Martina McBride Album Series Rankdowns

[.indulgecountry]

Lol @ "Wearing White" still being in. What kinda mess...

[tim]

Jul 5, 2018 21:19:43 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

Lol @ "Wearing White" still being in. What kinda mess...

You literally read my mind...how is this still in?!

[bboat11]

Lol "Wearing White" is buzzed about as a missed single opportunity moreso than just about any other song in her entire career, other than the obvious "Strangers". I'm surprised that anybody is surprised to see it still in!

[bboat11]

So the world could not see all the demons in me,

I told myself I was free.

8. "Learning To Fall"

Track #10

Runtime: 3:58

Songwriters: Bill Deasy, Odie Blackmon

Vocal Range: G3 - D5



Total: 127
Average: 7.06
Std Dev: 3.19


castleoblivion26 - 2
kansasmeetsmo - 2
aerodynamite - 4
austin - 4
fearlessarrow - 4
SHOOTER - 4
g8erboi - 5
.indulgecountry - 7
bboat11 - 7
d3vin44 - 8
Kanenrá:ke - 9
dub - 9
someguy - 9
Troublemaker 9
tim - 10
codyj100 - 11
Cody Wants Out... - 11
cerulean - 12


Unfortunately for castleoblivion26 and kansasmeetsmo, their #2 is bowing out next. "Learning To Fall" is a song that I had no idea what to expect from. I was a little surprised how much love it got, because I have never really heard anybody talk about it! However, this is definitely an often overlooked gem in her catalog, so I am so glad this managed to be one of the top 4 album tracks at the very least, even if it could only make it to #8 in the overall rankdown.

This song was a very difficult song to follow and predict, because as you can see it bounced around both in and out of the top 5 quite constantly throughout the submission process. It was on pace for a top 5 finish, but unfortunately our final submission from codyj100 booted it backwards to the lowest position it had occupied at any point during the submission process.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
City Of Love
God’s Will
How Far
In My Daughter’s Eyes
So Magical
This One’s For The Girls
Wearing White

[castleoblivion26]

I debated having this as my #1 over what I did put at #1 so I am very sad to see it out already. This is a great song and Martina sounds amazing, as always

[bboat11]

I feel like I could fly
When I see the world through these eyes.

7. "So Magical"

Track #1

Runtime: 3:52

Songwriters: Brett James, Angelo Petraglia, Hillary Lindsey

Vocal Range: F3 - E♭5

Total: 124
Average: 6.89
Std Dev: 2.25 (2nd smallest)


bboat11 - 3
kansasmeetsmo - 4
d3vin44 - 4
Kanenrá:ke - 4
fearlessarrow - 6
SHOOTER - 6
tim - 6
cerulean - 6
castleoblivion26 - 7
someguy - 7
Cody Wants Out... - 7
aerodynamite - 8
Troublemaker 8
codyj100 - 8
austin - 10
g8erboi - 10
.indulgecountry - 10
dub - 10


Ugh, the amount of perfect album tracks that are leaving this rankdown before some of the most lackluster hits of her entire career is absolutely not okay... This song started out (rightfully) being a top 3 contender, and then (wrongfully) managed to plummet for the entirety of the submission process... With a #7 finish, it managed to finish at its lowest point.

Anyway, this song is one of the most perfect album lead-ins from Martina's entire career, imo. The overall vibe of the song is so sunny and bright, and the melody is infectious. The fiddle/pennywhistle combo works even better here than it did in "Happy Girl", imo, and I love that song too! This song absolutely should have outlasted both "God's Will" and "In My Daughter's Eyes".......... #judgingyou

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
City Of Love
God’s Will
How Far
In My Daughter’s Eyes
This One’s For The Girls
Wearing White

[tim]

Lyrically I enjoy “Leaning to Fall,” but this is one instance where I don’t like Martina’s voice fluctuation...she goes up for one or two words and then back down again for the next verse and back up again for another word. That’s all I could find myself focusing on when I was listening to the song so for that reason I had to put this one lower than I really wanted to.

[bboat11]

At this point, there are 6 songs remaining! Only one of them will miss the top 5. Which one should it be? Which one will it be?

City Of Love
God’s Will
How Far
In My Daughter’s Eyes
This One’s For The Girls
Wearing White

[tim]

^”Wearing White” please!

[Cody Wants Out...]

"In My Daughter's Eyes" please!

[g8erboi]

Should leave: City Of Love

Prob will leave: Wearing White

[castleoblivion26]

it should be "Wearing White". It will likely be "God's Will"

[Kanenrá:ke]

I'm hoping "This One's For The Girls" makes a surprising exit but it'll be my #1.

