Tim McGraw's "Back When"

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 11 Nov 2004 9:54 am

Is this not the worst song on the radio today?

Even more horrifying is that it is on the charts.

These have to be the WORST lyrics I have ever heard....both in terms of originality (poor rhymes) and appropriateness.

Examples:

"Back when a hoe was a hoe
Coke was a coke"

"Back when a screw was a screw
The wind was all that blew
And when you said I'm down with that
Well it meant you had the flu"

and the worst lyric of ALL of them:

"And crack's what you were doing
When you were cracking jokes"

Does this not sound like a 5th grader wrote this? WHY do people want to hear this crap on the radio? Because Tim McGraw sings it?

I'm out....

Joe

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 11 Nov 2004 10:18 am

"A Snowball Headed To Hell"

Joe Alterio · Post by **Joe Alterio** » 11 Nov 2004 11:39 am

Worse....this song was picked up by country radio as an ALBUM track and not a single by the record company.

I just about NEVER listed to country radio. EVER. The past few days, though, I was hoping to maybe hear some new pedal steel licks coming through my car stereo speakers for inspiration. Instead, each time I have gotten in my car over the past few days, this horrid song has been playing.

I know that there is payola and whatnot outthere.....but being an album track I would think this would be excluded. So, its in rotation based on popularity?!?!?

If I think about this anymore I'm going to spontaneosly combust. I do know that the country radio station has now been banned from my car speakers for another year.

Joe

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 11 Nov 2004 11:45 am

McGraw doesn't write ANY of his own material. This was probably chosen by an exec in Trashville.

On a side note, during a recent McGraw tour stop in Minneapolis the local 'country' station ran a contest where you were supposed to use the computer and combine a photo of yourself with one of McGraw. The critera to win tickets & backstage passes was 'creativity'. I decided to enter because that's my real job and my daughters wanted to see the show. I did a great composite of me & McGraw on a mountaintop with eagles soaring around us. The photo that won was of a girl grabbing McGraw's crotch. And you wonder why people buy this stuff?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Don

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My favorite baseball team is the Minnesota Twins...
-------- ...my second favorite is whoever is playing the Yankees!

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 11 Nov 2004 1:16 pm

Saw LeAnn Rimes newest video whilst surfing past CMT last evening. Don't remember the tune or the lyrics or the name but I certainly remember the visual parts. I wish they could be a little less obvious.

Don Joslin · Post by **Don Joslin** » 11 Nov 2004 1:38 pm

Ray -

'Nothin' 'bout Love Makes Sense' I think is the name of the LeAnn Rimes tune. You have to admit that she's a very - uh, er, visual young lady. Hard to believe what she has accomplished at her age.

Don

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My favorite baseball team is the Minnesota Twins...
-------- ...my second favorite is whoever is playing the Yankees!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 11 Nov 2004 2:09 pm

I think it's a case of a good girl gone bad.
Erv

Chris Lasher · Post by **Chris Lasher** » 11 Nov 2004 2:47 pm

Charles totally beat me to it. This song is a terrible rehash of Merle Haggard's "Are the Good Times Really Over (I Wish A Buck Was Still Silver)".

Even I, a current Country-radio listener, have to admit, the pitch-correction runs rampant on this song and dumps the vocals into truly awful.

Next song, please.

Don, once again, well said.

Per LeAnn Rimes, I don't have TV, so I'm not exposed to all the exposure on CMT. I think "Nothin' 'Bout Love Makes Sense" is a clever song. I like it. Can't speak for the video.[This message was edited by Chris Lasher on 11 November 2004 at 02:50 PM.]

erik · Post by **erik** » 11 Nov 2004 4:31 pm

I didn't know that was Tim McGraw singing that. The most intrigueing part is a few years ago he sang a song on an awards show about "Things Change" referring to complaints about traditional vs "new" Country and not to look back. This new song sounds very traditional in style to me. hmmm

David Cobb · Post by **David Cobb** » 11 Nov 2004 10:51 pm

Lyrics aside, I like "Back When".
I hear a touch of country rock in it, a genre I always liked.

not a McGraw fan

Mark Metdker · Post by **Mark Metdker** » 12 Nov 2004 4:42 am

I'm getting to where I can't even watch CMT anymore. The videos are just too bad.

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 12 Nov 2004 6:22 am

It's as country as cornbread!

