Tracy Lawrence, a far more distinctive vocalist than many of his contemporaries, received industry approval with his first CMA award last fall for the Vocal Event-winning “Find Out Who Your Friends Are”, his collaboration with Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw. After the cool reception to follow-up single, “‘Til I Was a Daddy, Too”, he returns with a song on the complete opposite of the spectrum, “You Can’t Hide Redneck.”
It’s a song split into two stories set at a Southern high school reunion, with two classmates showing off their rough-around-the-edges attitudes behind the professional disguises (he’s a rich career man out west, she’s a judge in Boston). But as the conversations continue, they exhibit their true selves, proving that it’s impossible to fool others by putting on airs.
Problem is, the hook is pretty lame and the second verse is especially weak in its example of redneck-icity. The song’s another in the long line of redneck pride anthems, and the humor just falls flat. This is mindless fluff, and beneath Lawrence’s talent.
Written by Casey Beathard and Daniel Demay
Grade: D+
Listen: You Can’t Hide Redneck
no comment.
I’m with you on this, Blake. I have all of Lawrence’s albums, because I’m a completest, but I didn’t like much from this one. I did like “Find Out Who Your Friends Are” though. This is one of the worst songs on the album, I think.
I disagree about it being a bad song but it certainly isn’t to the level of TL’s older stuff. That being said, I still think radio will eat this up.
My favorite Lawrence albums are his first three. There was a noticeable decline in the rest. I can listen to the first three from beginning to end without skipping anything, but I can’t say the same for the others.
Not one of his better efforts but still a C+ in my book
Tracy is such an interesting and distinctive vocalist that if he recorded the classified ads, it would warrant at least a D+.
Well, that was certainly unbearable. Never cared for Lawrence in the first place, and this brings it home on why. Your grade of D+ is being generous.
I think I’m with Paul on this one. An unremarkable song, but I’d say it’s in the C range. Tracy sells it about as well as I can imagine it being sold.
I am sorry but I happen to like this song — maybe it is the fact that I am from a redneck town where people try to do all of these things — but then again I have no issue disagreeing….
Yeah, that’s not very good (and Tracy is probably my favorite mainstream country vocalist). I am from a redneck town where people do all these things (except become judges), and I’m a little tired of hearing about it constantly (between the pop songs masquerading as country). I call a moratorium on redneck songs for the period of 2 years. Second?
I’d kind of like a moratorium on redneck songs too, and maybe for a bit longer than just two years. Seriously, does anyone in a small town in the South or Midwest, or anywhere off the well-beaten path in America, really want to be defined by that label anymore? I’d like to think there’s a little bit more to such folks than the label implies.
As for Tracy Lawrence–well, let me just say that I’ve heard better male voices than his, and leave it at that.
While I don’t like this song, I’ll have to say that I agree that Tracy has one of the best male voices in the business. I love to hear it, but I wouldn’t want to hear anyone sing the phone book, even my favorite voice.:) No matter how good somebody’s voice is, he/she still needs to have the material to make the voice worth listening to. And as much as I love Lawrence’s voice, I’d rather hear him sing a different song.
I second Trailer’s motion. Enough of the redneck songs. We get it. Also, I’m glad I’m not the only big fan of Tracy’s singing around here.
I like the song too. Its not one of his bests, but its worthy of more than a D+.