Least Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists
This would fit well on one of our questionnaires – I think we’ve already done favorite songs by least favorites artists, in fact – but it’s not time for another questionnaire yet and I’m interested in doing this one today. So here we are.
I don’t give a hoot for fans who think their favorite artists are beyond reproach. To my mind, the ability to find fault (or at least acknowledge the possibility that fault might reasonably be found) with our favorite artists is a sign of character. That’s why I like positive reviews that include negative points and vice versa – maybe the most provocative arguments come from either end, but the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.
It’s in that spirit that I name my least favorite song by my favorite artist. My favorite artist – admittedly a choice based more in sentiment than in my current listening habits – is Randy Travis. And “I’ll Be Right Here Loving You,” a song written by Jeffrey Steele and T.W. Hale and recorded for Travis’ 1999 album A Man Ain’t Made of Stone, is utterly grating. The spoken verses disjointedly list a bunch of worldly complications and concerns, then the choruses try to set things right by proclaiming that “As long as this world’s spinning, like it’s supposed to do/I’ll be right here loving you.” But little does Travis know that the lady has probably already skipped to the next track by the time the chorus arrives to assuage her fears, so obnoxious are those verses. Here, have a taste:
Politicians, coalitions
Unionism, opposition
Activism, communism
Skepticism, new vision, down with the old traditionVandalism, terrorism
Ammunition, demolition
Darwinism, religion
A lot of people making catastrophic predictions
Did Steele and Hale just string together a bunch of words from the glossary of a social studies book? How can a song this drab get recorded twice in the span of a couple years (Rhett Akins had it on his 1998 album too) as better material languishes in obscurity? Could it have happened at any time other than the end of the ’90s, when the approach of a new millennium set doomsday prophesying to a fever pitch? Why, Randy? Why?
The Travis partisan in me must mention that although A Man Ain’t Made of Stone is almost undoubtedly his worst overall album, those scared off by the atrocious “I’ll Be Right Here Loving You” will miss worthwhile tracks like “A Man Ain’t Made of Stone,” “A Heartache in the Works” (Chet Biggers/Melba Montgomery), “Once You’ve Heard the Truth” (Leslie Satcher/Chuck Jones) and “Day One” (Jimmy Yeary/Max D. Barnes). So I wouldn’t necessarily skip the whole thing. Just be sure to skip track 8.
The question(s) of the day:
What’s your least favorite song by your favorite artist? And why?
Prefer email? Nothing wrong with that!
I agree, CM. I think it’s the mediocrity of that album which drove Randy to record gospel-country albums instead. I tend to skip that song. I’m not much of a fan of the title track either; I think it’s too power-ballad-y, but “A Little Bitty Crack In My Heart” makes up for it, I think.
CMW,
I can’t agree with you more wholeheartedly on your first paragraph. It’s something I just want to cut and paste and reference; it’s said so perfectly. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people lack any perspective on their favorite artists. No artist is perfect. I just want people to acknowledge when even their favorite artist makes a misstep. Furthermore, I hate, hate it when a fan suggests that someone else must not be a “true fan” if he/she doesn’t like a song. That’s ridiculous, manipulative and simply unreasonable.
Oops. I actually like that Travis song. I agree that it is a strange little song though. I just like the way Randy talks in it. I just like the way he talks in general.
My least favorite Vince Gill song is honestly “Go Rest High on that Mountain”, believe it or not. I get the story behind it and I know he sings it with emotion, but it bores me a lot. I’ve wanted to like it, but I can’t.
As for recent songs I’m a big Jypsi fan, but I cannot stand “Mister Officer”! Its well deserved short shelf life at country radio was a mercy killing, but I’m afraid it may be their final label single to radio. What a way to go down the tubes….
(In a related vein I’m a fan of Sarah Buxton and found her single “Space” bland and boring. Are these artists intentionally releasing mediocre radio singles they hope are suitable for the format these days? Crikey.)
I love Randy Travis and I am one of those fans who could be accused of thinking he can do no wrong. He is my absolute favorite and has been for 24 yrs now. But I have to admit that I also cannot stand the song I’ll Be Right Here Loving You. My least favorite RT CD, however, would have to be Wind in the Wire. With the exception of Cowboy Boogie, I do not like any of the songs on that CD.
Yes, I think Wind in the Wire is my least favorite Travis album too. Have you ranked those albums already, CM?
Steve Earle used to be one of my favorite artists before he went overly political. His worst song by far is “The Boy Who Couldn’t Cry,” which is oddly from one of my favorite albums, Transcendental Blues.
I can’t stand George Strait’s “Carrying Your Love With Me.” Not sure why, I just won’t listen to it. “Write This Down” is a close second.
Guns n’ Roses “My World” is horrible.
I’m sure Johnny Cash’s “Chicken in Black” is terrible, though I’ve never actually heard it.