John P. Phillips · Post by **John P. Phillips** » 12 Nov 2004 1:45 pm

Well it just goes to show, you can't please everybody ! To twist the old saying, " You just can't please some people, anytime !" Hmmm I'll bet he loved "Chug-a-lug", a real tender love song.

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JUST 'CAUSE I STEEL, DON'T MAKE ME A THIEF www.geocities.com/squire592001/jason.html

[This message was edited by John P.Phillips on 12 November 2004 at 01:46 PM.]

Gere Mullican · Post by **Gere Mullican** » 13 Nov 2004 6:37 am

I think "Back When" is the countriest thing Time McGraw ever recorded. Chug-A-Lug was a tender love ballad by Roger Miller.

Steve Stallings · Post by **Steve Stallings** » 4 Feb 2005 7:36 am

I just don't get it... Folks carp and whine because of the lack of pedal steel on radio.
Here is a song with absolute killer steel parts played entirely by the road player and it is getting dissed because of lyrical quality. My band plays this song and while I'm not all that crazy about the lyrical content, I love the steel parts.. especially the outro which is not generally played on the radio. The song itself is a classic country theme, pining for a time when things were simpler. Tim Mcgraw may not be your cup of tea, but he is one of a very few major stars who use their road band for the entire recording. His latest CD is entirely by the road band.

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God Bless,
Steve Stallings

Kenny Drake · Post by **Kenny Drake** » 4 Feb 2005 7:51 am

Most of the DHDs have been with Tim for ten years or more. It's a great steel break on "back When", so let's give the man the credit for it. The steeler is Denny Hemingson and yes, Tim uses the DHDs in the studio these days. Denny also plays Dobro and Tele as needed. Great guy.

Charles French · Post by **Charles French** » 4 Feb 2005 9:58 am

How could anyone not like Tim? He's "as country as cornbread" and oh so sexy, He has such a gift. I'd venture to say, he's the greastest singer I've ever heard. He sings with so much conviction and soul! Heck, he's the best thing to come along in Real Country Music since Sawyer Brown!! I just hope he comes to Mississippi soon! I know some ole boys that would love to take him on a camping trip! dadada da da dadadada

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 4 Feb 2005 10:27 am

Whatsthematter, you don't recognize parody when you hear it?

Mainstream country music is not about "the song" anymore, folks.

I'm sorry I had to be the one to break it to 'ya.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 4 Feb 2005 1:18 pm

Our band is covering this one ..it is heavily requested at a couple of clubs we play..

maybe it's the Hoe or the Screw parts...

But in all fairness... this one is filled with fine Steel Guitar and Telecaster phrases..so we should find some middle ground..

We can't have it both ways..

t
[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 06 February 2005 at 02:05 AM.]

Theresa Galbraith · Post by **Theresa Galbraith** » 5 Feb 2005 5:25 am

It's country!

Chris Bauer · Post by **Chris Bauer** » 5 Feb 2005 6:28 am

For whatever wacko (IMHO) reasons, this forum has frequently decided that music is either 'really country' or bad. Let's remember that a song can be really country and bad!

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 5 Feb 2005 8:14 am

Let's remember that a song can be really country and bad!

since the dawn of recordings.

Craig A Davidson · Post by **Craig A Davidson** » 5 Feb 2005 11:30 am

Tell me you can't listen to that song and say to yourselves, "Hey maybe he's right." It's just word comparison. I get his point and I think the song was well done, vocally and musically. By the way I am one of those old people that loves Haggard and Price and Bush.

Mel Mandville · Post by **Mel Mandville** » 8 Feb 2005 4:00 pm

I'm kind of with Tony and Steve... I'm not a big fan of Ol Tim , but I really like the steel and tele-picking in the tune. I'm sure It will pack the dance floor when we play it.
And that's what I get paid for ha...ha
Maybe you guys could help me with that quick little steel lick at the end of the first chorus.. I've got most of the tune learned except I came up with a few different ways to play that part. Gmaj lick 10th fret? or does it start there and move down from there? Kind of sounds a little chromatic Does a similar deal later off 5th fret. i think

Thanks

Rich Weiss · Post by **Rich Weiss** » 8 Feb 2005 6:47 pm

The lyrics are clever on this song, and so are the lyrics on the song, Some Beach. Also clever lyrics on 'Get a little mud on the tires.'