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Dallas, Texas, arguably the greatest city in the world, is often called "Big D".
Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
Tuesday: Tear-jerkers
Wednesday: Wildcard
Thursday: Hit Song of the Week
Friday: Party Song
Today’s Oldies Song:
Goin’ Through the Big D by Mark Chesnutt
The great city of Dallas, Texas is often given the nickname “Big D”. After all, everything is bigger in Texas, and the city’s gorgeous skyline and even more gorgeous people have made it the subject of many a country song.
[Can anybody guess where this blogger is from?]
But sweet old Dallas, Texas is not the subject of Mark Chesnutt’s “Goin’ Through the Big D”, at least not directly. The song is an entertaining number about a man’s horribly failed marriage, and it jokes about the relative speed of the dating, marriage, and breakup.
“Six short months we went together, decided it should be forever,” sings Chesnutt in the opening line of the song. And no, it’s not a true story… at least not for Chesnutt.
The story-tellers buys his honey a house “in a subdivided neighborhood”, in fact, he says in the second verse that his friends warned him against diving into love too quickly. “That was August, this is June.”
The refrain is a lighthearted look at the swift divorce. “I’m going through the Big D and don’t mean Dallas, I can’t believe what the judge had to tell us, I got the jeep and she got the palace. Yeah, I’m going through the Big D and don’t mean Dallas.”
American country music listeners, particularly those from Texas, immediately connect the term “Big D” to that glorious city in the northeastern part of Heaven… excuse me, Texas.
The song often puts a smile on the listeners’ faces. It takes a satirical look at divorce, and along with the up-tempo beat and the pleasant guitar, Chesnutt is a real charmer.
The song was first released in 1994 with Chesnutt’s fifth album, What A Way To Live. The album received gold recognition, and the single sat at #2 on American Country Charts.
The song was later released as a part of a fun-loving county compilation a few years later. A CD called Ultimate Country Party, released in 1998, included “Goin’ Through the Big D”… and added the letter “g” back into the title.
It’s a fun song, and a good one. And it mentions Dallas.
[Decca; Produced: Mark Wright; Album: What A Way To Live (1994); Single Release: 1995]
www.markchesnutt.com
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Alan Jackson released "Five O'Clock Somewhere
Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
Tuesday: Tear-jerkers
Wednesday: Wildcard
Thursday: Hit Song of the Week
Friday: Party Song
Today’s Party Song:
Five O’Clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson may not exactly be known for a party-animal persona, and his career may be more accurately marked by wining guitars and moping fiddles, but the hit “Five O’clock Somewhere” appeals to more than just country lovers.
Some believe the song belongs to Jackson’s good friend Jimmy Buffet, who sings the final refrain (after Alan says “What would Jimmy Buffet do?”). Buffet is more recognized as a partier, a slightly ridiculous character who sings edgy songs. But the two put together the perfect song, the perfect concoction for the tired working man.
“That old clock is moving slow,” says Jackson. “The work day passes like molasses in wintertime, but it’s July.” The song is an anthem for those who, well, just hate working. It’s a song for those individuals stuck in their offices, or on the work site, who just can’t wait for the end of the day, or the end of the week.
“Pour me something tall and strong,” belts the refrain. “It’s only half-past twelve, but I don’t care… it’s five o’clock somewhere.”
Upon first listen, most people laugh and agree with Jackson. But for some, upon further notice, realize the truthfulness of the song in application to their own lives. Many people have felt the same way Jackson and Buffet do in the song.
“This lunch break is gonna take all afternoon, and half the night” jokes Jackson in the second verse. All of this stress comes from the fact that “I ain’t had a day off now in over a year.” Again, today’s workers often feel the same.
Jimmy Buffet appears in the song for the final refrain, and it sounds as if he brings about three dozen drunk buddies with him. By the last singing of the words “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” a good twenty voices are involved. (All sound like they’ve had a few.)
The laid-back, nonchalant tone of the song (more indicative of Buffet’s style than Jackson’s) is magnified at the very end as the two singers talk their way out of the single. Buffet and Jackson have a staged conversation, all fulfilling the same attitude.
Buffet: “What time zone am I on? What country am I in?”
Jackson: “It don’t matter, it’s five o’clock somewhere.”
Buffet: “It’s always on five in Margaritaville, come to think of it.”
Jackson: “I heard that.”
Buffet: “You’ve been there, haven’t you?”
Jackson: “Yes sir.”
Buffet: “I’ve seen your boat there.”
