I’m interested in the way time transforms opinions. Looking back on top ten lists from previous years, it’s funny to see which films or albums went from cream of the crop to afterthought, and which lower-ranked works wound up as future favorites.
Sometimes a work makes a strong initial impression but I’m never moved to experience it again, so it fades. Perhaps if I did revisit it my original opinion would be renewed, but the fact that I don’t really want to probably means something.
On the flip side, an album or film that was initially dismissed because it lacked a certain level of artistic merit on the surface might wind up in steady rotation. And isn’t that what’s most important in the long run, the ability of a work to stand the test of time?
I decided to apply this thinking to my top albums of the past several years, to see which have stuck with me and which have faded away. I chose to look at the years 2006-2010, figuring that releases from the past 2 1/2 years would still be fresh enough in my mind to have an unfair advantage.
Over the next two weeks I’ll count down the ten albums from that five-year period that have stuck with me the most. In some cases they’re the same albums I cited high up in those year-end lists, but others have moved up in my estimation.
#10 – American Saturday Night – Brad Paisley
I named this album my number one record of 2009, and it is the only album from that year to appear on this list of ten. I have since purchased all of Paisley’s albums and enjoyed them all (‘Accidental Racist’ aside), but this record remains his crowning achievement.
In fact, if my introduction to Paisley had been any record but this one, I wonder if I would have taken to him as fully as I have.
Listening to the Beatles singing back in the USSR
She’s goin’ around the world tonight
But she ain’t leavin’ here
She’s just going to meet her boyfriend down at the street fair
It’s a French kiss, Italian ice
Spanish moss in the moonlight
Just another American Saturday night
There’s a big toga party tonight down at Delta Chi
They’ve got Canadian bacon on their pizza pie
They’ve got a cooler for cold Coronas and Amstel Lights
It’s like we’re all livin’ in a big ol’ cup
Just fire up the blender, mix it all up
It’s a French kiss, Italian ice
Margaritas in the moonlight
Just another American Saturday night
You know everywhere there’s something they’re known for
Although usually it washes up on our shores
When my great great great granddaddy stepped off that ship
I bet he never ever dreamed we’d have all this
You know everywhere has somethin’ they’re known for
Although usually it washes up on our shores
Little Italy, Chinatown, sittin’ there side by side
Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!
French kiss, Italian ice,
Spanish moss in the moonlight
Just another American, just another American
It’s just another American Saturday night
Meet Me In Montauk 
Love the comments on this video!
I get why this song and others like it by Paisley get under the skin. I would have to listen to this another ten times to get that awful “Accidental Racist” out of my mind.😃
Looking forward to your two week exploration of personal revisionist musical history.😄
So… you created a top ten list of a four year period? Interesting. Perhaps just as (even more?) interesting is which five albums were at the bottom of the list of 40. Even if they don’t get a post, I still want to hear what they are.
I like this album a lot, not that I ever play it. I’ve probably heard Accidental Racist more than any song off any other Paisley album, so that’s pretty sad. Still, I’m a sucker for his romantic songs. 🙂