In the past few years, both Kid Rock and frequent cohort Uncle Kracker have edged their way onto country music playlists. On the one hand, it might make a few people cringe: after all, Uncle Kracker holds the record for the longest stay at #1 on the AC charts, and Kid Rock… well, he's got "rock" right there in his name. But on the other hand, neither artist is terribly far removed from some aspect of country. Kid's "All Summer Long" had an accessible level of storytelling and "Picture" was basically a killer country ballad with the amps turned up; Kracker's had a big hit with Kenny Chesney, and "Smile" is hardly any different from the lightweight-yet-tuneful love songs Keith Urban's been putting out.
So where does that leave "Good to Be Me"? Truth be told, it's a pretty tight song. It's laid back, happy and tuneful with its simple assertation that life is good. It anchors that happiness in interesting lyrics like "it's like I caught some crazy happy disease" which somehow manage to fit in alongside a name-drop of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and references to the top down in his Cutlass Supreme. Both Kid and Kracker are known for their raw, gritty voices, but they both sound pleasant together even if Kid is the better vocalist of the two.
This song is more akin to something that Bob Seger might have cut 30 years ago than anything a country act would be doing today. But most modern country singers grew up on rock from that generation anyway, so it's not as if "Good to Be Me" is an oddball. In fact, I'd say it's in the right position: it's just different enough to stand out, but familiar and accessible enough to please program directors. Expect this one to climb the Top 10 much faster than "Smile" did.
0 Comments