Best Country Song Reviews

“Burying Our Love” was written and recorded by an upcoming country music singer and songwriter Billy Arnold. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to hear something this professional coming from a relatively new artist.

It’s a love tragedy ballad talking about the narrator killing his woman after catching her cheating with his brother. “Well I guess she thought she’d never get caught or maybe she just didn’t care / So i’m burying our love but i’ll never tell em where”. The lyrics is pretty original; it’s one of those rare songs that don’t resemble any other. Billy Arnold’s voice is strong and dramatic, with occasional sighs and pauses. And yet it’s a typical country song with a real country twang.

The powerful sound of acoustic guitar brings to mind a suspense movie soundtrack. “Burying Our Love” is a very deep song. Both music and lyrics leave very strong impression. It should definitely be a part of one’s country music collection.

“Coat of Many Colors” is a single released and written by Dolly Parton in 1971. It is featured in the album with the same name. Parton herself has named the song one of the best she has ever written.

“Coat of Many Colors” has reached #4 on the U.S country charts. It deals with the struggles and tribulations of poverty that Dolly Parton had to face during her childhood. This song talks about the narrator’s mother stitching her coat and telling her children the biblical story of Joseph and his multicolored coat. “Although we had no money / I was rich as I could be / In my coat of many colors / My momma made for me”.

This song has a nice beat to it and impresses with Dolly Parton’s vocal range. It reminds one of the hardships that most mothers go through for their children. Although the song is very catchy, I got tired of it pretty quickly.

“The Dance” is a song recorded by country legend Garth Brooks in 1990. The song was immediately a #1 chart hit in the United States, Europe and Ireland. The song, written by Tony Arata, Brooks’ friend, was titled ‘Video of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’ by the Academy of Country Music.

In “The Dance” Garth Brooks talks about the pain he is going through because of the end of a passionate relationship. ‘How could I have known that you’d ever say goodbye‘. It also tells the story of what it feels like when someone dies and the pain the other has to go through.

“The Dance” has a nice rhythm along with the smooth soothing sound of Garth Brooks’ voice. Although the lyrics of the song is quite catchy, it makes one reminisce the painful memories they have gone through when a loved one died.

In general, this is one of the best songs that Garth Brooks has performed yet.

“Crazy” is a country ballad that was written in 1961 by a famous American musician-songwriter Willie Nelson and performed originally by Patsy Cline and numerous artists after that. Nelson himself recorded several versions of “Crazy” over the years, but he also admitted that Cline’s was his favorite one. The song has become a huge hit as soon as it was released.

“Crazy” is more of a jazz-pop, but it’s considered a country song due to the Patsy Cline’s musical style. She adds a honky-tonk flavor to each performance. The melody is pretty complicated and full of high notes that require strong vocal skills, just like Cline’s. 

The lyrics is quite primitive with short phases and multiple repeats. It talks about the narrator’s helpless love to a person that left her. “I’m crazy for tryin / Crazy for cryin / And I’m crazy for lovin you”. But after all, this song is all about the melody. 

When “Crazy” was first performed at the Grand Ole Opry, Patsy Cline received three standing ovations. What more can we say…

“I Walk the Line“ recorded in 1956 by Johnny Cash, spent six weeks at the top of the US country charts. In 2004, this song was voted by Rolling Stone at #30 in their list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Times.

Like most of the other songs that have been written by Cash, the lyrics of this song convey more of a story. It is about being close and the things that one would go through for the one they love. “You’ve got a way to keep me on your side/You give me cause for love that I can’t hide/For you I know I’d even try to turn the tide”.

The rhythm of the song is based on the common ‘freight train’ or ‘boom-chicka-boom’ that is popular in most of Cash’s songs. “I Walk the Line” was originally meant to be a slow ballad, but producer Sam Phillips decided on a faster beat. In 2005, there was even a biographical film titled “Walk the Line” produced starring Reese Witherspoon and Joaquin Phoenix.

“I Told You So” was written and recorded in 1988 by American legendary country singer Randy Travis. The song has immediately become a hit and topped Billboard country charts.

In this song the narrator is asking himself what his ex would have said if he decided to come back to her. Would she say she told him so? “I told you some day you come crawling back and asking me to take you in. I told you so, but you had to go”. 

“I Told You So” is a mid-tempo ballad. No need to say how good Travis’s baritone is, and how talented a songwriter he is.

The song was rerecorded in 2007 by a young country-pop singer Carrie Underwood and had another stream of success. This new version has caused mixed critics. I think, it wasn’t moving enough in comparison to the original. It’s not easy to compete with an artist like Randy Travis.

“It’s a Business Doing Pleasure With You” is a humorous wordplay song performed by Americana country artist Tim McGraw and written by Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) and Brett James.

The lyrics is pretty keen. Although the narrator is frustrated with buying expensive things for his woman, he is nowhere close to giving her up. “Your gonna break my bank before too long. I’m running out of dough. But when you turn you kind of magic on. Honey I just can’t say no, no no no”

The song has a nice dynamic beat and McGraw’s signature rough guitar sound, not to mention the rough sound of his voice. The tune is even more catchy than the lyrics. The whole performance gives a cheerful country club flavor.  

It’s nice to hear an entertaining song like this once in a while, especially from Tim McGraw. I liked it the minute I heard it, but got tired of it very soon.

“Joey” was recorded by a popular country music duo Sugarland and released in July 2009. It was written by the members of the duo Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush with the help of another country singer Bill Anderson. “Joey” debuted at #50 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

This is one of those sad tragedy songs telling about the narrator’s teenage boyfriend Joey, who got killed in a car accident. The lyrics is full of ‘what ifs’: “What if I took the keys?”, “What if we’d never fell in love?”, “What if we’d gone slow?” and so on. 

“Joey” is a mid-tempo ballad with a unique sound backed by organ, acoustic guitar and mandolins. I was really impressed by the tune, but not so much by the lyrics. It’s just not emotional enough, it failed to bring me to tears.
In general, this is a good example of country gothic genre, and not the worst of Sugarland’s creations.

“I’m Alive” was written by one of the most popular country music singers of our times Kenny Chesney in collaboration with Dean Dillon and Mark Tamburino. It was first performed and recorded by Willie Nelson and produced by Chesney himself.

In 2008 Kenny Chesney rerecorded “I’m Alive” in a duet with Dave Matthews; in 2009 the song was first heard on the radio, and that’s when it became famous.

Most country music critics and fans think that the first version of “I’m Alive” was much better since Chesney’s and Matthews’ voices don’t really match, and there is too much of a contrast between the two artists.  

The song is moderate-slow and pretty monotonous, but the lyrics is fairly creative. It talks about the joy of being alive and well, although life can sometimes appear a battle. “And today you know that’s good enough for me. Breathing in and out’s a blessing can’t you see”.

Overall, the “I’m Alive” is not the best country music song and easily forgettable.