Congratulations country music, you’ve actually produced a stupider song than “Body Like a Back road.”
And before I even talk about this, let’s get two things perfectly clear. One, I don’t hate the majority of Toby Keith’s music like virtually everyone in the country blogging world would expect me to. Yes, he’s produced some terrible songs in his career, especially over the past five years, and he’s made an ass of himself politically and culturally many times over. Still, I own quite a few of his albums, and some of those early songs of his were great. Two, since I’m a more conservative-leaning redneck from Oklahoma–ironically not unlike Toby here–let me stress that I believe marijuana should be legalized medically throughout the country as soon as possible, and I’m not against it recreationally either. I think that should be decided state by state, but that’s more because of my political philosophy about states’ rights than my personal views on pot. I’ll even go so far as to say that if/when we get to vote on that in Oklahoma, I’ll vote for its legalization both medically and recreationally.
Now, I’m glad we got that out of the way because this is the stupidest “marijuana-promoting” song in the history of songs like this. I wrote that in quotes because it does nothing to further marijuana advocacy by reducing smoking weed to this list of stereotypical bullshit compiled here by Toby Keith. OH, and they also have Willie Nelson in the video because we need one more reminder that Willie smokes weed. We get it, you smoke pot–and that goes for all artists wearing this out until it’s become a tired cliché, not just Toby Keith and Willie Nelson. And if you truly want it to be legal, to help cancer patients or hell, even to have a smoke in your yard without consequence, you wouldn’t release this God-awful song to the masses. It does nothing but set back the progress by marijuana advocacy groups and supporters like Nelson himself; the last line is asking if there are any Fritos, of all things. I don’t think it’s making any kind of argument for why we should legalize weed when it portrays marijuana users like this, in the simplest, most stereotypical ways possible.
Look, I get it, Toby Keith, you’re trying to be cool with this song, and ironically it does say something that even ultra-conservative Toby Keith is now releasing stuff like this in support of it. It’s not just Kacey Musgraves and “Follow Your arrow” now; in short, it’s not just a “liberal” thing. But it also strengthens the point that marijuana use has long since been normalized. We’re well past the point of using pot references to be cool or shocking, and this song is just stupid and painfully outdated, not to mention lazily written. One more thing, it’s meant to be funny, and it fails at that too. So not only does it not work as a weed-promoting single, it doesn’t work as a fun novelty song either.
So, to sum it all up, this song sucks. One of the worst songs I’ve heard in 2017 so far.
1. Old Dominion–“Break up With Him” (up 1)
2. Cole Swindell–“Let Me See Ya Girl” (up 2)
3. Florida Georgia Line–“Anything Goes”
4. Carrie Underwood–“Smoke Break” (up 1)
5. Chris Young–“I’m Comin’ Over” (up 2)
6. Dan + Shay–“Nothin’ Like You”
7. Blake Shelton–“Gonna” (up 1)
8. Luke Bryan–“Strip it Down” (down 7)
9. Jason Aldean–“Gonna Know We Were Here” (up 2)
10. Kenny Chesney–“Save It for a Rainy Day” (down 1)
11. Cam–“Burning House” (up 1)
12. Tim McGraw–“Top of the World” (up 1)
13. Brothers Osborne–“Stay a Little Longer” (up 1)
14. Parmalee–“Already Callin’ You Mine” (up 1)
15. LoCash–“I Love This Life” (up 4)
16. Big & Rich–“Run Away With You”
17. Jana Kramer–“I Got the Boy”
18. Thomas Rhett–“Die a Happy Man” (up 2)
19. Kelsea Ballerini–“Dibs” (down 1)
20. Randy Houser–“We Went” (up 2)
21. Brad Paisley–“Country Nation”
22. Sam Hunt–“Break Up In a Small Town” (up 1)
23. Granger Smith–“Back Road Song” (up 1)
24. Hunter Hayes–“21” (up 1)
