I did a post similar to this last November (“Songs I Hate by Artists I Love”) but readership has grown exponentially since then, and the topic complements yesterday’s perfectly. Since I already hit up the Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, Dolly Parton, Pam Tillis and Dwight Yoakam back then, I’ll turn my sights on another act that I rarely find fault with: Trisha Yearwood.
There are only two Trisha Yearwood albums that I don’t particularly care for. The first is her debut, Trisha Yearwood, which features four great singles and another track or two that I somewhat enjoy. As a whole, though, it’s a tentative affair, which is understandable, given that it’s a debut album and all.
The other is less excusable. Released at the height of her popularity, Where Your Road Leads was her only album to feature Tony Brown at the helm. I could forgive its pop flavor if it was actually good pop, but never before or since has Yearwood been paired with such forgettable material. For me, the worst offender was one of the hits: “Powerful Thing.”
I’ve never understood the appeal of this song. It’s a few beats too slow, and there’s no discernible melody in the verses, which are sung like they’re supposed to rhyme, even though they don’t. Then there’s the chorus, with its repeated declarations of “it’s a powerful thing”, a maddeningly vague description that the rest of the lyrics fail to illuminate. It’s radio-friendly pap that’s beneath the singer trying to sell it, the worst offender on the album that is thankfully both Yearwood’s first and last blatant attempt at making a commercial record.
What are some songs you don’t like by artists you do?
Keeping it to hits/singles that are easily recognizable…
Trisha Yearwood – Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love
Dixie Chicks – Goodbye Earl
Tim McGraw – Indian Outlaw
Let’s see here (I’m going through my Itunes library.
Adam Gregory – “Don’t Send The Invitation”
Alan Jackson – “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow”
Billy Currington – “Tangled Up”
Blake Shelton – “She Wouldn’t Be Gone”
Brad Paisley – “I’m Still A Guy”
Brooks & Dunn – “Proud Of The House We Built”
Buddy Jewell – “This Ain’t Mexico”
Craig Morgan – “Love Remembers”
and Yeah I’m too lazy to go through the rest, maybe I’ll do it later
Kenny Chesney- Shiftwork
Trisha Yearwood- Powerful Thing
Faith Hill- Let Me let go (ehh.)
Sugarland- All I Want To Do (I never rlly liked the song much)
Alan Jackson- A Woman’s Love (blah.)
no more I can think of….
I am half and half on Hill, Sugarland, and Yearwood’s songs.. Now I hate them.. tmw who knows? LOL
Where Your Road Leads is the only one of Yearwood’s albums that I’ve ever sold off. “Powerful Thing” is a mess for all of the reasons you detailed, but I slightly prefer it to the Dianne Warren nightmare of “I’ll Still Love You More,” every second of which is just wretched stuff. I also don’t like “How Do I Live,” but I don’t think it sounds like Trisha phoned in the vocal on that one, as is the case on the other Warren song in her repertoire. Still, it takes a vocalist of her caliber to make any of Warren’s greeting card goo even slightly resemble actual human emotion.
I’m not a fan of “I Try to Think About Elvis” by Patty Loveless. She sings it well because she’s Patty Loveless and she does that, but there’s no hiding that it’s a throwaway novelty song.
I second Jordan’s “I’m Still A guy”
I third “I’m Still A Guy”, it’s way too sexist.
Another is “Valentine” by Martina McBride. It’s one of the only songs by her that I don’t like. I just don’t like it for some reason.
Thankfully Trisha Yearwood recaptured the magic with Real Live Woman.
I think “I Try to Think About Elvis”, although not a member of my Top 25 Patty Loveless list, is just enough tongue-in-cheek to work, IMO, but I understand how one could possibly dislike it.
I would select “Don’t Take the Girl” by Tim McGraw. An overwrought, three-act story that has aged in production. Tim has done much deeper, stronger material since.
Zach: wow.. let me let go is one of my favorite Hill songs… secret of life and breathe on the other hand… :)
As much as I make of the fact that I like the vast majority of what Linda Ronstadt does, I am not enamored of “High Sierra”, either in the mix done for TRIO 2 with Dolly and Emmylou, or on her 1995 solo album FEELS LIKE HOME. And incredibly it’s not the song’s lyrics that bother me; it is Linda’s overly mannered attempt at sounding high and lonesome. She nailed this sort of thing in the early 1970s without any trouble, but she doesn’t do it as well on this song.
Sticking to recent stuff —
Sugarland – Everyday America
Brad Paisley – Online
George Strait – I Saw God Today
Alan Jackson – Southern Man (or whatever it’s called)
Cross Canadian Ragweed – Cry Lonely
This goes back a few years, but Dolly Parton’s version of “Stairway To Heaven” was horrible.
