About once every two years I discover a new artist who joins the ranks of my favorites. Often it’s an established artist who’s just new to me… maybe somebody I’d heard of but never heard, or somebody who somehow managed to escape my radar altogether.
Over the past decade or so, artists who have joined this club include Josh Rouse, Lucinda Williams, Tift Merritt, Shakira and Stew. These are people whose collected works I quickly gobbled up in an effort to own and appreciate everything they’d ever recorded, people whose names were added to the growing list of all-time favorites.
This year, Brad Paisley has joined their ranks, fast and furious. I went from knowing him by name only, as somebody I figured I’d never listen to let alone like, to owning almost all of his albums in the course of two weeks. And Paisley’s ascension is all the more notable because he had to break through a lifetime of prejudice on my part against his genre, country music.
Because, as I pointed out in my review of his new album American Saturday Night, Paisley is a true-blue country music artist… the sort I’ve not only avoided but actively held in disdain. So kudos to him for demolishing that formidable barrier and earning a spot among my favorites. And today begins a theme week to mark the occasion.
Generally I order these theme weeks chronologically and try to give some insight into the evolving careers of each artist. With Paisley, though, I don’t feel qualified to place his career in a broader context… I’ve purchased his albums out of order and haven’t read enough about the release of each to offer any insight. I know his debut came out in 1999 when he was a baby-faced 27-year-old and that he’s set records for the number of #1 hits he’s had since then (including ten straight at one point), but that’s about it.
Instead, I’m going to dedicate each day this week to an aspect of Paisley’s music that I find praiseworthy. Today it is this: Brad Paisley is funny.
Listening to Paisley, I realize how little of my music makes me laugh. Randy Newman definitely does, and Ben Folds once in awhile. Lyle Lovett has a great sense of humor. But that’s about it off the top of my head. I think maybe that’s one of the appeals of country music — all the corny puns and clever wordplay. How can you find fault in something that makes you laugh?
Paisley’s albums are full of funny song premises and great one-liners. Whether he’s asking “how many flowers have to die before you give this love another try?” in ‘Flowers’ or celebrating alcohol for causing breakups and births, influencing Ernest Hemingway and helping white people dance in ‘Alcohol,’ Paisley is always quick with a joke. In ‘The Cigar Song,’ he spins a yarn about a man who buys a box of Cuban cigars, insures them, then collects on the claim after losing them in “a series of small fires.” He’s corny as hell, and fully embraces that description… in fact, his first several albums conclude with old-fashioned cornball skits starring legends such as George Jones and Dolly Parton.
‘Me Neither’ is one of Paisley’s earliest songs, from his debut album Who Needs Pictures. It’s a charming tune about a guy who keeps striking out with a woman but keeps on trying anyway. It’s also a great showcase for his musical chops (but more on that later).
And I think I’ve even caught you watchin’ me a couple times
If I don’t ask I’ll never know
This may sound dumb, but here we go
Do you believe in love at first sight?
Me neither
I’m glad that we agree
Believe me
That’s a big relief
Well, this place is awful crowded
And this music is so loud
Would you like to go and grab a bite to eat?
Me neither
It’s nice to finally meet a girl who doesn’t move too fast
I was only checkin’, that’s the reason that I asked
Relationships need time to grow
You and I should take this slow
And darlin’ tell me, would you like to dance?
Me neither
I was just bein’ polite
Thank goodness
My feet are much too tired
I’m sure you’re tired too
I can see an empty booth
Would you like to maybe sit and talk a while?
Me neither
We’d never get along
I’m thinkin’ there’s no chemistry at all
This has been a waste of time
And I’m runnin’ outta lines
Don’t you think it’s time for me to end this song?
Me neither
Meet Me In Montauk 
🙂 Lyle Lovett is definitely that person for me, one who makes me smile and laugh and generally just marvel at his use of wordplay and cleverness. Reading these lyrics, they remind me of a much simpler version of “Her First Mistake.” Hearing it, of course, pushed any minor resemblance out of my mind.
Which reminds me a bit of what you said in your initial review of the album – this is music that is proud to be simple (you didn’t say that, exactly; I’m paraphrasing) – you likened it to movies like The Blind Side, which wear their heart on their sleeve. After decades of listening to Lovett. Paisley’s yucks about drinking all the beer and catching all the fish just don’t quite hold up.
Still, I’m looking forward to THIS GUY IS AS ROMANTIC AS HELL day, because I’ll be able to totally join you on that bandwagon.
Comparing this song (or any song , really) to ‘Her First Mistake’ is like comparing The Blind Side to The Godfather. 🙂
Ironically (or maybe ironic isn’t the right word), I find that Lovett’s few straight-up country songs don’t quite measure up to a more traditional country artist like Paisley, while Lovett’s jazz/blues/country hybrid songs are on a whole other plane.
Boy, am I looking forward to this theme week. (Not!)
