“I May Hate Myself in the Morning”
Lee Ann Womack
Written by Odie Blackmon
2004
In the early days of Country Universe, it was a priority of mine to expand the idea of what constitutes great country music to something beyond the old trope that the more traditional a country record is, the better a country record it is.
But there is some truth to that old trope, and it surfaces when an artist who does their best work in traditional country settings finds a song that is sophisticated, contemporary, and relevant, and uses the aural signifiers of classic country music to place their new record as a proper descendant of the genre’s golden greats.
Simply put, if I wanted to make the case as to why country music is essential to popular music as a whole, I would play “I May Hate Myself in the Morning,” drop the mic, and walk away.
It’s not just the essential truths of the lyric that connect it to spiritual predecessors like “Help Me Make it Through the Night” and “Spilled Perfume.” It’s not just the honky tonk wail that surfaces when one of our all time great vocalists hits her sweet spot.
Fact is, you could make the case for this being a quintessential country record without any lyrics or singing at all. This is the most potent steel guitar and fiddle work to hit country radio this century. The warm musical outro showcases those two instruments flawlessly, capturing the “ecstasy is the shot, regret is the chaser” moral dilemma that the lyric paints so well.
“I May Hate Myself in the Morning” is not one of the best records of the last twenty years because it’s a traditional country record, but because it was recorded by an artist who understood how to use the elements of traditional country music to make a great record.
Additional Listening:
Alternate Recordings
Sarah Darling featuring Sam Outlaw
Spiritual Sister Recordings
Sammi Smith, “Help Me Make it Through the Night”
Pam Tillis, “Spilled Perfume”
Lady A, “Need You Now”
Another Classic From Lee Ann Womack:
“The Lonely, the Lonesome, and the Gone”
Country Universe: A 20th Anniversary Retrospective
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