Martina McBride Album Series Rankdowns

[bboat11]

The phone rings, I pick it up 

And nobody’s on the line. 

I know she’s waitin’ for you. 

She’s just bidin’ her time. 

You’d have me believe it’s just a night out with your friends. 

Boy, I know you’re goin’ back to see her again.

5. "Life #9"

Track #8
Runtime: 4:04
Songwriters: Kostas, Tony Perez
Vocal Range: B3 - A4



Total: 89
Average: 5.93
Std Dev: 2.49


George Strait Junkie - 2
Cody Wants Out... - 2
SHOOTER - 3
.indulgecountry - 4
dub - 4
BlueShades874 - 5
kansasmeetsmo - 6
tim - 7
castleoblivion26 - 7
fearlessarrow - 7
Troublemaker - 7
Kanenrá:ke - 8
bboat11 - 8
g8erboi - 9
someguy - 10


d3vin44

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Independence Day
My Baby Loves Me
Strangers
Where I Used To Have A Heart

[.indulgecountry]

"Life #9" out before "Where I Used to Have a Heart"?

[bboat11]

We say goodbye to another single with "Life #9". This uptempo song about a woman who knows her man is cheating, but he doesn't quite know that she knows, is a rare moment in Martina's catalog similar to "Heart Trouble". What I mean is that this is a super stereotypically '90s two-stepping jam, both of which were territories which Martina never explored super heavily as an artist. The difference between this and "Heart Trouble", of course, is that this was Martina's 2nd top 10 hit of her career, while the latter was a flop.

Interestingly enough, Martina herself never really seemed to like this song. I don't remember where I heard that, but I'm pretty sure she has said that this is one of her least favorite of her songs. And that fact is pretty apparent thanks to the fact that she has basically paid this song dust over the course of her career. Once it left the charts as a single, she pretty much ignored it for the rest of her career. She finally dusted it off for her "Love Unleashed" tour in 2016, which is the first time I remember seeing it on a setlist. I have even seen random videos of her performing this live a few years ago, probably a spur-of-the-moment thing thanks to a fan request, and she couldn't remember many of the words

This song was trending like it was going to finish in the back half, around the 7-8 range, so the fact that it managed to fight its way into the top 5 with the final list is pretty impressive!

[kansasmeetsmo]

Oct 23, 2018 21:38:52 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Interestingly enough, Martina herself never really seemed to like this song. I don't remember where I heard that, but I'm pretty sure she has said that this is one of her least favorite of her songs. And that fact is pretty apparent thanks to the fact that she has basically paid this song dust over the course of her career. Once it left the charts as a single, she pretty much ignored it for the rest of her career. She finally dusted it off for her "Love Unleashed" tour in 2016, which is the first time I remember seeing it on a setlist. I have even seen random videos of her performing this live a few years ago, probably a spur-of-the-moment thing thanks to a fan request, and she couldn't remember many of the words

I am pretty certain that in the Greatest Hits linear notes Martina and Paul Worley both said that it has never been their favorite song a they were chasing the line dancing craze. And then something about that they were happy they recorded it because it was out of Martina's comfort zone or something like that.                                                                                                             

[tim]

I was really hoping “She Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet” would make the top 5 because it’s such a great song that is very reminiscent of the sound and production of country music during the mid 90’s. I’m also a sucker for the steel guitar which is featured predominantly during the chorus and last half of the song.

I like “Life #9” more now than I used to but it still isn’t one of my favorite singles by Martina. That said it’s still a catchy number that I find gets stuck in your head after hearing it.

Now about “Where I Used to Have a Heart”...

[Cody Wants Out...]

I remember reading about Martina calling "Life #9" a disco song, which I found kinda strange as I really like disco.

Maybe it'll do better than barely making the top half in the '94 Country RD?

[fearlessarrow]

"Where I Used To Have a Heart" haterz (I know you don't hate the song, but you know) can stay pressed.

[bboat11]

There were times when I would hold you 

And feel the poundin’ in my chest. 

And now I’m just as empty

 As a canyon way out west. 

That’s how deep I loved you. 

Babe, I love you still,

To the bottom of this space I’ll never fill.

4. "Where I Used To Have A Heart"

Track #5
Runtime: 3:50
Songwriters: Craig Bickhardt
Vocal Range: G3 - C5



Total: 88
Average: 5.87
Std Dev: 2.20


Troublemaker - 2
g8erboi - 3
kansasmeetsmo - 4
castleoblivion26 - 4
Cody Wants Out... - 5
fearlessarrow - 5
someguy - 5
.indulgecountry - 6
dub - 6
George Strait Junkie - 7
SHOOTER - 7
Kanenrá:ke - 7
tim - 8
BlueShades874 - 9
bboat11 - 10

d3vin44

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Independence Day
My Baby Loves Me
Strangers

[bboat11]

I had no clue what to expect from "Where I Used To Have a Heart" in this rankdown, and tbh I also have no clue what to expect if we were to do this rankdown again... This song had carved a clear niche for itself in the bottom 2 of this album, alongside "Heart Trouble", which imo is pretty fitting. However, a slurry of last-minute love helped this song to launch all the way up to #4...

