6. Jason Michael Carroll, "Livin' Our Love Song"
A departure point between contemporary pop and country music lyrics is fidelity—the former deals mostly with its failures, the latter mostly with successes. J. Holliday's "Bed" is the only recent pop hit I can think of that's about love—OK, sex—between a happy adult couple. Hit country songs, meanwhile, regularly depict still-frisky married couples, usually from the point of view of a male singer who describes his wife with the kind of rapturous admiration most real-life wives can only fantasize about. In "Livin' Our Love Song," Jason Michael Carroll sings: "Just want to lay you down, say I love you without a sound, I think you know what I'm talking about." Yes, we do, Jason. Now please do it in private. Grade: B-
7. Josh Turner, "Firecracker"
People who hate modern country music always point to Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and George Jones and say, "See! This is what country music is supposed to be!" Those people need to hear Josh Turner. His latest hit "Firecracker" is an ass-kicking honky-tonk stomper delivered by a quietly confident crooner blessed with a smooth backwoods baritone. And you can dance to it, too. Grade: A
8. Clay Walker, "Fall"
"Fall" is another example of a male singer expressing what most women will never hear from their husbands or boyfriends. Just fall apart into these arms of mine, Clay says: "Doin' this and doin' that, always puttin' yourself last, a whole lotta give and not enough take." Can Clay get you a drink, hon? How about a foot rub? Of course he'll watch The View on TiVo with you! Grade: C
9. Taylor Swift, "Our Song"
Seventeen-year-old singer-songwriter Taylor Swift—the pride of Wyomissing, Penn.—scored one of her biggest hits so far with "Our Song," also the first hit she wrote by herself. The kid has the innocent teenager act down cold—when she asks her boyfriend why they don't have a song, he says "our song is a slamming screen door, sneakin' out late, tappin' on your window." Our song also is the way he talks slow on the phone so mama won't hear, and Swift's prayers before she goes to bed. Precious! But come on, Taylor: Is his hand really on your heart in the front seat of his car? Grade: B-
10. Montgomery Gentry, "What Do Ya Think About That
Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry know the world is out to get them, but like Kanye West in the similarly paranoid "Stronger," opposition only bolsters their resolve. While Kanye's resentment derives from his megalomania, Montgomery Gentry draw on the same old class tensions regularly exploited by country singers and Republicans. An uptight neighbor—probably listens to NPR and supports the ACLU—moves in and doesn't appreciate Montgomery Gentry's big red barn. Well, they "don't give a dern" about the fuddy duddy: "I got half a mind to paint a plywood sign and nail it up on a notty pine tree, saying I was here first, this is my piece of dirt, and your rambling don't rattle me." In your face, libs! I just wish a rhythm guitar had replaced the organ in the too-wordy chorus—it would make this dern song rock a little harder. Grade: C+
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