bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 8, 2020 20:30:52 GMT -5
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 9, 2020 1:23:28 GMT -5
Take Me As I Am Rankdown: Results Time!
Participants So Far: 14. fearlessarrow 15. TroublemakerHey, we made it to 15!! Not a bad turnout at all :) Thank you to those who joined in! This rankdown is now closed. Let's throw in some predictions before I get this started!
Questions to get us started:
1) What will be #1?
2) What will be #10?
3) Which songs will be 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? (Wild One, Piece Of My Heart, But I Will, Take Me As I Am)
6) Which of the singles will place lowest? Where will it place?
7) What will be the highest-placing album track? Where will it place?
8) Where will the title track, "Take Me As I Am", place?
8) Any other thoughts/predictions?
|
|
taylor is terrified
Diamond Member
Pulse’s #1 Conan Stan
Best Country Poster 2023 and 2x Woman of the Year!!!
Joined: October 2019
Posts: 16,407
Pronouns: he/they/she
|
Post by taylor is terrified on Feb 9, 2020 13:14:45 GMT -5
1) What will be #1? Probably a single; I can see "Piece Of My Heart" or "Wild One" possibly taking this2) What will be #10? "Go the Distance" or "Life's Too Short to Love Like That"?3) Which songs will be in the top 5? A couple of singles and a couple of album tracks (Or single bias could strike and leave only one album track at #5)4) What song will be most polarizing? I can see it being "I've Got This Friend" Least polarizing? Probably "Wild One" or "Piece Of My Heart"5) Which of the singles will place highest? "Wild One" or "Piece Of My Heart" Where will it place? I can see them winning (this is basically my answer to #1 reworded )6) Which of the singles will place lowest? "But I Will" Where will it place? Likely outside of the Top 5, but if it's in the Top 5, it could be #57) What will be the highest-placing album track? " I Would Be Stronger Than That" Where will it place? Hopefully in the Top 5 at least8) Where will the title track, "Take Me As I Am", place? Likely #38) Any other thoughts/predictions? This was a pretty solid album, and a fantastic debut! Of course it is tho, it's Faith Hill
|
|
jenglisbe
Diamond Member
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 35,550
|
Post by jenglisbe on Feb 9, 2020 13:51:45 GMT -5
Her cover of “Piece of My Heart” is terrible and should be near the bottom.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 10, 2020 0:52:08 GMT -5
I know it's late, but I'm gonna go ahead and start this one!
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 10, 2020 0:55:41 GMT -5
Coming up in last place...we already lose somebody's #2!!!
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 10, 2020 1:01:25 GMT -5
Something in your touch Took me back a long way And made me say the wrong name. I wish I could explain. But if I had to tell you Where a small resemblance lies, It's something in your touch, And just around the eyes.
10. "Just Around The Eyes"
Track #8 Runtime: 3:07
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 10, 2020 1:04:16 GMT -5
Unfortunately for Kanenrá:ke, RobbyFlorida, and taylor is terrified, they start this rankdown with a tragic top 5 loss. Personally, I think this song was robbed!!! Faith's voice is SO pretty on this song. Plus the way that melody jumps up towards the end of a verse/phrase helps make this a pretty catchy ballad, at least to me. However, nearly HALF of the participants put this in last place, so that proved to be just a bit too much for this to overcome... It was able to for awhile, but the last several lists very much sealed its fate.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 10, 2020 1:10:42 GMT -5
I've got this friend. Yeah, I think I know her. My arms can almost feel the way he'd hold her. It's like he's here when you describe him, And if he's anything like you, I know she'd like him.
9. "I've Got This Friend" - ft. Larry Stewart
Track #5 Runtime: 3:46 Songwriters: Faith Hill, Bruce Burch, Vern Dant
|
|
|
Post by tim on Feb 10, 2020 1:15:05 GMT -5
Oh two perfect rankings?! I’ll take them.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 10, 2020 1:19:28 GMT -5
"I've Got This Friend" was an interesting one to watch. It started out as the primary contender for last place, thanks to back-to-back #10s from someguy and myself. However, as lists poured in it made a spectacular recovery! It made it as high as #5 in the middle of the submission process, before losing its footing and tumbling back down thankfully. Now, that recovery to #5 is not quite THAT impressive, nor is the rapid fall back to #9, because if you recall my hints in the reminders, I mentioned that everything between like #5 and #10 was within like 4 points of each other or something like that. I was hoping for enough lists to come in that we started to achieve some consistency, but it didn't really happen for most of the back half of this list. Personally, I find this song to be the clear weak link on this album. The lyrics are pretty cool, with their play on the whole "asking for a friend" mantra, using the phrase "I've got this friend" to imply that they know someone who's looking for a relationship and trying to solicit the other person that way. However, Larry Stewart's voice is mediocre at best, and I'm not a fan of the way this song builds as the chorus arrives. The two vocalists just sound like they are shouting harmonically. It is pretty grating, tbh. Not everybody agrees though, as this saw plenty of support! Kanenrá:ke loses his #3 here right on the heels of his #2. taylor is terrified also loses her #3 right on the heels of her #4.
