Brad Paisley, “Ticks”
Okay, good points first. He’s sounding more fully involved than usual, suggesting he’s finally maturing as a singer. He’s always sounded strangely detached to me on record, but he gets a few good trills in on this record.
The production’s good too, and I suspect that stellar guitar work is courtesy of Mr. Paisley himself. It’s about time he started showcasing that skill on his singles.
Good points having been said, let’s come back down to reality. This is a come-on song built around the pick-up line “I’d like to check you for ticks.” That’s right. Ticks. The title has nothing to do with a clock ticking, or little personality quirks. He’s talking about the bugs. After all, “you never know where one might be.” Or my personal favorite: “The only thing allowed to crawl over you when we get there is me.”
This may be the very first mainstream country single to completely skeeze me out. Way to go, Brad.
Grade: C-
Listen: Ticks
Buy: Ticks
More Brad Paisley:
Fifty Favorite Country Duets of All-Time
How in the world could you say that and only give this song a C-
Shows your true antithapy for Country Music and your general lack of knowledge
of Brad Paisley.
He has ALWAYS played ALL the guitar (accoustic, baritone and electric) parts
on all his albums……….His last album was CMA and ACM album of the year.
You cannot be taken seriously on this subject but we welcome you to our side.
Kevin – I am not sure why you have such antipathy toward Brad Paisley. He is one of the few Nashville acts actually performing Country Music, he has few peers as a musician and he’s not afraid of using humor. As for being a stage performer he is probably the best entertainer out there among the younger acts. This song isn’t one of his best but it’s at least a B+
As for the “skeeze me out” comment – egads, political correctness run amok. Same sort of nonsense that killed off Holly Dunn’s career after the innocuous “Maybe I Mean Yes” that got the feminazi’s all hot and bothered (not to mention the abuse heaped on Doug Supernaw for “What’ll You Do About Me”) .
You’re being a bit silly here, Paul. I just think the idea of checking someone for ticks as pickup line is gross. I happen to like both the Dunn and Supernaw singles, though I sthink Randy Travis did “What’ll You Do About Me” better.
As for the antipathy towards Paisley, I just don’t like his music. Do you think I should pretend to because he makes traditional music? Now that would be political correctness. There are no sacred cows here. I’m not going to pretend I like music that I don’t. It would defeat the entire purpose of having this blog in the first place.
“There are no sacred cows here. I’m not going to pretend I like music that I don’t. It would defeat the entire purpose of having this blog in the first place.”
No sacred cows, perhaps, but perhaps some sacred chickens !
I’ve kept my mouth shut after hearing this song because everyone around me LOVED it. It is comforting to know that there is someone else out there who was skeezed out too! I couldn’t make it all the way to the end after hearing the first verse and chorus by the time the second chorus started I was completely turned off by the idea of someone checking me for ticks as a turn on. ewwww I think C- is the perfect grade it was higher than I was thinking.
This is the funniest song. Only Brad Paisley could get away with this humor. It made me laugh.
If the Chicks start putting out music I don’t like, I’ll criticize it. Lord knows if I had this blog back in 1998-1999, there would’ve been a ton of posts about “Wide Open Spaces” being the most overrated album out there. I’ve grown to like some of that project, but I didn’t become a Chicks fan until “Fly”, and they didn’t become one of my favorite acts until “Home”. In the meantime, people are free to criticize them all they want in the comments. I don’t censor those, either. There needs to be more forums for dialogue about country music.
I haven’t taken a Brad Paisley love song seriously since “We Danced.”
I like Brad Paisley for the reasons Paul cited. However, especially recently, I’ve enjoyed his albums more than his radio singles (with the exception of a few exceptional songs like “Whiskey Lullaby”).
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IS THE COUNTRIEST-HILLBILLIEST-FUNNIEST SONG AND THE PICK UP LINE MOST LIKELY BE USED BY GOOD OLE REDNECKS EVERYWHERE. AND, HOW APPROPRIATE THAT IT’S A BRADSONG. I ALMOST FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR AT WORK TODAY WHEN I HEARD IT. SOME STUFF IS JUST TOO FUNNY AND THIS IS PART OF IT, AND IT WOULD ONLY SKEEZE ONE OUT THAT HAS WAY TOOOOOOOOOO MUCH DRAMA IN THEIR LIFE. A++++
I played this song in the background and it wasn’t long before my girlfriend perked her ears. She had to confirm that she heard it right, but thought it was hilarious.
