Martina McBride Album Series Rankdowns

[bboat11]

Up next, it's time for the first #1 loss of the rankdown!!!!

[bboat11]

For these times in which we live, 

Seems like the only answer is

 Givin’ up on findin’ one at all. 

And we hide behind unsure,

 Pull the blinds and lock the doors,

 And hang a pleasant picture on the wall.

9. "For These Times"

Track #4
Runtime: 4:16
Songwriters: Leslie Satcher
Vocal Range: B♭3 - E♭5



Total: 133
Average: 7.82
Std Dev: 3.07


cerulean - 1
born - 4
fearlessarrow - 5
Kanenrá:ke - 5
George Strait Junkie - 6
.indulgecountry - 6
Cody Wants Out... - 7
bboat11 - 8
DistrictTwelve - 8
SHOOTER - 8
castleoblivion26 - 9
soulfulwings - 10
BlueShades874 - 10
d3vin44 - 11
Troublemaker - 11
someguy - 12
dub - 12



@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


Just inside the top 10, we say goodbye to the first single from the rankdown! This was the 3rd and final single off of the album, and only managed to crawl up the chart to a #35 peak. While this song is beloved by some, it is definitely polarizing, and I think it was a terrible choice for a single for that reason. And you guys seem to agree, because there are at least 7 album tracks that ranked above this one!

SPOILER: Click to show

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

[castleoblivion26]

Mar 6, 2018 21:19:44 GMT -5 Kanenrá:ke said:

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.

This says it all why I dislike "Beautiful Again".

Anyways, not surprised to see "For These Times" to be eliminated so early. It deserves it honestly and I still cannot believe this was a single.

[fearlessarrow]

I figured I like "For These Times" more than the Pulse average. I don't know why but it just works as a song for me. I think it's the lyrics that got me though.

[codyj100]

Before this RD, I truly thought I was in a group of very few that don't care for this song. Now, I see that's not the case. It's a shame I didn't make time for this rank down like I should have. I still remember unwrapping this album on my 12th birthday alongside a new CD player -- with a remote (OMG!)    and it was the first CD I ever played in the stereo. Confession: I have never heard "Blue Bayou." I guess I need to go listen. 

[bboat11]

We’re all here just tryin’ to live our lives,
Payin’ our electric bills and spendin’ up our time.
When there ain’t a friend to be found,
You can’t break through the concrete clouds,
When the rain, when the rain comes crashin’ down

8. "Cry Cry ('Til The Sun Shines)"

Track #2

Runtime: 3:06

Songwriters: Chris Lindsey, Hillary Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Marv Green

Vocal Range: A3 - C5

Total: 121

Average: 7.12

Std Dev: 3.04


George Strait Junkie - 1
fearlessarrow - 2
bboat11 - 3
BlueShades874 - 4
dub - 6
castleoblivion26 - 7
DistrictTwelve - 7
someguy - 8
Troublemaker - 8
Kanenrá:ke - 8
soulfulwings - 8
Cody Wants Out... - 8
d3vin44 - 9
born - 10
.indulgecountry - 10
SHOOTER - 10
cerulean - 12


@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


This has always been one of my favorites from the album, and tbh I was not expecting the low ranks here. I have never seen anybody talk badly about this one! It is SO catchy, and Martina sounds so good... I have always considered this one to be a missed single opportunity! I guess maybe I was wrong! Although it is still one of my favorites from the album, and y'all will never change that

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Everybody Does
House Of A Thousand Dreams
How I Feel
If I Had Your Name
Love Land
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[born]

Glad about my #10 and #12 leaving. Not happy for my #4 though.

PS: bboat11 our rankings are really different this time around lmao

[codyj100]

I would’ve ranked ‘Cry Cry’ in my top 3. I love the way Martina sounds on this. Heidi Newfield’s version a year later (while I love her too) doesn’t come close to Martina’s version, imo.

[BlueShades874]

I can see why people dislike Beautiful Again. I really enjoy this one, though I never really thought that much about how the lyrics don't match the melody at all until people here talked about it lol. For These Times is an ok song, but there was so many better single choices. I never listened to this album until the era had come and gone, but when I first listened to all of the songs it became more confusing why they chose that one as a single. I guess the biggest surprise so far is how low Cry Cry finished. I thought this would easily be top six.

[.indulgecountry]

Mar 7, 2018 10:46:08 GMT -5 codyj100 said:

I would’ve ranked ‘Cry Cry’ in my top 3. I love the way Martina sounds on this. Heidi Newfield’s version a year later (while I love her too) doesn’t come close to Martina’s version, imo.

Opposite for me. Heidi delivers all the personality and fun that the song really needs to come to life imo. Martina's is so blah, and the existence of Heidi's version makes it so I can't listen to Martina's.

