Overall, Chris Cagle’s latest single, “No Love Songs”, is a fun song that has an amusing chorus. Moreover, Cagle seems as though he is enjoying himself. It cannot, however, be overlooked that this song has some problems: somewhat silly lyrics and a pointless narrative.
We find the storyteller and a sad guy at a bar. After some drinks, the man suddenly stands up on the bar stool and insists: “…play me something about drinkin’, one about cheatin’, a few about losin’, lyin’ and a-leavin’/Something where somebody did somebody wrong and play it all night long/But don’t play me no love song/Don’t play me no love song.”
The other problem with this song is the choice to speak the verses rather than sing them. In songs such as “Convoy” (C.W. McCall), “I’ll Go On Loving You” (Alan Jackson), “Getcha Some” and “I Wanna Talk About Me” (Toby Keith) and “This Cowboy’s Hat” (Chris LeDoux), among others, the talking adds to the substance of the songs. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine those songs without the narrations. However, in this song, the spoken narration sounds out of place and, ultimately, seems like a random choice.
Written by George Teren & Craig Wiseman
Grade: B
Listen: No Love Songs
Buy: No Love Songs
I was distracted by the talking in the song. I’d have released “Good To Be Back” if I was Capitol.