Favorite Songs by Favorite Artists: Carrie Underwood

Since Country Universe launched eleven years ago, there have only been a handful of new country artists that I’ve truly enjoyed.  Out of all of them, there hasn’t been another artist I’ve consistently enjoyed as much as Carrie Underwood.

Full disclosure: my fandom reaches all the way back to the American Idol auditions. It’s a show I haven’t watched in years, but out of all of the seasons I did watch, Underwood was the only contender I actively rooted for from the beginning, and has been the only one who has put out music that I actually buy.

I’ve written about why I enjoy Underwood many times before, but a quick summary for those who may have missed it: she’s sincere, she’s got great pipes, and her worldview and empathy resonate deeply with me. She can do traditional country as well as anybody, but refuses to adhere to genre limitations, which is a combination present in most of my favorite country artists. I just think that she’s awesome.

So with Storyteller now in stores, it seemed like a great time to look back on my favorite moments of hers so far. There isn’t another artist who hit the scene in the past decade that I could do one of these for, and with her new album too fresh in my mind to fully assess, I’m limiting my selections to her pre-Storyteller work.  (Sorry, “Smoke Break.” You would’ve made the cut if not for that limitation.)

#25
“You Won’t Find This”
Carnival Ride, 2007

A hidden gem toward the end of Underwood’s sophomore set, “You Won’t Find This” is a gentle warning to the guy walking out the door that nothing will be as good as what he’s leaving behind.

#24
“Cupid’s Got a Shotgun”
Blown Away, 2012

A raucous rave-up with plenty of wit, this one was even better live than on the record.

 

#23
“All-American Girl”
Carnival Ride, 2007

Catchy and endearing, Underwood’s first celebration of womanhood is still enjoyable today.

#22
“Someday When I Stop Loving You”
Play On, 2009

I only have one of the four singles from Play On listed, as the gap between what I consider the best songs and what was sent to radio is widest on her third album. This tender, acoustic ballad showcases Underwood’s powerful voice at its most subtle and nuanced.

#21
“Good Girl”
Blown Away, 2012

An entertaining production with twists and turns, “Good Girl” took Underwood’s signature sound and jumbled it up, effectively playing against the listener’s expectations.

#20
“I Told You So”
Carnival Ride, 2007

When it was sent to radio, vocals from Randy Travis were added to make it a duet, but I prefer the solo version that appears on the album.

 

#19
“Nobody Ever Told You”
Blown Away, 2012

An indictment of impossible beauty standards, Underwood’s gentle encouragement of young girls to reject the media pressure of physical perfection is her strongest feminist statement to date.

#18
“I’ll Stand By You”
Idol Gives Back, 2007

Her innocent cover of the Pretenders classic was also her first purely acoustic release. While she lacks Chrissie Hynde’s grit, she compensates by bringing the song’s beautiful melody to the surface. I’d love to hear her revisit this song, now that she’s matured as vocalist.

#17
“Two Black Cadillacs”
Blown Away, 2012

Who knew you could still get away with a country song that kills off a man just for having an affair?

#16
“Just a Dream”
Carnival Ride, 2007

One of her first truly dramatic story songs, she captures the piercing pain and cloudy confusion of grief with her heartbreaking vocal performance.

#15
“Good in Goodbye”
Blown Away, 2012

A quiet piano ballad from her last album, “Good in Goodbye” finds her running into the man she thought she’d spend her life with. As she watches him with his little girl on his shoulders, she realizes that the pain of their breakup was worth it, because he’s where he’s supposed to be, as is she.

#14
“Jesus, Take the Wheel”
Some Hearts, 2005

Underwood put her faith front and center in her first country single, and it established one of the most crucial underlying themes in her work: the power of God’s mercy and unconditional love.

#13
“Undo It”
Play On, 2009

It’s an absolutely ridiculous song, but it’s still a total earworm that I never get tired of listening to.

#12
“Wasted”
Some Hearts, 2005

The opening track of her debut album follows the pattern of many of her most successful songs: telling the stories of different people in the verses and unifying their experiences through the chorus.  Here, it’s a man overcoming his alcohol dependency and a woman leaving a destructive relationship, both realizing that time is running out and they don’t want their time on earth to have been wasted.

#11
“Do You Think About Me”
Blown Away, 2012

A tender tale of first love, in the tradition of “Strawberry Wine,” but without any of that tale’s lingering sadness. I love the detail of how she sings the same songs with her new man, but he’s “always just a little out of key. So much different than you and me.”

#10
“Something in the Water”
Greatest Hits: Decade #1, 2014

Something Underwood’s been more successful at as she’s progressed is finding stories that match the size and scope of her overwhelmingly powerful voice. This tale of being born again through baptism fits the bill perfectly.

#9
“How Great Thou Art”
How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites from the Grand Ole Opry, 2011

As does her take on what might be the most beautiful gospel standard ever written. I’ve never heard it done better than Underwood does it here.

 

#8
“Praying for Time”
Idol Gives Back, 2008

Then again, Underwood’s able to convert even a cynical number like George Michael’s “Praying for Time” into something of a gospel standard, simply by infusing it with enough faith in humankind that we can overcome our materialism and isolation from each other. In her version, God and man are still separated, but they haven’t given up on each other yet.

#7
“Before He Cheats”
Some Hearts, 2005

This was such a surprise when it first came out, but even after a decade of heavy rotation, it still packs a punch. I wonder how many cars have paid the price for their owner’s philandering since this became a hit?

#6
“Change”
Play On, 2009

As I wrote in the introduction, part of Underwood’s resonance with me is I can connect deeply with her worldview. This call to reject defeatism and cyncism in favor of serving others is like an angel whispering in my ear every time I listen to it.

#5
“I Know You Won’t”
Carnival Ride, 2007

Just a straight-up power ballad that pushes her vocal abilities to the limit. I love the way the quiet verses build to an explosive chorus.

#4
“Blown Away”
Blown Away, 2012

Stunningly theatrical, “Blown Away” effectively harnesses storm imagery to tell the tale of horrific child abuse and poetic, karmic revenge.

#3
“Play On”
Play On, 2009

Much like “Change,” I always come back to “Play On” because the message is motivating and inspiring. Mistakes are part of life, and you have to make the choice whether the damage in your rearview is going to make you pull to the side of the road or just keep going.

I’m with Carrie on this one.  Keep going.

#2
“Little Toy Guns”
Greatest Hits: Decade #1, 2014

Putting aside the brilliant production and flawless attention to detail in the songwriting, “Little Toy Guns” derives just as much of its success from accurately capturing the pain that emotional abuse inflicts on those who are exposed to it, even if they aren’t the intended target.  Watch what you say and how you say it. The kids are listening.

#1
“See You Again”
Blown Away, 2012

I always come up a little short when I’m trying to explain why “See You Again” means so much to me, but since it’s at the top of this list, I’ll try again.

There are many songs about grief which find a silver lining in the fact that we’ll be reunited again in the next life. It’s been a recurring theme in country music since the Carter Family asked if the circle can be unbroken.

“See You Again” is one of the few songs I’ve heard that truly believes it, without an ounce of doubt. It’s a song about loss that is completely joyful. Yes, it acknowledges the pain of separation, but never for a second does it consider that the separation is anything but temporary.

It follows faith to its logical conclusion, and fully embraces its promise as unquestionable, unshakable truth.