[bboat11]

Not exactly the fairy tale that I had planned,
But momma said, “Aren’t you supposed to get married girl
‘Fore you bring a baby in this world?”
And what could I say but, “Yes, ma’am?”

And I called her from that chapel in love land.

7. "Love Land"

Track #11

Runtime: 3:47

Songwriters: Tom Douglas, Rachel Thibodeau

Vocal Range: (Apparently I don't have data for this song either... Lol maybe someday!)



Total: 107
Average: 6.29
Std Dev: 2.69


someguy - 2
.indulgecountry - 3
Kanenrá:ke - 3
DistrictTwelve - 4
soulfulwings - 5
BlueShades874 - 5
SHOOTER - 5
castleoblivion26 - 5
Troublemaker - 6
cerulean - 6
fearlessarrow - 7
d3vin44 - 8
born - 8
dub - 9
bboat11 - 10
George Strait Junkie - 10
Cody Wants Out... - 11


@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


This song was a major wildcard for the whole submission process! It started low, because it is personally towards the back of the album for me, but it got a whole string of top 5 votes, and ultimately looked like it was bound to stay in the top 5 at #4. Unfortunately it got tanked by a couple lower votes around the 2/3 mark of the submission process, and the results were so close that this one got shoved all the way back to #7, where it was able to restabilize.

I still love this song, even though it is my #10. The lyrics are so powerful, and they tell such a unique story in such a unique way. I am not surprised that it seems to be as loved as it is! I personally am underwhelmed by the melody, although I have definitely come to enjoy it more and more through the years.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Everybody Does
House Of A Thousand Dreams
How I Feel
If I Had Your Name
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[.indulgecountry]

WOW! I'm shocked! I thought this was a lock for Top 5. I'm so disappointed to see this great song out before something like "How I Feel." Ughhhh.

[bboat11]

6 songs remain. Only one of them will miss the top 5!!! Anybody feeling lucky enough to predict which one it will be?

[SHOOTER]

I truly adore Love Land. Sad it’s out before the top-5.

[castleoblivion26]

I'm shocked that this is not in the Top 5, thought it would be a lock for it

[bboat11]

Your lucky coat, the first day of fall. 

When you wake up laughing just because. 

An old church door that stays wide open, 

A perfect heart that’s never been broken,

  That’s how I feel when I’m with you.

6. "How I Feel"

Track #6
Runtime: 3:49
Songwriters: Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Martina McBride, Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo
Vocal Range: F#3 - E5



Total: 102
Average: 6.00
Std Dev: 2.42 (3rd smallest!!)


dub - 2
born - 2
fearlessarrow - 3
Cody Wants Out... - 4
George Strait Junkie - 5
cerulean - 5
Troublemaker - 5
d3vin44 - 5
SHOOTER - 6
.indulgecountry - 7
soulfulwings - 7
someguy - 7
BlueShades874 - 8
castleoblivion26 - 8
bboat11 - 9
DistrictTwelve - 9
Kanenrá:ke - 10


@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


With the elimination of "How I Feel", we say goodbye to the album's second hit, right outside the top 5. This song peaked at #15 on the Country charts, and while I do not think it is seen as egregious of a single choice as "For These Times" was, I do still think it was not a very good choice... This song is good enough, but on the heels of "Anyway" this one just seems kinda boring. If they wanted to go with an uptempo, "Everybody Does" would have been a MUCH better followup single. "How I Feel" would have been just fine as an album track, but as a single it squandered all her momentum and made for a premature end to an underwhelming era.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Everybody Does
House Of A Thousand Dreams
If I Had Your Name
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[bboat11]

I am shocked that "How I Feel" did this well here! I kinda figured it would leave right after "For These Times". But this ended up being a top 5 contender!

[bboat11]

If I was a fast train, I would be speedin’,

 Smokin’ and steamin’ with a hell of a sound. 

If I was a gambler, I’d go for the quick win.

 I’d cash all my chips in and get outta town.

5. "If I Had Your Name"

Track #1

Runtime: 3:43

Songwriters: Gordie Sampson, Steve McEwan, Hillary Lindsey

Vocal Range: F#3 - B4



Total: 99
Average: 5.82
Std Dev: 3.43 (3rd largest!!!)


dub - 1
Troublemaker - 2
d3vin44 - 2
George Strait Junkie - 3
.indulgecountry - 4
SHOOTER - 4
Kanenrá:ke - 4
soulfulwings - 4
DistrictTwelve - 5
Cody Wants Out... - 5
castleoblivion26 - 6
born - 7
fearlessarrow - 8
bboat11 - 11
cerulean - 11
BlueShades874 - 11
someguy - 11


@adam1995
codyj100
kansasmeetsmo
tim
BackwoodsBarbie
Leo ✔


Kicking off our top 5, we have the opening song for the album. And I have to be honest, I am always a little surprised how much love this one gets! The first time I heard this, I thought the melody was extremely clunky. It has improved on me through the years, to the point where I would probably give it an A- if I had to grade it, but unfortunately it is still a weak point for me on the album. Which is disappointing to me, because usually track 1 is one of the best songs on an album!