|
|
.indulgecountry
Diamond Member
Best Country Poster 2011, 2017, & 2018
"You left a mark on my face // And brought a dozen red flags in a vase"
|
Post by .indulgecountry on Feb 10, 2020 7:14:27 GMT -5
All the way up to #5 and then back down to #9, lol. At least "Just Around the Eyes" was last. I still really liked even that song, but I had to put something last on this great album and I guess I wasn't the only one who decided to do the same.
|
|
taylor is terrified
Diamond Member
Pulse’s #1 Conan Stan
Best Country Poster 2023 and 2x Woman of the Year!!!
Joined: October 2019
Posts: 16,407
Pronouns: he/they/she
|
Post by taylor is terrified on Feb 10, 2020 7:16:07 GMT -5
Leave it to me to lose two of my high rankings right out the gate lmao
|
|
someguy
Diamond Member
Joined: October 2003
Posts: 16,176
|
Post by someguy on Feb 10, 2020 17:27:05 GMT -5
Great start so far! Both are good songs, but were my two least favourite on the album.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:01:14 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay with the results to this one... This kinda got derailed with finishing the 2019 rankdown the other night. But I will be posting the next reveal...just about now!!!!
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:10:19 GMT -5
Sorry for the delay with the results to this one... This kinda got derailed with finishing the 2019 rankdown the other night. But I will be posting the next reveal...just about now!!!! I don't know if anybody fell for the red herring at the end of that sentence, but the hint actually came just before ;)
Remember when I said The next time would be the last time? That time came this mornin' When you came in. You always had a line To change my mind, So I guess you thought I'd just let you break my heart again.
8. "But I Will"
Track #7 Runtime: 3:48
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:18:37 GMT -5
I think the general consensus on "But I Will" tends to be that it was a pretty poor choice for a single... However, I must confess, it sounds MUCH better in the context of this album! Every time I listen to it amongst her singles I have found it to be mediocre, but now that I have been listening to this album a lot I finally "get" the appeal of the song. I still think it was a pretty lame single, but I don't even slightly dislike the song anymore! Several songs on this album would have been better singles, although tbh none of them would have been able to reach the classic status of the 3 big singles, in my opinion. Honestly, this feels like an album that didn't need a 4th single.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:26:02 GMT -5
The road to love is paved with shiftin' gravel. We may find ourselves on shaky ground. And there ain't no place That these two hearts can't travel.
7. "Go The Distance"
Track #9 Runtime: 3:02
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:35:45 GMT -5
To me "Go The Distance" feels like nothing but filler. It is good, but ultimately adds nothing to the album. It was our primary #9 contender for seemingly the majority of this rankdown, which felt about right to me. However, it was able to make a bit of a mini comeback because the results in the bottom half of this album were all so close.
In the end, this one ended up tying with "But I Will", but ultimately came out ahead because it had more top 5 ranks.
|
|
fearlessarrow
Moderator
Now a 7x PMA winner!
Joined: June 2015
Posts: 26,061
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
Staff
|
Post by fearlessarrow on Feb 12, 2020 22:40:50 GMT -5
This album overall was good, I thought "Just Around the Eyes" especially was a notch below the other tracks for me (hence my #10 rank) but otherwise it was hard to rank. "But I Will" and "Go the Distance" both finished in my bottom half, but they're still good songs!
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:42:28 GMT -5
This is not about trying To go back in time. This is not about where I'll be a year down the line. It's just moment to moment, Surviving somehow. This is not about then, This is just about now.
6. "Just About Now"
Track #3 Runtime: 2:57
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:48:25 GMT -5
"Just About Now" is one of my favorite ballads from this album. Faith sounds fantastic here (for some reason that "This is not about then, this is just about now" melody is like really oddly catchy to me when she sings it... Lol) Also this is a song with a bit of a double-entendre in the title, which is always fun. She's singing about what is happening "just about now" in the verses, and then reminding herself that her mindset has to be "just about now" in the chorus because she needs to stop dwelling on the past and dreaming of what could have been in the future, being present in the moment until she's fully over him.
