Billy Currington - "That's How Country Boys Roll"
By: Bobby Peacock
Looking at the title of Billy Currington's new song, I have to ask: Do we really need another "country boy" song? Didn't the genre beat that trope well into the ground way before Randy Houser put his boots on?
Actually, "That's How Country Boys Roll" is far from a bad song. It has a slightly rocking melody that recalls yet another "country"-titled song, Toby Keith's "Country Comes to Town." The lyrics aren't terribly original, but at the same time, there's nothing that's cringe-worthy save for the obligatory Jesus and George Jones namedrops at the end. The production is somewhere between modern-day, amped-up Top 40 country and something straight out of 1996. In a good way. Billy also gives a typically rock-solid vocal performance; with his lazy Georgia drawl, he seems like a logical choice to be singing about country lifestyles, even if in this somewhat formulaic fashion. After all, he's not resorting to dumb pickup lines like "climb in my bed," nor is he trying to pass off "ashpalt" and "red dirt" as a rhyme.
After scoring the biggest hit of his career with the quirky, laid-back "People Are Crazy," it's a little disappointing to see Billy playing it so frustratingly safe — especially considering that most of his other singles (besides one cheesy Shania duet) have been surprisingly distinctive for a mainstream act. But given that every other #1 of his career has been followed up with a dud, maybe he just needs to get that one generic song out of his system before ascending to a higher level.
READER'S COMMENTS
Bob Critzer says:
Posted: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
I love this song and with this song going to 1 it finally puts Billy curington in the right direction to become a big star like he deserves to be
k says:
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Right ON! k makes a brilliant statement proving that Billy Currington is medicre. k gets attacked for having the audacity to tell the truth. k attacks back and burns the loser SOOOO well that the moderator has to stop the bleeding! K TOTALLY WINS FOREVER AND ALWAYS!!!!!! SO LONG! SEE YA LOSERS!
Sam says:
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
I'm sorry K I was Merly expressing my apreciation for Billy curringtons music. I though this was the apropriate place for it. I never said this was the best single he ever put out becuase I think good directions is miles above this but this is a good song non the less
Matt B. says:
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
K., There's a time when 'all in good fun' becomes 'too much' and calling somebody 'gay' or other defamatory comments crosses the line. Please refrain from that type of comment here.
k says:
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
YOU went to college? Do they have a short bus? Did you get a scholarship from the National Association for the Deaf? Clearly you did not major in Music Appreciation or English! You should demand a refund. BWAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA! K WINS! K WINS! BOW TO K! ALL HAIL K! GAY SAM SUCKS!
Sam says:
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
I do like Billy currinton and I'm not gay thank you K. And I also have a college degree so now what. Popularity obviously has alot to do with talent. It's not the only measure no but if all these people are buying his records an there only a few like you K obviously majority rules on what talent is. And personaly I don't care what you think as long as my favorites such as currington lady A and brad paisley continue to be palyed on the raidio and your independents don't it's all good. Because there's a reason there played and the independents aren't and we both know it's talent. SAM Wins K LOSES ONCE AND FOR ALL HAHAHAHAHAHA
k says:
Posted: Thursday, March 11, 2010
Oh my, Sam! Yes, I suppose in your blind, vanilla, "American Idol"-esque mindset, popularity means more than talent. What do I care if you want to throw away your welfare check on trash music? If you choose to be just another sheep, I won't stop you. In the process of exposing your poor taste in music and your 3rd grade spelling/grammar aptitude, you have also revealed something personal about yourself: you clearly have a man-crush on Billy Currington...not that there's anything wrong with THAT! LOL LOL LOL! BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA K TOTALLY WINS FOREVER AND ALWAYS!!!! ALL HAIL K!!!!
Sam says:
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Billy currington uses his voice as a sweet instrument. He is a great vocalist. Just because he dosnt sound like the darn independent scene you obviously listen to K dosnt mean he isn't good. He is mainstream and he's amazing. So if awards don't mean anything and hit singles don mean talent what does? Does k decide what talent is?ok let alone the awards an singles how bout the fact that he remains in the top country albums sold obviously alot of people agree with me. So I guess all those people against K we all win and K loses again
k says:
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sam, Sam, Sam....Don't you know that awards mean "NOTHING?" Those award shows are the product of backdoor deals among the record labels! POPULARITY DOES NOT EQUATE TALENT! Billy Currington is NOT a "vocalist". A vocalist uses their voice like an instrument...Billy only uses his voice as an instrument of TORTURE! LOL! K WINS! SAM LOSES AGAIN!