25. A Thousand Horses–(“This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial” (up 1)
26. Chase Bryant–“Little Bit of You” (up 1)
27. Dierks Bentley–“Riser” (up 1)
28. Lee Brice–“That Don’t Sound Like You” (up 1)
29. Zac Brown Band–“Beautiful Drug” (up 1)
30. Rascal Flatts–“I Like the Sound of That” (entering top 30)
new #1: “Break Up With Him,” aka the douchebag anthem
next week’s #1 prediction: “Let Me See Ya Girl”
Chase Rice’s “Gonna Wanna Tonight” finally, mercifully fell out of this chart after a year
Billboard Top Country Albums
1. Carrie Underwood–Storyteller [debut]
2. Blake Shelton–Reloaded: 20 #1 Hits [debut]
3. Luke Bryan–Kill the Lights
4. Thomas Rhett–Tangled Up
5. Don Henley–Cass County
6. Sam Hunt–Montevallo
7. Sam Hunt–Between the Pines: Acoustic Mixtape [debut]
8. George Strait–Cold Beer Conversation
9. Eric Church–The Outsiders
10. Jimmy Fortune–Hits & Hymns [debut]
11. Toby Keith–35 Mph Town
12. Jana Kramer–Thirty One
13. Various Artists–Now That’s What I Call Country, Volume 8
14. Colt Ford–Answer to No One: The Colt Ford Classics [debut]
15. Kelsea Ballerini–The First Time
16. Zac Brown Band–Jekyll + Hyde
17. Little Big Town–Painkiller
18. Brett Eldredge–Illinois
19. Jason Aldean–Old Boots, New Dirt
20. Carrie Underwood–Greatest Hits: Decade #1
21. Alabama–Southern Drawl
22. Florida Georgia Line–Anything Goes
23. Brantley Gilbert–Just as I Am
24. Kane Brown–Closer (EP)
25. Chris Stapleton–Traveller
Carrie Underwood’s Storyteller debuts at #1
Sam Hunt’s “acoustic mixtape” Between the Pines debuts at #7
Kelsea Ballerini’s The First Time moved up to #15 this week from #28
1. Luke Bryan–“Strip it Down” (2nd week at #1)
2. Old Dominion–“Break Up With Him” (up 2)
3. Florida Georgia Line–“Anything Goes”
4. Cole Swindell–“Let Me See Ya Girl” (up 1)
5. Carrie Underwood–“Smoke Break” (up 3)
6. Dan + Shay–“Nothin’ Like You” (up 3)
7. Chris Young–“I’m Comin’ Over” (up 3)
8. Blake Shelton–“Gonna” (up 3)
9. Kenny Chesney–“Save It For a Rainy Day” (down 2)
10. Chase Rice–“Gonna Wanna Tonight” (down 8)
11. Jason Aldean–“Gonna Know We Were Here” (up 1)
12. Cam–“Burning House” (up 1)
13. Tim McGraw–“Top of the World” (up 1)
14. Brothers Osborne–“Stay a Little Longer” (up 1)
15. Parmalee–“Already Callin’ You Mine” (up 2)
16. Big & Rich–“Run Away With You”
17. Jana Kramer–“I Got the Boy” (up 1)
18. Kelsea Ballerini–“Dibs” (up 1)
19. LoCash–“I Love This Life” (up 1)
20. Thomas Rhett–“Die a Happy Man” (up 1)
21. Brad Paisley–“Country Nation” (up 2)
22. Randy Houser–“We Went” (up 2)
23. Sam Hunt–“Break Up in a Small Town” (down 1)
24. Granger Smith–“Back Road Song” (up 2)
25. Hunter Hayes–“21”
26. A Thousand Horses–(“This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial” (up 1)
27. Chase Bryant–“Little Bit of You” (up 1)
28. Dierks Bentley–“Riser” (entering top 30)
29. Lee Brice–“That Don’t Sound Like You” (up 1)
30. Zac Brown Band–“Beautiful Drug” (entering top 30)
new #1: “Strip it Down”
next week’s #1 prediction: “Break up With Him”
Brett Eldredge’s “Lose My Mind” went recurrent and fell from #6 to out of the top 30
The Band Perry’s “Live Forever” fell from #29 to #32
Dierks Bentley’s excellent “Riser” and Zac Brown Band’s EDM “Beautiful Drug” enter the top 30 this week
Billboard Top Country Albums
1. Luke Bryan–Kill the Lights
2. Thomas Rhett–Tangled Up
3. George Strait–Cold Beer Conversation
4. Don Henley–Cass County
5. Sam Hunt–Montevallo
6. Toby Keith–35 Mph Town
7. Kane Brown–Closer (EP)
8. Jana Kramer–Thirty One
9. Eric Church–The Outsiders
10. Zac Brown Band–Jekyll + Hyde
11. Brett Eldredge–Illinois
12. Alabama–Southern Drawl
13. Jason Aldean–Old Boots, New Dirt
14. Maddie & Tae–Start Here
15. Little Big Town–Painkiller
16. Jason Boland & The Stragglers–Squelch
17. Florida Georgia Line–Anything Goes
18. LeAnn Rimes–Today is Christmas [debut]
19. Brantley Gilbert–Just as I Am
20. Alan Jackson–Angels and Alcohol
21. Chase Rice–Ignite the Night