That being said, I love that people seem to love this song so much! That means it does its job of hooking people in and making them pay attention to the rest of the album, whether it immediately hooked me or not! If this is a song that makes people take notice, then Martina definitely did the right thing by recording it!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Anyway
Everybody Does
House Of A Thousand Dreams
Tryin’ To Find A Reason

[bboat11]

OMG as I finished typing up the reveal for "If I Had Your Name", as soon as the song finished playing, "Everybody Does" came on next on shuffle. Now, I recently set my iTunes to overlap songs by like 5 seconds. Anyway, the weird drum thing that finishes this song lined up perfectly with the drum fill at the start of "Everybody Does", and it was just so epic I felt like I HAD to share!

[.indulgecountry]

Glad to see "How I Feel" miss the Top 5! I definitely agree it was a generic song and wrecked her momentum for the era. "Everybody Does" really would've been a much better choice.

Mar 9, 2018 0:04:16 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

OMG as I finished typing up the reveal for "If I Had Your Name", as soon as the song finished playing, "Everybody Does" came on next on shuffle. Now, I recently set my iTunes to overlap songs by like 5 seconds. Anyway, the weird drum thing that finishes this song lined up perfectly with the drum fill at the start of "Everybody Does", and it was just so epic I felt like I HAD to share!

Does that ever cause issues? Like for a song where the ending is abrupt and the song that follows it is a cold open? I feel like this could be funny if the right songs got played back-to-back, lol. :kii:

[bboat11]

Mar 9, 2018 0:09:34 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Glad to see "How I Feel" miss the Top 5! I definitely agree it was a generic song and wrecked her momentum for the era. "Everybody Does" really would've been a much better choice.

Mar 9, 2018 0:04:16 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

OMG as I finished typing up the reveal for "If I Had Your Name", as soon as the song finished playing, "Everybody Does" came on next on shuffle. Now, I recently set my iTunes to overlap songs by like 5 seconds. Anyway, the weird drum thing that finishes this song lined up perfectly with the drum fill at the start of "Everybody Does", and it was just so epic I felt like I HAD to share!

Does that ever cause issues? Like for a song where the ending is abrupt and the song that follows it is a cold open? I feel like this could be funny if the right songs got played back-to-back, lol.

Lol it actually hasn't caused any issues yet! 'Cause 5 seconds really just cuts out a lot of the quiet time that would happen at the beginning and end of a song anyway. When I've been listening to Waking Up Laughing recently, the first line of "I'll Still Be Me" sometimes starts unexpectedly early, but really it's never been in a place that sounds bad or anything. Lol usually it's pretty cool actually!

[SHOOTER]

I’ll take that PR for #6 and IIHYN was an instant favorite so I’m really glad it’s in the top-5!

[castleoblivion26]

My top 4 is the Top 4 which I'm happy with as all 4 songs are amazing! Hopefully I can get a perfect ranking for all 4! They are all great songs.

"How I Feel" will forever be a sore spot for me because it really derailed this era and it only got ruined further with "For These Times" afterwards. The 3 songs in the Top 4 that were not singles would have been better singles instead.

[born]

Aw I like all of these songs a lot. "How I Feel" is one of my favorite Martina discoveries since the first RD I did. :(

My #1 made it (yay) but I can see it leaving first.

[Kanenrá:ke]

Kinda hoping we can have an top 3 consisting of all album tracks at this point!

[d3vin44]

LOVE "If I Had Your Name"! I was telling bboat11 when I submitted that the production and instrumentation sound like a Sara Evans song. The song that comes to mind mostly is "You Don't". The long outtro and whatnot. I really connected with this song, so I am glad to see it do well!

[Kanenrá:ke]

Hey that's a good comparison, I've never made that connection in my mind. But I can see what you're saying!

[someguy]

I was hoping "Love Land" would have at least made the top 5, but this is such a strong album that I guess I can see it leaving at #7. I was definitely hoping that it would have made it higher than "How I Feel" and "If I Had Your Name", though. A top 3 of all album tracks would be interesting, but I'm not sure I see "Anyway" going out next. I think "Trying To Find A Reason" most likely #4.

[bboat11]

I would like to finish this one tonight!! I have to go make my lesson plan for tomorrow first though... So I am gonna go do that, and then come finish up here! Check back in about an hour if you want to see the resolution of this wonderful RD!

[bboat11]

Yo fam, let's finish this up!!!! Who's ready?





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