I love, love, love this song!!! It is so funny and makes me laugh which is hard to come by in a good song these days. Keep pumping these songs out…it makes the days go by better!
You are retarded. You have taken this song way too seriously. It is absolutely hilarious and is likely to be a #1 song in a month. I think its great that Brad can do funny songs and has a fabulous voice for ballads and anything else he wants to sing. Why should he have to stick with songs that don’t “skeeze” you out?
Arnie
I love the song!! and any country girl(or guy) who has ever has a special someone check them for ticks knows just what he is talkin about!! everyone has their favorites and this is one of my new ones!! Along with the PovertyNeck Hillbillies! There is still a little country in country music!
That song has speaks the truth about guys and what they think. There are so many other songs out there that do the same thing so what is so wrong with this one? I’ll tell what is wrong, I’ve only heard it once in a week!! I about lost control of the vehiucle I was driving because I was laughing so hard. So give him a break and come to reality!
I love this song! i agree that they only problem here with this song is that i’ve only heard it once on XM radio. how do they expect me to show this song to my boyfriend if they don’t play it more often. i wish the rest of country music would start making more music that makes you want to go down to the creek for a picnic and a little dancin.
I LOVE IT!!!!!! Couldn’t be a funnier song out there… Brad does funny so well. I heard it turning into my driveway and couldn’t get out of the car til it was over…I had a grin on my face for the longest time and couldn’t wait to tell my husband and best friend about it. Every REAL Country Girl and Guy will get this song.
GO BRAD GO! It’s wonderful, it’s great. So refreshing to hear artists have fun with their music. I love it.
I haven’t laughed so hard in months. I just love Brad Paisley’s humor. I’m not sure how his wife ever stopped laughing long enough to get pregnant. I agree that “The Tick Song” will be #1 in a very short time. All you pooh-poohers out there need to get a sense of humor and you’ll be a lot happier.
It’s pretty obvious some BP fan message board got a hold up this post and they had to comment on it lol.
I’m not crazy about this song either and I am a Brad fan (own three of his albums and am planning to get his last one sometime). I personally think the electric guitar part is way overdone: too much noise, but I do give the song credit for standing out from other songs. The lyrics are kinda funny but also really silly: almost too silly.
I really don’t see how people are crazy over it, when there is much better songs out there than this MO, and while I love Brad, I think this song is overrated. I hope the album is better than this. I’ve only listened to it once, so it may take me some more listens to like it more, I don’t know.
Man do I love country contriversy.
Listen guys I have been listening to country music for a good 10 years now and I have become to closest thing to an expert that my area seems to have. And I have to say what were you thinking placing Brad so low!!!
Brad Paisley is famous for his hillbilly antics and his very unique songwritting style. His albums are great and all of his songs are extreamly creative wether they’re sad, happy, or just plain funny. Brad is one of todays most talented song writters and one of the most talented singers and guitar players. Its not easy to find anyone with those three attributes.
Brad Paisley’s song gets an A- in my book!! There is no way you could critisize Brad. Maybe you could show hatred towards the likes of Rascal Flatts and Emerson Drive (two of country music best groups today by the way) if you were traditionalist and showed rightful respect for Johnny Cash and Willie. However Brad sticks to the traditional sound that these artists introduced most of the time, aside from the fact that he’s turned in his hard core acoustic guitar picking for an electric guitar.
I fail to see any lagitimate reason why “Ticks” won’t go to at least top 5 or why it would be such a horrible song, its completely hilarious and, like most of Brad’s songs with similar to it, its not really meant to be takin so litaraly!!
I just loved it!!! I thought that it was awesome. I am from the country and being a counrty girl, you learn to live with silly humor, guess you could say a four-wheeling, camping, hunting kinda girl that I am would find humor in a song like that;) who wouldn’t. WAY TO GO BRAD I AT LEAST LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ithink song is a riot!!!! why are people picking apart. It’s just a”really a good funny country song.”
I so much love this song. It is so funny. Sounds like something my husband would say!! Go Brad, keep them coming!!!!
i really like this song i think it is one of his best songs!
I LOVE THIS SONG REMINDS ME OF BACK HOME IN THE STICKS LOL!!!! THANKS BRAD THIS REMINDS ME OF HIGH SCHOOL AND THE REDNECKS I GREW UP WITH.
Saw him sing this in concert – hilarious. The audience LOVED it, you gotta laugh.
I love it! He’s coming to my hometown to do a concert, and I can’t wait to see him.