I would say any “prejudice” you had against country music evaporated a few years ago, long before you ever heard of Brad Paisley. At this point, you have become so addicted to country music that it makes perfect sense that you would gobble up Paisley’s discography whole as part of your insatiable need to keep feeding the beast.
As your country obsession is now being shared by my daughter, I was exposed to Paisley’s Saturday Night album yesterday on a long drive to West Boca. In listening to the CD, I had a couple of thoughts: First, somewhere around the third or fourth track, I continued to wonder how you could so love this record, but still claim disdain for the Eagles. One of the songs sounded just like a first cousin of “Peaceful, Easy Feeling” Second, the thought of you riding around town listening to these country songs just tickles me. The idea that you and the brawny trucker in the Ford pickup in the next lane are sharing a “how do” nod as you listen to the same song is just too funny. Third, I’m trying to figure out what it says about you and this phase in your life that you would so embrace unabashed upbeat music with rather straightforward and simple lyrics. This is quite the departure from the complexities and depths of the likes of Fiona Apple, Rufus Wainwright, Elliot Smith, etc…
Anyway, I found some of American Saturday Night to be quite good, other songs to be fairly safe, pedestrian and generic. I would put today’s SOTD into the latter category.
I might have to ban Dana from commenting for the next week. 🙂
You’re right that I started listening to more country-influenced, if not outright country, artists a few years ago. But Paisley is the first “true” country musician I’ve ever fallen for to this degree. I guess you could argue that Lucinda Williams is country, but not in the traditional Nashville/Grand Old Opry sense.
Speaking of Lyle Lovett, he sure got short shrift on the Elvis Costello show. What the hell was that about?
As to your third point, it’s not like I’ve turned my back on the deep, complex stuff. Rufus Wainwright and Fiona Apple filled the first two spots on my decade’s-best list, with Aimee Mann right behind them. And right now the CD getting the most action in my car stereo is the new Vampire Weekend, about as far from Brad Paisley as you can get.
But I’ve definitely embraced forms of music in recent years that I used to look down on. I think I’ve had a “get over yourself” moment, or series of moments, and I’m a lot less likely to apologize for, or be embarrassed by, liking something that it’s not “hip” to like.
Didn’t see the Spectacle with Lyle yet. Will have to catch up with my DVR viewing.
As for your “traditional” country leanings, were you not praising Tim McGraw in the past year or so? And you clearly went gaga over Tift Merritt, though I recognize she is less “traditional” country.
Anyway, I raised the issue of what may have changed in you because, it seems to me, your musical taste has shifted to the lighter as your contentment in life has shifted to the happier. I think you have become increasingly more optimistic in the past few years as your career has ascended, you enjoy the wonder of having two beautiful daughters and, most recently, became energized by the “change we can believe in” message of a young liberal African-American president. Yes, you may have some deeper, darker albums on your best of decade list, but most of those came from earlier in the decade, and I suspect that if you were to return to your list a year from now, you would likely boot out some of the darker/deeper fare (like Eminem which is sitting precariously at number 10) for artists like Paisley.
That’s an interesting theory but I think it’s completely wrong. 🙂
I don’t see any reason I’d be any happier this past year than the year before and a glance at that top ten list reveals some pretty dark stuff. Even the non-Paisley entries on this year’s list are far from light fare. I think you’re blowing up my appreciation of one artist into more than it is.
hmmm… daddy dont be mean to Brad! XD I went around my school today showing all my friends my American Saturday Nights album that i just bought 🙂 Doesnt have Little Moments, which is probably my favorite song, but it does have then which is a close second. ^_~
You’ll have to get Mud On the Tracks, which has ‘Little Moments’ and a lot of other great stuff. I might pick that one as his best album, although I love American Saturday Night as well.
ah okay, I will keep an eye out for that one. 🙂 My social studies teacher will only talk to me in a country accent now…. 😛
This song is very funny ^_^
What is so dark about last year’s list? I might give you Newman.Can’t speak to Aimee Mann’s @#%&*! Smilers, but Vampire Weekend isn’t dark (at least what I’ve heard). Ditto for TV on the Radio. Not sure how dark Dylan’s bootleg cd is, but I’m guessing that one has more to do with nostalgia and historic love of Dylan than any gravitation to darker, deeper music. Can’t speak to the Williams’ CD either, but I don’t see her as dark in the Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple way. Merritt ain’t dark and Momofuku may be one of Elvis’ lightest records ever. I’m guessing Suglarland isn’t dark either. Is my Morning Jacket dark?
i agree with clay it was funny. i liked the country accent. and towards the end i liked all the oh yeahs, and the here we go.
My Morning Jacket and TV On the Radio are both dark/edgy, as are Williams and Mann. Somber and melancholy are pretty much my moods of choice when it comes to music, with a few exceptions (Paisley would be one of them).
And wouldn’t this hearts and flowers theory of yours carry over to movie as well? A Serious Man, Inglourious Basterds, There Will Be Blood, No Country For Old Men, Mulholland Drive, City of God, Pan’s Labyrinth… all dark. I’m DARK, man! 🙂