Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow - "Picture": Classic or Dud

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Close-to-being-forgotten redneck rap-rocker and VH1 poster child songstress release country weeper. Does it sound like authentic country? Is it authentic country? Better than actual country? Nothing more than the inessential crap on most country radio stations? What say you?

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:02 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm guessing hell on earth, but let me actually hear it first.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:06 (twenty-three years ago)

I say, "Oh my God, Kid Rock can sing!!!"

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh Kid sang much better in Only God Knows Why. More cursing, a true Freebird homage and a hysterical yell of "Take Me To The River!" at the end too. This man does not fear the cliche (he's gonna make it through the winds of change! wooosh!), but what kills this for me is when Sheryl Crows sings the same damn lines he does, and, I swear to god, lamer. What the fuck happened to her? The botox got into her brain.

I wish he could learn how to sing with it being a bland ballad.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 16 January 2003 00:21 (twenty-three years ago)

There's also a promo version with Alison Moerer, apparently. (At least it says so in Billboard: Kid Rock with Sheryl Crow or Alison Moerer. Unless maybe they couldn't figure out which woman it was!) Alison made a way better album than Sheryl last year, so maybe her duet's better, too; I still haven't heard it. Anyway, who cares. It's a good song, but Anthony's right -- "Only God Knows By" was way better. The main reason I wanted to post here to say there is a lot of NON-inessential non-crap on country stations these days. (Which reminds me: have there been any ILM threads about, say, Nashville country vs. alt-country, or about the worth of commercial country in general? Do people here like the Tim McGraw LP? Kenny Chesney? etc.)

― chuck, Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Only God Knows By" = "Only God Knows Why," obviously.

― c.e., Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:31 (twenty-three years ago)

have there been any ILM threads about, say, Nashville country vs. alt-country, or about the worth of commercial country in general?

I know Anthony Easton's posted a few threads on the subject, he's a bit of a resident expert on country in general, though isn't all that fond of much current mainstream stuff. I remember Kris Srinivasan had a sharp call some time ago when he noted how country essentially replaced AOR lite rock in the nineties -- certainly explains a lot of what happened then. I admit I haven't had time to investigate much there, and growing up with a sort-of-mainstream country fan in the shape of my dad means a passing familiarity with the form as it stood without leaving much of a desire to investigate further.

I wonder how many people's first impression of country was like mine in that it seemed to begin with Kenny Rogers?

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:37 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think a lot of people here would even give most country a chance. Not enough Brits participating in the genre as audience or participator (at least with the new stuff. There's been a few Hank William's Jr. & Sr. threads). Me, I give CMT the occasional flip of the dial. The country song that did the most for me recently was that Cledus Judd song about how great it is to be a guy. Mainly for his references to mac & cheese, pizza and the line "now I'm passin'/serious gassin'/I might have to leave the room!" That's some true life shit right there.

Most country songs I hear have at least a few lines I don't agree with, even if lyrically/thematically they're often more memorable than pop stuff. Chesney's "We Were Young" makes me wish Johnny Cougar was still around , but I'd still rather play Johnny Cougar (damn, wouldn't he be totally CMT material now?). Damn curious about Tim McGraw though. And Shania's single is pretty great even if she doesn't actually say "I'm gonna get you when I get you inside."

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:38 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think I'll ever forgive Tim McGraw for "Don't Take the Girl" -- hokiest, hoariest (whoriest) tear-jerker ever. And "Indian Outlaw" was pretty bad too, even if you discount the latent racism. (On the other hand, didn't he punch a cop's horse or something? That was kinda funny. Not that I condone horse-punching.)

The "country vs. alt-country" debate has gotten fuzzier in the last few years, because after 'O Brother' suddenly everyone was making roots moves. Dolly's bluegrass albums, Patty Loveless, the stripped-down Dixie Chicks, etc. Also, some of the "alt"-ers have kinda dropped the country part (the inexplicably overrated (B)Ryan Adams, the more understandably well-rated Rhett Miller). A lot of the stuff on both sides of the fences (commercial vs. indie, new vs. old, etc.) seems to me to fit most comfortably under a boring ol' "roots music" heading. Bottom line, there's some good singles on CMT, but as a relative percentage it's no higher than the good stuff on any other chart. There's a lot more good stuff that's not on there. (e.g. Scott Miller, victim of the most gratuitous and off-base Greil Marcus slagging in recent years.)

― Jesse Fox, Thursday, 16 January 2003 02:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Ugghh... bad memories. I was raised on country radio, only stopped listening completely about a year ago. I couldn't tell you much about Tim McGraw's last two LPs, but among his other stuff, "Where the Green Grass Grows" would probably be his best. Destroy: "I Like It, I Love It," "Indian Outlaw," "It's Your Love," "Down on the Farm," "Refried Dreams." Kenny Chesney, I remember he had a ton of hits but I can't remember the melody of any single one of them except for "She's Got It All" (boring) and "She Thinks My Tractor's Sexy" (which marked the point where I no longer wished to listen to country.)