Brian
OMG!! i luv this song. and now when my parents ask me what i am doin on my date on friday night. i will tell then the my boy friend is checkin me for ticks. but i luv this song and my non-country-luvin-friends say so tooo. and i would lay back in the sticks and let brad check me for ticks.
brad u give me sumtin to talk bout in history
LUV U BRAD
u gett an A+++++++++++++++++++++++++
only brad can make me *laugh*
I am not generally a country fan, but this song is just lighthearted and funny. It’s about one of those stupid pickup lines that we’ve all thought of but never dared to use.
This song rocks, literally. When you consider the song Alcohol, I’m gonna Miss Her etc. you have to appreciate his sense of humor and talent. Not many can go from I’m Gonna Miss her to songs like She’s Everything and Waiting on a Women. Brad is right up there with the best. A+
“Ticks” is a great song!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I LOVE it!!!!!
The song “Ticks” is great!! It is so funny, I love it!!! Way to go Brad!!!
The person who did this review definitely doesn’t have a clue about country music. Brad is the man. He’s a great singer, songwritter, guitarist, performer and he’s very funny. He has everything you need to be a great country music performer. There are not many traditional country music singer out there any more like George Strait, and Allen Jackson, and having a young man like Brad out there doing it “the best” give us tradition country fans some hope for the future after George and Allen. Brad will win many awards through out his career, so a c- is way off. I’d give him an A. Only 2 1/2 month till his new album somes out! Heck maybe in the future, his new son will do some songs with him. Go Brad Go!!!
I so agree with you “Jason”, i love country contriversy. Its a great song, very funny and so true for most guys. But sadley its not his best. B+
This is by far the lamest song i have ever heard. First of all I am NOT what-so-ever a country music fan and this is one of the reasons why i think it sucks….because of stupid crap like this, and your twang ass is making money off of this bullshit =]
I love this song but i cant find it any where can you tell me where i can get it
Click on the “Buy” link at the end of the review, which will bring you to the itunes store. The single costs 99 cents.
Or you can purchase the radio edit on “Urge”.
this song is a A+ so shuve that in your pipe and smoke it
I love this song. I heard it coming back from camping on Spring Break. I was pulling the boat and my husband was pulling the camper. I couldn’t wait to tell my him and daughter about this redneck song. I instantly thougt, “This sounds just like something Bobby (my husband) would say”
best song ever! very entertaining & just good fun! good job brad! :)
gotta love it :)
love your song!!!
just thought you might like to hear your song is being used in my daughter’s wedding..yep!!! they playing it while standing at the alter..isn’t that a trip..love song bout bugs are being in a wedding…lol
thanx for all your great music…
Jo Beth
I think Ticks is a GREAT song!!! I love the beat to it and I love the lyrics… Brad done a great job singing this song… Can’t wait to see the video! Great Job Brad!!! You are awesome!!!!
Thanks for turning me on to this song Monica! It is definitely country and I like the thought. Any pickup line that works is a good one – corn asside. I like the fill in as well.
Brads’ up tempo songs always have a feel good feeling to them. I love Ticks. Besides, I’m pretty sure guys have thought about checking girls for ticks just to see/get somewhere else, guys are just like that. Keep bringing them out Brad Paisley, we love them!
Kevin,
It is obvious that you and the other fools that have posted here have absolutely no concept to the reality of what country music is, much less the music of Brad Paisley.
Brad writes and sings songs about everyday life that most people can relate too. Unfortunately folks like you and the others are nothing more than city dwellers.
Brad is the real deal, whereas the “chicks” are nothing more than traitors that country music has shunned because of their ignorant thinking.
Ticks is just another one of those songs that talks about everyday life. If you have never had to check yourself for ticks after going fishing or hunting, then you have NO clue of what your talking about in this review.
Thank GOD I’M A COUTRY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This song is so cute and awesome and was a pleasure to watch it performed a week ago. Brad does a fantastic job laughing with others along with himself and this shows in his songs and writing. Kelli Pickler, Taylor Swift and Jack Ingram did a cute act to this song dressed up as “ticks” and a “tick exterminator”. it was so funny and Brad never broke a note!!! you could see the smile on his face as he continued to charm the entire audience with his guitar and lyrics. Anyone without a sense of humor miss’s out on alot of things in life. I for one, prefer to join the crowd who chose to laugh and enjoy the few things in life that come our way anymore. BRAD, KEEP UP THE MUSIC WITH THE SONGS THAT TOUCH US IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS!!!
