“For All the Wrong Reasons”
The Bellamy Brothers
Written by David Bellamy
Billboard
#1 (1 week)
June 12, 1982
The latest No. 1 single from the Bellamy Brothers isn’t one of their classic records, but it gets the job done.
“For All the Wrong Reasons” opens with a drum beat reminiscent of the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” before segueing into a standard country arrangement.
The lyrics could’ve easily been arranged into a sappy ballad, but the brothers lean into the fundamental joy being expressed, giving us a solid, catchy uptempo record instead.
It’s remarkable to me how fresh the record sounds, pushing the Bellamy Brothers into the slowly growing circle of Nashville-based artists being produced on the same level as New York and L.A.-based acts.
They followed “For All the Wrong Reasons” with “Get into Reggae Cowboy,” which just missed the top twenty. They’ll be back on top with the lead single from next album, Strong Weakness.
“For All the Wrong Reasons” gets a B+.
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The whole of the Bellamy’s significance is somehow greater than the some of its parts when each single is considered in isolation.
Howard and David continue to defiantly plow their own furrow within country music.
This song is proof of that.