---

Also I feel so devastated watching my top 5 be destroyed lol but I was fully expecting this. This is hands down my favorite collection of album tracks from her. The single selection from this album didn't work for me at all.

[.indulgecountry]

"Wearing White" and "God's Will" have both overtayed.

[bboat11]

I never got to tell her that the boy showed me the truth. 

In crayon red, on notebook paper, 

He’d written, “Me and God love you.”

6. "God's Will"

Track #11

Runtime: 5:50

Songwriters: Barry Dean, Tom Douglas

Vocal Range: F#3 - C#5



Total: 121
Average: 6.72
Std Dev: 4.40 (1st largest!!!!)


codyj100 - 1
austin - 1
Cody Wants Out... - 2
Troublemaker 2
kansasmeetsmo - 3
g8erboi - 3
d3vin44 - 5
tim - 5
someguy - 5
Kanenrá:ke - 6
castleoblivion26 - 6
SHOOTER - 10
cerulean - 11
.indulgecountry - 11
bboat11 - 12
fearlessarrow - 12
aerodynamite - 13
dub - 13


Alas, just outside the top 5, the domination of the singles finally comes to an end! "God's Will" was the 4th and final single from this album, squeaking out a #16 peak before killing the era. It is now the first single to leave this rankdown.

Honestly, this is one of my least favorite single choices of Martina's entire career, for a variety of reasons. First of all, it came at a time where people were starting to criticize her for always belting and/or singing issue songs. "How Far" absolutely slays, but tbh it is one of her beltiest songs, and after it peaked I remember there being quite a bit of fatigue among the general country music community with regards to her belting. It was a perfect time for her to mix it up and throw people a curve ball. Which is partly why "Wearing White" is regarded as such a missed single opportunity. Instead, she decides to give us a song that is both a belting song AND an issue song! And while we're at it, let's make it almost 6 minutes long!

It would have been more forgivable if this song had been it's own big individual moment of childhood death within her career, but this song was ultimately less effective because "Concrete Angel" had already come literally 4 singles before this one... And that one tells a more impactful story. To make "God's Will" a single just feels like a foolish attempt to capture that same magic, which imo was a terrible idea within such a short time span (especially considering that "In My Daughter's Eyes" had already been released from this era, which is also slow and boring).

All that being said I do really enjoy "God's Will"! Unfortunately I was majorly soured on it because of it being a single. Had it stayed an album track, I would have no reason to be bitter towards it, because almost literally anything else on the album would have helped progress her momentum and set her up for a successful followup era...

Trajectory-wise, this song had a lot of ups and downs, and seemed to be trending in the lower top 10, but ultimately got lucky enough to finish on a high, just barely missing the top 5. It sees our first #1 losses of the rankdown, wiping out TWO of them for austin and codyj100. It also sees two #13 losses, as aerodynamite and dub finally both lose their last-place songs.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
City Of Love
How Far
In My Daughter’s Eyes
This One’s For The Girls
Wearing White

[bboat11]

At long last, here is your top 5! Feel free to make some predictions! I would like to finish this up tomorrow, if anybody's gonna be around


City Of Love
How Far
In My Daughter’s Eyes
This One’s For The Girls
Wearing White


Also, for all you "God's Will" lovers, that song managed to only miss the top 5 by ONE point... And in fact, #3 is only 4 points ahead of "God's Will"... So "God's Will" and the next 3 reveals were all neck-and-neck at the end!!

[fearlessarrow]

Oh thank goodness "God's Will" missed the top 5, it should've been out before some of the album tracks.

[bboat11]

I have also posted a poll at the top of the thread for us to determine our next album. Go ahead and vote when you get a chance! Then we'll know which album to get started on next as soon as we finish the top 5 reveal for this one

We're getting close to the end, folks! Just 5 more regular studio albums to go!

[SHOOTER]

1-2-3-5-8

Still not sure what all the disdain surrounding Wearing White is for; it was an instant favorite for me. With that said, can my 8 please die now? Thanks!

[austin]

#JusticeForWill #BagofLeaves #HalloweenNight #betterthanHowFar #willdontwalktoogood

[bboat11]

Jul 7, 2018 15:53:02 GMT -5 austin said:

#JusticeForWill #BagofLeaves #HalloweenNight #betterthanHowFar #willdontwalktoogood

[codyj100]

Damnit!!

Ooh shade thrown for “Learning To Fall.” Mmmhmm...

“God’s Will” is an EXTREMELY personal song for me. And therefore, will possibly always be my favorite Martina song. I don’t talk about it much, but I have Cerebral Palsy. (I don’t think this is what the character had, but we walk the same). Growing up, I had braces on my legs and every morning before school I would watch CMT. When this song was a single, this video was on every morning. I would say to my Mom, “that boy walks like me.” Listening back, I can now relate more. In my case, that’s all I really have in common with Will, though. I cry every time I hear this song and Martina begins “I never got to tell her...”