Sam says:
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Billy currington is amazing. He is way better a vocalist than Billy Ray. I don't like everything mainstream for example I hate Toby keiths recent releases. But I think when an artist comes along with a UNIQUE voice and with interesting and UNIQUE songs such as good directions and doing somthing right and people are crazy and even this song don't forget don't which was awsome and one ofmy favorites tangled up and even walk a little straiter you can't tell me you didn't like that song. You should recognise them as a legetmite and UNIQUE artist and vocalist. And since people are crazy is nominated for song and single of the year and the ACMs this year I guess sam wins and you k you lose
k says:
Posted: Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Sam, go back and read s-l-o-w-l-y what I posted and you will note that I wasn't comparing Billy Ray Cyrus and Billy Currington as singers. I used "Achy Breaky Heart" as an example of how a song hitting #1 does not mean it's a "GREAT" song. However, since you like the singing of both of these guys, it says a lot about your taste in music. Apparently you are in an "American Idol" mindset where popularity means more than talent. Billy Ray and Billy C are both "singers", but neither one is a "vocalist". The difference? You can find "singers" at any karaoke bar 7-nights-a-week. But a "vocalist" is a person with actual VOCAL talent. Bottom line: Billy Currington is no better than your average karaoke singer. k wins!
Sam says:
Posted: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
K I saw Billy Ray when I was younger and I just saw billy curington last week trust me there is no comparrison curington is way better. People are crazy was awsome good directions was a great song and even doing somthng right I got a feeling don't and have you ever even heard tangled up it's geniuse. This song while it may be a topic covered alot today in mainstream country and I'm even willing to admit it's not his best work is still an alright song. It has a rocking beat and currington sings it with a good tone. This may not be where he shines as his slower stuff is way better but it's still alright. Here's hoping he releases walk on as the fourth single from this amazing album.
k says:
Posted: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Well Sam, just because a song hits #1 does not mean it's a good song. Record companies have ways of skewing those numbers. Let's not forget that "Achy Breaky Heart" was a #1 record, but far from being a good song. Musically, the whole song only had two chords! TWO CHORDS! Hell, most radio stations won't even play it on request anymore. It's just a humorous footnote of '90's Country! So a song being #1 really doesn't mean anything. Sam, it's obvious that you need to come to terms with your Bro-mance for Billy Currington and admit that he really is quite mediocre. This new song about "How Country Boys Roll" is just another tired old theme that's been done before. The guitar lick throughout shows no creativity whatsoever, it's been done a thousand times. And the theme goes back to Hank Jr's "Country Boy Can Survive". Come on, Billy...Do something ORIGINAL, boy! K WINS!
Zeke says:
Posted: Monday, March 8, 2010
Ask the musicians and roadies Billy fired back in 2007 so that he could play martyr and wallow in self-pity: how "amazing" do they think Billy is after costing them 82 days of touring work?
Sam says:
Posted: Thursday, March 4, 2010
K you do realize Billy has had a record deal for close to 10 years now right. All I guess u didn't research that. Or how bou the fact that he's had 2 number 1 songs about to be three off this album alone. So I guess good directions was weak in your opinion becuase that was a topic done over. Yea right Billy is amazing and you know it so in short seeing this song go to number 1 proves once and for all that K loses
bea says:
Posted: Thursday, March 4, 2010
you can all say what you want....but billy is doing just fine....and he is a great singer....and he will say whatever all the way to the bank. GO BILLY. I think you are the best!
k says:
Posted: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
You know what? I've changed my mind. I am going to criticize Billy Currington as an artist. I took a moment to review his songs. Upon reflection, all of his songs are essentially weak in both concept AND performance. This guy is not a good singer to begin with, so giving him mediocre material simply weakens his performances further. Mediocre himself at best, he is nothing more than white-noise on the radio. In short, this guy sucks, and he will be a has-been within six months.
k says:
Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010
sherri sunne, what are you talking about? You said: "Leave Billy alone"...need I say again, I was not criticizing Billy personally, I merely criticized the songwriting of that ghastly song. You said: "he's had a hard life"...really? So that gives him license to put out boring and insipid songs? And another thing: so what? Who's life hasn't been "hard"? Life ain't easy, babe. Get used to it! You said: "people are crazy is how I feel too"...exactly! That's how everybody feels! In fact, so many people have felt that way that this sentiment has been covered over and over in multiple Country songs for years and even decades...do we really need yet ANOTHER Country song to say the same damn thing yet again? OK, OK, OK, we get it...people are crazy...OK? Happy? Can Country music now come up with something (*gasp*) ORIGINAL? k wins!