First of all, you people that don’t understand the song need to chill. Being a single attractive girl in a bar I have heard about every pick up line one can stand, and I think this one is just funny as hell!!!! It’s really not about that anyway, it is just a creative way to see her naked. It is a joke, that is all. I think personally, he may be making fun of all the stupid stuff men say when they try to pick up women–cause some of it is definately out there!!!!! I am a woman and I looooovvvveee this song.
I normally don’t listen to country but after channel surfing in the truck the other day, I ran across this song. It has possibly the worst lyrics in any song since Aerosmith’s “Pink”. But no doubt will real popular with the wrassling & Nascar crowd. I’ll stick to rock.
I am not one of those types that follows blindly among the ranks of country music. If I did, I suspect I’d like Rascal Flatts a lot more than Merle Haggard.
I was attracted to Brad Paisley’s music by his amazing guitar playing and his traditional sound. His first CD is still one of my favorites, and I think he just keeps getting better with time.
Aside from being the best guitar player I have ever seen, Brad has made his mark by being one of Nashville’s “funny guys.” Little Jimmy Dickens is one of his dear friends and heroes, and if you’re a newer fan of the genre you probably don’t realize that Little Jimmy might be the funniest guy ever in country music. I think that Brad has a lot of talent, but his humor really shines through in his songs. That’s why if someone like Brad sings a song like “Ticks,” I enjoy it. Had anyone else in this town sung it, I would not have been impressed.
If you don’t like “Ticks,” don’t bother buying his new CD. I saw him live a few weeks ago, and there are three songs funnier than ticks on the new album. (Or at least three that he sang to us!)
This song is now tied with “I’m Gonna Miss Her” for my favorite Brad Paisley song. How ANYONE could not like this song is beyond my comprehension.
This song is great. One of Brad’s best. He not only can do good love songs, he can do funny ones too and he can do it with a great voice. Great job Brad. I don’t see why some people don’t like. I give this song a A-.
love it…….. only just heard it for the first time. it is just the cutest song and am downloading oasd my ring tone!!!! love you brad
I loved this song and all his other ones to. Who wouldn’t.It makes me laugh. Every time I hear it I always turn it up.All my friends love it to.this song is one of the best Brad Paisley song. Songs like this don’t come around to often.I can’t wait to get the cd.Keep up the great song Brad.I love you.This song gets an A+++++++++++++++++ So does Brad Paisley.
I love this song. It makes me laugh. My cockatoo(Kanga) loves it too. He dances and sings along with it.
WE WNT TO COUNTRY JAM IN GJ CO AND MAINLY IT WAS TO SEE BRAD PAISLEY –WE HAD RESERVEDS SEATS, THEY WERE STILL AWAYS BACK BUT WAS EXCITED TO SEE BRAD **THAT IS UNTILL HE CAME ON WAS ABOUT 2″ TALL ON STAGE FROM WHERE WE WERE NO BIGGIE I THOUGHT WE CAN STILL SEE IT ON THE JUMBO TRON WRONG, HE BLACKED OUT THE SCREENS **WHAT AN ASSHOLE I WILL NEVER BUY TICKETS TO SEE HIS SELFISH ASS AGAIN IF IT WASNT FOR THE FANS HED BE NOTHING !!
Well Disapointed,
who do you think is an asshole because if your calling brad an asshole screw you. Just because he blacked out the screens doesn’t meen he’s a selfish asshole.!!!!!!! BRAD PAISLEY DESERVES AN A+++++
omgh first you give “online” and “F” and now this song a “C” buddy you really disappoint me. What is wrong with you!!!! this deserves an A. This is such a good song. And when I wentt to go see Brad Paisley this year in concert, everyone was singing along to this song when he sang it.
I will not deny that I’m a very big Brad fan. However, the guitar on this song kind of annoys me; it’s kind of like the guitar riff on The World, a song I like. I can’t help but be amused by the ridiculousness of this song.
I just downloaded the song ticks and I think it is the funnest songs in country music that I have heard in a long time. I also think that if you dont like it , in America you dont have to listen to it. Since when are people so upset with a song or as far as Disapointed said that Mr. Brad Paisley was selfish maybe there was another reason why the screen was blacked out or her seats were in a bad location, anyways next time buy better seats and grow up I do not think the world will end because you do not like brad. I think the song is great and has brought me and my friends much enjoyment .
I love you, Brad, but this song creeps me out. Can you be more prude and disgusting?