I’m a wicked big country music fan. Sort of.
See, the thing is this: I grew up listening to country music. Hank Williams, Jr., Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, George Strait, and many, many more. I remember my dad being upset about what was happening to country music back in the mid-80s…a particular dislike of Randy Travis comes to mind, though I may be misremembering.
I’ve listened to a crazy amount of country since then. And it’s seemed for a while now that as time goes on country seems more and more likely to exercise its particular propensity for terrible lyrics. We know not the line between whiny and sad, or cheesy and meaningful. Not to mention all of the bending metaphors until they snap (I’m looking at you, Carrie Underwood. Jesus will not be driving my car for me any time soon.).
Point being that I don’t necessarily expect a ton out of this stuff, lyrically, but “Love You This Big”? Really? I mean, really?
There’s hope for the other song, though, and I might not even have to turn off the radio if I hear it there. You see, it’s got a traditional streak in it, no matter how crossover it may sound: it’s got mama. It may not have trucks, or trains, or prison, or getting drunk, but it’s got mama.
And that’s something.