[.indulgecountry]

The Way That I Am is a great album but it has the most obvious winner of any of her albums, so I'd rather do that one at the end or close to it. Personally I'd prefer to do something like Timeless or Reckless next.

[codyj100]

Jul 7, 2018 17:50:27 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

The Way That I Am is a great album but it has the most obvious winner of any of her albums, so I'd rather do that one at the end or close to it. Personally I'd prefer to do something like Timeless or Reckless next.

I agree. And can we do the Christmas album at Christmas? Haha.

[castleoblivion26]

Jul 7, 2018 17:50:27 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

The Way That I Am is a great album but it has the most obvious winner of any of her albums, so I'd rather do that one at the end or close to it. Personally I'd prefer to do something like Timeless or Reckless next.

I actually just switched my vote for that reason. I'm interested to see how the Extras would play out as well as I really want to do Emotion because that is one of my favorites of hers and I can't believe we haven't done that one yet.

[bboat11]

Jul 7, 2018 18:53:56 GMT -5 castleoblivion26 said:

Jul 7, 2018 17:50:27 GMT -5 .indulgecountry said:

The Way That I Am is a great album but it has the most obvious winner of any of her albums, so I'd rather do that one at the end or close to it. Personally I'd prefer to do something like Timeless or Reckless next.

I actually just switched my vote for that reason. I'm interested to see how the Extras would play out as well as I really want to do Emotion because that is one of my favorites of hers and I can't believe we haven't done that one yet.

Yeah, tbh Emotion is the album that I am looking forward to the most. Out of all of her albums, that is also the one where I am having the most trouble trying to predict what the winner will be. It is one of her best albums from front to back, but none of the hits are ones that people immediately think of when they think of her (except "I Love You", which has enough haters to where I don't think it will be a contender). "Love's The Only House" probably has the best shot, but tbh I could see 2 or 3 album tracks having a fair shot this time as well! In contrast to Evolution, which is also super strong, but has like all of her biggest hits, so the album tracks never really had a shot.

[bboat11]

Y'all, I had promised to finish this today, but life got in the way. I will go ahead and reveal #5 tonight, and then we'll save the top 4 for tomorrow when more people can join in! :)

Coming up at #5, a song that was actually a last place contender for a portion of the submission process!!!

[SHOOTER]

*crosses fingers for my #8*

[bboat11]

In my daughter’s eyes I am a hero.

 I am strong and wise, and I know no fear. 

But the truth is plain to see. 

She was sent to rescue me.

 I see who I wanna be in my daughter’s eyes.

5. "In My Daughter's Eyes"

Track #9

Runtime: 3:15

Songwriters: James T. Slater

Vocal Range: F3 - C#5



Total: 120
Average: 6.67
Std Dev: 3.88 (2nd largest!!)


cerulean - 1
codyj100 - 2
d3vin44 - 2
someguy - 3
fearlessarrow - 3
Troublemaker 4
g8erboi - 4
Cody Wants Out... - 5
dub - 5
tim - 8
SHOOTER - 8
.indulgecountry - 8
Kanenrá:ke - 10
castleoblivion26 - 10
kansasmeetsmo - 11
bboat11 - 11
aerodynamite - 12
austin - 13


Let's kick off the top 5 with another hit leaving us! "In My Daughter's Eyes" is a beautiful ballad honoring the bond between a mother and daughter, and it has inspired a lot of people. Martina sounds incredible as always, especially when she launches into the bridge. And the orchestral arrangement helps this song stand out in a really good way.

That being said, I have never liked this song as a hit. I am still fatigued from hearing this on the radio all the time, and I am a huge Martina fan. Hell, I was TEN when this album era was happening, and I knew from the moment I heard this song that it would burn out on a lot of people if it was released to radio Lo and behold, it was released, and as far as I can tell its claim to fame is just that people either love it or hate it. They either praise it as one of her signature songs, or they cite it as a reason that they started to give up on her music for being too melodramatic and mothery... Lol with such a reputation, it's no surprise that this is the second most polarizing song on the album here.

This time austin gets to say goodbye to his #13, getting revenge for losing his #1 in the last reveal. cerulean, however, loses his #1. In total, 8 people lose a top 5 song here, which is undoubtedly what helped push this one over the edge at the last minute to get to the top 5. Similar to "God's Will", this one was up and down for most of the submissions, but seemed set to finish in the lower top 10. It is extremely lucky to get to #5.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
City Of Love
How Far
This One’s For The Girls
Wearing White

[SHOOTER]

Finally!!!