5 castleoblivion26 said:

this song is boring sure but it is by no means bad. In fact that belongs to "Beautiful Again" which is one of the worst songs in Martina's library. I really dislike it a lot. Hopefully that is next!

Lol I don't know what's so bad about that song. It's catchy, the lyrics are so descriptive, and she sounds great!

But then again you also think "Happy Girl" is one of the worst in her catalog, so...

I don't like "Happy Girl" but it is a well written song and the production is not bad, I just don't care for it. There are parts of the lyrics and the way she sings "Beautiful Again" that just feels off to me and I really don't care for it. Always considered it the weak point of this album. I know she helped write it and I get what she was going for but I don't think it worked at all.

[bboat11]

Savin’ nickels, savin’ dimes,

Workin’ ’til the sun don’t shine,

Lookin’ forward to happier times on Blue Bayou.

11. "Blue Bayou"

Track #12
Runtime: 4:06
Songwriters: Roy Orbison, Joe Melson
Vocal Range: Haven't looked yet! Whoops!



Total: 151
Average: 8.88
Std Dev: 3.02


SHOOTER - 3
d3vin44 - 4
bboat11 - 5
dub - 5
fearlessarrow - 6
Kanenrá:ke - 9
someguy - 10
Troublemaker - 10
cerulean - 10
DistrictTwelve - 10
Cody Wants Out... - 10
born - 11
.indulgecountry - 11
castleoblivion26 - 11
BlueShades874 - 12
soulfulwings - 12
George Strait Junkie - 12


@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔

In second-to-last place, we say goodbye to the bonus track that nobody knows about. This song has been a staple of Martina's live set for years, and I think she does a simply fabulous job with it. Her voice is so beautiful here, and I love the overall laid back vibe of the song. It was able to generate 4 top 5 votes from us, including a #3! Unfortunately it also ended up in like 11 people's bottom 3, which was more than enough to tank it. It got enough love to avoid last place, but it was a very close battle for awhile.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Beautiful Again
Cry Cry (’Til The Sun Shines)
Everybody Does
For These Times
House Of A Thousand Dreams
How I Feel
If I Had Your Name
Love Land
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[castleoblivion26]

I like this well enough. Probably should have ranked this at #10 instead of #11 though as I do like it a bit more than "I'll Still Be Me".

[bboat11]

Ladies and gentlemen, your top 10!!!

Anyway
Beautiful Again
Cry Cry (’Til The Sun Shines)
Everybody Does
For These Times
House Of A Thousand Dreams
How I Feel
If I Had Your Name
Love Land
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[fearlessarrow]

What!? Why!?

[.indulgecountry]

Two perfect rankings to start this RD out! Go me!


Wow and once again my entire Top 10 made the Top 10 in a Martina album RD! <33

[born]

#12 was a surprise. #11 wasn't.

[SHOOTER]

I love the soulfulness of her Blue Bayou cover! Definitely deserved more than just being an iTunes pre-order bonus track.

[d3vin44]

Blue Bayou is sooooo good! 😡

[BlueShades874]

I'm a little surprised that Blue Bayou wasn't the first one out, mostly just because of the lack of familiarity. I did give it a few listens and it just never clicked for me like the other songs on here. I guess it comes as no surprise that I'll Still Be Me is already out, I honestly can't even remember how that song goes (though at the time I liked it well enough to rank it in my top ten).

[d3vin44]

I don't understand how people can keep saying Blue Bayou gets a low rank because of lack of familiarity. It was one of the few songs I was familiar with!

[born]

^ It was one of the 12 tracks I was unfamiliar with :kii:

[Kanenrá:ke]

I love Martina's cover of "Blue Bayou" the only problem is I love 8 other songs more lol

"I'll Still Be Me" is boring but it's at least well written.

[bboat11]

But when it rains,
The past gets washed away, and then
She smiles, ‘cause she knows in the end
The world gets beautiful,
Beautiful again.

10. "Beautiful Again"

Track #8
Runtime: 2:56
Songwriters: Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Martina McBride
Vocal Range: F3 - C5

Total: 141
Average: 8.29
Std Dev: 3.44 (2nd largest)


George Strait Junkie - 2
BlueShades874 - 3
Troublemaker - 4
bboat11 - 6
soulfulwings -6
someguy - 6
SHOOTER - 7
dub - 7
cerulean - 9
.indulgecountry - 9
fearlessarrow - 11
DistrictTwelve - 11
castleoblivion26 - 12
d3vin44 - 12
Cody Wants Out... - 12
Kanenrá:ke - 12
born - 12



@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


I have always found this song to be pretty strong, but I can understand why people might dislike it. It has a bit of a singsong quality to it, which can be distracting if you're not in the mood. Personally I have always loved the contrast between the sunny delivery and the s**tty subject matter. This song deals with abuse and neglect galore, but Martina turns in a lighthearted performance here, sounding rejuvenated and youthful.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Cry Cry (’Til The Sun Shines)
Everybody Does
For These Times
House Of A Thousand Dreams
How I Feel
If I Had Your Name
Love Land
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[Kanenrá:ke]

Blah good riddance, I always hated this one. That juxtaposition between the subject matter and the "sunny" delivery as you describe it just really makes me feel disgusted for whatever reason lol

It's 100% her worst song for me.