Faith Hill Album Series - Finished!

[bboat11]

Y'all, I will just clarify that even though "One" and "Baby You Belong" are kind of ambiguous as to whether they count as singles, for our purposes I will be counting them as singles. So they will not be eligible for any potential album track rankdown in the future (assuming they even do well enough here to be considered... ) I already included them both in the singles rankdown, so in the spirit of variety it makes sense to not put them in an album tracks rankdown.

[.indulgecountry]

1) What will be #1? "Cry," easily, lol

2) What will be #16? Maybe "Unsaveable"

3) Which songs will be in the top 5? Cry and When the Lights Go Down for sure. Probably Stronger. I think You're Still Here and If This Is the End have a good shot as well.

4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing? Most: If You're Gonna Fly Away | Least: Cry

5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Cry, When The Lights Go Down, One, You're Still Here, Baby You Belong) "Cry" at #1

6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place? I hope it's "One" and it'll be somewhere around #8-10 is my guess.

7) Where will the bonus tracks finish? (Wicked, Shadows) "Wicked" just inside the top 10, and "Shadows" closer to the bottom.

8) What will be the highest-placing album track? Where will it place? "Stronger" in the top 5.

9) Any predictions for which 5 album tracks will place highest, making it into the album tracks rankdown??? Stronger, If This Is the End, This Is Me, Back to You, Wicked

10) Any other thoughts/predictions? "When the Lights Go Down" isn't gonna win this because of the title track, but I really hope that is comes in at #2!

[Troublemaker]

1) What will be #1?
Cry


2) What will be #16?
 I Think I Will


3) Which songs will be in the top 5?
Cry, When the Lights Go Down, Baby You Belong 


4) What song will be most polarizing? Least polarizing?
Most: I Think I Will; Least: Cry


5) Which of the singles will place highest? Where will it place? (Cry, When The Lights Go Down, One, You're Still Here, Baby You Belong)
Cry #1 although I won't be surprised if When the Lights Go Down appears to be a strong contender


6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place?
 You're Still Here hopefully bottom 5


7) Where will the bonus tracks finish? (Wicked, Shadows)
Hopefully top 10


8) What will be the highest-placing album track? Where will it place?
Free or Beautiful somewhere in the top 5


9) Any predictions for which 5 album tracks will place highest, making it into the album tracks rankdown???
Free, Beautiful, Stronger, Back to You, Wicked


10) Any other thoughts/predictions? This is a really strong album. Depending on my mood, (with the exception of Cry and When the Lights Go Down) the other songs can be interchanged. I still think When the Lights Go Down would have been nominated in 2004 for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and probably won assuming we lived in a fair world...

[tim]

1) What will be #1? I'd be shocked if "Cry" doesn't win

2) What will be #16? The hot mess that is "One" can exit first please

3) Which songs will be in the top 5? "When the Lights Go Down", "Stronger", "This Is Me", "If This Is the End", and "You're Still Here"

4) What song will be most polarizing? "Unsaveable" Least polarizing? "Cry"

5) Which of the singles will place highest and where will it place? "Cry" for the win followed by "When The Lights Go Down" at #2

6) Which of the singles will place lowest and where will it place? "One" and hopefully last

7) Where will the bonus tracks finish? "Stronger" inside the top 10 and "Wicked" near the bottom

8) What will be the highest-placing album track and where will it place? "Stronger" inside the top 5

9) Any predictions for which 5 album tracks will place highest, making it into the album tracks rankdown??? "Stronger", "If This Is the End", "This Is Me", "If You're Gonna Fly Away", and "Back to You"

10) Any other thoughts/predictions? I hadn't listened to this album since it came out as it never really was one that I liked much back in the day, but after revisiting the songs there were a few album tracks that I ended up really enjoying especially one in particular which I hope makes it inside the top 5.

[.indulgecountry]

Jul 14, 2019 19:42:01 GMT -5 tim said:

1) What will be #1? I'd be shocked if "Cry" doesn't win

3) Which songs will be in the top 5? "When the Lights Go Down", "Stronger", "This Is Me", "If This Is the End", and "You're Still Here"

I love that you think "Cry" is going to win without even making the top 5. :kii:

[bboat11]

Hey you guys! Sorry for the delay. I have been without internet for multiple weeks now. I have been running to Starbucks a lot lately to finish reveals for the Martina McBride Extras rankdown, but have not been able to start this one yet.

Well...my internet is finally being reinstalled at home tomorrow!!!!!!!! Yasssssssssss!!!!!!!! I will actually be able to start this one tomorrow, in the comfort of my own home!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anybody else has any other predictions to make, this is your final night to do so :)

[bboat11]

One of our predictors is about to be SHOCKED by the last-place reveal!!

