The song that helped me warm up to Carrie Underwood was “Before He Cheats.” While I believe the song is simply a good song no matter who sings it, Underwood’s performance is perfect. She delivers the lyrics with just enough sass and personality to provide the famous jilted lover’s anthem the grit that it needs in order to be believable.
Now, please keep my high praise of Underwood‘s performance in mind as you read my next admission. Lately, whenever “Before He Cheats” comes up on my shuffle, I can’t help but think that the song would have been an even more perfect fit for Miranda Lambert. My reasons for putting the two (the song and Lambert) together are pretty obvious. Attitude is what drives the song and Lambert has proven to be the ideal purveyor of songs with attitude. Then again, I’m sure the Crazy Ex Girlfriend connection is a factor as well.
So, my question to you is this:
If you could revise history, what songs do you hear that you imagine other artists recording as well or even better than the original artist?
Funny you say that Leeann. I actually want to know how she would sound singing it as well.
Personally, I think Carrie would’ve blown “Stay” out of the water. It’s a fantastic song and I think Carrie’s vocals on it could prove to everyone how emotionally involved and vocally superior she really is.
I’ve always wanted to hear Wynonna do Dolly Parton’s “Light of a Clear Blue Morning.”
Pam Tillis has said many times that she wishes she’d gotten to “Strawberry Wine” first, and I imagine that would’ve been a darn good record.
I always thought that Sara Evans or Natalie Maines would do well with “Dearly Beloved” (Recored by Faith Hill on her fireflies album). They have tongue-in-cheekness for the song.
never thought of Carrrie singing stay but that probably would be a good fit after hearing what she could do with Randy Travis’s I Told You So
she kills that one. I would be curious to hear ML do BHC, or Gretchen Wilson.
I always imagine Carrie singing “Anyway” from Martina…
How about Vince Gill or Diamond Rio singing “Bless The Broken Road” instead of Rascal Flatts?
after hearing what she could do with Randy Travis’s I Told You So
she kills that one
I agree, but probably not the way you mean it.
Still thinking about Leeann’s question.
I’d love to hear Don Williams’ laconic take on “Ring of Fire”
Oh, I’ve got one for this category. Faith Hill’s ‘I Can’t Do That Anymore’ recorded by Ms. Reba …
Ring of Fire Josh Turner for sure.
When I first heard “Before He Cheats” I thought exactly the same thing, so at least I am not the only one who thought it — that is the perfect song for someone like Miranda —
However, I am not sure anyone could have done Stay any better than Jennifer Nettles has already done it, especially since she wrote it…I am sure that others will cross my mind through out the day —
Anything by faith sung by Carrie underwood, but especially “let me let go”. Or any Johnny Cash sung by Josh Turner, especially “Ring of Fire” or “I walk the Line”
Jennifer Nettles singing “Maybe it was Memphis”
I would kill to hear Josh sing a Cahs song.
I have also always been curious to here someone like Blake Shelton take on a George Strait tune. It would probably sound horrible, but I would have love to see what Blake could have done with You’ll Be There or Wrapped. Someone in a neo-traditional world tackling a solid country hit style like George’s.
I always thought Carrie was miscast for “Before He Cheats” (the video at least, if not the song itself)..I agree that is more of a Miranda type song, I think Jo Dee Messina would have been a credible choice as well.
-Steve from Boston
Kevin,
I believe Trisha Yearwood was pitched “Strawberry Wine” and declined. I imagine a number of the ’90s ladies would’ve loved that song, but Deana Carter’s voice worked perfectly with it.
I’d be the first to say Gretchen Wilson has more artistic ability than is often reported, and I enjoy her ballads for the most part, but I’d like to see Lee Ann Womack or Patty Loveless tackle her “I Don’t Feel Like Loving You Today”, another Matraca Berg gem.
I’m gonna flip Scott’s choice and say I’d like to have heard Cash sing “Long Black Train.” Apparently he considered recording it shortly before he died, but decided he had done too many train songs already.
Raul Malo singing Robbie Fulks’ “Leave it to a Loser”….
I always wondered about if Gary Allan did Whiskey Lullaby as a solo song. His deep voice and his way of extracting emotion with every note, might have put even more emotion and power into an already powerful song.
I also remember reading that Reba had passed on Independence Day. Don’t get me wrong, I think that song was written specifically for Martina, but I always wonder how Reba would have handled such a sensitive yet powerful song.
And another song, was Miranda Lambert doing the grittiness of the classic Reba (and Ms. Gentry) song “Fancy”. Miranda has enough grit in her to pull it off as well. Although, I don’t know if she’d be able to match Reba’s near flawless interpretation.
any Reba song that requires a killer vocal (ie: “Whoever’s In New England” and”You Lie”) by Carrie Underwood
“She Thinks His Name was John” by Trisha Yearwood or Alison Krauss
and I really love this song by Reba but it’d be interesting to see the following artists’ take on “Somebody” :
-Sara Evans
-Faith Hill
-Trisha Yearwood
-Alison Krauss
-Lee Ann Womack
-LeAnn Rimes
-Wynonna!!
-Dixie Chicks
of course that’s just my opinion.
yes Greg, I too have wondered how Reba would have done “Independence Day,” seeing as how she did “She thinks his name was john”
and I also agree that it’d be hard to match Reba in doing ‘Fancy’ but Lambert would be a good choice for that song ^^
Michelle Wright (who’s still around and making music by the way) was pitched Maybe It Was Memphis back in the early 90’s and didn’t feel she could connect with the American Southern Gothic vibe of it.
How about Toby Keith singing the Dixie Chicks’ “Top Of The World”? seriously though…
While I agree he would do a good job with it, I think it would be way too awkward for Gary Allan to perform “Whiskey Lullaby” considering his story.
oooh!
the Dixie Chicks performing Sugarland’s “Down In Mississippi”
and
Faith Hill’s “Stealing Kisses” by Sara Evans or Trisha Yearwood. :)
i remember jennifer nettles did “the lights went out in georgia” at the Reba Giants CMT and i would like to hear a recorded version of that.
Garth Brooks: Roger Miller’s “King of the Road”
Kathy Mattea: ONJ’s “I Honestly Love You”
Jon Randall recorded “Whiskey Lullaby” on his last CD.
Listen
His version is very, very good. I’ve also heard Melodie Cannon sing a bluegrass-y version and Bill Anderson (Jon’s co-writer on the track) has recorded the song as well.
Actually Carrie does a great job with any song she sings look at “Flat on the Floor” she can sing serious, sassy and everything in between but youre right Miranda is more the wild one (in a song sense) and I think Carrie would do great with Mirandas new song “More like Her” IMO
I’m thinking… It would be good to see a topic about people dismissing songs and this kind of thing, just like some examples we have here… Just tipping…
Maybe let’s blend discussions and say Carrie and Miranda should do an all girls tour and cover each others songs, that would sum up the majority of the suggestions.
Carrie Underwood doing Miranda Lamberts “Bring Me Down” would be good, I think.
I love Jon Randalls version of ‘Whiskey Lullaby’. I love that he continues the metaphor instead of changing the line ‘and finally drank away her memory’ and sang it ‘and finally blew away her memory’. Just my opinion.
I could picture Sara Evans singing “Gotta Be Something More” or “Settlin'” by Sugarland.
Faith Hill doing “Just Might (Make Me Believe)” from Sugarland