Wasn’t Steve Earle political in the nineties too?
He was an activist, but wasn’t shoving his politics down our throats in the 90’s.
I like Earle’s music (the non eighties sounding stuff), but I don’t follow what he says much at all. I’ve heard he gets really political though. I’m glad Vince doesn’t do that, though I don’t mind a little politics from artists I agree with, of course.:)
Least favorite songs by favorite artists:
George Strait, “River of Love.” I’m all for fun, uptempo music, but George seemed to be channeling Kenny Chesney here and it just fell completely flat for me.
Alan Jackson, “It’s Alright To Be A Redneck.” So much cheese, Alan, I’d need a truckload of saltines to down it with. And copious amounts of beer to wash down the crackers, and drown the memory of this awful song.
Metallica…well, anything from the Load-Reload era. Ironically enough I got turned on to Hetfield and the boys by the Black Album, which was the precursor to the style they explored on the Load records, but Metallica made for a much, much better thrash-metal band than they did a blues-rock band. I was deliriously happy to see them go back in that direction on Death Magnetic.
I also hate the crazed fans that think their favourite artists can do no wrong. I have alot of favourite artists and in most cases there’s usually one or two songs that I skip over when I pop in the album. I could say a few songs but I will say I became a big fan of Josh Turner after buying his ‘Everything is Fine’ CD, so I went back and bought his ‘Long Black Train’ CD, and only liked 2 songs on it, and thought the song ‘You Don’t Mess Around with Jim’ to be stupid, I know it’s a cover song, but still, I dont like it, so that’s mine.
Leeann, I can’t believe your least favorite Vince Gill song is “Go Rest High On That Mountain”! I mean, I find it kind of boring and highly overrated but I would have never admitted that until now. :)
Good George Strait example, Pistolero. George is one of my absolute favorites but I had no shortage of songs when it came to thinking of ones I usually skip (The Fireman, I Just Wanna Dance With You, We Really Shouldn’t Be Doing This, Don’t Make Me Come Over There and Love You…)
Reba is my absolute favorite artist but I can think of a few off the top of my head that I don’t like: We’re So Good Together, Forever Love and Why Haven’t I Heard From You (probably the “winner”).
Trisha Yearwood – Powerful Thing
Dixie Chicks – Some Days You Gotta Dance
Michael,
It’s hard to admit that one of the most revered songs by my favorite artist is my least favorite song by that artist. If we really want to get down to the nitty gritty, I don’t even like the phrasing. I don’t like how he stretches out the ea in “heaven.” I don’t hate the song; i’m just mostly neutral about it. I’m probably just heartless though.
Haha. Well, I think heartless may be a bit of an overstatement. I’ll just say slightly cynical. ;-)
Well, I am certainly cynical, but it’s not the topic that I don’t like. It’s more the melody and some of the phrasing.
Oh, and Patty Loveless’ “I Try To Think About Elvis”
Good topic!
Miranda Lambert- Greyhound Bound For Nowhere (I just find it a boring song)
Brad Paisley- Alcohol
Dixie Chicks- Cowboy Take Me Away (that song has always bugged me)
Two George Strait songs – “The Fireman” and “The Chair”
Vince Gill “Go Rest High On That Mountain”
Elvis – “Blue Christmas” (The ET version is far better)
Martina McBride – “Independence Day” (enough with the shrieking, already)
Reba – “Fancy” (not a great song to begin with but she ruined it)
“Blame It On Your Heart” – Patty Loveless
“Jolene” – Dolly Parton
“Baby Don’t You Let Go” – Trisha Yearwood
“That’s How You Know It’s Love” – Deana Carter
“I Will Always Love You” – LeAnn Rimes
“The Way You Love Me” – Faith Hill (I have no words for this.)
Some of these have already been mentioned, but I’ll add my own to the lists …
Garth Brooks – ‘Wrapped Up In You’, ‘When You Come Back to Me Again’, and I still don’t get all the controversy around ‘We Shall Be Free’ – he just didn’t say anything original and the whole thing leaves me empty and wondering why it was a hit and why anybody else cared so much about the lyrics, one way or the other.
Reba – ‘Why Haven’t I Heard From You’ – noisy mess, ‘You Keep Me Hangin On’ – Really, Reba? The Supremes? I’ve never been fond of ‘Walk On’ either. She’s much better at picking ballads.
Brooks & Dunn – these guys had several stinkers among some great songs. I particularly don’t like ‘Mama Don’t Get Dressed Up For Nothin’ or ‘Little Miss Honky Tonk. And ‘Play Something Country’ just makes me want to howl. Terrible.
Trace Adkins, Honky Tonk Badonkadonk – too easy a pick, really. One of the worst songs ever written, recorded by someone who could be one of the best country singers ever if only he was more careful with his choices of material.