[SHOOTER]

👀 🍿

[bboat11]

Jul 14, 2019 9:25:06 GMT -5 Troublemaker said:

8) What will be the highest-placing album track? Where will it place?
Free or Beautiful somewhere in the top 5


9) Any predictions for which 5 album tracks will place highest, making it into the album tracks rankdown???
Free, Beautiful, Stronger, Back to You, Wicked

---

I love how soft you touch my skin,

Like you're touching the wings of a butterfly.

I wish we could just lock ourselves away in a room

Where there was no such thing as time.

16. "Beautiful"

Track #5
Runtime: 4:42
Songwriters: Chris Lindsey, Aimee Mayo, Shaye Smith



Total: 199
Average: 12.44
Std Dev: 3.31


ClevelandRox - 6
Troublemaker - 6
Kanenrá:ke - 9
.indulgecountry - 11
Cody Wants Out... - 11
tim - 12
austin - 12
BlueShades874 - 12
bboat11 - 13
codyj100 - 13
castleoblivion26 - 15
SHOOTER - 15
The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 - 16
someguy - 16
@xfer - 16
dub - 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
I Think I Will
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
One
Shadows
Stronger
This Is Me
Unsaveable
When The Lights Go Down
Wicked
You’re Still Here

[SHOOTER]

Something told me this would be last place. I still don’t know WHAT to make of this song. That spoken word monologue is just “talent portion of a beauty pageant awful”.

[bboat11]

With very little competition, "Beautiful" manages to be the first song to leave us out of the entire Faith Hill album series. I am not especially surprised by this result, as this song was the only song on the entire album to not be mentioned by anybody who submitted album tracks for the singles rankdown. Literally every other song on the album got some acknowledgement... Lol

Personally, I don't find anything especially bad about "Beautiful". I like the softer instrumentation and chorus as a counterbalance to some of the "bigger" ballads of the album. However, I can totally see where the talking parts would be a turnoff for people. I don't think this is anywhere close to being the worst on the album, but I'm not terribly surprised to see it here.

[bboat11]

[bboat11]

Lightning flash, and the flesh so warm,

In an arc of beauty busy being born.

Skin on skin, and my heart is torn

From the tour of duty.

Heaven is here, and here's my home.

She is seated on the holy throne

'Neath the cherub on the tread of dawn;

Unnerving beauty.

15. "Wicked"

Track #15
Runtime: 4:04
Songwriters: Steve McEwan




Total: 185
Average: 11.56
Std Dev: 3.52


Troublemaker - 5
Kanenrá:ke - 7
.indulgecountry - 7
dub - 7
Cody Wants Out... - 10
codyj100 - 11
castleoblivion26 - 11
someguy - 11
ClevelandRox - 13
@xfer - 13
bboat11 - 14
tim - 15
austin - 15
BlueShades874 - 15
The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 - 15
SHOOTER - 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
I Think I Will
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
One
Shadows
Stronger
This Is Me
Unsaveable
When The Lights Go Down
You’re Still Here

[bboat11]

Next, the first of two bonus tracks leaves us. "Wicked" was released exclusively on Japanese versions of the album for some weird reason that I would love to hear about from anybody who knows. This song has extremely interesting lyrics! The images portrayed by a lot of them are just so vivid and picturesque! However, I have never been a huge fan of the melody to this one.

[SHOOTER]

I had never heard this one and then saw it as a b-side and Japanese bonus tracks and the lyrics read like someone took a Japanese song and ran it through the Google Translator. WTF is she even singing about? Mess!

[bboat11]

I don't know what haunts you, baby,

The ghosts that you fight with alone at night.

The fears that confront you,

I wanna see you from every side.

14. "Shadows"

Track #16

Runtime: 4:29

Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Troy Verges, Austin Cunningham

Total: 184
Average: 11.50
Std Dev: 2.85 (3rd smallest!!)


@xfer - 7
codyj100 - 8
tim - 8
bboat11 - 9
Troublemaker - 10
Kanenrá:ke - 10
.indulgecountry - 10
dub - 10
SHOOTER - 12
castleoblivion26 - 13
BlueShades874 - 13
ClevelandRox - 14
The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 - 14
Cody Wants Out... - 15
someguy - 15
austin - 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
I Think I Will
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
One
Stronger
This Is Me
Unsaveable
When The Lights Go Down
You’re Still Here

[SHOOTER]

This was cute but no. Next!

[bboat11]

"Shadows" is one that I had never heard of until like a couple days before I launched this rankdown... Lol. This was the official B-side to "Cry", and is a song that ended up not even making the final album. It is a pretty good song, imo. One that has grown on me every time I have listened to it. However, on an album as ballad-heavy as this one is, I can see why this might be a song they decided to cut from the tracklist before officially releasing the album.

[bboat11]

Now that the bonus tracks are gone, we return to our regularly scheduled programming in 3... 2...

[bboat11]

Jul 19, 2019 0:27:24 GMT -5 bboat11 said:

Now that the bonus tracks are gone, we return to our regularly scheduled programming in 3... 2...