I have no idea if more submissions would have ultimately helped it, or if it would have made it fall back down again. All we know it that it bows out here, and was never even close to making it any higher! Which should not be a surprise, considering the 3 songs that are left

[g8erboi]

I am SO glad that Strangers has made it this far.

I'm predicting:
3. My Baby Loves Me
2. Strangers
1. Independence Day

[tim]

“Where I Used To Have A Heart” barely squeaked into the top 60 in Martina’s artist rankdown and peaked just inside the top 50 back in early 1995, and yet somehow it was able to muster a top 4 showing here

Lyrically the song is ok but personally I’ve always found the song to be a disappointing snoozefest.

[castleoblivion26]

While I agree that "Where I Used To Have A Heart" probably should never have been a single I love the song. The lyrics are incredible, and Martina's performance of it is chilling. I love it and am glad to see it in the Top 4!

[bboat11]

Sorry I didn't finish this last night. I totally meant to, but then I fell asleep, and then my dad had dinner ready, and it all got out of hand from there...

[bboat11]

Two strangers passing in the hallway 

Barely touch each other’s heart.

 Now they’re pretending, 

Two shadows blending,

 But they’re a million miles apart.

3. "Strangers"

Track #9

Runtime: 3:22

Songwriters: Bobby Braddock

Vocal Range: G3 - D5



Total: 71
Average: 4.73
Std Dev: 2.09 (3rd smallest!!)


g8erboi - 2
bboat11 - 2
kansasmeetsmo - 3
Cody Wants Out... - 3
dub - 3
Troublemaker - 4
fearlessarrow - 4
BlueShades874 - 4
Kanenrá:ke - 5
castleoblivion26 - 6
someguy - 6
SHOOTER - 6
tim - 6
.indulgecountry - 8
George Strait Junkie - 9


d3vin44

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Independence Day
My Baby Loves Me

[fearlessarrow]

Totally deserved that top album track placement. The top 2 was predictable but what it should be probably.

[.indulgecountry]

"Strangers" is good but overrated. I'm glad that "My Baby Loves Me" was able to wind up ahead of it.

[bboat11]

And he thinks I’m pretty, he thinks I’m smart.
He likes my nerve and he loves my heart.
He’s always sayin’ he’s my biggest fan.
My baby loves me just the way that I am.

2. "My Baby Loves Me"

Track #2
Runtime: 2:37
Songwriters: Gretchen Peters
Vocal Range: B3 - B4

Total: 46
Average: 3.07
Std Dev: 1.83 (2nd smallest!!!)


dub - 1
BlueShades874 - 1
George Strait Junkie - 1
fearlessarrow - 2
castleoblivion26 - 2
someguy - 2
SHOOTER - 2
bboat11 - 3
Troublemaker - 3
Kanenrá:ke - 3
Cody Wants Out... - 4
tim - 4
.indulgecountry - 5
g8erboi - 6
kansasmeetsmo - 7

d3vin44

---

Let freedom ring.
Let the white dove sing.
Let the whole world know that today
Is a day of reckoning.
Let the weak be strong,
Let the right be wrong.
Roll the stone away,
Let the guilty pay.
It’s Independence Day.

1. "Independence Day"

Track #4
Runtime: 3:25
Songwriters: Gretchen Peters
Vocal Range: E3 - E5

Total: 19
Average: 1.27
Std Dev: 0.59 (Smallest!!!!!)


fearlessarrow - 1
castleoblivion26 - 1
someguy - 1
SHOOTER - 1
bboat11 - 1
Troublemaker - 1
Kanenrá:ke - 1
Cody Wants Out... - 1
tim - 1
.indulgecountry - 1
g8erboi - 1
kansasmeetsmo - 1
dub - 2
BlueShades874 - 2
George Strait Junkie - 3

[bboat11]

And there it is! The finish that literally everybody expected! Not only did "Independence Day" win, but it absolutely curb-stomped the rest of the album! With 12/15 participants ranking it at #1, this might be the highest percentage of participants to ever rank the #1 correctly in a rankdown, and everybody else ranked it at #2 or #3. It was also the least polarizing song on the album, by a long shot.