Jackson: “I’ve been to Margaritaville a few times.”
Buffet: “That’s good”
Jackson: “I was on my way back.”
Buffet: “Okay, I want to make sure you can keep it between the navigational beacons.”
Jackson: “Between the buoys, I got it.”
Buffet: “Alright, well its five o’clock, let’s go somewhere.”
Jackson: “I’m ready, crank it up.”
Buffet: “Let’s get out of here.”
Jackson: “I’m gone.”
[Arista Nashville; Written by: Jim Brown, Don Rollins; Produced: Keith Stegall; Album: Greatest Hits Volume II (2003); Single Release: June 2003]
www.alanjackson.com
www.margaritaville.com
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Tim McGraw began his career with the emotional story Don't Take The Girl
Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
Tuesday: Tear-jerkers
Wednesday: Wildcard
Thursday: Hit Song of the Week
Friday: Party Song
Today’s Tear-jerker:
Don’t Take the Girl by Tim McGraw
“Johnny’s daddy was taking him fishing when he was eight years old.”
And so the story begins in Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take the Girl”. The artist’s illustrious career has been filled with upbeat tempos, blaring harmonicas, and even some controversial lyrics. But it all started with this emotional single, the story of young Johnny, and the girl who would be the love of his life.
The first verse begins with Johnny’s daddy taking him fishing, when “a little girl walked through the front gate holding a fishing pole.” Johnny begs his father not to bring the little girl. As an eight year old, he simply does not want her to come on the fishing trip. “Take Jimmy Johnson, take Tommy Thompson, take my best friend Bo,” begs little Johnny. “Take anybody that you want as long as she don’t go!” Johnny would give anything to go without the girl. “Take any boy in the world, daddy, please don’t take the girl!”
Obviously, this tale of a young boy (probably afraid to get cooties) is cute to many listeners. His father tells him “I know you don’t want her to go, but someday you’ll change your mind.”
“Ten years down the road”, Johnny changes his mind. “The same old boy and the same sweet girl” go see a movie together, and he “held her tight and kissed her lips.” But while the two eighteen year olds are enjoying the evening, “a stranger came a pulled a gun” on the two. Johnny begs the man…
“Take my money, take my wallet, take my credit cards. Here’s a watch that my grandpa gave me, here’s the key to my car. Mister, give it a whirl,” Johnny begs, “but please, don’t take the girl!”
Johnny is in love with the girl he used to despise. He had in fact changed his mind, and he had grown to love this sweet belle. Five years later, they are married, and are preparing for their first child.
But as the get to the hospital, something goes drastically wrong. “Doctor says the baby’s fine, … but his momma is fading fast.” Johnny “hit his knees” in prayer, begging the Lord…
“Take the very breath you gave me, take the heart from my chest. I’ll gladly take her place if you’d let me,” Johnny begs to heaven, “make this my last request.”
In the most chilling line of the song, Johnny prays on his knees. “Take me out of this world, God. But please, don’t take the girl!”
McGraw really knows how to hit home with his listeners. Fresh off this unbelievable line, he closes the song the same way he opened it, reminding the listeners of the loving couple’s origin. His closing line: “Johnny’s daddy was taking him fishing when he was eight years old.”
The incredibly story brings tears to the eyes of many a man who hears it. While young boys often want to spend time with their friends, and teens often want to spend time with their girlfriends, it takes marriage and true love to really understand the meaning of this song. Johnny would give anything for his love, even his life.
McGraw exposes this love perfectly, and hits the heart with the lyrics. It was a song, though not perfectly showing of his career, that lit up his young years.
[Curb; Written by: Craig Martin, Larry W. Johson; Produced: Byron Gallimore, James Stroud; Album: Not a Moment Too Soon (1994); Single Release: April 2, 1994]
www.timmcgraw.com
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George Strait, often refered to as King George, has released 56 chart-topping singles.
Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
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Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
[ Click here to read more ]
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Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
[ Click here to read more ]
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Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
[ Click here to read more ]
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Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
[ Click here to read more ]
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Play Something Country is your home for great country song, concert, and album reviews. We review songs in this order:
Monday: Oldies Country
[ Click here to read more ]
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Welcome to the brand new Play Something Country.
This site will serve as an information base for American country music, and be home to song, concert, and album reviews for today’s country. We will review songs daily, based on the following order
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Comments (1)
Comment by Chris Ackels
on The Skinny on Kenny
Kenny Chesney is a great musician, and a great act. Thanks so much for talking about that.