22. Stoney LaRue–Us Time [debut]
23. Various Artists–Now That’s What I Call Country, Volume 8
24. Carrie Underwood–Greatest Hits: Decade #1
25. Zac Brown Band–Greatest Hits So Far…
Luke Bryan’s Kill the Lights remains at the top
George Strait and Don Henley show no signs of slowing down, at #3 and #4
Stoney LaRue’s fan tribute album Us Time debuts at #22
1. Luke Bryan–“Strip It Down” (up 1)
2. Chase Rice–“Gonna Wanna Tonight” (up 3)
3. Florida Georgia Line–“Anything Goes” (up 2)
4. Old Dominion–“Break Up With Him” (up 1)
5. Cole Swindell–“Let Me See Ya Girl” (up 2)
6. Brett Eldredge–“Lose my Mind” (down 5)
7. Kenny Chesney–“Save It for a Rainy Day” (down 4)
8. Carrie Underwood–“Smoke Break”
9. Dan + Shay–“Nothin’ Like You” (up 1)
10. Chris Young–“I’m Comin’ Over” (up 2)
11. Blake Shelton–“Gonna”
12. Jason Aldean–“Gonna Know We Were Here” (up 2)
13. Cam–“Burning House” (up 3)
14. Tim McGraw–“Top of the World” (up 1)
15. Brothers Osborne–“Stay a Little Longer” (up 2)
16. Big & Rich–“Run Away With You” (up 2)
17. Parmalee–“Already Callin’ You Mine” (up 2)
18. Jana Kramer–“I Got the Boy” (up 3)
19. Kelsea Ballerini–“Dibs” (up 1)
20. LoCash–“I Love This Life” (up 2)
21. Thomas Rhett–“Die a Happy Man” (up 4)
22. Sam Hunt–“Break Up in a Small Town” (up 5) [biggest gainer, sadly]
23. Brad Paisley–“Country Nation”
24. Randy Houser–“We Went”
25. Hunter Hayes–“21”
26. Granger Smith–“Back Road Song” (entering top 30)
27. A Thousand Horses–(“This Ain’t No) Drunk Dial” (up 1)
28. Chase Bryant–“Little Bit of You” (up 2)
29. The Band Perry–“Live Forever”
30. Lee Brice–“That Don’t Sound Like You” (entering top 30)
new #1: “Strip it Down”
next week’s #1 prediction: “Strip it Down”
Maddie & Tae’s “Fly” and Keith Urban’s “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16” fell from #9 and #13, respectively, to out of the top 30
Lee Brice’s mediocre “That Don’t Sound Like You” enters at #30 this week
Chase Rice’s terrible, bland, unforgettable “Gonna Wanna Tonight” has literally been on this chart for a year…
Billboard Top Country Albums
1. Luke Bryan–Kill the Lights
2. Toby Keith–35 Mph Town [debut]
3. Jana Kramer–Thirty-One [debut]
4. Don Henley–Cass County
5. George Strait–Cold Beer Conversation
6. Thomas Rhett–Tangled Up
7. Sam Hunt–Montevallo
8. Kane Brown–Closer (EP)
9. Alabama–Southern Drawl
10. Zac Brown Band–Jekyll + Hyde
11. Jason Boland & The Stragglers–Squelch [debut]
12. Brett Eldredge–Illinois
13. Eric Church–The Outsiders
14. Maddie & Tae–Start Here
15. Little Big Town–Painkiller
16. Florida Georgia Line–Anything Goes
17. Jason Aldean–Old Boots, New Dirt
18. Brantley Gilbert–Just as I Am
19. Alan Jackson–Angels and Alcohol
20. Josh Thompson–Change: the Lost Record Vol. 1 (EP) [debut]
21. Various Artists–Now That’s What I Call Country, Volume 8
22. Chase Rice–Ignite the Night
23. Alabama–Angels Among Us: Hymns and Gospel Favorites
24. Zac Brown Band–Greatest Hits So Far…
25. Kelsea Ballerini–The First Time
unfortunately, Luke Bryan is back at the top of this chart
four albums debuted on the chart this week…incidentally, the only one really worth checking out is Squelch
Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard Luke Bryan’s chosen “defense” for his brand of “country,” as told in an interview Thursday. But in case you haven’t, here’s the now infamous quote, given in an interview with Hits Daily Double:
Well, yeah. I think that people who want Merle, Willie and Waylon just need to buy Merle, Willie and Waylon. I’ve never been a ‘Those were the good old days’ kind of guy. I’m not big on looking back on the past. I’m not an outlaw country singer. I don’t do cocaine and run around. So I’m not going to sing outlaw country. I like to hunt, fish, ride around on my farm, build a big bonfire and drink some beers—and that’s what I sing about. It’s what I know. I don’t know about laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs. I don’t really want to do that.