sheri sunne says:
Posted: Sunday, January 17, 2010
leave billy alone he as had a hard life people are crazy is how i feel too
k says:
Posted: Saturday, January 9, 2010
Wow, talk about misunderstanding a point! I'm not criticizing Billy Currington as an artist, nor the tempo of the music. I'm criticizing the song "People Are Crazy" specifically for its lyrics and concept. The lyrics and concept of "People Are Crazy" are exactly the hackneyed cliche' stereotypes people laugh at about Country Music. Beer, dogs, divorce, whiskey, cigarettes, corny advice from old drunks before they take a dirt-nap...this is precisely what gives Country Music it's backwoods, toothless, incestuous, hillbilly/redneck perception in the mainstream. The concepts have been done so often (see earlier post for examples) that the song itself looks like a Songwriting 101 attempt at Country Music. It is as if the writer(s) followed a shopping list on how to write a Country song. Songs like "People Are Crazy" play right into the cornpone Hee-Haw stereotype the mainstream promotes about Country Music and its listeners. Hope that clears up my earlier points.
Sam Morris says:
Posted: Friday, January 8, 2010
The song is easy-listening. It's a great road song to listen to while driving. It's not a dance number, but easy-listening.
Lee Harvey says:
Posted: Monday, January 4, 2010
I agree with k. Billy Currington is WAY overrated! Another no-talent wannabee with a marketing team.
Sam says:
Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
No K dosnt win you lose as this song has rose way up the charts it's not as good as people are crazy but it's still awsome.
k says:
Posted: Friday, December 18, 2009
Based on the responses, k wins!
justin terry says:
Posted: Monday, December 7, 2009
k can do the same if u dont like the music than shuve it up ya ass.
Sam says:
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
I disagree people are crazy was the best song he put out so far and better than do t his first single in my opinion. All the songs you mentioned did the same TGIF and other genres do it as well it's a tried and tested way to make a hit and it gives us some of our better songs such as people are crazy
Ryan Pillbourne says:
Posted: Saturday, November 28, 2009
No country is generic! nobody sounds anything like the other, no song's lyrics are simmalar.
k says:
Posted: Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Country Music has no originality anymore. Just a bunch of regurgitated junk and Billy Currington’s “People Are Crazy” is the perfect example of it! What a stupid song! It’s as if someone sat down and pulled out a bunch of Country Music cliches. No originality whatsoever! Let’s see: Let’s have an old man giving advice in a bar…it’s worked before in songs like “Girls, Women, Ladies”, and “Old Dogs, Children, Watermelon Wine” and “Don’t Blink” and “Dust On The Bottle” and “Chiseled In Stone”…etc, etc. Yeah, advice from old men in bars, that’s a tried-and-true premise for a country song! Gotta have that, son! Now, let’s see…what else is needed for it to be a Country song? I know! You gotta mention God! President Obama says that these country folks cling to guns and religion…so be sure to get God and prayer in there, okay? What else? Hmmm. I GOT IT! BEER! Country people LOVE BEER! BEER IS GOOOOOOOOD! Especially by the six pack…six pack is a fun reference to beer, make sure to get six pack in there, okay? And, uh…let’s see….CRAZY! Oh, you could write a book about how many Country songs say CRAZY! “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, “I’ve Always Been Crazy” by Waylon Jennings, “Crazy In Love” by Conway Twitty, “I Guess I’m Crazy” by Kenny Rogers, “That Song Is Driving Me Crazy” by Tom T. Hall….YEAH, DEFINITELY USE CRAZY IN THE SONG! The crazier, the better! Well, this song is pretty Country, but we seem to be missing something. Hmmm. Of course, we’ll somehow work in dogs, divorce, cigarettes, and whiskey….oh yeah, I got it! Make the old man a veteran and then have him die at the end of the song! IT’S A FRIGGIN’ COUNTRY MASTERPIECE! Just a bunch of stereotypical country crap they recycled and threw together, and the idiot public bought it again.
Terry Kirkland says:
Posted: Sunday, October 11, 2009
Zac Brown Band, a different kind of fine. Can anyone help me out with the chords for this song?
Ryan Holland says:
Posted: Thursday, October 1, 2009
Haven't even heard this song, yet!
Ryan Cox says:
Posted: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Like the review says; it's not a bad song, it's just rather generic. The vocals make the song though in my opinion, because just listening to the production, it sucks. Same old rift over and over again, then a boring hook. If someone else was singing this song it flat out wouldn't work for them. Although it sounds like it should be on Billy Ray Cyrus' newer album, not Billy Currington's. Oh well, it's better than Don't in my opinion. I can't stand that song. Fact is, Billy Currington's capable of putting out better albums than Little Bit of Everything. People Are Crazy is great, but the overall album is somewhat weak for him.
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