The iconic status of this song is 100% deserved. This song is the reason we even know who Martina McBride is today, imo. She was doing pretty well at the time with other songs and seeming to break through, like "My Baby Loves Me" and "Life #9", but none of those have had the long-term impact on the country music industry that "Independence Day" has, and wouldn't have done much to help cement her as a superstar that will be remembered as one of the top 10 female country artists of all time. Not to mention that the melody is absolutely perfect for getting stuck in your head. "Let freedom ring" is one of the simplest yet most effective intros to a chorus out of any song I have ever heard from any artist. This is one of those timeless songs that will simply never grow old, and I am SO thankful that this song fell into the capable hands of Martina. I truly can't imagine anybody else doing this one justice the way that she did.

Thank you to everybody who participated, despite the overall anticlimactic finish that this one was always guaranteed to have!

[bboat11]

Alright folks, I have created a poll to help us decide which album to do next! I can't believe this series is so close to being done...  ???  Emotion versus Everlasting. Two incredible, yet very different, albums

Emotion is the first album she put out as a mega-star, riding high on her major breakthrough success that was the Evolution era, paired with lead single "I Love You" being a smash hit that topped the country charts for 5 weeks straight. It helped her wrap up the '90s on a strong note and kick off the '00s with a bang. It is widely regarded as one of her best albums, and tbh I am shocked we haven't gotten to it yet! She just has so many high-quality albums I guess.

Everlasting, on the other hand, is the independently-released soul/R&B covers album that she released for fun in 2014 as an acknowledgement that if radio was done with her then she was done with them, and would start simply recording whatever the hell she wanted to for the rest of her career. The album debuted at #1 on the country albums chart, giving Martina a record as the only female to have an independently-released album hit #1 on that chart.

Other than those albums, we also have a Christmas rankdown in the near future, but I want to try to plow through at least one of these albums before we take a detour into White Christmas and It's The Holiday Season :)

[tim]

Not at all surprised to see "Independence Day" run away with the win as it has become one of her signature songs and an iconic hit from the 90's overall. "My Baby Loves Me" remains a favorite of radio to this day and I couldn't even count the number of times I still hear this played on radio weekly lol.

Looking forward to the next album whatever it might be and since I've never listened to Everlasting that will be a first for me. I'm more so looking forward to the Christmas albums! I may forgo my small personal Christmas rankdown in that case since I'm not sure Pulse can handle that much holiday music at once but I'll wait and see...I personally can't get enough Christmas music so the more the merrier

[.indulgecountry]

*pretends to be shocked by the outcome*

Despite the lack of suspense, the only deserving and 100% correct winner was "Independence Day" here, so I'm pleased. It's impressive to see that 12/15 put it at #1, and the other three deviated for the runner-up as their #1. Such a small spread, lol.

[castleoblivion26]

Oct 27, 2018 9:17:06 GMT -5 tim said:

Not at all surprised to see "Independence Day" run away with the win as it has become one of her signature songs and an iconic hit from the 90's overall. "My Baby Loves Me" remains a favorite of radio to this day and I couldn't even count the number of times I still hear this played on radio weekly lol.

Looking forward to the next album whatever it might be and since I've never listened to Everlasting that will be a first for me. I'm more so looking forward to the Christmas albums! I may forgo my small personal Christmas rankdown in that case since I'm not sure Pulse can handle that much holiday music at once but I'll wait and see...I personally can't get enough Christmas music so the more the merrier

I have a feeling there are gonna be a lot of Christmas rankdowns this year but I say do it. I do love Christmas music myself so I'm excited to check out some new Christmas music myself. I'm gonna be doing Patty Loveless' and Jo Dee Messina's Christmas albums myself. Pushing Lee Ann Womack's until next year though.


Anyway, "Independence Day" was the only correct #1 and I don't have to block anyone for ranking it lower than 5 since no one did lol. I am happy to see "Stranger" do so well, it really should have been a single over the only bad song on this album ("Heart Trouble").

I REALLY hope we get to Emotion next because that album is just phenomenal and in my opinion is her best album from beginning to end. Not a bad song on the entire album, though I'll probably cry when the same fools that ranked "That Wasn't Me" tank "From The Ashes" (anyone who tanks that song is dead to me...)

[.indulgecountry]

Emotion next please. Everlasting can be the last album we do because meh.

[bboat11]

Alright, the results are in!!!

[bboat11]

We have a clear winner for next album!

[bboat11]

(I may or may not be just making filler posts so that I can get to a new page.)

[bboat11]

Jk, I TOTALLY am.

[bboat11]

This page feels like it has 100 posts on it already...

[bboat11]

Seriously, it goes on forever...

[bboat11]

Alright, this one oughtta do it! Typing up the album right now!!