Personally, I have better memories of Diamond Rio and Travis Tritt.

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:30 (twenty-three years ago)

I noticed that when I wrote "the inessential crap on most country radio stations," I meant "the mostly inessential crap on country stations."

― My name is Kenny (My name is Kenny), Thursday, 16 January 2003 03:34 (twenty-three years ago)

Best Tim McGraw Album: Place in the Sun.
Best songs on Tim McGraw's new album: Comfort Me, Tickin' Away, Red Ragtop, That's Why God Made Mexico, Illegal, Sing Me Home, Who Are They, Tiny Dancer.
Best Tim McGraw song to mention the Village Voice: Who Are They.
Best Tim McGraw song mentioned by My Name is Kenny: Where The Green Grass Grows
Second-Best Tim McGraw song mentioned by My Name is Kenny: Refried Dreams
Best Tim McGraw song to rewrite "Indian Reservation" by the Raiders:
Indian Outlaw
Best recent song by Tim McGraw's wife: One
Best early song by Tim McGraw's wife: Wild One
Another song by Tim McGraw's wife that's just as good: The Secret of Life
One Album which would be immeasurably better if Tim McGraw was the singer: 69 Love Songs
Best songs on Kenny Chesney's most recent album: Young, Big Star
Best song on Kenny Chesney's Greatest Hits album: How Forever Feels
Best country album of 2002: Toby Keith, *Unleashed
Best country single of 2002: Ty Herndon, "Heather's Wall"
Best Taylor Dayne single of 2002: LeAnn Rimes, "Life Goes On"
Best country album of 2001: Montgomery Gentry, *Carrying On
Best rock album of 2001: Montgomery Gentry, *Carrying On
Best anything album of 2001: Montgomery Gentry, *Carrying On
Best songs on Montgomery Gentry's current album: Break My Heart Again, Free Fall
One band that *might* rock harder than Montgomery Gentry: Turbonegro

Just in case you were wondering.

― chuck, Thursday, 16 January 2003 21:07 (twenty-three years ago)

The only one I haven't heard of Montgomery Gentry...

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 16 January 2003 21:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Could this be any lamer? However, I didn't who this was until I saw the thread; I just figured it must've been time for a novelty country hit.

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 17 January 2003 14:47 (twenty-three years ago)

(I should point out that I don't know if I like this song or hate it because I'm still getting over the revelation that Kid Rock can sing.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 17 January 2003 14:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Dan, you never heard "Only God Knows Why" with the tour video?

I think its apropos to quote my fave record store's mailman: "That guy hasn't been the same since the midget died."

Sadly, so true...

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 17 January 2003 22:36 (twenty-three years ago)

Best Country single of 2002 was Alan Jackson's "Drive (For Daddy Gene)".

(yeah, so it was actually the *only* Country single I heard in 2002, whateva)

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Friday, 17 January 2003 23:37 (twenty-three years ago)

"That guy hasn't been the same since the midget died."

Hire that man immediately as a music critic.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 18 January 2003 04:34 (twenty-three years ago)

one year passes...

I hate to say it, but I like this song and so does my hairdresser. This isn't the first time I've heard a Kid Rock song that I thought was okay, but I actually postively like this one. Also, had no idea it was Kid Rock.

― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 13 February 2004 18:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Until googling just now.

― Rockist Scientist, Friday, 13 February 2004 18:20 (twenty-two years ago)

four years pass...

i remember i was in the shower in the dorms once. i was about to go back to my room, but this song was playing on the radio. i just stood there.

― Surmounter, Thursday, 19 June 2008 18:56 (seventeen years ago)

four months pass...

really his voice is gorgeous

― Surmounter, Friday, 24 October 2008 03:59 (seventeen years ago)

I hate to say it, but I like this song and so does my hairdresser.

― Rockist Scientist, Friday, February 13, 2004 1:20 PM (4 years ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

― Surmounter, Friday, 24 October 2008 03:59 (seventeen years ago)

worst song ever. they actually banned this one at a local karaoke bar near me because the host hates it so much. she earned points for doing that.

― Eater of Mexicans (Bo Jackson Overdrive), Friday, 24 October 2008 04:08 (seventeen years ago)

love this song.

― i fire doughnuts from a HOOSteen to paralyse my enemies (sic), Friday, 24 October 2008 09:03 (seventeen years ago)

three months pass...

still so good

― Surmounter, Friday, 30 January 2009 21:58 (seventeen years ago)

wow havent heard this in so long! a little corny but yeah kid rock has a nice voice

― k3vin k., Friday, 30 January 2009 22:32 (seventeen years ago)

I like it, but always felt bad for Alison Moerer, who coulda used the career boost.

― undeadsinatra, Sunday, 1 February 2009 01:30 (seventeen years ago)

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