Dolly Parton “Great Balls of Fire”
Dolly Parton “Old Flames”
Martina McBride “Valentine”
Linda Ronstadt “Blue Bayou” (there should be a law against tackling Orbison songs – only Orbison and perhaps Narvel Felts and Don MacLean should be allowed to do so
George Strait “The Fireman”
Reba “Fancy” & “Cathy’s Clown”
Also, virtually any Diane Warren song, no matter who sings it
Tim McGraw- Last Dollar and Kristofferson. Poor singles from an album that has better songs (I’m working, Shotgun rider)
“Bringing Out The Elvis” by Faith Hill. I love Faith, but that’s truly one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard.
“Forever Love” by Reba. I think it’s an OK song, but Reba’s voice isn’t suited for it. I’d like to hear Martina McBride or Trisha sing it.
Toby Keith – “she’s a hottie”
“Where i come From”, When Somebody Loves you”, and “Red on a Rose” Alan Jackson
King of the mountain and “We REally Shouldnt be doing This” by George Strait
Last Name–Carrie Underwood
When the Stars Go Blue” by Tim McGraw
Again just a short list..i could name a lot more
Martina McBride….”When God-Fearin’ Women, etc.”
Alan Jackson….”Good Time”
Faith Hill….”Mississippi Girl”
Brad Paisley….”Ticks”
I own every single George Strait album, but the one song from this massive collection that I don’t have on my iPod is “Looking Out My Window Through The Pain” from his self-titled George Strait album. I get the whole emotional pain/window pane double entendre bit, but this song just falls very flat for me. In contrast, from the same album we have “Which Side of the Glass,” which has a sort of triple entendre (if there is such a thing) with the window glass/drinking glass/mirrow glass. That’s a much better song and a much better use of entendre…am I using that word right?
But, at the end of the day, I still love King George. :)
i didn’t get it at the time, but i went back and got keith urban’s self titled cd and i thought it was mediocre at best.
Last Name-Carrie
Honky Tonk Bandonak, Swing-Trace Adkins
Tim McGraw, Picture To Burn-Taylor Swift
There You Are, Valentine-Martina
Bringing Out The Elvis-Faith Hill
Biker Chick-Jo Dee Messina
Dancin For The Groceries-Kenny Chesney
Why Why Why-Billy Currington
Red High Heels-Kellie Pickler
George Strait’s duet With Kenny – Shift Work
I love George but that’s a dud.
Alan Jackson – http://www.memory
Reba – Fancy
Gary Allan – Tough Little Boys
I constantly try to get some music snob alt-country buddies of mine to get into Gary, but this song shot my credibility all to hell.
thought of some more..
Skoal Ring, Come To Bed-Gretchen Wilson
I Got My Game On-Trace Adkins
Squeezin The Love Outta You, Head Over Heels-Caroyln Dawn Johsnon
Chicks Dig It-Chris Cagle
Brooks and Dunn “Boot Scootin’ Boogie”
Martina McBride – I always disliked “City of Love” and “Learning to Fall” from the Martina album, both of them are just plain not very good.
Sara Evans – The song “Cupid” from No Place That Far kind of grates on my nerves. And I never liked “Big Cry” from Restless (The rest of the album is awesome though).
Carrie Underwood – Inside your heaven, and Twisted.
“Sin Wagon” – Dixie Chicks
“Born to Fly” – Sara Evans
I used to like LeAnn Rimes and I thought her entire album “Sittin’ On Top of the World” was horrible, with her version of “Purple Rain” being the worst.
Hole In My Head: Dixie Chicks (I really love their music but I can’t stand that song)
I’ll Take You Back: Brad Paisley
All I Want To Do: Sugarland
Twisted: Carrie Underwood
Gunpowder and Lead: Miranda Lambert
Last Dollar – Tim McGraw…I love Tim, but will turn the radio off when this song comes on!
Same with George Strait and KC with Shiftwork! YUK!
Gunpowder & Lead – Miranda Lambert…so sick of this song.
That Train’s acomin song by Dierks Bentley!
There is so many more but can’t think right now!
I’m one of the biggest Sara Evans fans around but could not stomach Backseat Of A Greyhound Bus
I agree about Where Your Road Leads. I’m a huge fan of Trisha, but that album was a dud. My least favorite Trisha song though is XXX’s and OOO’s. I could never stand that song.
Vince Gill – Liza Jane
Martina McBride – My Baby Loves Me
Diamond Rio – Bubba Hyde
I also agree with McBride’s “Valentine”
well Marc, “Breathe” and “Secret Of Life” happen to be among my fav Hill songs LOL :)
I’ll third “Gunpowder and Lead” from Miranda Lambert. And add “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”.
(btw….if you think those two songs sum up Miranda, you NEED to give her another listen! ;)