This song spent a good chunk of time at #6, before suddenly being tanked to #10, and then all of a sudden skyrocketing back up to #6... Lol it was a very odd one to watch! Still, I feel like #6 is probably a good placement for it :) Everything that is left is stellar too, so I am okay seeing this one miss the top 5 even though it was my #4.
|
|
fearlessarrow
Moderator
Now a 7x PMA winner!
Joined: June 2015
Posts: 26,061
My Charts
Pronouns: he/him/his
Staff
|
Post by fearlessarrow on Feb 12, 2020 22:48:38 GMT -5
Wow talk about a reversal in fortune for "Just About Now"! I can't believe it was at the bottom for a while, glad it was able to fight its way back up.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 12, 2020 22:59:56 GMT -5
Here is our top 5!!I Would Be Stronger Than That Life’s Too Short To Love Like That Piece Of My Heart Take Me As I Am Wild OneTune in tomorrow, and we'll finish this up
|
|
taylor is terrified
Diamond Member
Pulse’s #1 Conan Stan
Best Country Poster 2023 and 2x Woman of the Year!!!
Joined: October 2019
Posts: 16,407
Pronouns: he/they/she
|
Post by taylor is terrified on Feb 13, 2020 0:24:34 GMT -5
First off, at these trajectory graphs! We really were all over the damn place! Second off, nice to get a couple of perfect rankings! Finally, my Top 5 prediction attempt: 1. Take Me As I Am 2. Wild One 3. Piece Of My Heart 4. I Would Be Stronger Than That 5. Life's Too Short to Love Like That Would honestly be fine with any of the Top 3 coming out on top, but personally rooting for TMAIA.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 13, 2020 21:07:21 GMT -5
You never want to kiss me anymore. You run around, and I walk the floor. You know, I used to mean everything to you. Now I'm last in line, and that just won't do. I feel blue, and you feel trapped; Life's too short to love like that.
You put me down Just to stand me up. Time after time, Well enough's enough. I give and give Without gettin' back. Life's too short to love like that.
5. "Life's Too Short To Love Like That"
Track #6 Runtime: 2:38
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 13, 2020 21:12:16 GMT -5
"Life's Too Short To Love Like That" is a catchy burst of energy! I love this one a lot, and think it would have made a fantastic single, even though imo the 3 best uptempos on the album all managed to be singles, so it makes sense that they went with a ballad like "But I Will" for a 4th single. Still, LTSTLLT would have done MUCH better on the radio than that one did as a 4th single imo.
My favorite thing about this song is the little lyrical couplets that are really snappy and witty. "You put me down just to stand me up", "You run around and I walk the floor", etc. Great country songwriting right there :)
This is the first song we have seen that managed to hold on to some stability throughout the submission process. It was pretty much always our #5 contender, other than that weird stint where "I've Got This Friend" jumped way up to #5 before plummeting back down.
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 13, 2020 21:21:10 GMT -5
And it isn't my place to say, "Leave him and run," But no love is worth all the damage he's done. But if she'll hold her ground, Then I'll hold my tongue, ever the diplomat. Oh, I'd like to think That I would be stronger than that.
4. "I Would Be Stronger Than That"
Track #10 Runtime: 4:48 Songwriters: Gary Burr
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 13, 2020 21:25:58 GMT -5
"I Would Be Stronger Than That" is definitely an incredible song (probably the best ballad on the album), so I am thrilled to see this in the top 4, and I am also totally fine seeing it as the highest album track! The lyrics to this one hit hard, as the narrator describes her thought process regarding a close friend who keeps struggling with an abusive relationship, but cannot work up the courage to leave said relationship. I think the title could come across as a little victim shame-y, but the other lyrics and Faith's delivery make it clear that the narrator is actually heartbroken for her friend and has no idea how to help her without overstepping her boundaries. "If she'll hold her ground, then I'll hold my tongue, ever the diplomat" is one of the best lyrics on this entire album.
This song was the most consistent song we have seen yet, hanging out comfortably at #4 as the highest album track for practically the entire submission process!
|
|
bboat11
Moderator
Pulse's Resident Martina McBride Expert
Joined: February 2013
Posts: 27,412
My Reviews
Pronouns: He/Him/His
Staff
|
Post by bboat11 on Feb 13, 2020 21:27:46 GMT -5
Now, on to the obvious and (hopefully) expected top 3!!!!
Piece Of My Heart Take Me As I Am Wild One
Three incredibly iconic hits that helped launch her into superstardom right out of the gate. How will this play out?? You'll find out soon!
|
|