Then, after the backlash from a significant portion of the country community, Luke took to Twitter to respond (in other words, his manager told him, “Hey, everyone thinks you’re a douchebag, and your public image is in jeopardy.”) Here’s his response
I’ve been thinking about this all day, every now and then I feel I need to defend myself in this business. I did a great interview with many topics discussed. It’s so frustrating that something negative has spun out of the story. I would never speak against any artist. It’s not my style. I consider Willie, Waylon and Merle musical heroes. I was trying to state what I was about and where I come from with my music. It’s simple as that.
Now, before I pick apart this ridiculously fake “response,” let me first say that “outlaw country” refers to taking creative control of one’s music. I am not going to spend a lot of time covering this; a lot of other blogs have done a great job with this. I will simply say that Luke isn’t an outlaw country singer because he sings whatever the labels throw at him. He sings shit like “Kick the Dust UP” and “That’s my Kind of Night” to make money. He has no original thoughts of his own, and even if he did, his desire for money has overshadowed them. Outlaw country spawned the Texas/red dirt country movement, and that’s where you will find today’s outlaws; they are people like Wade Bowen and Randy Rogers who sing about having “standards” as opposed to making “hits” and are relegated to the Texas Music Chart and Texas and Oklahoma stations willing to play their music.
But let’s pretend “outlaw country” did mean “laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs.” Saving Country Music has a great article documenting Willie, Merle, and Waylon’s own words about their experiences with cocaine, and I have copied the link here. To summarize, Willie fired anyone in the band caught with cocaine, Merle tried it once and would never do it again, and Waylon was a long-time addict who finally quit and overcame his addiction. So now we can add “uneducated idiot” to Luke’s first crime of “classless douchebag.”
But let’s pretend further that they did, in fact, “do cocaine” and “run around.” This boils down to Luke’s lack of disrespect for legends of the genre that allowed him to become successful. Country music is (or used to be) about class. Here’s what Toby Keith had to say about Willie Nelson after the success of their duet “Beer for my Horses:”
When you see somebody that still has the love and passion that he’s got, you don’t understand why they can’t have a [No. 1] shot like these young guys and girls…but I’ve told him time and time again that I’m glad to be the guy that got to take that ride with him
And here’s Kenny Chesney, atWaylon’s passing: “I learned a lot from him, for not even meeting him. He had his niche. He had his style. He blazed his own trail. He didn’t care what anybody thought about it. That was a true artist.” (Also, apparently Kenny knows what “outlaw” means.)
And finally, just last year, country artists voted Merle Haggard the first-ever Artist of a Lifetime and numerous artists spoke about his career and influence. And now Luke, who says, “I would never speak against any artist” has chosen to do just that–instead of defending his douche “country,” he has chosen to misuse the term “outlaw” and drag the names of legends through the dirt for his own gain. So it wasn’t enough to destroy country radio with the shit you call music, Luke, but now you are seeking to destroy the last shreds of class and knowledge left to country music with your ignorance and disrespect…nice.
Waylon’s daughter-in-law, Kathy Pinkerman Jennings, has spoken out against Luke in a Facebook post and YouTube video. I will close this post with her thoughts, as I couldn’t have said it better myself
To Luke Bryan:
I hope your family members are proud of you for using your WORLDWIDE platform to take the time to disrespect my Father in Law. You have managed to PROVE to the world your true self.
Albeit that Waylon’s drug use is well documented and something he overcame, I assure you, he was never “laying in a gutter.” At the peak of his career and drug abuse, he was making history and setting records. He, single handedly paved the way for you and everyone else to make music the way the artist wanted to make it. I’m not willing to waste my time to debate your “music” and / or the fact you have zillions of fans – I will however, not sit back and be quiet when you have so blatantly disrespected Waylon.
I recall the time I was at the Grand Ole Opry to visit with Andy Griggs, you were making your debut appearance. My friend that was with us had just seen your video. As we stood at the side of the stage, Jeannie Seeley [Seely] was talking to us and you walked over to introduce your self to her and told her how much you admired her, she in turn introduced you to myself and my husband. I almost got a cavity because of the sweetness of the words coming out of your mouth – you told us Waylon was one of your musical heroes. You went on and on and on.
This is not about music, Outlaw Country, whatever – it’s about DISRESPECT.
You are a platinum, disrespecting, no singing, whining, grasping for media attention, asshole. Use your platform for something good, instead of bashing the LEGENDS that came before you.
Tomato of the Week: Sunny Sweeney
As she just had two singles hit No. 1 on the previously mentioned Texas Music Chart, I thought it appropriate to feature her this week. Check out her full article on Female Friday!
Random Country Suggestions
This week I am including two country suggestions, because they both seem appropriate. There will be no non-country suggestion.