Love is strong, but it's so easy to divide.

So boy, let's think about how much is on the line.

13. "One"

Track #3
Runtime: 5:20
Songwriters: Annie Roboff, Bekka Bramlett, Billy Burnette

Placement in the Singles Rankdown: #37 out of 40





Total: 177
Average: 11.06
Std Dev: 4.57


SHOOTER - 4
The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 - 4
Cody Wants Out... - 4
austin - 6
@xfer - 8
someguy - 10
dub - 11
.indulgecountry - 12
castleoblivion26 - 12
Troublemaker - 13
BlueShades874 - 14
codyj100 - 15
tim - 16
bboat11 - 16
Kanenrá:ke - 16
ClevelandRox - 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
I Think I Will
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
Stronger
This Is Me
Unsaveable
When The Lights Go Down
You’re Still Here

[SHOOTER]

Well. At least The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 Cody Wants Out... and austin have taste.

If you listen to this album and think this song is among the worst, remind me to never try your chicken or potato salad. 😷

[bboat11]

Oooo, ClevelandRox is liking things!!!! Does that mean we'll actually get somebody other than SHOOTER commenting??!

[bboat11]

Jul 19, 2019 0:34:14 GMT -5 SHOOTER said:

Well. At least The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 and austin have taste.

If you listen to this album and think this song is among the worst, remind me to never try your chicken or potato salad. 😷

What is this shade towards Cody Wants Out... though???!!?!

[bboat11]

What can I say about "One"... I just find the melody to be extremely grating. This is probably the furthest thing from country music on the album, so it kinda makes sense that in a room full of country music fans this would be collectively placed towards the end of the list.

[bboat11]

Gonna change 'fore I break,

Gonna take your heartache and make it mine

This time.

Oh I, I think I will.

I'm gonna run 'til I find

Another way to make you mine

In time.

Oh I, I think I will.

12. "I Think I Will"

Track #13
Runtime: 4:08
Songwriters: Steve Robson, Anthony Smith



Total: 158
Average: 9.88
Std Dev: 4.21


castleoblivion26 - 3
SHOOTER - 5
BlueShades874 - 5
ClevelandRox - 5
bboat11 - 6
Cody Wants Out... - 7
someguy - 9
dub - 9
@xfer - 12
The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 - 13
austin - 13
.indulgecountry - 13
codyj100 - 14
tim - 14
Kanenrá:ke - 14
Troublemaker - 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
Stronger
This Is Me
Unsaveable
When The Lights Go Down
You’re Still Here

[bboat11]

"I Think I Will" was done DIRTY here. I could not believe how many low ranks poured in for this one! This song starts a little weird, but I think the chorus to this song is one of the catchiest on the album! One of my favorite things about this song is how the verses are very pop-leaning, with the weird flute and pop-leaning drum beats, but then as she launches into the chorus there is suddenly a wall of electric guitars strumming along behind her bringing out a hint of rock influence. That's one of my favorite subtle production decisions on the album, tbh

[bboat11]

'Cause baby, I cried a little too hard

A little too long.

What I thought was right

Was way too wrong,

And too far gone.

I can't bring back the love.

There just ain't enough

Available.

Impossible.

Unsaveable.

11. "Unsaveable"

Track #6

Runtime: 3:51

Songwriters: Bekka Bramlett, Bobby Terry



Total: 156
Average: 9.75
Std Dev: 4.75 (2nd largest!!)


BlueShades874 - 2
The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 - 3
austin - 4
Kanenrá:ke - 5
SHOOTER - 6
someguy - 8
Troublemaker - 8
bboat11 - 10
tim - 10
codyj100 - 12
dub - 13
Cody Wants Out... - 14
@xfer - 14
ClevelandRox - 15
castleoblivion26 - 16
.indulgecountry - 16

SPOILER: Click to show

{Songs Remaining}
Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
Stronger
This Is Me
When The Lights Go Down
You’re Still Here

[SHOOTER]

I Think I Will is catchy AF! And I knew Unsaveable would die quickly but it’s a guilty pleasure nonetheless.

This album has aged terribly though so I’m not really surprised about any of this. Wine is helping!

[bboat11]

"Unsaveable" is a catchy song, with a chorus that is just super memorable. Results were mixed on whether that is a good thing or not though, as this song ended up being the 2nd-most polarizing song of the rankdown. BlueShades874 becomes the first person to take a hit to their top 2, while The Brazilian Guy 🇧🇷 joins him as one of the first to lose their #3 after castleoblivion26 suffered a similar fate with "I Think I Will". On the flip side, castleoblivion26 and .indulgecountry both finally lose their last place!

[bboat11]

With that, here is our top 10!!!!!!! I think I'll pause here and give our sleepers a chance to catch up :)

Baby You Belong
Back To You
Cry
Free
If This Is The End
If You’re Gonna Fly Away
Stronger
This Is Me
When The Lights Go Down
You’re Still Here