Brad Paisley vs. Lana Del Rey seems like an entirely left-field matchup in Montauk Madness, but given Paisley’s track record of collaboration, I would not be at all shocked if these two paired up on his next album.
Paisley was the first true country artist I loved, a journey I chronicled in this blog entry after the release of American Saturday Night. That album and the few that preceded it are all classics of the genre.
He later slid a bit in my estimation, as subsequent albums felt increasingly formulaic while follow country star Miranda Lambert emerged and blew me away with her versatility and creative genius. But he remains one of the best writers of love songs I’ve ever heard, and damn, he can play that guitar.
Lana Del Rey has had an opposite journey. I dismissed her at first, laughing at her disastrous SNL performance and assuming she was a pretty face with good marketing and little talent.
Then I listened to her 2014 album Ultraviolence and was blown away by the theatrical beauty. I picked up her breakthrough, Born to Die, which is brilliant in a whole different way. 2015’s Honeymoon, her finest effort yet, was my favorite album of that year.
So Del Rey gets my vote here based on momentum.
[Verse 1: Brad Paisley]
There’s a tangled mess of sheets on the bed
A lack of sleep poundin’ in my head
We both regret some of the things we said
But we love the way it ends
[Pre-Chorus 1: Brad Paisley & Both]
Sometimes I think
We hurt each other just because of where it’ll lead
And sometimes I think
We’re fighting just to be lovers and all so needlessly
[Chorus: Both]
Good as we are at gettin’ it on
How come we just can’t get along?
The way we love, it don’t seem right
The way we fuss, the way we fight
I got a crazy idea, how ’bout maybe tonight
We make up without a fight
[Verse 2: Brad Paisley, Demi Lovato & (Both)]
They say don’t go to bed angry, that’s true
But it’s really something when we do
(Madder you make me, the more I want you)
Girl, I admit
[Pre-Chorus 2: Both, Demi Lovato & (Brad Paisley)
Sometimes I think
It couldn’t be any better
(And I couldn’t want you more)
And sometimes I think
We don’t belong together
Confusing love and war
[Chorus: Both]
Good as we are at gettin’ it on
How come we just can’t get along?
The way we love, it don’t seem right
The way we fuss, the way we fight
I got a crazy idea, how ’bout maybe tonight
We make up without a fight
[Bridge: Brad Paisley, Demi Lovato & (Both)]
We ain’t givin’ up without a fight
We can make up without a fight
(No, we ain’t givin’ up, we can make up)
[Outro: Both]
Good as we are at gettin’ it on
How ’bout maybe tonight
We make up
We make up without a fight
Meet Me In Montauk 
I’ve recently got more invested in both of these artists’ music more than others. Admittedly, I’ve been listening to Brad Paisely more (It’s a bit easier to slip into the ear to ear smile inducing songs like “Water” and “She’s Her Own Woman” than Lana Del Rey’s “Ultraviolence” or “F***ed my way to the top”. Since I’ve had the ability to drive alone and control my music (Without my dad to say how much he hates country) I’d say I’ve blasted “American Saturday Night” more than any other album.
On the other hand, songs like “Video Games” and her soon to be iconic Gatsby song “Young and Beautiful” certainly put Brad Paisely at a run for his money. These songs are meticulously crafted, string adorned, and Lana Del Rey’s sultry, dark tone over the melancholy music is a perfect pair.
However, I can’t say I’ve ever had real emotion when listening to Lana Del Rey. Something that I always value in artist is that crazy ability to capture a moment or a story beautifully through the medium of song, but even when I’m listening to traditionally beautiful love song lyrics like “It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you, everything I do” from “Video Games” by Lana del Rey, it’s hard to feel something over what seems like a put on act to meet the perfect balance between sultry and sensual. So with Lana though I do enjoy a lot of her music, admittedly more so when I’m in a melancholy mood, I’ve got to give this one to Brad Paisely
Though he might occasionally have a racist song or a lyric that kind of promotes rape culture i.e “The Pants”, overall he uses country music beautifully to tell his stories and make you feel as if they’re your own. Whether it be his brother dying in the service “This is Country Music” or his disbelief that he can keep loving his partner more “Then”, Brad Paisely wins this one for his authenticity, his guitar prowesss, his story telling ability, and the cowboy hats don’t hurt.
Great analysis and I certainly respect your vote here, though I do find more of an emotional connection to Del Rey’s work than you.
Not sure I see how ‘The Pamts’ promotes rape culture, though!
Listen to it again with that in mind; it’s hard to miss!
it’s a song about women not wanting to have sex with chauvinistic men.
Well, as the dad who “hates country” music, this should be an easy pick for me. Nevertheless, I have come to appreciate Paisley through this blog and, more recently, through Daniel’s performance of “Then.” On the other hand, my knowledge of Lana Del Rey is more limited, coming mostly through this blog, though I have generally liked what I’ve heard.
I have often said that a truly great songwriter is incapable of writing a truly bad song. With that in mind, Paisley takes a major hit for the insufferable and unforgivable “Accidental Racist.” Add that to my general dislike of country music and Lana Del Rey gets my vote here.
Yes I 100% agree. That’s why Billy Joel isn’t a truly great songwriter because of “All my Life”
Ouch! Just for that, your ticket has been revoked for the concert on Tuesday! However, truth be told, while I love Billy Joel, he is not in my pantheon of true genius songwriters.
It’s Paisley for me based solely on Daniel ‘s performance on “Then” 😊
xoxo Daniel was hoping that might sway you!
This is an easy pick for me, as I’m not a fan of the Lana Del Rey music I’ve heard, and I enjoy quite a few of Paisley’s songs very much. And the cowboy hats don’t hurt! 😉