Sonically, newcomer Greg Bates’ debut hit is a pleasant, infectious slice of nineties-esque contemporary country with a moderate traditionalist bent. It’s the kind of song that country star Chris Young has made his calling card.
The lyrics fit snugly into
the ‘smooth sexy’ category that has been going over well at country radio lately. Though the song is fairly tame and inoffensive, Bates eases into its hook with just the right blend of sincerity and subdued swagger. He delivers cheeky rhyme schemes such as “I did it for the moonlight, slow ride, slidin’ over by my side…” with just the ideal amount of gusto.
Overall, it’s the straightforward, unpretentious simplicity that makes “Did It for the Girl” an oddly endearing tune – finished off with a vocal delivery refreshingly devoid of bells and whistles. The inviting warmth of all that steel guitar certainly doesn’t hurt either. I would like to hear Bates’ tackle more challenging lyrical material in the future, but for now, this pleasant country toe-tapper will do just fine.
Written by Greg Bates, Lynn Hutton, and Rodney Clawson
Grade: B+
I feel about this as I do about most of Easton Corbin’s music. It’s nice, and certainly more pleasing to the ears than most of what’s out there in the mainstream at the moment – but I’m not sure it’s got staying power. I am rooting for both guys to do well, but I really want to hear stronger material. (Chris Young and Josh Turner could take the same memo, but they at least have exceptional voices which makes even forgettable material stand out.)
Easton Corbin is pleasant enough and non offensive, but that’s about the best I can muster for him. I guess he is supposed to appeal to George Strait fans, but I have enough George Strait on my ipod already: I don’t need a copycat George. I’ll listen when Corbin comes on the radio but I wouldn’t buy his music.
Colt Ford is more entertaining than Easton Corbin. Sure, Colt Ford sucks, but in an entertaining way. Corbin is just bland and dull.
I’ve been anticipating this review from CU and it’s what I thought it would be. A likeable review of a likeable song. “Did It For the Girl” given it’s modern country twang and lyrical simplicity makes me grin a little more that it otherwise would because of the power-chord arena rock challengers it faces in the country market.
Am I blown away by anything this song offers? No! Am I going to keep thins song in heavy rotation long-term amongst the material frequent a lot? Probably not, it’s no “House That Built Me”. But if a love song and the vocal performance such as this can make me smirk, remember the song well enough to keep singing along and gets some body part grooving as it goes, then it has done a good job. There is nothing in Bates’ delivery nor the lyrics that brings out any raw emotion, it’s simplicity straight through. From the first line of verse one you know what you’re getting into.
I guess since country music’s standards have been lowered so much this past decade, that good-not-great, sits just fine with me. Would I like a “Long Black Train” or “Another Try” out of the new modern country hats like Bates and Corbin. Yeah! Will I settle for this over Brantley Gilbert and Jason Aldean? Any day of the week!